Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences in Sibilant Perception between Gender Expansive and Cisgender Individuals

Abstract Acoustic cues of voice gender influence not only how people perceive the speaker's gender (e.g., whether that person is a man, woman, or non-binary) but also how they perceive certain phonemes produced by that person. One such sociophonetic cue is the [s]/[ʃ] distinction in English; which phoneme is perceived depends on the perceived gender of the speaker. Recent research has shown that gender expansive people differ from cisgender people in their perception of voice gender and thus, this could be reflected in their categorization of sibilants. Despite this, there has been no research to date on how gender expansive people categorize sibilants. Furthermore, while voice gender expression is often discussed within a biological context (e.g., vocal folds), voice extends to those who use other communication methods. The current study fills this gap by explicitly recruiting people of all genders and asking them to perform a sibilant categorization task using synthetic voices. The results show that cisgender and gender expansive people perceive synthetic sibilants differently, especially from a “nonbinary” synthetic voice. These results have implications for developing more inclusive speech technology for gender expansive individuals, in particular for nonbinary people who use speech-generating devices.
Surgery for Otitis Media with Effusion: A Survey of Otolaryngologists Who Treat Children in Brazil

Abstract Introduction Myringotomy and ear tube placement (MTP) is the surgical treatment for otitis media with effusion (OME), and it is the most common surgery performed in children. Several guidelines have been developed to assist in the care of patients who become candidates for MTP. Objectives To evaluate the practice of Brazilian otorhinolarynogologists when performing MTP according to the years of clinical experience. Secondarily, we also want to assess if their practice regarding MTP varied according to the percentage of children treated and the location of their practice. Methods A 30-question survey was sent to otolaryngologists affiliated with the Brazilian Academy of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology (Academia Brasileira de Otorrinolaringologia Pediátrica, ABOPe, in Portuguese) and/or the Scientific Department of Otorhinolaryngology of the Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria, SBP, in Portuguese). The questions included were carefully chosen to provide a profile about the practices adopted in the pre-, peri- and postoperative periods of MTP. Results The questionnaire was sent to 208 otolaryngologists, and there were 124 (59.6%) respondents. Of those, 59.7% use antiseptics before surgery. Only 54 otolaryngologists, less than half of the subjects in this study (43.5%), always place a tube during the procedure. More physicians who practice in small cities recommend water precautions after MTP when compared to other physicians ( p < 0.001). Conclusion The present study reveals that many respondents do not follow some of the recommendations of the current guidelines of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) on OME, either perioperatively and postoperatively, or regarding the option of placing a ventilation tube. This part of the care also varied depending on the respondents' work location and experience in the medical practice.
A new perspective on the macrolichen genus Platismatia (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota) based on molecular and phenotypic data

Abstract. Lichens in the genus Platismatia are common, widespread and were some of the first to be studied by Western taxonomists. However, few molecular phylogenetic studies of Platismatia have been published to date. We present an expanded phylogeny of Platismatia inferred from 60 newly generated ITS sequences and 28 existing publicly available sequences. The new phylogeny confirms the delimitation of P. wheeleri as monophyletic and distinct from the widespread P. glauca, the latter of which was recovered as two separate, highly supported clades, that do not appear to differ in phenotype or biogeography. The western North American endemics P. herrei and P. stenophylla were not recovered as reciprocally monophyletic and may be an example of recent speciation similar to that also hypothesized for Alectoria in the same region. Ancestral state reconstructions of reproductive modes (dominant asexual vs. sexual reproduction; asexual propagule type) suggest that sexual species like P. tuckermanii can evolve from primarily asexual ancestors. Evaluation of species distributions suggests that reproductive mode may be related to range size. These data suggest that Platismatia could serve as a model for future studies on reproductive mode, biogeography and speciation in lichens.
Design optimisation using the BEM coupled with genetic algorithm

Presents optimisation in electrostatics using the boundary element method (BEM) coupled with a genetic algorithm (GA). In the first part, the boundary element method is briefly introduced. This method is a powerful tool which is characterised by very high accuracy, only the boundaries of the investigated domain must be discretised. In the second part, the genetic algorithm to solve the optimisation problems is described. The third part is dedicated to explain the way the two methods are coupled together. Finally, the fourth part provides two analytical examples to illustrate the GA in actual terms and an insulator is optimised to illustrate the solution of a real problem. >
Application of Thomson scattering to identify ion acoustic waves stimulated by the Langmuir decay instability

