Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rights Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License 1 Ambulatory Phonation Monitor study: vocal loudness and pitch in healthy young adults under environmental noise

This study investigated the effects of environmental noise on vocal intensity, fundamental frequency and perceived vocal effort among 24 vocally healthy young adults (12 males and 12 females, aged 19-22 years). All participants were asked to hold a monologue speech under three environments with different range of noise levels: a quiet clinic room (mean = 35.5 dBA), a clinic corridor (mean = 54.5 dBA) and a pantry room with an exhaust fan (mean = 67.5 dBA). The order of conditions was randomized in a predetermined order. Hydration and vocal rest were given to all participants prior to each recording condition. Both gender groups showed significant increase in mean vocal intensity, fundamental frequency and perceived vocal effort in the pantry room than other two conditions, and no significant difference between the quiet clinic room and the clinic corridor except in the fundamental frequency in female group. The results support the laboratory findings for Lombard effect in high background noise levels and also support the recommended noise levels of 50-55 dB where speech intelligibility maintained. In addition, the results warrant attention for individuals who often speak under environments with high background noise levels. Create PDF files without this message by purchasing novaPDF printer (http://www.novapdf.com)
Sequencing, De Novo Assembly and Annotation of the Colorado Potato Beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Transcriptome

Background The Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata) is a major pest and a serious threat to potato cultivation throughout the northern hemisphere. Despite its high importance for invasion biology, phenology and pest management, little is known about L. decemlineata from a genomic perspective. We subjected European L. decemlineata adult and larval transcriptome samples to 454-FLX massively-parallel DNA sequencing to characterize a basal set of genes from this species. We created a combined assembly of the adult and larval datasets including the publicly available midgut larval Roche 454 reads and provided basic annotation. We were particularly interested in diapause-specific genes and genes involved in pesticide and Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) resistance. Results Using 454-FLX pyrosequencing, we obtained a total of 898,048 reads which, together with the publicly available 804,056 midgut larval reads, were assembled into 121,912 contigs. We established a repository of genes of interest, with 101 out of the 108 diapause-specific genes described in Drosophila montana; and 621 contigs involved in insecticide resistance, including 221 CYP450, 45 GSTs, 13 catalases, 15 superoxide dismutases, 22 glutathione peroxidases, 194 esterases, 3 ADAM metalloproteases, 10 cadherins and 98 calmodulins. We found 460 putative miRNAs and we predicted a significant number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (29,205) and microsatellite loci (17,284). Conclusions This report of the assembly and annotation of the transcriptome of L. decemlineata offers new insights into diapause-associated and insecticide-resistance-associated genes in this species and provides a foundation for comparative studies with other species of insects. The data will also open new avenues for researchers using L. decemlineata as a model species, and for pest management research. Our results provide the basis for performing future gene expression and functional analysis in L. decemlineata and improve our understanding of the biology of this invasive species at the molecular level.
MULTIMODAL EXPRESSION ANALYSIS A Degree Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Escola Tècnica d'Enginyeria de Telecomunicació de Barcelona

1 Resum . 2 Resumen . 3 Acknowledgements . 4 Revision history and approval record . 5 Table of contents . 6 List of Figures . 8 List of Tables: . 9
Energy-efficient configuration of spatial and frequency resources in MIMO-OFDMA systems

In this paper, we investigate adaptive configuration of spatial and frequency resources to maximize energy efficiency (EE) and reveal the relationship between the EE and the spectral efficiency (SE) in downlink multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) systems. We formulate the problem as minimizing the total power consumed at the base station under constraints on the average data rates from multiple users, the total number of subcarriers, and the number of radio frequency (RF) chains. We develop a two-step searching algorithm to solve this problem, which first finds the near-optimal numbers of subcarriers for multiple users based on Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions and then optimize the number of active RF chains. Simulation results demonstrate that increasing frequency resource improves both the SE and the EE, and is more efficient than increasing spatial resource. Consequently, there exists tradeoff between the SE and the EE only when the frequency resource is limited. In general, the adaptive configuration of spatial and frequency resources outperforms the adaptive configuration of only spatial resource and that of only frequency resource.
Targeting Rat Brainstem Glioma Using Human Neural Stem Cells and Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Purpose: Brainstem gliomas are usually inoperable and have a dismal prognosis. Based on the robust tropisms of neural stem cells (NSC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) to brain tumors, we compared the tumor-tropic migratory capacities of these stem cells and evaluated the therapeutic potential of genetically engineered human NSCs encoding cytosine deaminase (CD) and IFNβ against brainstem gliomas. Experimental Design: The directed migratory capacities of NSCs and MSCs to brainstem glioma (F98) were evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. The human NSCs (HB1.F3) and various human MSCs, such as bone marrow–derived MSCs (HM3.B10), adipose tissue–derived MSCs, and umbilical cord blood–derived MSCs, were tested. Human fibroblast cells (HFF-1) were used as the negative control. As a proof of concept, the bioactivity of HB1.F3-CD-IFNβ was analyzed with a cell viability assay, and animals with brainstem gliomas were injected with HB1.F3-CD-IFNβ cells followed by systemic 5-fluorocytosine treatment. Results: In an in vitro modified Transwell migration assay and in vivo stem cell injection into established brainstem gliomas in rats, all the stem cells showed a significant migratory capacity compared with that of the control (P < 0.01). Histologic analysis showed a 59% reduction in tumor volume in the HB1.F3-CD-IFNβ–treated group (P < 0.05). Apoptotic cells were increased 2.33-fold in animals treated with HB1.F3-CD-IFNβ compared with the respective control groups (P < 0.01). Conclusion: The brainstem glioma-tropic migratory capacities of MSCs from various sources were similar to those of NSCs. Genetically engineered NSCs show therapeutic efficacy against brainstem gliomas.
Spottiness of European graylings correlates with environmental features and could 3 signal the status of individuals 4 5

