Two-microphone spatial filtering provides speech reception benefits for cochlear implant users in difficult acoustic environments

This article introduces and provides an assessment of a spatial-filtering algorithm based on two closely-spaced (∼1 cm) microphones in a behind-the-ear shell. The evaluated spatial-filtering algorithm used fast (∼10 ms) temporal-spectral analysis to determine the location of incoming sounds and to enhance sounds arriving from straight ahead of the listener. Speech reception thresholds (SRTs) were measured for eight cochlear implant (CI) users using consonant and vowel materials under three processing conditions: An omni-directional response, a dipole-directional response, and the spatial-filtering algorithm. The background noise condition used three simultaneous time-reversed speech signals as interferers located at 90°, 180°, and 270°. Results indicated that the spatial-filtering algorithm can provide speech reception benefits of 5.8 to 10.7 dB SRT compared to an omni-directional response in a reverberant room with multiple noise sources. Given the observed SRT benefits, coupled with an efficient design, the proposed algorithm is promising as a CI noise-reduction solution.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01 DC 000117)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01 DC DC7152)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant 2R44DC010524-02

The investigation and morphological study of two type of Crass carp: Ctenopharyngodon idella and survival rate of their larvae

The two groups of grass carp, have been propagated in North and South fish farms and then the larvae were transferring to Abziroshd and culture fish farm of Mazandaran. The fingerling at eight weight classes of 2 to 500 gram were investigated morphologically and some morphometric and meristic were compared. The South grass carp was significant difference (P<0.05) with the North, in case of weight with the same length, number of vertebral and gill raker. The coefficient of variance (CV) of meristic characters of South Grass carp was in the range of 1.2 to 9.8 while in Mazandaran grass carp 2.8 to 8.6. This CV illustrate the low variance in both population. This research study showed that the two stocks can be regard as difference races from one ancestor

Short Duration Small Sided Football and to a Lesser Extent Whole Body Vibration Exercise Induce Acute Changes in Markers of Bone Turnover.

We aimed to study whether short-duration vibration exercise or football sessions of two different durations acutely changed plasma markers of bone turnover and muscle strain. Inactive premenopausal women (n = 56) were randomized to complete a single bout of short (FG15) or long duration (FG60) small sided football or low magnitude whole body vibration training (VIB). Procollagen type 1 amino-terminal propeptide (P1NP) was increased during exercise for FG15 (51.6 ± 23.0 to 56.5 ± 22.5 μg·L-1, mean ± SD, P 0.05). An increase in osteocalcin was observed 48 h after exercise (P < 0.05), which did not differ between exercise groups. C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen was not affected by exercise. Blood lactate concentration increased during exercise for FG15 (0.6 ± 0.2 to 3.4 ± 1.2 mM) and FG60 (0.6 ± 0.2 to 3.3 ± 2.0 mM), but not for VIB (0.6 ± 0.2 to 0.8 ± 0.4 mM) (P < 0.05). Plasma creatine kinase increased by 55 ± 63% and 137 ± 119% 48 h after FG15 and FG60 (P < 0.05), but not after VIB (26 ± 54%, NS). In contrast to the minor elevation in osteocalcin in response to a single session of vibration exercise, both short and longer durations of small sided football acutely increased plasma P1NP, osteocalcin, and creatine kinase. This may contribute to favorable effects of chronic training on musculoskeletal health

Ambient air quality standards and policies in eastern mediterranean countries: a review

Objectives: National ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) are critical tools for controlling air pollution and protecting public health. We designed this study to 1) gather the NAAQS for six classical air pollutants: PM(2.5), PM(10), O(3), NO(2), SO(2), and CO in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) countries, 2) compare those with the updated World Health Organizations Air Quality Guidelines (WHO AQGs 2021), 3) estimate the potential health benefits of achieving annual PM(2.5) NAAQS and WHO AQGs per country, and 4) gather the information on air quality policies and action plans in the EMR countries. Methods: To gather information on the NAAQS, we searched several bibliographic databases, hand-searched the relevant papers and reports, and analysed unpublished data on NAAQS in the EMR countries reported from these countries to the WHO/Regional office of the Eastern Mediterranean/Climate Change, Health and Environment Unit (WHO/EMR/CHE). To estimate the potential health benefits of reaching the NAAQS and AQG levels for PM(2.5), we used the average of ambient PM(2.5) exposures in the 22 EMR countries in 2019 from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) dataset and AirQ+ software. Results: Almost all of the EMR countries have national ambient air quality standards for the critical air pollutants except Djibouti, Somalia, and Yemen. However, the current standards for PM(2.5) are up to 10 times higher than the current health-based WHO AQGs. The standards for other considered pollutants exceed AQGs as well. We estimated that the reduction of annual mean PM(2.5) exposure level to the AQG level (5 mug m(-3)) would be associated with a decrease of all natural-cause mortality in adults (age 30+) by 16.9%-42.1% in various EMR countries. All countries would even benefit from the achievement of the Interim Target-2 (25 mug m(-3)) for annual mean PM(2.5): it would reduce all-cause mortality by 3%-37.5%. Less than half of the countries in the Region reported having policies relevant to air quality management, in particular addressing pollution related to sand and desert storms (SDS) such as enhancing the implementation of sustainable land management practices, taking measures to prevent and control the main factors of SDS, and developing early warning systems as tools to combat SDS. Few countries conduct studies on the health effects of air pollution or on a contribution of SDS to pollution levels. Information from air quality monitoring is available for 13 out of the 22 EMR countries. Conclusion: Improvement of air quality management, including international collaboration and prioritization of SDS, supported by an update (or establishment) of NAAQSs and enhanced air quality monitoring are essential elements for reduction of air pollution and its health effects in the EMR

