•Choosing a method and a threshold value can change the results dramatically.•Classical evaluation of Hi-Fi audio systems by audiophiles is highly debatable.•Key evaluation criteria are determined ...using DANP.•Criteria and weights may provide a common ground for assessing Hi-Fi systems.
DEMATEL exhibits a relational representation of variables and their interdependence. Impact Relations Map (IRM), a visual tool and the end product of DEMATEL, readily provides valuable insight into the influence of variables and facilitates to deal with complex decision problems. Acquiring a proper threshold value and a reasonable IRM consecutively is essential for correct relational evaluation of cause and effect variables. The methods available in the literature to find a DEMATEL threshold value have been implemented and tried, but no successful results have been obtained with the problem of interest. Therefore, we develop and introduce a new method, Constricted Information Space (CIS), to attain this goal. The method ensures a threshold value that not only neglects unnecessary relations but also retains enough relational information crucial for the researcher. Furthermore, DEMATEL-Based Analytic Network Process (DANP), a hybrid model, is employed for weighing and ranking the evaluation criteria of Hi-Fi audio systems. Numerical and visual comparisons of various threshold methods and their impacts on the final rankings are presented. The key criteria that emerged as a result of the study are disclosed for audiophiles to assess the audio quality of Hi-Fi audio systems.
Poly ADP-ribose polymerase 1 (PARP-1) is a highly abundant chromatin-associated enzyme. It catalyzes the NAD ⁺-dependent polymerization of long chains of poly-ADP ribose (PAR) onto itself in response ...to DNA damage and other cues. More recently, the enzymatic activity of PARP-1 has also been implicated in the regulation of gene expression. The molecular basis for the functional switch from chromatin architectural protein to transcription factor and DNA damage responder, triggered by PARP-1 automodification, is unknown. Here, we show that unmodified PARP-1 engages in at least two high-affinity binding modes with chromatin, one of which does not involve free DNA ends, consistent with its role as a chromatin architectural protein. Automodification reduces PARP-1 affinity for intact chromatin but not for nucleosomes with exposed DNA ends. Automodified (AM) PARP-1 has the ability to sequester histones (both in vitro and in cells) and to assemble nucleosomes efficiently in vitro. This unanticipated nucleosome assembly activity of AM–PARP-1, coupled with the fast turnover of the modification, suggests a model in which DNA damage or transcription events trigger transient histone chaperone activity.
Abstract
The highly diverse group of freshwater mussels from order Unionida is found in the world’s freshwater systems due to several fascinating evolutionary adaptations, including “parental care,” ...and most notably, an obligatory parasitic phase in their early life cycle, called glochidia, which infests and uses fish for nutrition and dispersal. Freshwater mussels play essential ecological roles in freshwater habitats, including water filtration, sediment bioturbation, and nutrient cycling. However, these species are also highly threatened, being one of the faunal groups with the highest recorded extinction rate in the wild. Genomics methods have an incredible potential to promote biodiversity conservation, allowing the characterization of population health, identification of adaptive genetic elements, delineation of conservation units, and providing a framework for predictive assessments of the impact of anthropogenic threats and climate change. Unfortunately, only six freshwater mussel species have had their whole genomes sequenced to date, and only two of these are European species. Here, we present the first genome assembly of the Painter’s Mussel, Unio pictorum (Linnaeus, 1758), the type species representative of the order and the most widespread species of the genus in Europe. We used long-read PacBio Hi-Fi sequencing reads to produce a highly contiguous assembly that will pave the way for the study of European freshwater mussels in the Genome Era.
A low-power class-AB amplifier for high-fidelity headphones is presented. The linearity of a class-AB amplifier strongly depends on the loop gain over the audio band and voltage swing. In this paper, ...a cascode-driven mesh technique limits the number of high-swing nodes in the output stage, thereby preserving the loop gain of the preceding gain stages. A frequency compensation scheme is proposed that extends the unity-gain bandwidth (UGB) and increases the loop gain at 20 kHz. Combining these two techniques, the amplifier achieves −101.4-dB total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) over the full audio band, the lowest ever reported nonlinearity among sub-milliwatt CMOS class-AB amplifiers. The amplifier delivers 51.2-mW peak power to a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">16\Omega \|0.33 </tex-math></inline-formula>-nF load while consuming 0.97 mW of total static power. It has UGB of 12.3 MHz and SNR of 108 dB. These results are consistent when measured over eight test chips. Compared to the recent prior art, the amplifier exhibits >12 dB better linearity and >14-dB dynamic range. This results in 2.5<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\times </tex-math></inline-formula> improvement in figure of merit (FOM = Peak Load Power/(Quiescent Power <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">\times </tex-math></inline-formula> THD+N%)). It occupies 0.16 mm 2 in a standard 65-nm CMOS.
