Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wayfinding Through Orientation

ABSTRACT Dominant approaches in computer-assisted wayfinding support adhere to the deeply problematic principles of turn-by-turn navigation. In this article, we suggest a new approach called “Wayfinding Through Orientation,” which supports the acquisition of spatial knowledge and cognitive mapping for advancing the user’s spatial orientation. Being oriented on one’s way is a prerequisite to enabling people to verify instructions and to incorporate new spatial information into their existing knowledge structure. In three studies described in this article we first present empirical evidence that people can be supported in survey knowledge acquisition through suitable wayfinding instructions. Consequently, we explore orientation information in human wayfinding instructions. Finally, we outline how orientation information can be communicated within a prototypically implemented navigation assistance system.
Expression of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) in the postnatal and adult rat cerebellar cortex

IN adult rat, immunostaining for pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) was demonstrated in the soma and dendrites of Purkinje cells and in nerve fibres around granule cells. PACAP in the Purkinje cells was confirmed by the presence of mRNA. The concentration of PACAP-38 was high after birth and declined to adult levels within a few weeks. At birth PACAP-immunoreactive nerve fibres and a few cells were present in the Purkinje cell layer, but already at postnatal day 7 an adult PACAP immunostaining pattern was found. The findings suggest that PACAP could be a neurotransmitter in the adult cerebellum and provide a morphological correlate for the reported in vitro anti-apoptotic PACAP effects on cerebellar granule cells from 1-week-old rats.
Efficient coding of LPC parameters by temporal decomposition

This paper describes a method for efficient coding of LPC log area parameters. It is now well recognized that sample-by-sample quantization of LPC parameters is not very efficient in minimizing the bit rate needed to code these parameters. Recent methods for reducing the bit rate have used vector and segment quantization methods. Much of the past work in this area has focussed on efficient coding of LPC parameters in the context of vocoders which put a ceiling on achievable speech quality. The results from these studies cannot be directly applied to synthesis of high quality speech. This paper describes a different approach to efficient coding of log area parameters. Our aim is to determine the extent to which the bit rate of LPC parameters can be reduced without sacrificing speech quality. Speech events occur generally at non-uniformly spaced time intervals. Moreover, some speech events are slow while others are fast. Uniform sampling of speech parameters is thus not efficient. We describe a non-uniform sampling and interpolation procedure for efficient coding of log area parameters. A temporal decomposition technique is used to represent the continuous variation of these parameters as a linearly-weighted sum of a number of discrete elementary components. The location and length of each component is automatically adapted to speech events. We find that each elementary component can be coded as a very low information rate signal.
Drivers and Technology-Related Obstacles in Moving to Multichannel Retailing

Multichannel retailing has emerged as a key strategic issue for most retailers. Yet, while there are many drivers associated with retailers' going multichannel, so too are there technology-related obstacles. By using a multicase approach to understand the key drivers and technology-related obstacles associated with retailers' moving to multichannel retailing, our study makes two key contributions. First, we extend prior theory by providing novel empirical insights into the main drivers underpinning retailers' use of a multichannel strategy. We find that meeting customer needs and increasing sales are the primary drivers behind retailers' use of the strategy, although there is diversity in the way retailers respond to these motives. Second, we provide empirical support for a proposed theoretical framework that summarizes the key technology-related obstacles retailers encounter, by stage of implementation, when going multichannel. The framework reveals that retailers face technology-related obstacles when implementing a multichannel strategy due to the need to switch/acquire resources and achieve channel integration. Furthermore, the framework highlights that these resource and channel integration issues are often interrelated with one another and with other staff engagement and cultural issues, vary by retailer and stage of implementation, and pose greater obstacles to retailers' use of new and multiple channels than the extant literature suggests.
Antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli isolated from poultry workers, patients and chicken in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia

