Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender, Music, and Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emission Components

Objectives: The prevalence of personal music (PM) system use with earphones is high among young adults. Although previous research has demonstrated that the majority of these adults may not be listening at levels or for durations considered dangerous, the long-term consequences of PM system use are not fully understood. In this report the relationship between self-reported PM use (i.e., non, light, moderate, or heavy) and peripheral auditory function as assayed through distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) components and fine structure was explored. The purpose was to evaluate the relationship between PM system use and peripheral auditory function. Design: One hundred and one (N = 101) young adults, 18 to 30 years of age, with normal hearing. Survey data were first obtained to determine PM system user status along with type of earphones used, most common listening volume, and most common listening duration. Once normal-hearing sensitivity was confirmed with a hearing screening, the DPOAE research protocol was administered. DPOAEs (2f1 to f2) were measured between 1 and 6 kHz with stimulus levels fixed at L1, L2 = 55,40 dB SPL and f2/f1 = 1.22. DPOAE level as well as fine-structure depth and spacing in 1/3rd octave (oct) bands around 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, and 6 kHz were compared across various PM system user groups. The ear-canal DPOAE was separated into the so-called generator and characteristic frequency (CF) components. The characteristics of the components were also compared across user groups. Results: Almost all participants reported listening to a PM system between < 1 hr/d to 3 hr/d, and 67% of the participants reported medium/comfortable as the most common volume used during a typical day. There was no significant effect of user status on 3rd oct DPOAE data, 1/3rd oct band component data, or fine-structure spacing data. Women exhibited significantly higher DPOAE as well as generator and CF component levels in the lower half of the frequency range evaluated. There were no significant gender differences for fine-structure spacing or depth. The slope of the CF component was significantly steeper in women. Conclusions: In this cross-sectional study, there were no significant effects of self-reported PM use on either the ear-canal DPOAE or its constituent parts. Fine-structure depth varied across user groups in a nonsystematic manner. Women exhibited higher DPOAE and component levels in the lower portion of the frequency range evaluated. It is interesting to note that a greater proportion of men reported listening to their PM system at loud or very loud levels. The size of the effect relative to the sample size of each user group may be masking the deleterious effects of PM system use on the peripheral auditory system.
Reliability and validity of Canada's Physical Activity Monitor for assessing trends.

PURPOSE This investigation assessed the reliability and criterion validity of the Physical Activity Monitor, a telephone-interview adaptation of the Minnesota Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (MLTPAQ), which is currently used to assess trends in the Canadian population. METHODS A sample of 512 people aged 18 yr and older was selected by random-digit dialing for telephone interviewing in the reliability study. The Monitor questions were administered twice, 3 wk apart. For the criterion validity study, a sample of 148 people aged 18-69 yr was selected at random from households. Participants completed the Monitor questions by telephone and an in-home step test to estimate maximum oxygen uptake. Another random sample of individuals aged 18-69 yr participated in a comparison study of the Monitor against the 1988 Campbell's Survey of Well-Being (CSWB) instrument. All studies were conducted in the vicinity of Toronto, Ontario. Spearman correlations controlling for age and sex were calculated as a measure of association for the reliability, validity, and comparison studies. Validity estimates were further adjusted for body mass index and physical activity demands of work and chores. RESULTS The Monitor instrument produced reliable estimates of total energy expenditure (P=0.90, P<0.0001) with criterion validity of 0.36 (P<0.0001). The association between estimates of total energy expenditure derived from the Monitor and CSWB instruments was 0.77 (P<0.0001). CONCLUSION The Physical Activity Monitor has acceptable test-retest reliability and criterion validity. The research also demonstrated that for the purpose of population monitoring a change in data collection mode-telephone interview versus self-administration in households-can yield reasonably comparable estimates from two adaptations of the MLTPAQ.
A built-in technique for probing power supply and ground noise distribution within large-scale digital integrated circuits

Design of noise detector circuits as compact as standard logic cells is proposed. High-density large-scale digital integrated circuits that embed such built-in noise detectors enable in-depth characterization of dynamic power supply and ground noises. Dependence of power supply and ground voltage drops on the location of active cell rows within 1.8-V standard cell-based digital circuits are consistently measured by 1.8- and 2.5-V built-in detectors fabricated in a 0.18-/spl mu/m CMOS triple-well technology. Measurements also show that ground noise distribution is distinctively more localized than power supply counterparts due to the presence of a substrate.
Advancing the Public’s Health by Scaling Innovations in Clinical Quality

