Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
F0 turning point as an F0 cue to tonal contrast: A case study of Mandarin tones 2 and 3

This study first replicated Shen and Lin’s [Lang. Speech 34(2), 145–156 (1991)] experiment with improved stimuli to confirm their claim that the F0 turning point was a perceptual cue to Mandarin tones 2 and 3, and further investigated the relative importance between the timing of the turning point and F0 height. The results indicated that, indeed, the distinction between these two tones was cued by the timing of the turning point, and that F0 height had little effect on the labeling.
A 17-21GHz Current-Folding Frequency Tripler With >36 dBc Harmonic Rejection in 90nm CMOS

Frequency multipliers (FM) following PLLs or VCOs are widely used to generate mm-Wave LO signals. A useful approach to achieve frequency multiplication is based on combining multi-phase input signals to remove all but the desired harmonics [1]. However, the main disadvantage of edge combining is that the achievable harmonic suppression is closely related to the precision of the phase shift progression between polyphase input signals, which is not readily available in mm-Wave. One of the simplest alternatives to implementing FM is to overdrive an amplifier and exploit its harmonic distortion to generate the desired output signal [2]. Self-mixing and injection-locked approaches are the common techniques for implementing FMs [3] –[7]. For example, the VCO should exhibit the fundamental $\omega_{0}$ and second-order harmonic $2 \omega_{0}$ components for self-mixing to produce the desired triple-frequency output $3 \omega_{0}$ from a bandpass filter (BPF). Although this approach has the advantage of simplicity, it usually exhibits limited suppression of harmonics, especially signal components at the input frequency.
Muscle injury causes long-term changes in stem-cell DNA methylation

Significance This paper uses local muscle injury as a paradigm for proving that environmental events can cause long-term programmed changes in DNA methylation at gene regulatory elements in stem cells. These epigenetic events are mediated by injury-induced hormonal changes and therefore take place throughout the body. It is likely that this stable adaptation mechanism is what underlies the enhanced repair response observed following subsequent muscle insults.
Comparing Different Algorithms for the Pseudo-Coloring of Myocardial Perfusion Single-Photon Emission Computed Tomography Images

Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) images can significantly help physicians in diagnosing patients with coronary artery or suspected coronary artery diseases. However, these images are grayscale with qualities that are not readily visible. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of different pseudo-coloring algorithms of myocardial perfusion SPECT images. Data were collected using a Siemens Symbia T2 dual-head SPECT/computed tomography (CT) scanner. After pseudo-coloring, the images were assessed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The qualities of different pseudo-color images were examined by three experts, while the images were evaluated quantitatively by obtaining indices such as mean squared error (MSE), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), normalized color difference (NCD), and structure similarity index metric (SSIM). The qualitative evaluation demonstrated that the warm color map (WCM), followed by the jet color map, outperformed the remaining algorithms in terms of revealing the non-visible qualities of the images. Furthermore, the quantitative evaluation results demonstrated that the WCM had the highest PSNR and SSIM but the lowest MSE. Overall, the WCM could outperform the other color maps both qualitatively and quantitatively. The novelty of this study includes comparing different pseudo-coloring methods to improve the quality of myocardial perfusion SPECT images and utilizing our collected datasets.
COVID-19 Image Classification Method Based on Model Fusion

In 2020, the world witnessed a new and severe global health crisis: the outbreak of Covid-19 and the number of positive cases and deaths around the world rose at a frightening rate throughout 2021. Given its highly contagious, convenient and efficient detection means are significant. At present, RT-PCR testing is the common diagnostic method for COVID-19 cases, but the process is time-consuming and inefficient. The recent COVID-19 radiology literature has focused on CT imaging because of its higher sensitivity, but it leads to high costs compared to X-ray imaging. Nowadays, many AI applications are focused on quantification and identification of infections to fully automate diagnoses to assist medical experts. Therefore, we compared seven classic network models including ResNet50, VGG16, VGG19, InceptionV3, InceptionResNetV2, MobileNetV1, DenseNet169 by the diversity measure. DenseNet169 performed pretty well with an accuracy of 97.5% on the training set and 96.58% on the test set. After comparing the results of different model fusion methods, stacking these models by four folds and selecting the tree classifier as second layer models outweighed other methods which reach 100% on the test set, which is helpful in the diagnosis of COVID19.
Biomedicine Innovations and Its Nanohydrogel Classifications