Summary The prevalence of antibiotic‐resistant Escherichia coli isolates from faecal samples from 117 poultry industry workers, 100 patients and119 healthy chicken were compared. Resistance of E. coli chicken isolates to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, gentamicin, spectinomycin, tetracycline and trimethoprim + sulphamethoxazole (TMP + SMX) (range 57%– 99.1%) were significantly higher than those isolated from patients (range 21.9%– 71.4%) and workers (range 35%– 71.8%). However, for drugs not used in poultry, such as amoxicillin + cluvalanate (AMX + CLV), ceftazidime and nitrofurantoin, resistance rates of chicken isolates (range 0%– 2.6%) were significantly lower than those of patient isolates (range 8.7%– 30%). Resistance to spectinomycin reached 96% in E. coli chicken isolates and 71% in organisms isolated from humans. Use of this drug in Saudi Arabia is mostly limited to veterinary purposes. Multidrug resistance is alarmingly high in all groups but was highest in chicken isolates (77.4%). Serotyping of E. coli isolates showed that 27% of the organisms isolated from patients were overlapping with 10.9% of the chicken isolates, indicating the possibility of chicken being a source of the resistance pool for humans. We therefore call for the banning of antibiotics in the poultry industry as growth promoters and recommend that their use be restricted to treating infections.
Suivi de la maladie résiduelle et profil immunitaire du myélome multiple chez les sujets âgésIntérêt de la cytométrie en flux paramétrique de seconde génération

L’evaluation de la maladie residuelle (MRD) est prometteuse pour monitorer les remarquables progres therapeutiques du myelome multiple (MM). Malheureusement, deux essais menes pour evaluer la MRD chez le sujet âge non eligible a une intensification therapeutique n’ont pas permis pas de conclure de facon definitive sur son interet. Le Pethema/GEM2005MAS65 [1] a rapporte [. ]
The 1.8 A crystal structure of a statically disordered 17 base-pair RNA duplex: principles of RNA crystal packing and its effect on nucleic acid structure.

The crystal structure of a 17 base RNA oligomer, r(CACCGGAUG GUUCGGUG), has been solved to a resolution of 1.8 A through a combination of molecular replacement, multiple isomorphous replacement phasing, and analysis of observed intensity distributions. The oligomer, which forms a stem-loop in solution, crystallized as a pseudo-infinite duplex in spacegroup P321. The asymmetric unit of the crystal contains four superimposed orientations of the duplex that are out of register, such that backbones superimpose, but base identity differs. This static disorder was initially discovered by brominating a single residue per strand in the sequence, and observing four peaks per strand in difference maps phased with a native molecular replacement solution. The presence of four superimposed duplex "motifs" related by non-crystallographic hypersymmetry was detected by computing /2 and Wilson ratios for the observed intensities. The observed ratios matched those produced from calculated intensities of a 4-fold statically disordered model. Multi-conformer simulated annealing refinement against a maximum-likelihood target incorporating experimental phase information was used to refine the 4-fold disordered model to an Rfree and R of 29.35% and 25.5%, respectively. The resulting structure reveals four distinct conformations of the duplex, with an average pairwise backbone rmsd of 2.35 A. The structural differences between the four conformations, which can be attributed to differences in packing environment, highlight the possible influence of crystal packing forces on nucleic acid X-ray structures. Analysis of inter-helical packing between symmetry-related molecules reveals an RNA "zipper" that mediates direct phosphate oxygen-2' hydroxyl interactions between close-packed phosphate-sugar backbones. This may be a general mode for RNA tertiary interaction that does not depend on metal ions or primary sequence.
Mimétismes et camouflages chez les crustacés

