Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Computational modelling of human spoken-word recognition: the effects of pre-lexical representation quality on Fine-Tracker’s modelling performance

Fine-Tracker is a model of human speech recognition that is able to model the use of durational cues for the disambiguation of temporarily ambiguous speech. While previous Fine-Tracker simulations were successful at modelling human behavioural data on the use of durational cues, Fine-Tracker is not a very good recogniser of speech. This study proposes to improve the quality of Fine-Tracker’s pre-lexical representations by using deep convolutional neural networks for extracting the pre-lexical representations from the speech signal. The convolutional neural networks resulted in large increases in the classification accuracy of the pre-lexical level features. The improvement in the quality of the pre-lexical representations resulted in better word recognition for FineTracker simulations. However, the improved word recognition did not improve Fine-Tracker’s simulations of the use of durational information compared to simulations reported in previous studies.
A linearized stabilizer formalism for systems of finite dimension

The stabilizer formalism is a scheme, generalizing well-known techniques developed by Gottesman [1] in the case of qubits, to efficiently simulate a class of transformations (stabilizer circuits, which include the quantum Fourier transform and highly entangling operations) on standard basis states of d-dimensional qudits. To determine the state of a simulated system, existing treatments involve the computation of cumulative phase factors which involve quadratic dependencies. We present a simple formalism in which Pauli operators are represented using displacement operators in discrete phase space, expressing the evolution of the state via linear transformations modulo D ≤ 2d. We thus obtain a simple proof that simulating stabilizer circuits on n qudits, involving any constant number of measurement rounds, is complete for the complexity class coModdL and may be simulated by O(log(n)2)-depth circuits for any constant d ≥ 2.
Logical Identification of an Allantoinase Analog (puuE) Recruited from Polysaccharide Deacetylases*

The hydrolytic cleavage of the hydantoin ring of allantoin, catalyzed by allantoinase, is required for the utilization of the nitrogen present in purine-derived compounds. The allantoinase gene (DAL1), however, is missing in many completely sequenced organisms able to use allantoin as a nitrogen source. Here we show that an alternative allantoinase gene (puuE) can be precisely identified by analyzing its logic relationship with three other genes of the pathway. The novel allantoinase is annotated in structure and sequence data bases as polysaccharide deacetylase for its homology with enzymes that catalyze hydrolytic reactions on chitin or peptidoglycan substrates. The recombinant PuuE protein from Pseudomonas fluorescens exhibits metal-independent allantoinase activity and stereospecificity for the S enantiomer of allantoin. The crystal structures of the protein and of protein-inhibitor complexes reveal an overall similarity with the polysaccharide deacetylase β/α barrel and remarkable differences in oligomeric assembly and active site geometry. The conserved Asp-His-His metal-binding triad is replaced by Glu-His-Trp, a configuration that is distinctive of PuuE proteins within the protein family. An extra domain at the top of the barrel offers a scaffold for protein tetramerization and forms a small substrate-binding cleft by hiding the large binding groove of polysaccharide deacetylases. Substrate positioning at the active site suggests an acid/base mechanism of catalysis in which only one member of the catalytic pair of polysaccharide deacetylases has been conserved. These data provide a structural rationale for the shifting of substrate specificity that occurred during evolution.
Observations on the microflora of vacuum packed sliced cooked meat products.

Summary. Bacterial contamination of vacuum packed sliced cooked meats occurred mainly on the slicing and packaging line. Various types of these products were examined after packing, after 1 week storage at 8° and near the end of their shelf life. From products of 2 brands sampled at the retailer 153 cultures were isolated and identified. The relative growth rates of most of these strains were determined at 8 and 20°. Unclassified strepto-bacteria constitute the most important component of the microflora of vacuum packed cooked meats. With a number of strains, growth experiments in vacuum packed sliced berliner sausage were made to study the effects of temperature, % of brine, pH and nitrite. The shelf life of vacuum packed sliced cooked meats would be improved if contamination with unclassified streptobacteria could be prevented. This presumably can be achieved if cooked meats were handled and sliced in an area strictly separated from raw cured meats.
Ventilation and entrainment of breathing during cycling and running in triathletes.