As one of the most cutting-edge and promising polymer crosslinked network nanoparticle systems. Polymer nano-sized hydrogels (nanogels) have been a hot topic in the biomedical field over the last few decades. Due to their unique characteristics, which include their relatively high drug encapsulation efficiency, ease of preparation, high tunability, low toxicity, high stability in serum and responsive behavior to a range of stimuli to facilitate drug release. Nanogels are thought to be the next generation of drug delivery systems that can completely change the way that drug delivery systems have an impact on patients’ lives. Nanogels have demonstrated significant potential in a variety of fields, including chemotherapy, diagnosis, organ targeting, and delivery of bioactive molecules of different dimensions. However, the lack of substantial clinical data from nanogels becomes one of the major barriers to translating the nanogel concept into a practical therapeutic application for many disease conditions. In addition, nanogel safety profiles have been the major concern that hinders it advancement to the clinical trial phase. This review aims to emphasize the unique properties of nanogels as delivery systems for a variety of bioactive molecules over other nano-delivery systems. Also, this review attempts to give insight into the recent progress in nanogels as a carrier in the field of nanomedicine to overcome complex biological barriers. Relevant scientific data and clinical rationale for the development and the potential use of nanogel as a carrier for targeted therapeutic interventions are discussed. Finally, the concluding points of this review highlight the importance of understanding the long-term toxicity profile of nanogel within the biological system to fully understand their biocompatibility.
Oracally efficient estimation for single-index link function with simultaneous confidence band

Over the last twenty-five years, various √ n-consistent estimators have been devised for the coefficient vector in the popular semiparametric single-index model. In this paper, we prove under general assumptions that the kernel estimator of the link function by a univariate regression on the index variable is oracally efficient, namely, the estimator with the true single-index coefficient vector is asymptotically indistinguishable from that with any √ n-consistent coefficient vector estimator. As a mathematical byproduct of the oracle efficiency, a simultaneous confidence band is constructed for the link function based on the oracally efficient kernel estimator. Simulation experiments corroborate the theoretical results. The proposed simultaneous confidence band is applied to analyze and test hypothesis about the Boston housing data. MSC 2010 subject classifications: Primary 62G08; secondary 62G15.
Effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people with advanced cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIMS To systematically review existing evidence and assess the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for people with advanced cancer. DESIGN Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. DATA SOURCES Nine databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database and Wanfang, were searched. The search covered the period between the inception of the selected databases and August 2022. REVIEW METHODS Two authors independently examined eligible studies and appraised the methodological quality of the included studies by applying the criteria suggested by the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care followed by data abstraction. The Template for Intervention Description and Replication (TIDieR) checklist was used to identify intervention characteristics. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach was used to evaluate the certainty of evidence. RESULTS Eight studies, involving 488 people with advanced cancer, were included. The results showed significant effects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy on the improvement of quality of life and the alleviation of anxiety, depression, psychological distress and fatigue in people with advanced cancer. However, its effects in relieving psychological flexibility and pain were not statistically significant. The certainty of the evidence was low to moderate. CONCLUSION People with advanced cancer can benefit from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, which is conducive to improving their health outcomes. IMPACT This review provides evidence about the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in people with advanced cancer. Further well-designed studies with larger sample sizes are required. This review may help nurses and researchers to design and implement Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in clinical practice, thereby improving health outcomes in this population. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42021244568.
Investigation on two magnon scattering processes in pulsed laser deposited epitaxial nickel zinc ferrite thin film

Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements are employed to evaluate the presence of the two magnon scattering contribution in the magnetic relaxation processes of the epitaxial nickel zinc ferrite thin films deposited using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on the (0 0 1) MgAl2O4 substrate. Furthermore, the reciprocal space mapping reveals the presence of microstructural defects which acts as an origin for the two magnon scattering process in this thin film. The relevance of this scattering process is further discussed for understanding the higher FMR linewidth in the in-plane configuration compared to the out-of-plane configuration. FMR measurements also reveal the presence of competing uniaxial and cubic anisotropy in the studied films.
A comprehensive approach to the solution of direct-coupled multislice model of skewed rotor induction motors using time-stepping eddy-current finite element method

Normally a complicated three-dimensional (3-D) approach is needed to study the field pattern of induction machines with skewed rotor bars. In this paper, a time-stepping two-dimensional (2-D) eddy-current finite element method, based on multislice technique, is described to study the steady-state operation and the starting process of skewed rotor induction machines. The fields of the multislices are being solved en bloc simultaneously, and thus, the effects of the eddy current and saturation can be taken into account directly. New forms of the governing equations for the multislice model are derived, which allow the meshes of multislices to be taken as one 2-D mesh so that the algorithm is very similar to that of general 2-D problems. Special techniques required for the mesh generation in the multislice model and the salient structures of the software are also described. The results obtained by using the program being developed have very good correlation with test data.
Three-step approach for wafer sawing lane inspection

