Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Real-time object detection by a multi-feature fully convolutional network

Prior work on object detection depends on region proposals to guide the search for object instances. Generally, several thousand proposals must be processed, thus hurting the detection efficiency. In this paper, we propose a new model free from region proposals for object detection which treats detection task as a regression problem. To improve small-size object detection and localization, we employ the deep hierarchical features extracted from convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The hierarchical architecture combines appearance information from a shallow layer with semantic information from a deep layer. Our approach can predict bounding boxes and class probabilities simultaneously from a full input image. We transfer a classification network called Darknet into fully convolutional network and fine-tune it for the detection task. Experiments on PASCAL VOC dataset demonstrate that our approach outperforms other detection models.
Recall of “The Real Cost” Anti-Smoking Campaign Is Specifically Associated With Endorsement of Campaign-Targeted Beliefs

Though previous research suggests the FDA’s “The Real Cost” anti-smoking campaign has reduced smoking initiation, the theorized pathway of effects (through targeted beliefs) has not been evaluated. This study assesses the relationship between recall of campaign television advertisements and ad-specific anti-smoking beliefs. Respondents in a nationally representative survey of nonsmoking youths age 13–17 (n = 4,831) reported exposure to four The Real Cost advertisements and a fake ad, smoking-relevant beliefs, and nonsmoking intentions. Analyses separately predicted each targeted belief from specific ad recall, adjusting for potential confounders and survey weights. Parallel analyses with non-targeted beliefs showed smaller effects, strengthening claims of campaign effects. Recall of four campaign ads (but not the fake ad) significantly predicted endorsement of the ad-targeted belief (Mean β = .13). Two-sided sign tests indicated stronger ad recall associations with the targeted belief relative to the non-targeted belief (p < .05). Logistic regression analyses indicated that respondents who endorsed campaign-targeted beliefs were more likely to have no intention to smoke (p < .01). This study is the first to demonstrate a relationship between recall of ads from The Real Cost campaign and the theorized pathway of effects (through targeted beliefs). These analyses also provide a methodological template for showing campaign effects despite limitations of available data.
A novel clustering protocol for wireless sensor networks

There are many existing clustering protocols that aim at making the sensor network stay functioning longer out of which Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) and Threshold-based LEACH (T-LEACH) protocols. T-LEACH protocol takes advantage of LEACH main deficiency, which is about having high control overhead. In other words, T-LEACH proposes that cluster heads do not have to turn over every round but rather every batch of rounds. Nodes will keep serving as cluster heads as long as their energy is higher than a threshold energy. This article imposes upon major drawbacks of T-LEACH and proposes a Modified Threshold-based Cluster Head Replacement (MT-CHR). In MT-CHR, a new probability of being a cluster head, for any node in any round, has been proposed which agrees fairly with the assumptions introduced in LEACH protocol.
SIMPATH: An Efficient Algorithm for Influence Maximization under the Linear Threshold Model

There is significant current interest in the problem of influence maximization: given a directed social network with influence weights on edges and a number k, find k seed nodes such that activating them leads to the maximum expected number of activated nodes, according to a propagation model. Kempe et al. showed, among other things, that under the Linear Threshold Model, the problem is NP-hard, and that a simple greedy algorithm guarantees the best possible approximation factor in PTIME. However, this algorithm suffers from various major performance drawbacks. In this paper, we propose Simpath, an efficient and effective algorithm for influence maximization under the linear threshold model that addresses these drawbacks by incorporating several clever optimizations. Through a comprehensive performance study on four real data sets, we show that Simpath consistently outperforms the state of the art w.r. t. running time, memory consumption and the quality of the seed set chosen, measured in terms of expected influence spread achieved.
Maternal and child health nurses work with refugee families: Perspectives from regional Victoria, Australia

