Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perspective on Obesity Problems and Associated Factors to Reduce Weightamong Overweight and Obese Housewives: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: The World Health Organization has declared obesity a global epidemic. In Malaysia the prevalence of obesity has reached an upward trend. Findings from the National Health and Morbidity Survey 2011 indicated that obesity among women was higher as compared to men and mean Body Mass Index among housewives was highest compared to other job categories. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore perspective on obesity problems and to gain a better understanding on barriers and facilitators to reduce weight among housewives in order to develop a weight loss intervention package. Methodology: This qualitative survey is part of the “My Body is Fit and Fabulous at Home” (MyBFF@Home) which involved in-depth interviews with 28 overweight and obese housewives in low cost flats around Klang Valley. Housewives were sampled purposively and data were analysed using thematic analysis. Themes and subthemes were also coded, explored and refined using the NVIVO software. Results: Five main themes associated with obesity problems emerge from the analysis that included ‘personal feelings, beliefs, lifestyles, life issues and effort to reduce weight’. Housewives perceived that their body size were big or too big and felt dissatisfied with their weight. Six main barriers were identified which included support, attitude, safety, environment, time and life issues such as finance and health problems. Self motivation, lifestyle, mindset, appealing figure, family and peer support were identified as facilitators to motivate housewives to reduce weight. Conclusion: These findings provided tools useful to develop strategies to empower housewives to reduce and to sustain their weight loss over a period of time.
Inferring undesirable behavior from P2P traffic analysis

While peer-to-peer (P2P) systems have emerged in popularity in recent years, their large-scale and complexity make them difficult to reason about. In this paper, we argue that systematic analysis of traffic characteristics of P2P systems can reveal a wealth of information about their behavior, and highlight potential undesirable activities that such systems may exhibit. As a first step to this end, we present an offline and semi-automated approach to detect undesirable behavior. Our analysis is applied on real traffic traces collected from a Point-of-Presence (PoP) of a national-wide ISP in which over 70% of the total traffic is due to eMule [19], a popular P2P file-sharing system. Flow-level measurements are aggregated into "samples" referring to the activity of each host during a time interval. We then employ a clustering technique to automatically and coarsely identify similar behavior across samples, and extensively use domain knowledge to interpret and analyze the resulting clusters. Our analysis shows several examples of undesirable behavior including evidence of DDoS attacks exploiting live P2P clients, significant amounts of unwanted traffic that may harm network performance, and instances where the performance of participating peers may be subverted due to maliciously deployed servers. Identification of such patterns can benefit network operators, P2P system developers, and actual end-users.
AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF COMPOSITE BONDED AND/OR BOLTED REPAIRS USING SINGLE LAP JOINT DESIGNS

A comparison of bolted, bonded and bolted-bonded repairs on single lap joint designs is presented. The two primary objectives were: (1) evaluate the initiation and progression of damage associated with each repair configuration, and (2) compare each repair configuration in terms overall joint stiffness, average peak load and average strain at failure. It was determined, once damage initiated, the main factor influencing damage propagation was the parent laminate stacking sequence. The location of the 0° ply had a dramatic effect on damage initiation and propagation. Static test results indicated the combination of bolting and bonding has little effect on damage initiation, however the rate of propagation was decreased. This resulted in an increase in the maximum load and maximum strain at failure for the bolted-bonded configuration over the bolted only and bonded only configurations.
Development and application of the SSD approach in scientific case studies for ecological risk assessment

Species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) are used in ecological risk assessment for extrapolation of the results of toxicity tests with single species to a toxicity threshold considered protective of ecosystem structure and functioning. The attention to and importance of the SSD approach has increased in scientific and regulatory communities since the 1990s. Discussion and criticism have been triggered on the concept of the approach as well as its technical aspects (e.g., distribution type, number of toxicity endpoints). Various questions remain unanswered, especially with regard to different endpoints, statistical methods, and protectiveness of threshold levels, for example. In the present literature review (covering the period 2002–2013), case studies are explored in which the SSD approach was applied, as well as how endpoint types, species choice, and data availability affect SSDs. How statistical methods may be used to construct reliable SSDs and whether the lower 5th percentile hazard concentrations (HC5s) from a generic SSD can be protective for a specific local community are also investigated. It is shown that estimated protective concentrations were determined by taxonomic groups rather than the statistical method used to construct the distribution. Based on comparisons between semifield and laboratory‐based SSDs, the output from a laboratory SSD was protective of semifield communities in the majority of studies. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:2149–2161. © 2016 SETAC
LATERAL RELEASE AND PATELLO-FEMORAL TRACKING IN PS MOBILE BEARING KNEE