Wafer sawing performance must be closely monitored to ensure a satisfactory integrated circuits manufacturing yield. The inspection must allow the GO/NG decision to be fast and reliable, while also assuring that the training of the inspector is simple and not time consuming. The traditional neural-network approach to inspect images, while simple to implement, presents some disadvantages, including training efficiency and model effectiveness. Based on contour detection of the sawing lane, this work proposes a novel method combined with cross-center localization of sawing lanes, detection of sawing track, and four signatures to detect the abnormality of sawing effectively and timely. Our method does not need pretraining but runs faster and provides a better method with more effectiveness, higher flexibility, and immediate feedback to the sawing operation. An experiment using real data collected from an international semiconductor package factory is conducted to validate the performance of the proposed framework. The accurate acceptance rate and the accurate rejection rate are both 100%, while the false acceptance rate and false rejection rate are both zero as well. The results demonstrate that the proposed method is sound and useful for sawing inspection in industries.
Delay‐dependent stability for Markovian genetic regulatory networks with time‐varying delays

This paper is concerned with the problem of stochastic stability analysis for a class of genetic regulatory networks with Markovian jump parameters and time‐varying delays. A delay‐dependent stability criterion is derived by using a novel mode‐dependent Lyapunov functional. The derived stability criterion is expressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities and is less conservative than the existing ones in the literature. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed stability criterion.
A Modified Two-Relaxation Thermoelastic Model for a Thermal Shock of Rotating Infinite Medium

A unified form of thermoelasticity theory that contains three familiar generalized thermoelasticity. The Lord–Shulman theory, Green–Lindsay theory, and the classical one can be outlined in this form. The field quantities of a rotating/non-rotating half-space with and without the effect of the decay parameter can be obtained due to the unified thermoelasticity theory. The present medium is subjected to a time-dependent thermal shock taking into account that the magnitude of the thermal shock wave is not totally fixed but decaying over time. A special case of a thermal shock waveform with constant magnitude may be considered. The field quantities such as temperature, displacements, and stresses of the present problem are analytically obtained. Some plots of these field variables are presented in two- and three-dimensional illustrations in the context of refined theories.
An Online Rail Track Fastener Classification System Based on YOLO Models

In order to save manpower on rail track inspection, computer vision-based methodologies are developed. We propose utilizing the YOLOv4-Tiny neural network to identify track defects in real time. There are ten defects covering fasteners, rail surfaces, and sleepers from the upward and six defects about the rail waist from the sideward. The proposed real-time inspection system includes a high-performance notebook, two sports cameras, and three parallel processes. The hardware is mounted on a flat cart running at 30 km/h. The inspection results about the abnormal track components could be queried by defective type, time, and the rail hectometer stake. In the experiments, data augmentation by a Cycle Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) is used to increase the dataset. The number of images is 3800 on the upward and 967 on the sideward. Five object detection neural network models—YOLOv4, YOLOv4-Tiny, YOLOX-Tiny, SSD512, and SSD300—were tested. The YOLOv4-Tiny model with 150 FPS is selected as the recognition kernel, as it achieved 91.7%, 92%, and 91% for the mAP, precision, and recall of the defective track components from the upward, respectively. The mAP, precision, and recall of the defective track components from the sideward are 99.16%, 96%, and 94%, respectively.
Naringenin and Quercetin Exert Contradictory Cytoprotective and Cytotoxic Effects on Tamoxifen-Induced Apoptosis in HepG2 Cells

Tamoxifen is commonly used to treat estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma. Phytoconstituents are considered candidates for chemopreventive drugs in cancer treatment. However, it remains unknown what would happen if tamoxifen and phytoconstituents were administrated simultaneously. We aimed to observe the synergistic antitumor effects of tamoxifen and naringenin/quercetin on human hepatic carcinoma and to explore the potential underlying molecular mechanisms. The HepG2 cell line was used as an in vitro model. Cell proliferation, invasion, migration, cycle progression and apoptosis were investigated along with reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) repression. The signaling pathways involved were identified using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. As the results show, tamoxifen in combination with higher concentrations of naringenin or quercetin significantly inhibited cell growth compared to either agent alone. These antiproliferative effects were accompanied by the inhibition of cell migration and invasion but the stimulation of cell apoptosis and loss of ΔΨm, which depended on the ROS-regulated p53 signaling cascades. Conversely, lower concentrations of naringenin and quercetin inhibited the tamoxifen-induced cell antiproliferative effects by regulating cell migration, invasion, cycle and apoptosis. Taken together, our findings revealed that phytoconstituents exerted contradictory cytoprotective and cytotoxic effects induced by tamoxifen in human hepatic cancer.
Self-Reported Depression among Chinese Women with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss: Focusing on Associated Risk Factors