34 Skin spots play an essential role as a visual stimulus in the social behaviour of fishes, 35 particularly in gregarious species. Several studies have demonstrated that the 36 characteristics of some flank signals are used as conspicuous visual cues for different 37 aspects of intraspecific communication, as well as shape the interactions among 38 individuals, and reflect the features of individuals. Here, we analyse the spatial pattern 39 of spots in the European grayling Thymallus thymallus (Linnaeus 1758; Salmonidae, 40 subfamily Thymallinae), which are usually gregarious. Adult individuals are 41 characterized by conspicuous black spots on their sides, generally restricted to the front 42 half of the flank. By sampling 55 individuals in Slovenia, Croatia, and Norway, we 43 tested the possible influence of environmental factors (e.g. water velocity, water depth, 44 position in the pool/stream) and/or individual characteristics (sex and length) on the 45 characteristics and spatial pattern of grayling’s spots. Spottiness did not show any 46
Pilot Study For Examining Human-Robot Trust In Healthcare Interventions Involving Sensitive Personal Information

Socially interactive humanoid robots have been widely used in physical therapy and rehabilitation for children with motor disabilities. Previous studies have shown that embedding human-like behavior on a robotic playmate improves the efficacy of the physical therapy through corrective feedback. Understanding of trust in such scenarios is especially important since the behavior of the robot impacts the outcomes of the interaction through changes of trust, thus affecting rehabilitation performance. The objective of this pilot study was to examine aspects of trust between humans and socially interactive humanoid robots when robots provide incorrect personal information about them. A between-subject experiment was conducted with eight participants. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of the following conditions: 1) Reliable robot or 2) Faulty robot. Survey responses about trust were collected after interacting with the robot. Results indicate a trend showing that humans will trust a socially interactive robot with their personal information, even if the robot makes a mistake. These results can provide insights into the development of a robotic therapy coach but also motivates future studies to examine elements of human-robot trust in different healthcare scenarios.
Total Enteral Nutrition as Prophylactic Therapy for Pancreatic Necrosis Infection in Severe Acute Pancreatitis

Objective: To evaluate the capacity of enteral nutrition, in comparison with the total parenteral nutrition (TPN) plus antibiotic therapy, for avoiding pancreatic necrosis infection in the severe acute pancreatitis. Methods: In the period between October 1998 and September 2003, 87 patients met the inclusion criteria and took part in this research. Within the first week from their admission, 43 patients received TPN and 44 patients received total enteral nutrition (TEN). An adequate prophylactic antibiotic therapy was used in both groups. The severity of the manifestations was similar for both groups having a tomographic ‘severity index’ of 8 and an entry C-reactive protein of 208 and 203 mg/l, respectively. Results: The group that received TPN suffered an organ failure in 79% of the cases, while the percentage showed by the group that received TEN was 31%; 88 and 25% of the patients in each group requiring a surgical intervention, respectively (p < 0.001). There was decreased presence of pancreatic necrosis infection in the group of patients that was supplied with TEN (20%) than in the group receiving TPN, where it reached 74% (p < 0.001). The death rate was significantly higher among the patients who received TPN, (35%), while for the patients who received TEN it was only 5% (p < 0.001). Conclusion: TEN could be used as a prophylactic therapy for infected pancreatic necrosis since it significantly diminished the necrosis infection as well as the mortality.
Interaction with Intestinal Epithelial Cells Promotes an Immunosuppressive Phenotype in Lactobacillus casei