La plupart des phenomenes mimetiques connus se rencontrent chez les crustaces. L'homochromie par transparence est tres commune parmi les organismes planctoniques, tant chez les adultes que chez les larves. Cette facon de se dissimuler se rencontre egalement chez les formes benthiques de petite taille. Une meme espece a le plus souvent une coloration cryptique permanente et caracteristique. Differentes livrees peuvent cependant coexister chez differents individus de la meme espece, comme par exemple chez les crevettes du genre Hippolyte. Contrairement aux insectes, les cas de diffraction de la lumiere (couleurs « physiques ») sont rares chez les crustaces. Les colorations y sont le plus souvent dues aux pigments carotenoides (toutes les couleurs), avec une contribution d'autres familles pigmentaires comme les ommochromes (bruns, violaces ou noirs), les pterines et les flavines (blancs et jaunes) entre autres. Ces pigments sont souvent complexes a des proteines. Ils sont accumules ou metabolises dans des cellules specialisees dont certaines, les chromatophores, possedent des granules pigmentaires capables d'effectuer des migrations alternes centrifuges et centripetes responsables des changements de coloration. Ces derniers peuvent realiser soit unes adaptation a la couleur du fond, soit une alternance jour/nuit de la livree pigmentaire appelee rythme nycthemeral. Ladaptation chromatique « morphologique » fait intervenir des variations pigmentaires quantitatives. Le camouflage des crustaces est ameliore par d'autres dispositifs. Lhomotypie renforce l'homochromie dans bien des cas pour une meilleure dissimulation. Les formes adoptees rappellent celles des supports : polypes de gorgones (Balssia), feuilles de zosteracees (Hippolyte, Idotea, Synisoma), elements vegetaux (Astacilla), algues (Macropodia), hydraires ou bryozoaires (Caprella). Certaines especes de crabes se deguisent en se couvrant d'elements empruntes au milieu environnant : algues, eponges, ascidies, bryozoaires etc. pour mieux disparaitre a la vue (et aux autres sens) des predateurs. Les epibiotes sont egalement frequents sur les coquilles habitees par les pagures. Des Isopodes et Amphipodes habitent des fourreaux garnis de sable ou d'autres elements pour une meilleure dissimulation. Enfin, il est possible d'evoquer d'autres types de mimetisme moins etudies mais non moins presents : mimetismes chimiques, sonores et autres sont egalement presents dans le milieu marin.
Avaliação das áreas psicomotoras na síndrome de Down : contribuições da terapia ocupacional

A sindrome de Down e uma condicao genetica associada a deficiencia intelectual. Ocorre devido a uma anormalidade cromossomica, denominada de trissomia 21. O presente estudo tem como objetivo avaliar as areas psicomotoras de criancas com sindrome de Down de 7 a 12 anos do Centro de Educacao Especial Sindrome de Down (CEESD) por meio da Escala de Desenvolvimento Motor (EDM) de Francisco Rosa Neto (2002). Alem disso, buscou-se discutir os resultados da avaliacao a luz de outras possibilidades de conhecimento corporal envolvendo, de maneira expressiva, essas mesmas areas psicomotoras, por meio de movimento corporal e do desenho. O trabalho procura refletir sobre as contribuicoes da terapia ocupacional para a elaboracao de um programa de atuacao envolvendo avaliacao das areas motoras, acrescentando tambem uma preocupacao com as atividades expressivas em prol do desenvolvimento psicomotor. A pesquisa foi realizada em tres etapas, 1) avaliacao das areas psicomotoras por meio da aplicacao do instrumento; 2) realizacao com uma crianca do grupo de atividades de observacao de imagens fotograficas de criancas com sindrome de Down em poses de danca, reproducao dos movimentos corporais observados na imagem e representacao grafica da imagem observada (desenho); 3) analise e discussao de dados. O registro dos dados foi realizado por meio de anotacoes em caderno de campo,registro fotografico e filmagem. O estudo discutiu que existe a necessidade de um instrumento para avaliar as areas psicomotoras das criancas atendidas pelo terapeuta ocupacional. Nesta dissertacao, considerou-se a avaliacao com a Escala de Desenvolvimento Motor (EDM) de Francisco Rosa Neto (2002) que contribuiu para estabelecer um parâmetro geral de cada crianca avaliada, bem como um perfil motor, entretanto, outros meios mais flexiveis que propoem atividades expressivas como os movimentos corporais e o desenho tambem permitem conhecer o desempenho da crianca quanto as areas psicomotoras. As duas ferramentas se complementam e podem ser utilizadas pelo terapeuta ocupacional para a avaliacao das areas psicomotoras de pessoas com sindrome de Down. Conclui-se que a avaliacao se enriquece quando os dados objetivos sao acrescidos de dados expressivos, os quais se mostram de suma relevância para se tracar um plano terapeutico. Abstract
Outage Probability of TDBC Protocol in Multiuser Two-Way Relay Systems with Nakagami-m Fading