Introduction: Although the problems of patello-femoral kinematics in contemporary total knee arthroplasty are multifactorial, meticulous surgical technique is pivotal in providing optimal and durable function. The goal of this study was to evaluate the incidence of lateral release comparing fixed and mobile bearing posterior stabilized modular press-fit condylar TKA’s with patellar resurfacing. Materials and methods: Cohort 1 comprised 100 consecutive cemented Press-Fit Condylar Sigma, (Johnson & Johnson, Raynham, Massachusetts) modular total knee prostheses with a posterior cruciate substituting design and dome shaped single peg patellar component implanted prospectively by a single surgeon. Cohort 2 comprised 100 consecutive cemented Press-Fit Rotating Platform Sigma (Johnson & Johnson, Raynham, Massachusetts) modular total knee prostheses with the same posterior cruciate substituting design and patellar component. The surgical technique comprised cutting the tibial surface perpendicular to the long axis, ligament balancing in extension followed by femoral component rotation referenced off the proximal tibial cut to produce a rectangular flexion gap. The patella was cut to the level of the lateral facet and tibial component rotation was referenced off the center of the ankle. Lateral release was performed if congruent patello-femoral contact was not attained in knee flexion. Clinical and radiographic review was performed as per Knee Society criteria. Additional radiographic evaluation included patellar displacement, tilt, residual bone thickness and coverage ratio. A patient-administered questionnaire was used to evaluate anterior knee pain and patello-femoral function 1 year after surgery. Results: The incidence of lateral release in the fixed-bearing cohort was 10% 1 compared to 0% in the mobile bearing cohort (p Discussion: This study demonstrates the benefit of self-correction of tibiofemoral rotational mismatch with mobile bearing TKA’s and improvement in patello-femoral tracking. Longer follow-up is necessary to confirm the effect on patello-femoral wear, fixation and durability.
Weighted generalized beta distribution of the second kind and related distributions

In this paper, a new class of weighted generalized beta distribution of the second kind (WGB2) is presented. The construction makes use of the "conservability approach" which includes the size or length-biased distribution as a special case. The class of WGB2 is used as descriptive models for the distribution of income. The results that are presented generalizes the generalized beta distribution of second kind (GB2). The properties of these distributions including behavior of hazard functions, moments, variance, coefficients of variation, skewness and kurtosis are obtained. The moments of other weighted distributions that are related to WGB2 are obtained. Other important properties including entropy (generalized and beta) which are measures of the uncertainty in this class of distributions are derived and studied.
Characterization of anisocotylous leaf formation in Streptocarpus wendlandii (Gesneriaceae): significance of plant growth regulators.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Unifoliate species of Gesneriaceae are unique, as they bear only one leaf throughout their life history. The development of this leaf (termed a macrocotyledon) derived from one of two cotyledons is intriguing. The other cotyledon does not develop further and is termed a microcotyledon. This process of unequal cotyledon development is termed anisocotyly. In this study the process of macrocotyeldon formation was studied and the effects of plant hormones on the macrocotyledon development were investigated. METHODS Streptocarpus wendlandii was chosen as the main subject material, as it was found to be suitable for experimental studies in laboratory conditions. Morphological analyses were carried out with light and scanning electron microscopy. Plant hormones were applied exogenously. KEY RESULTS The macrocotyledon of S. wendlandii is produced through cell division activity in the basal meristem of the enlarging cotyledon. The newly developed region in the macrocotyledon displayed distinct morphological changes, including the formation of long, needle-shaped trichomes. The newly formed region was surrounded by lateral veins. No such change was observed in the microcotyledon. Furthermore, it was shown that development of anisocotyly is suppressed by the application of cytokinin, resulting in the formation of two nearly equal-sized cotyledons. Both cotyledons displayed macrocotyledon characteristics. This observation in S. wendlandii was confirmed using Monophyllaea glabra, another unifoliate species in the same family. CONCLUSIONS It is proposed that developmental changes of the macrocotyledon have characteristics of a developmental phase-change, and cytokinins may be involved in its formation. These results are discussed in the light of current knowledge of phase-change transitions in plant vegetative development.
Effects of Grassland Habitat and Plant Nutrients on Soybean Aphid and Natural Enemy Populations