In this article, we present how ion acoustic waves can be unambiguously identified and can be used to definitely demonstrate the existence of the Langmuir decay instability (LDI) of electron plasma waves associated with stimulated Raman scattering. This observation is very important in the context of inertial confinement fusion because the LDI is a mechanism that may influence the stimulated Raman scattering saturation and growth. The experimental identification of those waves relies on Thomson scattering of a short wavelength probe beam. The Thomson scattered light was analyzed by two sets of spectrometer and streak camera providing information on the density fluctuations associated with the electron plasma waves and ion acoustic waves with temporal and spectral resolutions. Selection of a narrow range of angles (4° of aperture) inside the probe and scattered light apertures provided necessary resolution in wave vector. The method used for the design of the Thomson scattering diagnostic is described as w.
Coherence-based land cover classification in forested areas of Chattisgarh, Central India, using environmental satellite—advanced synthetic aperture radar data

In the present work, the potential of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometric coherence in land cover classification is studied over forested areas of Bilaspur, Chattisgarh, India using Environmental Satellite—Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ENVISAT-ASAR) C-band data. Single look complex (SLC) interferometric pair ASAR data of 24th September 2006 (SLC-1) and 29th October 2006 (SLC-2) covering the study area were acquired and processed to generate backscatter and interferometric coherence images. A false colored composite of coherence, backscatter difference, and mean backscatter was generated and subjected to maximum likelihood classification to delineate major land cover classes of the study area viz., water, barren, agriculture, moist deciduous forest, and sal mixed forests. Accuracy assessment of the classified map is carried out using kappa statistics. Results of the study suggested potential use of ENVISAT-ASAR C-band data in land cover classification of the study area with an overall classification accuracy of 82.5%, average producer's accuracy of 83.69%, and average user's accuracy of 81%. The present study gives a unique scope of SAR data application in land cover classification over the tropical deciduous forest systems of India, which is still waiting for its indigenous SAR system.
Matched field processing with contrast maximization

The high sidelobe level of the ambiguity surface has been a major drawback of matched field processing in ocean waveguides compared to the free space beamforming. In this paper, a contrast-maximized optimization scheme that enhances the contrast between the acoustic power output of the source region and the power output of the total region of interest is presented. The method utilizes the signal vectors determined from the contrast-maximizing formulation. Through numerical simulation and oceanic data analysis, the presented algorithm is shown to be effective in improving the contrast between the target and the averaged background sidelobe level. It was also shown that, even when the resolution of the source region in conventional matched field processing is degraded due to severe bottom attenuation, the resolution of the source is not affected in the contrast-maximized method. The same principle and method can be applied to the time-reversal processing to maintain the focal size in an ocean environment wi.
Defining Worthy Victims: Socioeconomic Factors Associated with State-level Legislative Decisions to Prevent the Criminalization of Sexually Exploited Children in the United States

ABSTRACT The federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) includes children who are sexually exploited for commercial purposes in its definition of human trafficking victims. However, most states criminalize sex trafficked minors for prostitution. Despite this tension, little research exists on variation in state-level child sex trafficking statutes. Studying this legislation is necessary because state-level statutes often determine if children are treated as criminals or victims. Local law enforcement and service providers interact with this population more often than federal officials. This mixed methods study uses Event History Analysis and interviews with anti-criminalization advocates, state legislators, state legislative aides, and state prosecutors to examine social, economic, and political factors associated with legislative decisions prohibiting the arrest and/or prosecution of sexually exploited minors for prostitution. Statistical analyses suggest that states with a higher prevalence of concentrated disadvantage are more likely to criminalize this population. Similarly, participants in qualitative interviews describe conditions of structural economic inequality as a primary risk factor for child sex trafficking. For that reason, addressing socio-economic factors such as jobs, wages, and housing are essential for preventing minors from being commercially sexually exploited, and, as a result, being criminalized. Theoretical implications and policy recommendations are also discussed.
Magnetic aftereffect in SmCo/sub 5/ sintered magnets machined to small size

The magnetic aftereffect was measured for SmCo/sub 5/ sintered magnets. The effects of machining down to small size and to heat treatment were investigated. Marked magnetic aftereffect and permanent deterioration were observed. It was found that the magnetic aftereffect could be reduced by heat treatment to about 1/2 and the permanent deterioration to about 1/3. In contrast, the aftereffect constant, which is the coefficient of logarithmic time decay, remained constant irrespective of heat treatment. >
Designing a new model for the hub location-allocation problem with considering tardiness time and cost uncertainty

ABSTRACT This paper has addressed the new model for the hub location-allocation problem that can evaluate the impact of cost and time of tardiness in delivering goods to the destination, find the optimal number of hubs and vehicles with different capacities, and congestion in hubs. In addition, this study investigates the problem from two perspectives: scheduled time and real-time. Also, it compares the problem in circumstances with tardiness and solves the problem with two objective functions by minimizing the total costs, handling time, and delay time caused by congestion in the hubs. Moreover, the uncertainty of transportation costs and hub establishment are considered. For this purpose, the Monte-Carlo simulation is used. Due to the models being non-convex and non-derivative, they are NP-hard. So, the models are solved with the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. The models are tested on Australian Post (AP) data for single and multiple allocations. Also, we presented a model that can illustrate the effect of tardiness on the results and service time. The results show multiple allocation than single ones needs the smaller hubs and cheaper vehicles for transportation due to access the nodes to several hubs.
On-line submicron profile measurements from safe distances with conoscopic holography: feasibility and potential problems

