Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obesity in Lebanon: A National Problem

Obesity is a major health problem, because of its relationship with serious medical illnesses and significant economic consequences. This article explores various factors and variables affecting the prevalence of obesity in Lebanon, to focus public health initiatives and medical interventions in the management of obesity. This study interviewed 593 subjects, of more than 20 years, from all governorates of Lebanon. The interview covered personal and demographic data, awareness, knowledge, attitude and practices towards obesity including diet and physical activity. Males’ and females’ percentages were 51.6% and 48.4%, respectively, and a young population profile was with 52.8% less than 40 years of age. The BMI index showed that 52.77% were obese with 70.6% males and 34.27% females. The great majority were educated. TV was the most used media outlet, 79.61% watching daily between 1 - 4 hours. Obesity was considered as the most important health problem by 27.6% and ranking the 5th after cancer, cardiovascular, smoking and HIV/AIDS. About two thirds considered it a risk factor for hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus and 80.27% for cardiovascular diseases. Interventions should include changes in diet habits whereby, approximately one third (33.5%) drink carbonated beverages on a daily basis and 50.76% eat fast food, with a lack of awareness about daily calories intake by 75.38%. About half of the population (56.32%) walks daily for 20 minutes. Most people favored behavioral and lifestyle modifications in management rather than medications and surgery (67.79%). This study provides baseline data regarding several aspects of an obesogenic environment, a major risk factor for several diseases including hypertension, diabetes and other non-communicable diseases. After describing the factors and variables affecting the prevalence of obesity, some suggestions for appropriate interventions are included, with the hope of reducing the health burden of obesity in Lebanon.
Finite Element Modelling and Validation of Thermomechanical Behaviour for Layered Aluminium Parts Made by Composite Metal Foil Manufacturing

The paper presents finite element modelling and thermomechanical analysis on the tensile properties of layered aluminium 1050 metal foil parts made by composite metal foil manufacturing. In this paper, a three-dimensional finite element model was developed and validated through experiments to analyse thermal effects on the tensile properties of 200-μm-thick aluminium 1050 metal foils. The effects of thermal stress and strain were studied by carrying out transient thermal analysis on the heated plates used to join the 200-μm-thick metal foils together using a special brazing paste. A standard tensile test at ambient temperature was carried out on the resulting layered dog bone specimens to analyse the thermal effects on the individual layers of metal. The investigations were precisely designed to assess the effect of heat provided amid the brazing operation to join the metal thwarts together as a layered structure and whether it assumed a part in affecting the tensile properties of the final products when contrasted to a solid aluminium 1050 dog bone specimen of the same dimensions. Corrosion testing was also carried out on dog bone specimens made from varying thickness foils (50 μm, 100 μm, and 200 μm) of aluminium 1050 to assess the effect of corrosion on the tensile strength and elongation. The results showed that the specimens did not face the problem of galvanic corrosion of the foil–bond interface. Microstructural analysis was also carried out to analyse the fracture modes of the tested specimens after corrosion testing.
Diabetes mellitus in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major public health problem worldwide, and it is a known risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). New recommendations for the diagnosis of diabetes have changed the epidemiology of DM. Therefore, we designed this study with the objective to determine the prevalence of DM among Saudis of both sexes, between the ages of 30-70-years in rural as well as urban communities. This work is part of a major national project: Coronary Artery Disease in Saudis study (CADISS) that is designed to look at CAD and its risk factors in Saudi population. METHODS This study is a community-based national epidemiological health survey, conducted by examining Saudi subjects in the age group of 30-70-years of selected households over a 5-year period between 1995 and 2000. Data were obtained from history, fasting plasma glucose levels, and body mass index. The data were analyzed to classify individuals as diabetic, impaired fasting glucose and normal, using 1997 American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria, which was adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1998, to provide prevalence of DM in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). RESULTS A total of 17232 Saudi subjects were selected in the study, and 16917 participated (98.2% response rate). Four thousand and four subjects (23.7%), out of 16917 were diagnosed to have DM. Thus, the overall prevalence of DM obtained from this study is 23.7% in KSA. The prevalence in males and females were 26.2% and 21.5% (p<0.00001). The calculated age-adjusted prevalence for Saudi population for the year 2000 is 21.9%. Diabetes mellitus was more prevalent among Saudis living in urban areas of 25.5% compared to rural Saudis of 19.5% (p<0.00001). Despite the readily available access to healthcare facilities in KSA, a large number of diabetics 1116 (27.9%) were unaware of having DM. CONCLUSION The overall prevalence of DM in adults in KSA is 23.7%. A national prevention program at community level targeting high risk groups should be implemented sooner to prevent DM. We further recommend a longitudinal study to demonstrate the importance of modifying risk factors for the development of DM and reducing its prevalence in KSA.
Taste of Fat: A Sixth Taste Modality?