Raymond Murray Schafer, a pioneer in research on the soundscape, distinguished between hi-fi and lo-fi soundscapes. The hi-fi soundscape is characterized by natural sounds, recognizable as acoustic ...signals. Such a soundscape has room for quiet. The lo-fi soundscape is dominated by artificial, mechanical, aggressive, irritating sounds, or noise. The emergence of this type of soundscape has been facilitated by the development of industry, by urbanization, by the realization of succeeding investments in transportation, trade, and entertainment, and by the universality of various kinds of “loud” equipment in households and the public sphere. As an example of passage from a hi-fi to a lo-fi soundscape, the author explains the causes for the degradation of the Czerniakowskie Lake nature reserve. The causes include, above all, the construction of succeeding housing settlements near the body of water, the nearness of busy communications arteries, and the pressure to increase the reserve’s use for entertainment and recreation. These activities not only have a disadvantageous impact on the natural environment, but they also contribute to the production of noise, which drives out the quiet. The author notes the varying attitudes to changes to the reserve and various visions and expectations for its future. Whether the reserve will be changed entirely into a lo-fi soundscape will depend on the aims and plans that are implemented. Will the traits of a hi-fi soundscape become a phenomenon entirely of the past, of memories and reflections on the changes undergone by a place with which our fates are connected?
This paper presents a significant contribution to high-fidelity audio technology through the comprehensive design and implementation of an advanced audio-grade preamplifier integrated with a ...high-performance digital-to-analog converter (DAC). The versatility of the digital section allows seamless integration of audio sources from Universal Serial Bus (USB), Bluetooth, or Sony-Philips Digital interface (SPDIF). In addition, the preamplifier accommodates various analog sources, offering flexibility to users. The unique architecture features an innovative resistor network-based DAC and precision components in the analog section, paving the way for achieving unparalleled audio fidelity. The measured distortion values are remarkably low, with a total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) of only 0.03%. Furthermore, the system exhibits a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 87 dB, comparable to industry benchmark. The hardware design sections went into meticulous details, providing an in-depth exploration of each block of the project. The inclusion of test and measurement data from the actual prototype enhances the credibility of the proposed work. This research not only showcases the theoretical operation of the preamplifier and DAC stage but also validates the practical implementation through many rounds of testing and validation. Our proposed work contributes to the field of high-fidelity audio by presenting a novel solution that is comparable to industry standards. The design’s adaptability to many different audio sources, coupled with robust performance metrics, positions it as a benchmark in the field of audio reproduction. The measurement results and findings presented in this paper are poised to influence future advancements in HiFi audio technology.
Piezoelectric MEMS microspeakers are promising candidates for miniaturized speakers, such as for in‐ear applications. Using lead‐free scandium doped aluminium nitride (ScAlN) thin film instead of ...lead zirconium titanate helps these speakers to be environmental friendly, CMOS compatible and potentially more linear. The piezoelectric coefficient of ScAlN is higher than undoped AlN, which leads to improved performance of MEMS actuators including speaker chips. The design of piezoelectric MEMS ScAlN speaker based on four triangular cantilevers is proposed. The design in this work has been verified by finite element method simulation. The displacement and sound pressure level are 39 μm and 56 dB, respectively. This MEMS loudspeaker has small size and simple structure. The model opens the door also to further optimization for higher energy efficiency and higher acoustic performance based on lead‐free ScAlN thin film.
Purpose To assess psychometric properties of the problem checklist (PCL) in a sample of individuals with neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders many years after trauma; to identify factors that ...impact life satisfaction and promote functional competence after long-term disability. Method Cross-sectional, interview- and assessment-based study. Participants were community-dwelling adults with disabilities resulting from neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders (N = 53), who participated in a pre-vocational readiness and social skills training program. The Problem Checklist from the New York University Head Injury Family Interview (PCL), a battery of self-rated and clinician-rated measures of social/emotional status, and neuropsychological tests were main outcome measures. Results PCL is a valid and reliable instrument with acceptable psychometric properties (reliability coefficients for two scales and the total score are above (0.795). Use of maladaptive coping strategies in our sample was reflected in inverse relationship between depression and denial of disability, and in the tendency to overrate self-reported symptoms by participants with acquired trauma. Considerably lower self-ratings of symptoms across all PCL scales were seen in those of our participants who live with parents. Conclusions The study offers initial support for the use of PCL as a measure of long-term functional outcome in individuals with neurological and neuropsychiatric diagnoses. The goal of rehabilitation in patients with long-term disabilities is increase in life satisfaction.
Implications for Rehabilitation
An important goal of rehabilitation and training programs for individuals with long-term disabilities due to dysfunction of the central nervous system is to improve their quality of life.
The HI-FI Problem Checklist (PCL) is a brief and efficient instrument for assessing functional outcomes after long-term disability.
This study demonstrated acceptable psychometric properties of the PCL in a sample of 53 individuals participating in a pre-vocational training program and provided initial support for its utility for patients with various diagnoses.
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