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To explore service provision for Victorian regional refugee families from the perspective of maternal and child health nurses. BACKGROUND Increasingly, more families from a refugee background are resettling in regional Victoria. The refugee journey has significant effect on families. Refugee families with infants and young children can be provided with support by maternal and child health services; however, many families experience barriers to ongoing engagement with this service. DESIGN This descriptive study used focus group and questionnaire. A purposive sample of 26 maternal and child health nurses was drawn from six municipalities throughout regional Victoria, where higher numbers of people from a refugee background resettle. Six focus groups were held in 2014. Audio-recorded narratives were transcribed, prior to inductive thematic analysis. METHODS This descriptive study used focus group and questionnaire. A purposive sample of 26 Maternal and Child Health nurses was drawn from six municipalities throughout regional Victoria where higher numbers of people from a refugee background resettle. Six focus groups were held in 2014. Audio-recorded narratives were transcribed verbatim, prior to inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS Participating nurses were experienced nurses, averaging 12 years in the service. Four major themes emerged from thematic analysis: "How to identify women from a refugee background"; "The Maternal and Child Health nurse role when working with families from a refugee background"; "Interpreting issues"; and "Access to other referral agencies. " Nurses worked to develop a relationship with families, attending to a complex mix of issues which were complicated by language barriers. Nurses found their role in supporting refugee families required additional time and more home visits. CONCLUSIONS To provide best practice, maternal and child health nurses need (i) ongoing professional development; (ii) time, flexibility and creativity to build relationships with refugee families and (iii) better access to services that enhance communication, such as interpreting services and translated resources. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Nurses require ongoing professional development to help them address the multifaceted needs of families of refugee background. With limited resources available in regional areas, accessing further education can be challenging. Distance education models and organisational support could provide nurses with educational opportunities aimed at improving service provision and clinical practice.
A systematic review of delays in seeking medical attention after transient ischaemic attack

Background: Prompt assessment and investigation of transient ischaemic attack (TIA) followed by early initiation of secondary prevention is effective in reducing recurrent stroke. Nevertheless, many patients are slow to seek medical advice after TIA. A systematic review was undertaken to examine potential factors associated with delay in seeking medical review after TIA. Methods: The electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Science Citation Index were searched for observational studies assessing patient delay in presentation after TIA. The search was restricted to studies published between December 1995 and September 2008. Results: The electronic search yielded nine studies with data on presentation delay in patients with TIA; variations existed in study size, population and methodology. One study included patients with TIA only (n = 241), whereas the remaining eight studies recruited both stroke and TIA patients. Overall, TIA patients (n = 821) made up only a small proportion of the total number of patients in this analysis (n = 3,202). Length of delay varied greatly across all studies. In most studies, patients with TIA who attended an emergency department arrived there within hours. Where patients first presented to their general practitioner, 50% attended within 24 hours whereas 25% waited 2 days or more. Recognition of symptoms as stroke/TIA did not reduce the delay. Conclusions: The majority of delay in seeking assessment after TIA is due to a lack of response by the patient—many patients do not recognise the symptoms of stroke/TIA, and even when they do, many fail to seek emergency medical attention. The public needs educating on the importance of contacting the emergency medical services or attending an emergency department immediately after TIA.
The Political Economy of Food Price Policy in Nigeria

The food crisis of 2008 in Nigeria was influenced by price changes in the world market and the escalation of the price of imported fuel into Nigeria which led to sharp increases in the prices of agricultural inputs and transportation cost. The soaring prices of food staples benefited the producers whereas there was a worsening of malnutrition among the poor. To cushion the effects within the short-term, the government released grains from the reserve, ordered the import of half a million tonnes of rice to be sold at a subsidized rate and suspended the tariff on rice imports. The policy measures adopted caused a reversal of the trend of food price increase within six months, generated awareness about the nutritional importance of major food staples, and led to changes in preferences in the demand for food commodities and stimulated increased financing for commercial agriculture. The short-term price reduction could not be sustained, however, due to food supply shortages, weakness of the Nigerian currency, and the poor implementation of projects.
IOD-CNN: Integrating object detection networks for event recognition

Many previous methods have showed the importance of considering semantically relevant objects for performing event recognition, yet none of the methods have exploited the power of deep convolutional neural networks to directly integrate relevant object information into a unified network. We present a novel unified deep CNN architecture which integrates architecturally different, yet semantically-related object detection networks to enhance the performance of the event recognition task. Our architecture allows the sharing of the convolutional layers and a fully connected layer which effectively integrates event recognition, rigid object detection and non-rigid object detection.
Retrograde Nailing versus Locked Plating of Extra-Articular Distal Femoral Fractures: Comparison of 36 Cases