(1) Background: To investigate whether women suffering from recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) have a higher prevalence of self-reported depression than healthy controls and to assess the associated risk factors for RPL women self-reporting the symptom of depression. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study investigating 247 women with histories of RPL and 193 healthy women was performed in Southwest China. The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) was used to measure self-reported depression, and the prevalence of self-reported depression was compared between the two groups. Sociodemographic data for the two groups and clinical information for the RPL group were collected by questionnaires. (3) Results: The prevalence of self-reported depression was higher in the RPL group than in the control group (45.3% vs. 30.1%, p < 0.01). Subgroup analyses indicated that the statistical difference in the prevalence of self-reported depression was significant in the subgroups of women in the first trimester of gestation, age ≥ 36 years, BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m2, working hours ≤ 8 h/day, university and higher education, and urban residence. Multivariable logistic analysis indicated that age ≥ 36 years, >2 times of spontaneous miscarriages, and no history of live birth were independent risk factors for RPL women self-reporting depression. (4) Conclusions: A higher prevalence of self-reported depression was observed in RPL patients than in healthy women. The psychological status for RPL patients with age ≥ 36 years, >2 times of spontaneous miscarriages, or without a history of a live birth needs to be further addressed.
Einstein's mistake and the cosmological constant

A brief history of the cosmological constant in the equations of general relativity is presented. Particular attention is paid to (a) a misunderstanding by Einstein of both its function as a repulsive force and new vacuum state rather than the relativistic analog of an exponential potential cutoff he thought he had introduced and to (b) a common misunderstanding of the function of the cosmological constant.
La présence attentive et la sensibilité éthique : une réflexion sur le concept d’attention

This article focuses on the theme of ethical sensitivity and asks how mindfulness can concretely contribute to its development in a professional ethics training context. The main objective is to explore how the notion of mindfulness has been defined in contemporary philosophical literature, which makes it a promising concept that can enrich the concept of ethical sensitivity. Then, this article aims to demonstrate how mindfulness is a promising avenue for enhancing the qualities of attention and the development of ethical sensitivity.
Static and dynamic properties of one-dimensional linear chain of nanomagnets

We have probed the dynamic and static behavior of one-dimensional linear chain of magnetostatically coupled Ni80Fe20 elements using ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) spectroscopy and magneto-optic Kerr effect measurement techniques. When compared with isolated elements of similar dimensions, we observed that both the FMR curves and magnetization reversal process of the coupled elements are strongly influenced by the strong magnetostatic interactions. We have modeled the effect of magnetostatic coupling, by extracting the demagnetizing factors for the isolated element from the experimental data using least square fitting method. Our experimental results are in good agreement with theory.
Effect of Exercise Using an Exoskeletal Hip-Assist Robot on Physical Function and Walking Efficiency in Older Adults

Robotic technology has developed rapidly in recent years, and several robotic devices have been applied to improve physical, sensory, intellectual, psychological, and social functioning in the elderly and people with disabilities. In this study, we investigated the effects of EX1-assisted exercise in various environments on physical function, muscle strength, and walking efficiency in older adults. We designated four experimental conditions and randomly assigned participants to one of four groups: A (overground walking without an EX1), B (overground walking using the resistance mode of EX1), C (stair ascent using the assistance mode of EX1), and Group D (inclined treadmill walking using the assistance mode of EX1). A total of 60 community-dwelling elderly persons participated in 10 exercise intervention sessions for 4 weeks, and all participants were assessed before and after the exercise intervention. Physical function was measured by the 10-meter walk test for self-selected velocity (10MWT-SSV), short physical performance battery (SPPB), Berg balance scale (BBS), timed up and go (TUG), functional reach test (FRT), geriatric depression scale—short form (GDS-SF), and muscle strength of trunk and lower extremity. Cardiopulmonary metabolic energy efficiency was measured using a portable telemetric gas analyzer system. A significant increase in the 10MWT-SSV and TUG test was observed in groups B, C, and D. A statistically significant improvement in the SPPB and FRT was seen only in group D, and GDS-SF scores decreased significantly after exercise with an EX1 in groups B and D. Trunk and lower limb muscle strength increased more in the groups that exercised with EX1 assistance than those without an EX1, particularly in group B. The net metabolic energy costs and energy expenditure measurement during walking significantly improved in exercise groups C and D. The findings in this study support the application of the EX1 to physical activity and exercise to improve age-related changes in physical function, muscle strength, and walking efficiency among older adults. In addition, personalized exercise programs using different modes and training environments with an EX1 can enhance physical performance and walking efficiency in the elderly.