On-line noncontact surface inspection with high precision is still an open problem. Usual methods are, in general, not applicable in hostile environments or not adequate for on-line measurement, as they are either slow in nature or need to work from very short, unsafe distances, providing small depths of field and apertures. The ongoing work toward the development of a noncontact optical profile measuring sensor that could be used for submicron measurements in on-line applications is presented here. Our approach is based on conoscopic holography and triangulation, and uses a very simple method for removing speckle noise, which is key for obtaining high precisions from safe distances (several centimeters).
Chromatin binding by HORMAD proteins regulates meiotic recombination initiation

The meiotic chromosome axis coordinates chromosome organization and interhomolog recombination in meiotic prophase and is essential for fertility. In S. cerevisiae, the HORMAD protein Hop1 mediates enrichment of axis proteins at nucleosome-rich genomic islands through a central chromatin-binding region (CBR). Here, we use cryoelectron microscopy to show that the Hop1 CBR directly recognizes bent nucleosomal DNA through a composite interface in its PHD and winged helix-turn-helix domains. Targeted disruption of the Hop1 CBR-nucleosome interface causes loss of axis proteins from nucleosome-rich islands, reduces meiotic DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), and leads to defects in chromosome synapsis. Synthetic effects with the disassemblase Pch2 suggest that nucleosome binding delays a conformational switch in Hop1 from a DSB-promoting, Pch2-inaccessible state to a DSB-inactive, Pch2-accessible state to regulate the extent of meiotic DSB formation. Phylogenetic analyses of meiotic HORMADs reveal an ancient origin of this domain, suggesting that these mechanisms are broadly conserved.
Sexual dimorphic gene expression profile of perirenal adipose tissue in ovine fetuses with growth restriction

Worldwide, fetal growth restriction (FGR) affects 7 to 10% of pregnancies, or roughly 20.5 million infants, each year. FGR not only increases neonatal mortality and morbidity but also the risk of obesity in later life. Currently, the molecular mechanisms by which FGR “programs” an obese phenotype are not well understood. Studies demonstrate that FGR females are more prone to obesity compared to males; however, the molecular mechanisms that lead to the sexually dimorphic programming of FGR are not known. Thus, we hypothesized that FGR leads to the sexually dimorphic programming of preadipocytes and reduces their ability to differentiate into mature adipocytes. To test the hypothesis, we utilized a maternal hyperthermia-induced placental insufficiency to restrict fetal growth in sheep. We collected perirenal adipose tissue from male and female near-term FGR and normal-weight fetal lambs (N=4 in each group, 16 total), examined the preadipocytes’ differentiation potential, and identified differential mRNA transcript expression in perirenal adipose tissue. Male FGR fetuses have lower cellular density compared to control male fetuses. However, no difference was observed in female FGR fetuses compared to control female fetuses. In addition, the ability of preadipocytes to differentiate into mature adipocytes with fat accumulation was impaired in male FGR fetuses, but this was not observed in female FGR fetuses. Finally, we examined the genes and pathways involved in the sexually dimorphic programming of obesity by FGR. On enrichment of differentially expressed genes in males compared to females, the Thermogenesis KEGG Pathway was downregulated, and the Metabolic and Steroid Biosynthesis KEGG pathways were upregulated. On enrichment of differentially expressed genes in male FGR compared to male control, the Steroid Biosynthesis KEGG Pathway was downregulated, and the PPAR Signaling KEGG pathway was upregulated. No pathways were altered in females in response to growth restriction in perirenal adipose tissue. Thus, the present study demonstrates a sexually dimorphic program in response to growth restriction in sheep fetal perirenal adipose tissue.
Zfp106 binds to G-quadruplex RNAs and inhibits RAN translation and formation of RNA foci caused by G4C2 repeats

Expansion of intronic GGGGCC repeats in the C9orf72 gene causes amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Transcription of the expanded repeats results in the formation of RNA-containing nuclear foci and altered RNA metabolism. In addition, repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) translation of the expanded GGGGCC-repeat sequence results in the production of highly toxic dipeptide-repeat (DPR) proteins. GGGGCC-repeat-containing transcripts form G-quadruplexes, which are associated with formation of RNA foci and RAN translation. Zfp106, an RNA-binding protein essential for motor neuron survival in mice, suppresses neurotoxicity in a Drosophila model of C9orf72 ALS via a previously unknown mechanism. Here, we show that Zfp106 inhibits formation of RNA foci and significantly reduces RAN translation caused by GGGGCC-repeats in mammalian cells. Further, we show that Zfp106 binds to RNA G-quadruplexes and causes a conformational change in the G-quadruplex structure formed by GGGGCC-repeats. These data suggest that Zfp106 suppresses GGGGCC repeat-mediated cytotoxicity through alteration of the repeat’s G-quadruplex structure.
The global distribution of paired eddy covariance towers