PURPOSE To assess whether entrainment of breathing (E) during exercise: 1) differed according to the test protocol in well-trained triathletes, and 2) improved ventilatory efficiency during exercise. METHODS Eight triathletes performed three incremental tests until exhaustion: while cycling (CE), while running at increasing grade and constant speed (increasing GRADE) and while running at increasing speed and constant grade (increasing SPEED), respectively. E was evaluated as the percentage of breaths occurring at respiratory rates (F) corresponding to integer ratios of the exercise cycle rate. To assess whether E improved ventilatory efficiency, deltaVE/VO2 between nonentrained and entrained breaths was measured at each load. RESULTS Mean E was higher in CE (57.2+/-21.9%) than in increasing GRADE (46.9+/-18.7%) and increasing SPEED (41.4+/-17.2%). E decreased at high loads in CE and increasing SPEED but not in increasing GRADE. In the group of subjects, E correlated with the degree of fitness (evaluated as VO2Tvent/VO2peak%) only during increasing GRADE. By multiple regression analysis on all data, minute ventilation correlated with CO2 production but not with the exercise cycle rate; however, either F or tidal volume correlated significantly with both these variables. VE/VO2 was lower in entrained than nonentrained breaths at each load in CE and increasing GRADE experiments, but the difference was small. CONCLUSIONS In spite of some differences among protocols, triathletes showed significant E during incremental exercise tests. Spontaneous E appeared to slightly improve ventilatory efficiency during CE and increasing GRADE protocols.
Detection of Avian Influenza Viruses and Differentiation of H5, H7, N1, and N2 Subtypes Using a Multiplex Microsphere Assay

SUMMARY. In an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5 and H7 avian influenza, rapid analysis of a large number of clinical samples with the potential to rapidly identify the virus subtype is extremely important. Herein, we report on the development of a rapid multiplex microsphere assay for the simultaneous detection of all avian influenza viruses (AIV) as well as the differentiation of H5, H7, N1, and N2 subtypes. A reverse transcriptase–PCR (RT-PCR) reaction, followed by hybridization of the amplified product with specific oligonucleotide probe-coated microspheres, was conducted in a multiplex format. Following incubation with a reporter dye, the fluorescence intensity was measured using a suspension array system. The limit of detection of the probe-coupled microspheres ranged from 1 × 108 to 1 × 109 copies of RT-PCR amplified product and the sensitivity of the multiplex assay ranged from 1 × 102.5 to 1 × 103.2 50% embryo infectious doses of virus. The diagnostic accuracy of the assay, compared to the standard real-time RT-PCR, was evaluated using 102 swab samples from chickens exposed to low pathogenic AIV, and 97.05% of samples gave identical results with both the assays. The calculated specificity of the assay was 97.43%. Although the assay still needs to be validated, it appears to be a suitable diagnostic tool for detection and differentiation of avian influenza virus H5, H7, N1, and N2 subtypes.
G-Band Micro-Fabricated Frequency-Steered Arrays With 2 $^\circ$/GHz Beam Steering

In this paper, we describe micro-fabricated frequency-scanned slot waveguide arrays operating between 130 and 180 GHz for planetary landing radar. The group delay dispersion of the feed line is increased by corrugating the bottom rectangular waveguide wall. Both 16-element and 32-element linear arrays are fed by micro-coaxial corporate feed networks to narrow the beam in the non-scanning direction. Two-dimensional (2-D) antenna arrays and feed networks are photo-lithographically fabricated using a sequential metal deposition process. The 16-by-21 array demonstrates a 6° beamwidth and 2° /GHz steering over a 40° scan angle.
Extrapyramidal symptoms and residual psychopathology with low‐dose neuroleptics