Clinical care improvements that advance population health are important to public health policy and practice. Increasingly, evidence-based clinical care quality improvement efforts are reflected in the legally binding standards that govern the certification of health care entities and institutions, as well as private insurance coverage and payment. As clinical practice is reengineered to improve quality of care, these new practice standards can become embedded in the legal rules and norms governing health care in ways that spread innovation and create access to evidence-based services across the population. This installment of Law and the Public’s Health provides a foundation for understanding the theory of innovation diffusion and opportunities for spreading innovations aimed at prevention in health care settings. Our research grows out of a project with the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to examine how innovations in clinical practice related to falls prevention among community-dwelling older adults can more rapidly reach at-risk populations. Although this project focuses on falls prevention, it is relevant to public health policy and practice more generally.
Short Discreet Proofs

We show how to produce short proofs of theorems such that a distrusting Verifier can be convinced that the theorem is true yet obtains no information about the proof itself. The proofs are non-interactive provided that the quadratic residuosity bit commitment scheme is available to the Prover and Verifier. For typical applications, the proofs are short enough to fit on a floppy disk.
Hypoprothrombinemia during Concomitant Therapy with Warfarin and Saquinavir

trations up to 10 llg/mL. I Therefore, it is unlikely that this interaction is mediated through a protein-binding displacement phenomenon. Tramadol is extensively metabolized primarily by Nand 0demethylation and conjugation of O-demethylated compounds. Demethylation is carried out by isoenzyme CYP2D6 (personal communication, Laura M Litzenberger PharmD). 2 Warfarin is metabolized by other isoenzymes of cytochrome P450,J and therefore, does not explain the mechanism of the interaction. Due to the time frame of tramadol use in relation to the prolonged INR, it is possible there is an association. Because of reports such as this one, the manufacturer of tramadol has modified its labeling regarding drug interactions to include: "Post-marketing surveillance has revealed rare reports of digoxin toxicity and alteration of warfarin effect, including elevation of prothrombin times. "4 Clinicians should be aware of the potential for this interaction and monitor INRs or consider alternative therapy until more is known. ~
GPS-Assisted Path Loss Exponent Estimation for Positioning in IEEE 802.11 Networks

We present a new adaptive method to calculate the path loss exponent (PLE) for microcell outdoor dynamic environments in the 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) frequency band. The proposed method calculates the PLE during random walks by recording signal strength measurements from Radio Frequency (RF) transceivers and position data with a consumer-grade GPS receiver. The novelty of this work lies in the formulation of signal propagation conditions as a parametric observation model in order to estimate first the PLE and then the distance from the received RF signals using nonlinear least squares. GPS data is used to identify long term fading from the received signal's power and helps to refine the power-distance model. Ray tracing geometries for urban canyon (direct line of sight) and nonurban canyon (obstacles) propagation scenarios are used as the physics of the model (design matrix). Although the method was implemented for a lightweight localization algorithm for the 802.11b/g (Wi-Fi) standard, it can also be applied to other ISM band protocols such as 802.15. 4 (Zigbee) and 802.15. 1 (Bluetooth).
Candida inconspicua and Candida norvegensis: New Insights into Identification in Relation to Sexual Reproduction and Genome Organization

ABSTRACT Candida inconspicua and Candida (Pichia) norvegensis are two emerging pathogenic species that exhibit reduced susceptibility to azole derivatives. Conventional (biochemical) approaches do not readily differentiate between the two species. The first aim of this work was to analyze the performance of biochemical, proteomic (matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight [MALDI-TOF]), and molecular approaches in the precise identification of these species. These results then led us to sequence 3 genomic loci, i.e., the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA), the D1/D2 domain of the 28S rDNA, and the elongation factor 1α (EF-1α) gene, either directly or following cloning, of 13 clinical isolates and 9 reference strains belonging to the 5 species included in the Pichia cactophila clade, namely, Pichia cactophila, Pichia insulana, C. inconspicua, C. norvegensis, and P. pseudocactophila. Finally, isolates of C. inconspicua were challenged for sexual reproduction on the appropriate medium. Our results show that EF-1α sequencing and proteic profiling by MALDI-TOF are the two most efficient approaches to distinguish between C. norvegensis and C. inconspicua. As a characteristic of the P. cactophila clade, we found multiple alleles of the rDNA regions in certain strains belonging to the tested species, making ITS or D1/D2 sequencing not appropriate for identification. Whatever the method of identification, including MALDI-TOF and EF-1α sequencing, none could differentiate C. inconspicua from P. cactophila. The results of phylogenetic analysis and the generation of asci from pure cultures of all C. inconspicua strains both support the identification of P. cactophila as the teleomorph of C. inconspicua.
FLOWING BILATERAL FILTER: DEFINITION AND IMPLEMENTATIONS