This paper considers a multiuser two-way relay system with time division broadcast (TDBC) protocol, where multiple end-sources compete to exchange information with another end-source through the help of a single half-duplex amplify-and-forward (AF) relay. We derive a tight closed-form lower bound for the system outage probability over Nakagami-m fading channels with integer fading parameters. An asymptotic expression for the outage probability in high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime is also obtained. Numerical results corroborate the theoretical analysis.
Is Electric Acoustic Stimulation Better Than Conventional Cochlear Implantation for Speech Perception in Quiet?

Objective: To assess whether combined electric acoustic stimulation (EAS) provides a significant hearing-in-quiet advantage over ipsilateral electrical stimulation alone, ipsilateral acoustic stimulation alone, or full-length cochlear implantation without preserved hearing. Setting: Tertiary care academic referral center. Patients: Two matched groups of cochlear implant (CI) patients that were implanted with either an EAS or full-length device and use similar speech processing strategies. Intervention: EAS cochlear implantation and hearing preservation (n = 10, EAS group) or conventional CI (n = 10, conventional CI group) without hearing preservation. Main Outcome Measures: Status of residual hearing and speech perception data in quiet at 3 and 6 months after fitting. Results: Preoperatively, the mean aided Consonant Nucleus Consonant Word Test word score was 24.2 ± 8.3% for the EAS group and 20.7 ± 11.36% for the conventional CI group (p = 0.14). In the conventional CI group, hearing was not preserved after surgery in any subject, whereas 9 of the 10 subjects in the EAS group had hearing preservation. Mean CNC word scores at 6 months after activation using electrical stimulation alone were 50.3 ± 11.53% in the EAS group and 53.8 ± 17.32% in the conventional CI group (p = 0.81). Between-condition comparisons among the EAS subjects revealed that combined stimulation was significantly better than either the electrical or acoustic stimulation condition alone (p < 0.05). When compared with the conventional CI group, combined stimulation in EAS subjects was again superior (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Limited length CI with ipsilateral hearing preservation provides comparable speech perception performance results to conventional CI when electric stimulation alone is used. The addition of ipsilateral acoustic stimulation in ears with preserved residual hearing provides an additional benefit over electrical stimulation alone.
In vivo and in vitro effects of the Canova medicine on experimental infection with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in mice

Objective: To evaluate the in vivo and in vitro activity of Canova in experimental infection with Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. Materials and Methods: Mice infected with P. brasiliensis were treated with Canova for 17 weeks. Follow-up measures included the determination of total antibodies, global and differential leukocyte counts. Further, nitric oxide production was determined by adding macrophage cultures to different concentrations of Canova in the presence or absence of P. brasiliensis. Results: The data revealed the protective effect of Canova in P. brasiliensis- infected animals. A higher nitric oxide production was found in the Canova- treated cultures. Conclusion: These data suggest that Canova activates the macrophages by a way that depends, at least in part, on nitric oxide.
An X-band 250W solid-state power amplifier using GaN power HEMTs

More than 250 W of peak output power (pulse width 64 mus, duty cycle 7%) is achieved with newly developed X-band solid-state power amplifier. The final stage of the SSPA consists of four 80 W class GaN power HEMTs and a low loss 4-way combiner. Compared with the conventional klystron tubes, our newly developed SSPAs are smaller, more reliable and require less amounts of occupied frequency bandwidth.
Prevalence of premenstrual symptoms: Preliminary analysis and brief review of management strategies