Residual psychopathology associated with EPS has been mainly assessed in experimental studies where neuroleptics were administered at standard, fixed dosages. The present study evaluates residual psychopathology in 69 schizophrenic patients treated with moderate, flexible doses of neuroleptics (430 mg eq. CPZ) at the out‐patient Community Mental Health Services (CMHSs) in Bologna. Akathisia was present in 27·5 per cent of patients and parkinsonism in 27·5 per cent. A more severe psychopathological state was associated with both side‐effects, as seen by significantly higher BPRS global scores. This severity was due to tension and anxiety–depression symptoms in patients with akathisia and to negative symptomatology in patients with parkinsonism, as shown by significant associations with BPRS subscales ANS‐DEP and NEG, respectively. In conclusion, the present study underlines that EPS are frequent even in an out‐patient setting where moderate neuroleptic doses are employed, and more importantly shows that in these conditions, the residual psychopathology resulting from EPS is clinically very significant. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Boost DC-AC inverter: a new control strategy

Boost dc-ac inverter naturally generates in a single stage an ac voltage whose peak value can be lower or greater than the dc input voltage. The main drawback of this structure deals with its control. Boost inverter consists of Boost dc-dc converters that have to be controlled in a variable-operation point condition. The sliding mode control has been proposed as an option. However, it does not directly control the inductance averaged-current. This paper proposes a control strategy for the Boost inverter in which each Boost is controlled by means of a double-loop regulation scheme that consists of a new inductor current control inner loop and an also new output voltage control outer loop. These loops include compensations in order to cope with the Boost variable operation point condition and to achieve a high robustness to both input voltage and output current disturbances. As shown by simulation and prototype experimental results, the proposed control strategy achieves a very high reliable performance, even in difficult transient situations such as nonlinear loads, abrupt load changes, short circuits, etc., which sliding mode control cannot cope with.
Thirst in heart failure: what do we know so far?

Purpose of review Thirst is a common and burdensome symptom of heart failure, which impacts adversely on quality of life. To date, there is limited research on the prevalence of thirst, the factors associated with thirst and interventions to help manage thirst in heart failure. This review summarizes key empirical research developments of thirst. Recent findings Recent research shows that the heart failure syndrome, medications, self-care practice such as fluid restriction and anxiety contributes greatly to increased thirst in patients with heart failure. In addition, predictors such as being younger, male patient, with high symptom burden and serum urea is also associated with thirst. There are no intervention studies to manage thirst, only reports of various strategies recommended to heart failure patients in clinical practice. Summary Despite the burden of thirst in heart failure patients, strategies to relieve thirst remains insufficiently addressed in literature. Further research to improve the understanding of the severity of thirst and its relationship to possible factors associated with thirst is required in order to develop future interventions to either prevent or alleviate troublesome thirst in patients with heart failure.
A single session of resistance exercise does not reduce postprandial lipaemia

This study investigated the effect of a single session of resistance exercise on postprandial lipaemia. Eleven healthy normolipidaemic men with a mean age of 23 (standard error = 1.4) years performed two trials at least 1 week apart in a counterbalanced randomized design. In each trial, participants consumed a test meal (1.2 g fat, 1.1 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g protein and 68 kJ · kg−1 body mass) between 08.00 and 09.00 h following a 12 h fast. The afternoon before one trial, the participants performed an 88 min bout of resistance exercise. Before the other trial, the participants were inactive (control trial). Resistance exercise was performed using free weights and included four sets of 10 repetitions of each of 11 exercises. Sets were performed at 80% of 10-repetition maximum with a 2 min work and rest interval. Venous blood samples were obtained in the fasted state and at intervals for 6 h postprandially. Fasting plasma triacylglycerol (TAG) concentration did not differ significantly between control (1.03 ± 0.13 mmol · l−1) and exercise (0.94 ± 0.09 mmol · l−1) trials (mean ± standard error). Similarly, the 6 h total area under the plasma TAG concentration versus time curve did not differ significantly between the control (9.84 ± 1.40 mmol · l−1 · 6 h−1) and exercise (9.38 ± 1.12 mmol · l−1 · 6 h−1) trials. These findings suggest that a single session of resistance exercise does not reduce postprandial lipaemia.
Development and Validation of a Microwave Digestion - FAAS Procedure for Cu, Mn and Zn Determination in Liver