The bilateral filter plays a key role in image processing applications due to its intuitive parameterization and its high quality filter result, smoothing homogeneous regions while preserving the edges of the objects. Considering the image as a topological relief, seeing pixel intensities as peaks and valleys, we introduce a way to control the tonal weighting coefficients, the flowing bilateral filter, reducing "halo" artifacts typically produced by the regular bilateral filter around a large peak surrounded by two valleys of lower values. In this paper we propose to investigate exact and approximated versions of CPU and parallel GPU (Graphical Processing Unit) based implementations of the regular and flowing bilateral filter using the NVidia CUDA API. Fast implementations of these filters are important for the processing of large 3D volumes up to several GB acquired by x-ray or electron tomography.
Analytical derivation of a two-section impedance transformer for a frequency and its first harmonic

The feasibility of an electrically small two-section transformer (total length one-third-wavelength at the fundamental) capable of achieving ideal impedance matching at a fundamental frequency and its first harmonic is demonstrated, analytically. To achieve this, the exact solution to the resulting transcendental transmission line equations for two sections is obtained with no restrictions. The parameters of the transformer are presented in explicit closed form and are exact. The results of this study are useful for a number of practical design problems, including dual-band antennas and RF circuits in general.
A 40-Pulse AC--DC Converter Fed Vector-Controlled Induction Motor Drive

In this paper, a novel autotransformer for a 40-pulse ac-dc converter configuration is designed, modeled, simulated, and implemented to feed vector-controlled induction motor drive (VCIMD). The proposed converter consists of two paralleled ten-pulse ac-dc converters along with pulse doubling circuit at dc bus. Each ten-pulse ac-dc converter involves five-phase diode bridge rectifiers. It improves power quality at ac mains, and it meets IEEE-519 standard requirements at varying loads. A set of power quality indexes on input ac mains and dc bus for a VCIMD fed from 20-pulse and 6-pulse converters is also given to compare their performance. It is observed that input current total harmonic distortion (THD) of much less than 5% is possible with the proposed topology at varying loads.
Tri-band-notched ultrawideband (UWB) antenna using split semicircular resonator (SSR) and capacitively loaded loops (CLL)

A compact printed ultra-wideband (UWB) monopole antenna with triple band-notched characteristics is presented. The first rejected band (3.3-3.6 GHz) for the WiMAX system is achieved by etching a split semicircular resonator (SSR) on the radiating element. Meanwhile, by adding two capacitively loaded loops(CLLs) close to the micro-strip feed line, the other two band-notched properties in the lower WLAN (5.15-5.35 GHz) and higher WLAN (5.725-5.825 GHz) bands are obtained. The size of antenna is 34 × 27 mm2. The measured results are roughly consistent with the simulated. The time domain characteristics are also analyzed. The results show that the proposed antenna has broadband matched impedance characteristics, stable radiation patterns, compressed notched-band gain as well as high time domain fidelity.
Injury rates, predictors of workplace injuries, and results of an intervention program among community health workers.

BACKGROUND Few incidence studies of workplace injuries among community health workers exist, and evidence regarding the effectiveness of interventions in this population is lacking. OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of workplace injury among community health workers in British Columbia; to identify predictors of injury; and to assess the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention program in this population. METHODS Data were collected from an intervention study of 648 community health workers from six agencies to calculate injury rates. Interventions included an education and training module, a risk assessment tool and resource guide, and a lift equipment registry. RESULTS The majority of injuries were attributed to overexertion and falls. Annual incidence rates were 20.7% for reported injuries, and 8.1% for time-loss injuries. A history of previous injuries and working full time were predictors of time to first injury report. Participants who received an intervention were significantly more likely to report workplace injuries than participants in the comparison group, but were less likely to incur a time-loss injury. CONCLUSIONS The interventions used in this study led to increased awareness and an increase in reported injuries but resulted in fewer time-loss injuries. The mechanisms that led to these findings need to be explored further.
Multilingual Policies and Multilingual Education in the Nordic Countries.