Maintenance of the immunological tolerance and homeostasis in the gut is associated with the composition of the intestinal microbiota. We here report that cultivation of Lactobacillus casei ATCC 334 in the presence of human intestinal epithelial cells promotes functional changes in bacteria. In particular, the interaction enhanced the immunosuppressive phenotype of L. casei as demonstrated by the ability of L. casei to generate functional regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+FoxP3+) and production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The results indicate microbe-host cross-talk that changes features of microbes, and suggest that in vitro simulation of epithelial cell interaction can reveal functional properties of gut microbes more accurately than conventional cultivation.
Drones in Agriculture : Current and future legal status in Germany , the EU , the USA and Japan

Agriculture promises diverse and attractive uses for drones. However, farmers and service providers are often unaware of the legal situation in their new traffic space “air”. What restrictions arise from current law and thus possibly block usage scenarios? What developments are to be expected from a legal perspective and which opportunities/risks may emerge in the future? The legal regulations in Germany, the EU, the USA and Japan are considered. Starting from the status quo of agricultural drone use, international legislation will be compared and an outlook on the future role of drones in agriculture will be presented.
A HYBRID FRAMEWORK FOR BRAIN TUMOR DETECTION AND CLASSIFICATION USING NEURAL NETWORK

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) has been a robust tool for the diagnosis of brain tumors. MRI is an imaging technique that provides detailed information about brain anatomy. This paper announces a novel method for efficient and accurate MRI analysis. The images are pre-processed to increase the contrast and to remove the skull region. A novel algorithm is used to check whether the given image is normal or not. This algorithm reduces the computational complexity and increase the speed of proposed classification system by selecting abnormal images alone for further processing. Segmentation is performed on abnormal images to find the tumor region. Segmentation is based on a hybrid algorithm using K-means clustering and Texture Pattern Matrix. Texture Features and shape features are separately extracted from the segmented binary image using Gray Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) and connected regions. The features thus obtained are used to train the neural network using Back Propagation Algorithm defined by Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm. Feed Forward Neural Network (FFNN) is used for the classification of MR images. While using the proposed method, accuracy is 98.06%, specificity is 97.77% and sensitivity is 98.34%. Speed, Robustness and computational complexity are the major advantages of the proposed system.
Do labour market institutions influence consumers' saving intentions? Aggregate evidence from Europe

Intertemporal decision making of a private household depends on its expected income distribution. Since an important feature of labour market institutions in modern welfare states is to provide cash transfers as income replacement in case of unemployment, it is hypothesised that unemployment benefits reduce the motive to save for precautionary reasons. Based on consumer sentiment data from the European Commission’s consumer survey, this paper provides evidence that aggregate saving intentions are significantly influenced by unemployment benefits. It can be shown that higher benefits lower the intention to save. JEL codes: J65, E21, D12, D84
Annotation-based video enrichment for blind people: a pilot study on the use of earcons and speech synthesis

Our approach to address the question of online video accessibility for people with sensory disabilities is based on video annotations that are rendered as video enrichments during the playing of the video. We present an exploratory work that focuses on video accessibility for blind people with audio enrichments composed of speech synthesis and earcons (i.e. nonverbal audio messages). Our main results are that earcons can be used together with speech synthesis to enhance understanding of videos; that earcons should be accompanied with explanations; and that a potential side effect of earcons is related to video rhythm perception.
VECSEL Optimization Using Microscopic Many-Body Physics

Vertical external cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) are designed and analyzed using an approach based on fully microscopically computed material properties like gain and carrier recombination rates. Very good agreement between theoretical predictions and measured characteristics of the realized devices is demonstrated. The high accuracy of the theoretical models allows one to determine even small deviations between the nominal designs and actual realizations. The models are used to find optimization strategies. It is shown how the external efficiency can be strongly improved using surface coatings that reduce the pump reflection while retaining the gain-enhancing cavity effects at the lasing wavelength. It is shown how incomplete pump absorption can be detrimental to the device performance and how this problem can be reduced using optimized distributed Bragg reflectors and metallization layers. A combination of improved metallization and use of such a coating more than doubles the external efficiency and maximum power for a realized VECSEL operating at 1010 nm and the theory indicates that further significant improvements are possible.
Sonoluminescence and the QED vacuum