The eddy covariance technique has revolutionized our understanding of ecosystem-atmosphere interactions. Eddy covariance studies often use a “paired” tower design in which observations from nearby towers are used to understand how different vegetation, soils, hydrology, or experimental treatment shape ecosystem function and surface-atmosphere exchange. Paired towers have never been formally defined and their global distribution has not been quantified. We compiled eddy covariance tower information to find towers that could be considered paired. Of 1233 global eddy covariance towers, 692 (56%) were identified as paired by our criteria. Paired towers had cooler mean annual temperature (mean = 9.9 °C) than the entire eddy covariance network (10.5 °C) but warmer than the terrestrial surface (8.9 °C) from WorldClim 2.1, on average. The paired and entire tower networks had greater average soil nitrogen (0.57-0.58 g/kg) and more silt (36.0-36.4%) than terrestrial ecosystems (0.38 g/kg and 30.5%), suggesting that eddy covariance towers sample richer soils than the terrestrial surface as a whole. Paired towers existed in a climatic space that was more different from the global climate distribution sampled by the entire eddy covariance network, as revealed by an analysis of the Kullback-Leibler divergence, but the edaphic space sampled by the entire network and paired towers was similar. The lack of paired towers with available data across much of Africa, northern, central, southern, and western Asia, and Latin America with few towers in savannas, shrublands, and evergreen broadleaf forests point to key regions, ecosystems, and ecosystem transitions in need of additional research. Few if any paired towers study the flux of ozone and other atmospherically active trace gases at the present. By studying what paired towers measure – and what they do not – we can make infrastructural investments to further enhance the value of FLUXNET as it moves toward its fourth decade.
mPD5, an efficacious PICK1 inhibitor for treating chronic pain

Chronic pain is a complex, debilitating and escalating health problem worldwide, impacting one in five adults. Current treatment is compromised by dose-limiting side effects including high abuse liability, loss of ability to function socially and professionally, fatigue, drowsiness, and apathy. PICK1 has emerged as a promising target for the treatment of chronic pain conditions. Here, we develop and characterize a cell-permeable fatty acid conjugated bivalent peptide inhibitor of PICK1 and assess its effects on chronic pain. The myristoylated myr-NPEG4-(HWLKV)2, (mPD5), self-assembles core-shell micelles that provide favourable pharmacodynamic properties and relieves ongoing and evoked mechanical hypersensitivity, thermal hypersensitivity as well as anxio-depressive symptoms in an inflammatory pain model following subcutaneous administration. Further, mPD5 dose-dependently relieves pain in two neuropathic pain models without affecting motor behaviour. Finally, neuropathic pain was relieved far into the chronic phase (18 weeks post SNI surgery) and while the effect of a single injection ceased after a few hours repeated administration provided pain relief lasting up to 20 hrs after last injection.
An intracellular hydrophobic nexus is critical for slow deactivation in hERG channels

Slow deactivation is a critical biophysical and physiological property of voltage-gated K+ channels encoded by the human Ether-à-go-go-Related Gene (hERG). hERG channel deactivation is modulated by interactions between intracellular N-terminal Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) and C-terminal cyclic nucleotide-binding homology (CNBh) domains. The PAS domain is multipartite, comprising a globular domain (residues 26-136) and an N-terminal PAS-cap that is further subdivided into an initial unstructured segment (residues 1-12) and an amphipathic α-helical region (residues 13-25). Disruption of interactions within the PAS-CNBhD complex accelerates deactivation kinetics and impairs the slow repolarization of the cardiac action potential. Similarly, deletion of the PAS-cap unstructured segment, modeled as a "foot-in-the-door,” accelerates channel closing. Here, we tested the hypothesis that a three-dimensional hydrophobic nexus, comprising residues in the PAS-cap α-helix, the globular PAS, and CNBh domains, plays a crucial role in slow deactivation. Utilizing structure-directed mutagenesis, electrophysiology, and molecular dynamics simulations, we provide evidence that altering hydrophobicity at this interface accelerates deactivation kinetics and causes a rearrangement in the network of residues comprising the hydrophobic nexus. Moreover, the PAS-cap unstructured segment disengages from the gating machinery. We propose that the nexus hydrophobicity positions the PAS-cap α-helix and promotes engagement of the upstream PAS-cap unstructured segment with the gating machinery, resulting in slow channel closing. Interestingly, several long QT syndrome disease mutations lie at this interface, underscoring the importance of the hydrophobic nexus and the novel role of the PAS-cap α-helix in hERG gating.