Development of the Rural Active Living Perceived Environmental Support Scale (RALPESS)

Background: Evidence supports the role of physical and social environments in active living, including perception of environment. However, measurement of perceived environments in rural settings is lacking. This study describes the development of the Rural Active Living Perceived Environmental Support Scale (RALPESS). Methods: Premised on social ecological and cognitive perspectives, 85 initial items were generated through a literature review and a mixed-methods investigation of activity-friendly environments. Items were organized by resource areas town center, indoor and outdoor physical activity areas, schools, churches, and areas around the home/neighborhood-and submitted for expert panel review. In 2009, a revised questionnaire was disseminated to adolescents, parents, public school staff, and older adults in 2 rural southeastern United States counties. Principal component analysis with varimax rotation was used to explore factor structure (n = 542). Results: The final analysis yielded 33 items with 7 factors: 1) church facilities, 2) town center connectivity, 3) indoor areas, 4) around the home/neighborhood, 5) town center physical activity resources, 6) school grounds, and 7) outdoor areas. Conclusions: The RALPESS is a valid, internally consistent, and practically useful instrument to measure perceptions of rural environments in the context of physical activity across the lifespan. Confirmatory factor analysis is recommended to validate factor structure

Optimal expansion planning of active distribution system considering coordinated bidding of downward active microgrids and demand response providers

This paper addresses an integrated framework for expansion planning of an Active Distribution Network (ADS) that supplies its downward Active MicroGrids (AMGs) and it participates in the upward wholesale market to sell its surplus electricity. The proposed novel model considers the impact of coordinated and uncoordinated bidding of AMGs and Demand Response Providers (DRPs) on the optimal expansion planning. The problem has six sources of uncertainty: upward electricity market prices, AMGs location and time of installation, AMGs power generation/consumption, ADS intermittent power generations, DRP biddings, and the ADS system contingencies. The model uses the Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) criterion in order to handle the trading risks of ADS with the wholesale market. The proposed formulation integrates the most important deterministic and stochastic parameters of the risk-based expansion planning of ADS that is rare in the literature on this field. The introduced method uses a four-stage optimization algorithm that uses genetic algorithm, CPLEX and DICOPT solvers. The proposed method is applied to the 18-bus and 33-bus test systems to assess the proposed algorithm. The proposed method reduces the aggregated expansion planning costs for the 18-bus and 33-bus system about 44.04%, and 11.82% with respect to the uncoordinated bidding of AMGs/DRPs costs, respectively.fi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Investigation of situation of propagation and culture of rainbow trout in north of Alborz

The aquaculture activity in provinces of north of Iran, in spite of fast progressive and possess a series of achievement and success, there was some failure, difficulties, limitation and restriction. To planning for further expansion in this failed, this study is managed. The culture of rainbow trout is practice in individual farms, small farms, water resources, earthen ponds, recycling ponds etc, which each method have its potential, failure and limitation that are consider in the present work. At the end, based on the situation of production in past years, and considering each of factors mentioned above, the success, failure, difficulties, limitation and restriction points of aquaculture of rainbow trout in technical poin of view are investigated and some command for improvement for each production method are presented. The development of aquaculture in recent years is based on extension of farms and increasing density of fish in fish pond. In contrast of many production activities, the propagation and culture of fish is inconstant work. This variability makes a potential for better income, occupation and job, increasing in production etc. This study make a better planning using this activity

Identification genetic characterization and population of Barbus brachycephalic caspius, Lucioperca lucioperca, Rutilus rutilus caspius, Rutilus frisii kutum and Salmo trutta caspius in southern part of the Caspian Sea by molecular method (Microsatellites) and formation DNA bank