In this talk I shall describe an extension of the quantum-vacuum approach to sonoluminescence proposed several years ago by J.Schwinger. We shall first consider a model calculation based on Bogolubov coefficients relating the QED vacuum in the presence of an expanded bubble to that in the presence of a collapsed bubble. In this way we shall derive an estimate for the spectrum and total energy emitted. This latter will be shown to be proportional to the volume of space over which the refractive index changes, as Schwinger predicted. After this preliminary check we shall deal with the physical constraints that any viable dynamical model for SL has to satisfy in order to fit the experimental data. We shall emphasize the importance of the timescale of the change in refractive index. This discussion will led us to propose a somewhat different version of dynamical Casimir effect in which the change in volume of the bubble is no longer the only source for the change in the refractive index.
Three-Dimensional Structure of the Human Herpesvirus 8 Capsid

ABSTRACT Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8), or Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, is a gammaherpesvirus implicated in all forms of Kaposi's sarcoma and certain lymphomas. HHV-8 has been extensively characterized, both biochemically and immunologically, since its first description in 1994. However, its three-dimensional (3D) structure remained heretofore undetermined largely due to difficulties in viral purification. We have used log-phase cultures of body cavity-based lymphoma 1 cells induced with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate to obtain HHV-8 capsids for electron cryomicroscopy and computer reconstruction. The 3D structure of the HHV-8 capsids revealed a capsid shell composed of 12 pentons, 150 hexons, and 320 triplexes arranged on a T=16 icosahedral lattice. This structure is similar to those of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), which are prototypical members of alpha- and betaherpesviruses, respectively. The inner radius of the HHV-8 capsid is identical to that of the HSV-1 capsid but is smaller than that of the HCMV capsid, which is consistent with the relative sizes of the genomes they enclose. While the HHV-8 capsid exhibits many structural similarities to the HSV-1 capsid, our reconstruction shows two major differences: its hexons lack the “horn-shaped” VP26 densities bound to the HSV-1 hexon subunits, and the HHV-8 triplexes appear smaller and less elongated than those of HSV-1. These differences are in excellent agreement with our sequence comparisons of HHV-8 and HSV-1 capsid proteins. This gammaherpesvirus capsid structure complements previous structural studies on alpha- and betaherpesviruses in providing an account of structural similarities and differences among capsids representing all human herpesvirus subfamilies.
Developing standards of care for individuals with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders.

entire system of care and that require integrated system planning involving both mental health and substance abuse treatment agencies. Second, recent research on the implementation of clinical demonstration projects indicates that better outcomes are related to system-level changes that establish formal structures for interprogram collaboration at the administrative level that, in turn, support the work of the frontline clinicians at the program level. Thus the success of a particular demonstration model depends on the extent to which this support at the system level is provided (5). Third, managed care initiatives require that service planning, quality monitoring, and outcome evaluation for all populations be implemented at the system level, whether by contracting with outside managed care organizations or through internal implementation of managed care strategies. Thus a focus on best practices at the program level is being replaced by a greater interest in the need for best practices at the system level. This paper describes a national consensus report that builds on programlevel data to propose national standards for best practices for treatment of patients with dual diagnoses at the system level. These consensus standards can, in turn, guide future re search on best practices for implementation of comprehensive , inte grated systems of care for individuals with co-occurring disorders.
Modelling the Determinants of Foreign Portfolio Investments: A Bounds Testing and Causality Analysis for Jordan

This paper models the variables that affect foreign portfolio investments in Jordan for the period of 1978-2016. To fulfil to goals of the paper, autoregressive distributed lag approach and vector error correction model have been employed. Results show the existence of co-integration between foreign portfolio investments and their determinants (i.e., domestic market capitalization, foreign direct investments, money supply, and government expenditures). Granger causality based on vector error correction model shows bidirectional causality among variables in long-run and short-run. However, the results of this paper provide different recommendations to policy makers in Jordan’s government.
Furrowing surface contraction wave coincident with primary neural induction in amphibian embryos

We predicted, and have now observed, a surface contraction wave in axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) embryos that appears to coincide temporally and spatially with primary neural induction and homoiogenetic induction, and with involution of the chordomesoderm. The wave starts from a focus anterior to the dorsal lip of the blastopore and spreads as an ellipse, until part of it encounters the rim of the blastopore and vanishes there. The remaining are then continues over the dorsal hemisphere until it reforms an ellipse that decreases in size. About 9 to 12 hours after it begins, the wave vanishes at a focus diametrically opposite its point of origin. The wave involves both local contraction and furrowing in the monolayer ectoderm. To a good approximation, the hemispherical portion of the ectoderm traversed by the wave becomes neuroepithelium, while the ectoderm not transversed by the wave becomes epidermis. The wave might provide a mechanism to determine the time and location at which neuroepithelial differentiation occurs. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.