ABSTRACT The soybean aphid Aphis glycines Matsumura (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an invasive economic pest of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) in the United States. Research has shown the endemic natural enemy community in the United States is capable of suppressing A. glycines below EILs, but this biological control is inconsistent, especially in simple agricultural landscapes. In the course of a 3-yr project (2006–2008) we sought to determine the affects of landscape composition, configuration, and plant nutrients (N, P, and K) on A. glycines and aphidophagous natural enemy abundance. Specifically, we tested whether nearby grasslands contribute to the abundance of natural enemies and the suppression of A. glycines. The study site was located around the Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, composed of >2,000 ha of reconstructed prairie, located in Jasper County, IA. We sampled A. glycines, natural enemies, and plant nutrients in 100 soybean fields while characterizing the landscape surrounding each field. A. glycines abundance was lowest in 2006 but reached economically damaging populations in 2007 and 2008. The ratio of natural enemies to A. glycines decreased in each year of our study (2006 > 2007 > 2008). Variation in A. glycines and natural enemies was best explained by year and, to a lesser extent by plant nutrient levels and landscape variables. Results suggest grassland habitat did not significantly contribute to the biological control of A. glycines. Furthermore, yearly decline of natural enemy may have facilitated the colonization of A. glycines leading to outbreaks later in the season.
Identification, Expression Patterns, and Functional Characterization of Chemosensory Proteins in Dendroctonus armandi (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

The Chinese white pine beetle, Dendroctonus armandi Tsai and Li (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is a serious pest of coniferous forests in China. Thus, there is considerable interest in developing eco-friendly pest-control methods, with the use of semiochemicals as a distinct possibility. Olfaction is extremely important for fitness of D. armandi because it is the primary mechanism through which the insect locates hosts and mates. Thus, here we characterized nine full-length genes encoding chemosensory proteins (CSPs) from D. armandi. The genes were ubiquitously and multiply expressed across different developmental stages and adult tissues, indicating various roles in developmental metamorphosis, olfaction, and gustation. Ligand-binding assays implied that DarmCSP2 may be the carrier of D. armandi pheromones and various plant host volatiles. These volatiles were identified through RNA interference of DarmCSP2 as: (+)-α-pinene, (+)-β-pinene, (−)-β-pinene, (+)-camphene, (+)-3-carene, and myrcene. The systematic chemosensory functional analysis of DarmCSP2 in this study clarified the molecular mechanisms underlying D. armandi olfaction and provided a theoretical foundation for eco-friendly pest control.
Evidence for the Role of Intracellular Water Lifetime as a Tumour Biomarker Obtained by In Vivo Field‐Cycling Relaxometry

Abstract It was established through in vivo T1 measurements at low magnetic fields that tumour cells display proton T1 values that are markedly longer than those shown by healthy tissue. Moreover, it has been found that the elongation of T1 parallels the aggressiveness of the investigated tumour. The T1 lengthening is associated with an enhanced water exchange rate across the transcytolemmal membrane through an overexpression/upregulation of GLUT1 and Na+/K+ ATPase transporters. It follows that the intracellular water lifetime represents a hallmark of tumour cells that can be easily monitored by measuring T1 at different magnetic field strengths ranging from 0.2 to 200 mT.
Prior investigation for flash floods and hurricanes, concise capsulization of hydrological technologies and instrumentation: A survey

Intense and severe torrents, tornadoes and thunderstorm causes numerous casualties in fraction of second and extreme devastation of infrastructure in many countries. Flash floods are considered one of the most hazardous natural disasters. Several approaches have been made for an authentic and robust early warning system to forecast the flash floods vigorously. An intelligent and vibrant model for the recognition of floods includes the estimation of water level, Global Positioning System-Precipitable Water Vapor (GPS PWV), precipitation velocity, wind speed, direction, upstream levels of river, soil moisture, oceanic bottom pressure and color of the water with accurate and reliable cognition algorithms. UGS (unattended ground sensors) and langrangian micro transducers are deployed on the ground and spread on the sea surface respectively to investigate the hydrological and meteorological differences on real time basis. By the utilization of fuzzy logic, Kalman filtering, Adaptive neuro fuzzy interference system (ANFIS), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Neural network autoregressive model with exogenous input (NNARX) based structure. Reduction of complexities in data collection, high false alarm rates, communication issues, low WSN battery backup and all related hindrances have been the focal point of this research paper.
Neuroprotective effect of asiatic acid on rotenone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress-mediated apoptosis in differentiated SH-SYS5Y cells

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease, manifested due to the loss of dopaminergic neurons, which ultimately leads to impaired movement in elderly populations. The pathogenesis of PD is associated with numerous factors including oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. There is no effective therapy available to cure or halt the progression of this disease still now. Asiatic acid (AA) is a triterpene extracted from Centella asiatica has been reported as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent, that offers neuroprotection against glutamate toxicity. Therefore, in this study, we have investigated the effect of AA in a rotenone (an inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I) induced in vitro model of PD. Following the exposure of SH-SY5Y cells to rotenone, there was a marked overproduction of ROS, mitochondrial dysfunction (as indexed by the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential) and apoptosis (Hoechst and dual staining, comet assay; expressions of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic indices). Pre-treatment with AA reversed these changes might be due to its antioxidant, mitoprotective and anti-apoptotic properties. However further extensive studies on in vivo models of PD are warranted to prove AA neuroprotective effect before entering into the clinical trial.
A Review of the Biological Activities of Microalgal Carotenoids and Their Potential Use in Healthcare and Cosmetic Industries