Objective: The purpose of this study was to retrospectively evaluate the use of locked plating (LP) and retrograde nailing (RN) for treating extra-articular distal femoral fractures. Materials and Methods: From January 2004 to March 2009, 36 patients with extra-articular distal femoral fractures were surgically treated at our Trauma Center. The patients were divided into two groups according to the treatment method, with 19 patients being treated by LP (LP group) and 17 patients via RN (RN group). Results: The demographics of age (p = 0.460) and gender (p = 0.481) in both LP and RN groups were similar. No differences were found with respect to postoperative malreduction, deep infection, hardware failure, operating time, knee pain, HSS score and range of knee movement. The mean intraoperative blood loss was significantly higher in the RN group (298 ± 65.2 ml, range 200–410) than in the LP group (200 ± 48.9 ml, range 130–300) (p < 0.01). However, a higher rate of union disturbance was observed in the LP group (36.8%) compared to the RN group (5.9%) (p = 0.044). Conclusions: The overall union disturbance rate in the LP group was higher than in the RN group. However, further analysis revealed that clinical outcome may largely depend on surgical technique rather than on the choice of implant. Therefore, correct rules (the same for every procedure) should be strictly adhered to, especially in the application of LP.
The Jingle-Jangle of Work–Nonwork Balance: A Comprehensive and Meta-Analytic Review of Its Meaning and Measurement

We review research on work–nonwork balance to examine the presence of the jingle fallacy—attributing different meanings to a single construct label—and the jangle fallacy—using different labels for a single construct. In 290 papers, we found 233 conceptual definitions that clustered into 5 distinct, interpretable types, suggesting evidence of the jingle fallacy. We calculated Euclidean distances to quantify the extent of the jingle fallacy and found high divergence in definitions across time and publication outlet. One exception was more agreement recently in better journals to conceptualize balance as unidimensional, psychological, and distinct from conflict and enrichment. Yet, over time many authors have committed the jangle fallacy by labeling measures of conflict and/or enrichment as balance, and disagreement persists even in better journals about the meanings attributed to balance (e.g., effectiveness, satisfaction). To examine the empirical implications of the jingle and jangle fallacies, we conducted meta-analyses of distinct operational definitions of balance with job, life, and family satisfaction. Effect sizes for conflict and enrichment measures were typically smaller than effects for balance measures, providing evidence of a unique balance construct that is not interchangeable with conflict and enrichment. To begin to remedy concerns raised by our review, we propose a definition of work–nonwork balance drawing from theory, empirical evidence from our review, and normative information about how balance should be defined. We conclude with a theory-based agenda for future research.
Anti-biofilm activity of a sophorolipid-amphotericin B niosomal formulation against Candida albicans

Abstract Sophorolipids (SLs) have gained interest in the pharmaceutical industries due to their anti-microbial, anti-adhesive and anti-biofilm properties. In the present study, the production of SL was increased by using low-cost media components. The potential of a SL-based niosomal formulation of amphotericin B (AmB) was determined against biofilm of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans. In-house prepared SL-AmB niosomes were characterized by different microscopic techniques. The mean entrapment efficiency of AmB within SL-AmB niosome was 63.20% ± 3.86. The cytotoxicity of SL-AmB on mature C. albicans biofilm was compared with an expensive, marketed drug, viz. phosome (a liposomal formulation of AmB). Fewer hyphae were observed in C. albicans biofilm treated with SL-AmB niosome whereas more budding cells were found in phosome treated biofilm. The present study has established the affordable production of SL and the suitability of this approach for delivery of poorly soluble drugs such as AmB against candidiasis infections.
Progesterone inhibits growth and induces apoptosis in cancer cells through modulation of reactive oxygen species

Objective. Progesterone (P4) has been implicated as a protective factor for ovarian and endometrial cancers, yet little is known about its mechanism of action. We have shown apoptosis in ovarian and endometrial cancer cells with high doses of P4. Increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and an altered redox status have long been observed in cancer cells. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of P4 on cell growth, ROS generation, oxidative stress markers, and the expression of antioxidant proteins. Methods. All experiments were performed in vitro using cancer cell lines. Cell proliferation was determined using MTS proliferation assay. Production of ROS in cells was measured with the ROS indicator dye, aminophenyl fluorescein. Alterations in expression of antioxidant and apoptotic proteins were assessed by Western blotting. Results. The exposure of ovarian and endometrial cancer cell cultures to various doses of P4 caused a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability and the activation of caspase-3. Levels of ROS, markers of oxidative stress, and antioxidant proteins were elevated in cancer cells compared to normal cells and a marked decrease in their expression was seen following P4 treatment. In cancer cells, ROS was elevated while p-53 expression was low. P4 exposure of cells resulted in increased p-53 and BAX and decreased BCL-2 expression. Conclusions. The data indicates that P4 has antioxidant effects. It alleviates ROS stress and causes apoptosis by upregulating proapoptotic (p-53 and BAX) and decreasing antiapoptotic (BCL-2) gene expression in cancer cells. These findings could have potential therapeutic implications.
Managing Byzantine Robots via Blockchain Technology in a Swarm Robotics Collective Decision Making Scenario