In this paper the evaluation of the dry, wet and microwave digestion methods applied on certified bovine liver (CRM 12-02-01) has been performed. The microwave digestion method was selected and validated for the copper, manganese and zinc determination in liver samples by FAAS, because it is simple, rapid (digestion was done in 2.5 hours, with reduced chemical use) and reliable. Furthermore, microwave digestion method is characterized by a recovery between 98.13 and 99.09% and standard deviations between 0.22% and 4.13% for liver samples preparation and gave a precision close to 100%. The correlation coefficients, R2 of the linear regression equations exceeded 0.997 values, demonstrating a good linearity of the proposed method. The relative standard deviation for repeatability and reproducibility ranged from 0.80% to 1.96%. Liver trace elements analysis procedure using microwave digestion and FAAS determination, was applied for the Cu, Mn, and Zn determination in liver samples of recently weaned piglets. Linear correlation between the values determined by FAAS and those obtained by GF-AAS, both applied on the same samples proves the correctness of the proposed microwave digestion method used in the preparation of the piglet liver samples.
Bleeding less for diagnostics.

To the Editor. — In centuries past, phlebotomies were performed to treat almost every disease, but in recent times, deliberate bloodlettings have generally been used to obtain samples for diagnostic examinations. Frequently, large volumes of blood have been let, resulting in iatrogenic anemias. Approximately a decade ago inThe Journal(1973;223:73), Eyster and Bernene reported that patients in their intensive care units lost an average of 54 mL (SD, 14 mL) of blood per day. They hypothesized that many hospitalized patients would lose between 10% and 20% of their blood volume. To see what progress might have been made in not bleeding patients to illness, we documented blood loss from patients in our medical intensive care unit during one week, observing 59 patient-days. Besides volumes sent to the laboratory, we included in our calculations blood lost during the placement of intravascular lines and blood discarded in obtaining specimens from them. Each
Determinants of Employee’s Commitment among Healthcare Professionals

Being an important concept in human resource management, a wide span of literature exists on employee’s commitment research. However, little is known of the factors that enhance employee’s commitment among healthcare professionals in the Philippines. Consequently, this study sought to examine the influence of selected factors on the commitment of healthcare professional in the Philippines. Using quantitative methods the study established that the factors in the study were significantly and positively correlated with employee’s commitment. Among the factors, job satisfaction of employees emerged as the most important in explaining employee’s commitment. Finally recommendations for research and practice are made.
Closed loop harmonic content reduction for three phase induction machines control

This paper presents a closed loop control technique for harmonic content reduction in the stator current of an induction machine feeded with a three phase inverter, within a velocity control loop. Using a digital filter for Clarke transformation, a robust sliding flux observer, and a closed loop control for the zero sequence of a SVPWM three phase inverter, this work shows how the proposed schema can effectively reduce the harmonic content in the stator currents of the induction machine despite of variations on the load torque using just two sensors: a current sensor for one of the stator phases and a velocity sensor for the closed loop control of the velocity of the machine.
A Tyrosine-phosphorylated Protein That Binds to an Important Regulatory Region on the Cool Family of p21-activated Kinase-binding Proteins*

The p21-activated kinases (Pak) are major targets of the small GTPases Cdc42 and Rac. We, and others, recently identified a family of proteins termed Cool/Pix, which interact with Pak3. In cells, p50Cool-1 suppresses Pak activation by upstream activators; p85Cool-1 has a permissive effect on Pak activation, and we now show that the closely related Cool-2 stimulates Pak kinase activity. To understand the differential regulation of Pak by Cool proteins, we screened for Cool-interacting proteins by affinity purification and microsequencing. This has led to the identification of two closely related proteins called Cat (Cool-associated, tyrosine phosphorylated), which contain a zinc finger followed by three ankyrin repeats. Cat-1 is identical to the recently identified binding partner for the β-adrenergic receptor kinase (βARK or GRK-2), which was shown to have Arf-GAP activity. Cat-1 and Cat-2 both bind to the COOH-terminal region of p85Cool-1 and p85Cool-2but do not bind to p50Cool-1. Cat-1 is tyrosine-phosphorylated in growing NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, and its tyrosine phosphorylation is increased following cell spreading on fibronectin, decreased in cells arrested in mitosis, and increased in the ensuing G1 phase. Cat proteins are tyrosine-phosphorylated when co-expressed in cells with the focal adhesion kinase Fak and Src. These findings suggest that in addition to playing a role in Cool/Pak interactions, Cat proteins may serve as points of convergence between G protein-coupled receptors, integrins, Arf GTPases, cell cycle regulators, and Cdc42/Rac/Pak signaling pathways.
Immunologic Competence and Induction of Neoplasms by Polyoma Virus