In this study genetic characterization of Barbus brachycephalus caspius, Lucioperca lucioperca, Rutilus rutilus caspius, Rutilus frisi kutum and Salmo trutta caspius were examined by 611 samples from regions in East (Guilan province), Middle (Mazandaran province) and west (Golestan province) of southen part of the Caspian Sea. DNA was extracted from fin tissue by phenol -chlorophorm method and then PCR was performed using special primers. Statistical analysis of data was performed by Gene Alex, MEGA and Arlequin softwares. -Rutilus frisi kutum: The results showed that nine of ten primers were polymorphic loci. The mean of effective and observed alleles were 7.26±0.49 and 4.37±0.35 respectively. Also, the mean of expected and observed heterozygosity were 0.55±0.03 and 0.69±0.02 respectively Of the analysed loci, all of the samples (except Tajan and samples in LOC4 and Gilan samples in MFW2) possible tests were found to deviate significantly from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P<0.05). The genetic diversity was significantly different between samples of Golestan and Gilan, Golestan and sefidrood, Golestan and Tajan, Mazandaran and sefidrood and Gilan and Tajan (p<0.05). -Rutilus rutilus caspius: Sevan variable microsatellite loci were used to investigate genetic diversity and population structure of R. rutilus caspius. The mean of effective and observed alleles were 5.75±0.30 and 4.76±0.25 respectively. Also, the mean of expected and observed heterozygosity were 0.58±0.18 and 0.73±0.01 respectively. All of the samples (except golestan samples in LOC3) possible tests were found to deviate significantly from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P<0.05) Of the analysed loci, the genetic divergence was significantly different between samples of Golestan and Gilan, Gilan and Mazandaran and Gilan with Gorgan bay (p<0.05). -Salmo trutta caspius: Genetic characterization of S. trutta caspius was comparatively analyzed with mitochondrial DNA sequencing that 45 haplotypes was observed. The average of expected and observed heterozygosity were 0.61±0.35 and 0.33±0.12 respectively. The maximum of haplotype diversity (0.089±0.04) was in sardabrood river and the minimum was in Astara river (0.81±0.02). Also, the maximum of nucleotid diversity was 0.13±0.07 in Sardabrood and Chalos rivers and the minimum was 0.11±0.06 in Tonekabon river. In addition, the maximum and minimum of FST was 0.08 and 0.01 respectively. Of the analysed loci, the genetic divergence was significantly different between samples of Astara and Chalos, Astara and Tonekabon, Chalos and Karganrood and Tonekabon with Kaganrood (p<0.05). - Barbus brachycephalus caspius: The size of amplified fragment was 800 bp in all of the samples. There were 24 variable loci and 12 haplotype that the maximum of haplotype was in Gilan area (8 haplotype). The average of expected and observed heterozygosity were 0.003±0.35 and 0.42±0.12 respectively. The results showed that the haplotype diversity was significantly different between samples of Sefidrood whit other samples (p<0.05). In addition The maximum of nocleotid diversity was 0.005±0.003 in Sefidrood and minimum was 0.001± 0.001 in Tajan river. Of the analysed loci, the genetic divergence was significantly different between samples of Gilan and Tajan, Mazandaran and Sefidrood (p<0.05). -Lucioperca lucioperca: The genetic diversity of L. lucioperca was analyzed by using microsatellite markers. Seven primer sequences available for were tested to amplify microsatellite loci that all of loci were polymorphic. The mean of effective and observed alleles were 6.14±0.45 and 3.88±0.34 respectively. Also, the mean of expected and observed heterozygosity were 0.662±0.03 and 0.70±0.02 respectively. The most of samples in PflaL6, PflaL7and PflaL8 loci possible tests were found to deviate significantly from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P<0.05). The maximum of FST was 0.30 between Gilan and Mazandaran samples that there were minimum gene flow (8.18). The genetic divergence was significantly different between samples of Gilan and Mazandaran and Golestan whit mazandaran (p<0.05)

Developing an agenda for research about policies to improve access to healthy foods in rural communities: a concept mapping study

Background Policies that improve access to healthy, affordable foods may improve population health and reduce health disparities. In the United States most food access policy research focuses on urban communities even though residents of rural communities face disproportionately higher risk for nutrition-related chronic diseases compared to residents of urban communities. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the factors associated with access to healthy, affordable food in rural communities in the United States; and (2) prioritize a meaningful and feasible rural food policy research agenda. Methods This study was conducted by the Rural Food Access Workgroup (RFAWG), a workgroup facilitated by the Nutrition and Obesity Policy Research and Evaluation Network. A national sample of academic and non-academic researchers, public health and cooperative extension practitioners, and other experts who focus on rural food access and economic development was invited to complete a concept mapping process that included brainstorming the factors that are associated with rural food access, sorting and organizing the factors into similar domains, and rating the importance of policies and research to address these factors. As a last step, RFAWG members convened to interpret the data and establish research recommendations. Results Seventy-five participants in the brainstorming exercise represented the following sectors: non-extension research (n = 27), non-extension program administration (n = 18), “other� (n = 14), policy advocacy (n = 10), and cooperative extension service (n = 6). The brainstorming exercise generated 90 distinct statements about factors associated with rural food access in the United States; these were sorted into 5 clusters. Go Zones were established for the factors that were rated highly as both a priority policy target and a priority for research. The highest ranked policy and research priorities include strategies designed to build economic viability in rural communities, improve access to federal food and nutrition assistance programs, improve food retail systems, and increase the personal food production capacity of rural residents. Respondents also prioritized the development of valid and reliable research methodologies to measure variables associated with rural food access. Conclusions This collaborative, trans-disciplinary, participatory process, created a map to guide and prioritize research about polices to improve healthy, affordable food access in rural communities