While swarm robotics systems are often claimed to be highly fault-tolerant, so far research has limited its attention to safe laboratory settings and has virtually ignored security issues in the presence of Byzantine robots---i.e., robots with arbitrarily faulty or malicious behavior. However, in many applications one or more Byzantine robots may suffice to let current swarm coordination mechanisms fail with unpredictable or disastrous outcomes. In this paper, we provide a proof-of-concept for managing security issues in swarm robotics systems via blockchain technology. Our approach uses decentralized programs executed via blockchain technology (blockchain-based smart contracts) to establish secure swarm coordination mechanisms and to identify and exclude Byzantine swarm members. We studied the performance of our blockchain-based approach in a collective decision-making scenario both in the presence and absence of Byzantine robots and compared our results to those obtained with an existing collective decision approach. The results show a clear advantage of the blockchain approach when Byzantine robots are part of the swarm.
A Study on User Acceptance of Cloud Computing: A Multi-Theoretical Perspective

Extant literature on the adoption of cloud computing has focused on organizational users, but little is known about how individual users accept cloud computing to fulfill individual needs. To fill the gap, this study draws upon multiple theories to examine factors that influence individuals’ intention to use cloud applications. It shows that a person’s attitude toward cloud applications, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control have direct impacts on the person’s behavioral intention to use the applications. Meanwhile, personal beliefs about the risks and benefits of cloud applications, including privacy and security concerns, concerns about vendor lock-in, perceived vendor reputation, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and perceived transferability of previously learned computer skills, have indirect impacts on behavioral intention. The study is the first to examine individual acceptance of cloud computing from a multi-theoretical perspective. Its implications for research and practice are discussed.
Assessing the health risks of natural CO2 seeps in Italy

Industrialized societies which continue to use fossil fuel energy sources are considering adoption of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology to meet carbon emission reduction targets. Deep geological storage of CO2 onshore faces opposition regarding potential health effects of CO2 leakage from storage sites. There is no experience of commercial scale CCS with which to verify predicted risks of engineered storage failure. Studying risk from natural CO2 seeps can guide assessment of potential health risks from leaking onshore CO2 stores. Italy and Sicily are regions of intense natural CO2 degassing from surface seeps. These seeps exhibit a variety of expressions, characteristics (e.g., temperature/flux), and location environments. Here we quantify historical fatalities from CO2 poisoning using a database of 286 natural CO2 seeps in Italy and Sicily. We find that risk of human death is strongly influenced by seep surface expression, local conditions (e.g., topography and wind speed), CO2 flux, and human behavior. Risk of accidental human death from these CO2 seeps is calculated to be 10-8 year-1 to the exposed population. This value is significantly lower than that of many socially accepted risks. Seepage from future storage sites is modeled to be less that Italian natural flux rates. With appropriate hazard management, health risks from unplanned seepage at onshore storage sites can be adequately minimized.
Desacyl Ghrelin Decreases Anxiety-like Behavior in Male Mice

Ghrelin is a 28-amino acid polypeptide that regulates feeding, glucose metabolism, and emotionality (stress, anxiety, and depression). Plasma ghrelin circulates as desacyl ghrelin (DAG) or, in an acylated form, acyl ghrelin (AG), through the actions of ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT), exhibiting low or high affinity, respectively, for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) 1a. We investigated the role of endogenous AG, DAG, and GHSR1a signaling on anxiety and stress responses using ghrelin knockout (Ghr KO), GOAT KO, and Ghsr stop-floxed (Ghsr null) mice. Behavioral and hormonal responses were tested in the elevated plus maze and light/dark (LD) box. Mice lacking both AG and DAG (Ghr KO) increased anxiety-like behaviors across tests, whereas anxiety reactions were attenuated in DAG-treated Ghr KO mice and in mice lacking AG (GOAT KO). Notably, loss of GHSR1a (Ghsr null) did not affect anxiety-like behavior in any test. Administration of AG and DAG to Ghr KO mice with lifelong ghrelin deficiency reduced anxiety-like behavior and decreased phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation in the Edinger-Westphal nucleus in wild-type mice, a site normally expressing GHSR1a and involved in stress- and anxiety-related behavior. Collectively, our data demonstrate distinct roles for endogenous AG and DAG in regulation of anxiety responses and suggest that the behavioral impact of ghrelin may be context dependent.