Objective: To determine the prevalence of premenstrual cyclic symptoms in perimenopausal age. Subjects and Methods: Women attending Bhavan's SPARC Maitreyi's Health Care Programme (HCP) for women around 40 years of age were included in the study. Last 200 women who attended from April 2002 to October 2004 are included for analysis. Out of these 107 qualified for final analysis as others were post hysterectomy or post menopausal. Thirty five symptoms listed under premenstrual tension syndrome were analysed. Results: Forty one women (38.3%) had 3 or more symptoms whilst 15 (14.0%) had 5 or more cyclic symptoms. Five women (4.7%) reported that the symptoms were severe. Eleven women had seeked treatment for premenstrual tension syndrome (PMTS). The commonest symptom was mastalgia or heaviness of breasts. Next was whilst also was reported by several women. Women reported anger attacks and reported depression. Conclusion: PMTS was common between 36 and 55 years. About half of them have experienced 3 more symptoms and 1 in 20 may require treatment.
Macrophage-mediated killing of opsonized Treponema pallidum.

The ability of proteose peptone-induced normal rabbit peritoneal macrophages to kill Treponema pallidum subspecies pallidum in vitro is demonstrated. Treponemes and 10% heated immune or normal sera were incubated with macrophages at a ratio of 1:200. After 2-10 h of incubation, these mixtures were injected intradermally at duplicate sites on normal rabbits. Maximal killing (failure to develop lesions) was seen at 10 h of incubation with immune serum: Only 7% (1/14) of lesions developed compared with 90% (9/10) after incubation in the presence of normal serum (P less than .001). Maximal phagocytosis (detected by immunofluorescence) occurred by 8 h in the presence of immune serum, when 90% of macrophages had ingested treponemes. At this point, however, 70% of lesion sites from macrophages incubated with treponemes and immune serum still developed, suggesting that effective killing may require at least 2 h after phagocytosis.
Prepared Movements Are Elicited Early by Startle

A startle stimulus has been shown to elicit a ballistic response in a reaction time (RT) task at very short latencies without involvement of the cerebral cortex (J. Valls-Solé, J. C. Rothwell, F. Gooulard, G. Cossu, & E. Muñoz, 1999). The present authors examined the nature of the startle response. A simple RT task was used in which 8 participants performed arm extension movements to 3 target distances (20deg;, 40deg;, and 60deg;) in a blocked design. An unpredictable startling acoustic stimulus (124 dB) replaced the imperative stimulus in certain trials. The authors verified the presence of a startle response independent from the prepared response by observing electromyographic (EMG) activity in sternocleidomastoid and orbicularis oculi muscles. Findings indicated that when the participant was startled, the intended voluntary response was produced at significantly shorter response latencies. Furthermore, the kinematic variables of the observed response during startle trials for all 3 target distances were mostly unchanged. The EMG characteristics of the responses were not modified, indicating that the response produced was indeed the prepared and intended response.
Costs of Integrating Economics and Conservation Planning

Abstract: Recent literature on systematic conservation planning has focused strongly on economics. It is a necessary component of efficient conservation planning because the question is about effective resource allocation. Nevertheless, there is an increasing tendency toward economic factors overriding biological considerations. Focusing too narrowly on economic cost may lead us back toward solutions resembling those obtained by opportunistic choice of areas, the avoidance of which was the motivation for development of systematic approaches. Moreover, there are many overlooked difficulties in incorporating economic considerations reliably into conservation planning because available economic data and the free market are complex. For instance, economies based on free markets tend to be shortsighted, whereas biodiversity conservation aims far into the future. Although economic data are necessary, they should not be relied on too heavily or considered separately from other sociopolitical factors. We suggest focusing on development of more‐comprehensive ecological‐economic modeling, while not forgetting the importance of purely biological analyses that are needed as a point of reference for evaluating conservation outcomes.
Road safety in low- and middle-income countries: a neglected research area

It is estimated that each year between 20 and 50 million people are disabled and 1.2 million people die as a result of road traffic crashes, with 90% of the deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). 1 Furthermore, whereas a decrease in deaths has been observed in high-income countries, this is not the case in LMICs, where deaths are projected to increase by 80% over the next 20 years to become the second leading cause in the global burden of disease ranking.1 The identification and implementation of effective preventive interventions are essential for tackling this growing epidemic. Systematic reviews of the evidence are vital for identifying and quantifying the effects of interventions, and their findings should have a …