Summary Thymectomy at 3 days of age in several inbred strains of mice and in an F1 hybrid resulted in a strikingly increased frequency of neoplasms following infection with polyoma virus. Age susceptibility was extended to at least 30 days of age in highly resistant C57BL mice. The usual stigmata associated with thymectomy at birth were not found in the 3-day thymectomized mice. Nonetheless the methods used to restore immunologically deficient thymectomized neonates were also effective in restoring the capacity to resist polyoma virus tumor induction: adult syngeneic spleen cells, thymus tissue in Millipore diffusion chambers and syngeneic thymus grafts. Growth curves of polyoma virus in kidney, salivary glands and liver were quite similar in thymectomized and intact litter mates. Hemagglutination-inhibition antibodies determined periodically up to 30 days after infection were also similar in both groups. These results are discussed in terms of a concept involving virus-specific “tumor” antigens and the immunologic status of the animal.
Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with prosthetic hiatal closure reduces postoperative intrathoracic wrap herniation: preliminary results of a prospective randomized functional and clinical study.

BACKGROUND Postoperative intrathoracic wrap migration is the most frequent morphological complication after laparoscopic antireflux surgery. Previous authors have studied the use of prosthetic materials for hiatal closure to prevent recurrence of hiatal hernia and/or postoperative intrathoracic wrap herniation. HYPOTHESIS Patients with prosthetic hiatal closure have a higher rate of short-term dysphagia but a significantly lower rate of postoperative intrathoracic wrap herniation at follow-up. DESIGN Prospective randomized trial. We compared patients who underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with simple sutured hiatoplasty with those who underwent laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with prosthetic hiatal closure. SETTING University-affiliated community hospital. PATIENTS One hundred consecutive patients undergoing laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication for gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia repair. INTERVENTION Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with simple sutured crural closure (n = 50 [group 1]) vs laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with simple sutured cruroplasty and onlay of a polypropylene mesh (n = 50 [group 2]). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Recurrences; complications; results of esophageal manometry, 24-hour pH monitoring, esophagogastroduodenoscopy, and barium swallow test; and symptomatic outcome. RESULTS Patients in both groups had similar preoperative values in esophageal manometry, 24-hour pH monitoring, and symptom scoring. At the 3-month and 1-year follow-ups, functional outcome variables (lower esophageal sphincter pressure and DeMeester score) improved significantly compared with the preoperative values. A higher postoperative dysphagia rate could be evaluated in group 2. An intrathoracic wrap migration occurred in 13 patients (26%) in group 1 vs 4 (8%) in group 2 (P<.001). CONCLUSION Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication with prosthetic cruroplasty is an effective procedure to reduce the incidence of postoperative hiatal hernia recurrence and intrathoracic wrap herniation.
Patch Size and Population Density: the Effect of Immigration Behavior

Many habitat fragmentation experiments make the prediction that animal population density will be positively related to fragment, or patch, size. The mechanism that is supposed to result in this prediction is unclear, but several recent reviews have demonstrated that population density often is negatively related to patch size. Immigration behavior is likely to have an important effect on population density for species that do not show strong edge effects, for species that have low emigration rates, and during short-term habitat fragmentation experiments. We consider the effect that different kinds of immigration behaviors will have on population density and we demonstrate that only a minority of possible scenarios produce positive density vs. patch size relationships. More commonly, these relationships are expected to be negative. Our results demonstrate the importance of considering autecological mechanisms, such as immigration behavior, when developing the predictions that we test in habitat fragmentation or other experiments.