Carotenoids are natural pigments that play pivotal roles in many physiological functions. The characteristics of carotenoids, their effects on health, and the cosmetic benefits of their usage have been under investigation for a long time; however, most reviews on this subject focus on carotenoids obtained from several microalgae, vegetables, fruits, and higher plants. Recently, microalgae have received much attention due to their abilities in producing novel bioactive metabolites, including a wide range of different carotenoids that can provide for health and cosmetic benefits. The main objectives of this review are to provide an updated view of recent work on the health and cosmetic benefits associated with carotenoid use, as well as to provide a list of microalgae that produce different types of carotenoids. This review could provide new insights to researchers on the potential role of carotenoids in improving human health.
Hysteretic Analysis of Steel Plate Shear Walls (SPSWs) and a Modified Strip Model for SPSWs

Steel plate shear walls (SPSWs) have become more and more popular in recent years because of their potential huge energy dissipation capacity and ductility under lateral loads. Due to their low cost and fast construction, SPSWs have potential application in practice. The finite element software ANSYS applied to the analysis of the hysteretic behavior of SPSWs is described in this paper first. It was found that compressive stress existed in SPSWs and the effects became more evident with decreasing height-to-thickness ratio. This was validated by comparing theoretical and experimental test results. Secondly, based on the analytical results, a modified strip model is proposed. In the modified model, the compressive effects in the panel were taken into account and it was then found that the load-carrying capacity and the energy dissipation capacity agreed well with the already carefully validated experimental results.
Tributyltin induces distinct effects on cortical and trabecular bone in female C57Bl/6J mice

The retinoid X receptors (RXR), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and liver X receptors (LXR) all have been shown to regulate bone homeostasis. Tributyltin (TBT) is an environmental contaminant that is a dual RXRα/β and PPARγ agonist. TBT induces RXR, PPARγ, and LXR‐mediated gene transcription and suppresses osteoblast differentiation in vitro. Bone marrow multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells derived from female C57BL/6J mice were more sensitive to suppression of osteogenesis by TBT than those derived from male mice. In vivo, oral gavage of 12 week old female, C57Bl/6J mice with 10 mg/kg TBT for 10 weeks resulted in femurs with a smaller cross‐sectional area and thinner cortex. Surprisingly, TBT induced significant increases in trabecular thickness, number, and bone volume fraction. TBT treatment did not change the Rankl:Opg RNA ratio in whole bone, and histological analyses showed that osteoclasts in the trabecular space were minimally reduced. In contrast, expression of cardiotrophin‐1, an osteoblastogenic cytokine secreted by osteoclasts, increased. In primary bone marrow macrophage cultures, TBT marginally inhibited the number of osteoclasts that differentiated, in spite of significantly suppressing expression of osteoclast markers Nfatc1, Acp5, and Ctsk and resorptive activity. TBT induced expression of RXR‐ and LXR‐dependent genes in whole bone and in vitro osteoclast cultures. However, only an RXR antagonist, but not an LXR antagonist, significantly inhibited TBTs ability to suppress osteoclast differentiation. These results suggest that TBT has distinct effects on cortical versus trabecular bone, likely resulting from independent effects on osteoblast and osteoclast differentiation that are mediated through RXR.
A multi-scale temporal model for multi-view radar high-resolution range profile recognition

In the radar automatic target recognition (RATR) community, high-resolution range profile (HRRP) obtained from the target has been widely utilized for many recognition techniques. The information provided by one single HRRP is limited and unstable, utilizing multiple HRRPs for recognition is a better choice. However, common method such as the hidden Markov model (HMM) is not good at modeling high dimensional data and can only capture local dependencies. In this paper, a multi-scale temporal model is developed from the conditional restricted Boltzmann machine (CRBM). The proposed model can efficiently discover stochastic patterns in high dimensional data just as RBMs generally do. Besides that, it can capture multiple scales of temporal dependencies, which is especially beneficial when the angular sampling rate at testing phase is different from that at training phase. Experimental results on the Moving and Stationary Target Acquisition and Recognition (MSTAR) database validate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method under various conditions.
Digital Cardan Grille: A Modern Approach for Information Hiding

In this paper, a new framework for construction of Cardan grille for information hiding is proposed. Based on the semantic image inpainting technique, the stego image are driven by secret messages directly. A mask called Digital Cardan Grille (DCG) for determining the hidden location is introduced to hide the message. The message is written to the corrupted region that needs to be filled in the corrupted image in advance. Then the corrupted image with secret message is fed into a Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) for semantic completion. The adversarial game not only reconstruct the corrupted image, but also generate a stego image which contains the logic rationality of image content. The experimental results verify the feasibility of the proposed method.