This article presents some aspects of multilingualism and multilingual education in the Nordic countries, drawing upon experiences from the project Network for Researchers of Multilingualism and Multilingual Education, RoMME (2011�2013), where Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden are represented. The aim is to briefly present and discuss some similar and differing trends within the field of multilingualism and multilingual education in the Nordic countries, taking into account both outside and inside perspectives. On the basis of the
An investigation into the perceptions of academic librarians and students towards next-generation OPACs and their features

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to determine whether features of next-generation Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) interfaces are useful and intuitive to users who have different levels of searching ability. In addition, it investigates whether there is a difference between librarians’ and students’ preferences for specific features. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on 18 semi-structured interviews conducted in July 2012 with three groups of library users from The University of Sheffield: librarians; Master of Arts Librarianship students; and a group of other post-graduate students. Findings – Overall, this study suggests that while the next-generation catalogue interfaces and features are useful, they are not as “intuitive” as some previous studies have claimed. Interviewees appeared to prefer the searching and browsing options over the Web 2.0 features. Both librarians and students have similar opinions regarding the usefulness of next-generation OPAC features, but preferen.
Granule cell dispersion develops without neurogenesis and does not fully depend on astroglial cell generation in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy

Purpose: Granule cell dispersion (GCD) appears as a characteristic morphological feature of the mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). It has been suggested that this phenomenon could be due to an increased neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. However, this hypothesis is still debated and recent clinical and experimental studies have shown that neurogenesis is rather decreased in MTLE. To further determine the role of neural and astroglial cell generation in GCD we examined the consequences of aging and irradiation, which are known to reduce progenitor cells, in a mouse model of MTLE induced by intrahippocampal kainate (KA) injection.
Interobserver Reproducibility of Criteria for Vertebral Body Exclusion

We studied reproducibility of the ISCD vertebral exclusion criteria among four interpreters. Surprisingly, agreement among interpreters was only moderate, because of differences in threshold for diagnosing focal structural defects and choice of which vertebra among a pair discordant for T‐score, area, or BMC to exclude. Our results suggest that reproducibility may be improved by specifically addressing the sources of interobserver disagreement.
Reliability prediction of offshore oil and gas equipment for use in an arctic environment

The offshore oil and gas industry is currently moving into the arctic region. The harsh arctic environment will have an unavoidable influence on the reliability of the equipment operated in it. To understand this influence is of vital importance to ensure the reliability of the equipment and the production availability of the systems. Several types of data, such as data on design, production, usage intensity, and operating environment are required to assess and verify the reliability of the equipment. This paper proposes a framework for reliability assessment based on proportional hazards modeling and various types of data. It presents important arctic factors influencing the physical performance and discusses how these may influence the reliability of the equipment.
Creating words from iterated vocal imitation

We report the results of a large-scale (N=1571) experiment to investigate whether spoken words can emerge from the process of repeated imitation. Participants played a version of the children’s game “Telephone”. The first generation was asked to imitate recognizable environmental sounds (e.g., glass breaking, water splashing); subsequent generations imitated the imitators for a total of 8 generations. We then examined whether the vocal imitations became more stable and word-like, retained a resemblance to the original sound, and became more suitable as learned category labels. The results showed (1) the imitations became progressively more word-like, (2) even after 8 generations, they could be matched above chance to the environmental sound that motivated them, and (3) imitations from later generations were more effective as learned category labels. These results show how repeated imitation can create progressively more word-like forms while retaining a semblance of iconicity.
Rho Family Proteins Modulate Rapid Apoptosis Induced by Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes and Fas*

Little is known about the role of Rho proteins in apoptosis produced by stimuli evolved specifically to produce apoptosis, such as granzymes from cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and Fas. Here we demonstrate that all three Rho family members are involved in CTL- and Fas-induced killing. Dominant-negative mutants of each Rho family member and Clostridium difficile toxin B, an inhibitor of all family members, strongly inhibited the susceptibility of cells to CTL- and Fas-induced apoptosis. Fas-induced caspase-3 activation was inhibited by C. difficile toxin. Activated mutants of each GTPase increased susceptibility to apoptosis, and activation of Cdc42 increased within 5 min of Fas stimulation. In contrast, during the time required for CTL and Fas killing, no apoptosis was produced by dominant-negative or activated mutants or byC. difficile toxin alone. Inhibition of actin polymerization using latrunculin A reduced the ability of constitutively active GTPase mutants to stimulate apoptosis and blocked Fas-induced activation of caspase-3. Furthermore, the ability of Rac to enhance apoptosis was decreased by point mutations reported to block Rac induction of actin polymerization. Rho family proteins may regulate apoptosis through their effects on the actin cytoskeleton.