An attraction for palatable foods rich in lipids is shared by rodents and humans. Over the last decade, the mechanisms responsible for this specific eating behavior have been actively studied, and compelling evidence implicates a taste component in the orosensory detection of dietary lipids [i.e., long-chain fatty acids (LCFA)], in addition to textural, olfactory, and postingestive cues. The interactions between LCFA and specific receptors in taste bud cells (TBC) elicit physiological changes that affect both food intake and digestive functions. After a short overview of the gustatory pathway, this review brings together the key findings consistent with the existence of a sixth taste modality devoted to the perception of lipids. The main steps leading to this new paradigm (i.e., chemoreception of LCFA in TBC, cell signaling cascade, transfer of lipid signals throughout the gustatory nervous pathway, and their physiological consequences) will be critically analyzed. The limitations to this concept will also be discussed in the light of our current knowledge of the sense of taste. Finally, we will analyze the recent literature on obesity-related dysfunctions in the orosensory detection of lipids ("fatty" taste? ), in relation to the overconsumption of fat-rich foods and the associated health risks.
Association between high sensitivity C-reactive protein and dietary intake in Vietnamese young women

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) is a strong independent predictor of future cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We evaluated the relationship between hsCRP and dietary intake in apparently healthy young women living in southern Vietnam. SUBJECTS/METHODS Serum hsCRP was measured and dietary intake data were obtained using the 1-day 24-hour recall method in women (n = 956; mean age, 25.0 ± 5.7 years) who participated in the International Collaboration Study for the Construction of Asian Cohort of the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) in 2011. RESULTS Women in the high risk group (> 3 mg/L) consumed fewer fruits and vegetables, total plant food, potassium, and folate than those in the low risk group (< 1 mg/L). A multiple regression analysis after adjusting for covariates revealed a significant negative association between hsCRP and fruit and vegetable consumption. A logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio (OR) of having a high hsCRP level in women with the highest quartiles of consumption of fruits and vegetables [OR, 0.391; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.190-0.807], potassium [OR, 0.425; 95% CI, 0.192-0.939] and folate [OR, 0.490; 95% CI, 0.249-0.964] were significantly lower than those in the lowest quartiles. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that, in young Vietnamese women, an increased consumption of fruit and vegetables might be beneficial for serum hsCRP, a risk factor for future CVD events.
Androgen receptor signaling in prostate cancer development and progression

The androgen receptor (AR) signaling axis plays a critical role in the development, function and homeostasis of the prostate. The classical action of AR is to regulate gene transcriptional processes via AR nuclear translocation, binding to androgen response elements on target genes and recruitment of, or crosstalk with, transcription factors. Prostate cancer initiation and progression is also uniquely dependent on AR. Androgen deprivation therapy remains the standard of care for treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Despite an initial favorable response, almost all patients invariably progress to a more aggressive, castrate-resistant phenotype. Considerable evidence now supports the concept that development of castrate-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is causally related to continued transactivation of AR. Understanding the critical events and complexities of AR signaling in the progression to CRPC is essential in developing successful future therapies. This review provides a synopsis of AR structure and signaling in prostate cancer progression, with a special focus on recent findings on the role of AR in CRPC. Clinical implications of these findings and potential directions for future research are also outlined.
Compatibility counts: MHC-associated mate choice in a wild promiscuous primate

The mechanisms and temporal aspects of mate choice according to genetic constitution are still puzzling. Recent studies indicate that fitness is positively related to diversity in immune genes (MHC). Both sexes should therefore choose mates of high genetic quality and/or compatibility. However, studies addressing the role of MHC diversity in pre- and post-copulatory mate choice decisions in wild-living animals are few. We investigated the impact of MHC constitution and of neutral microsatellite variability on pre- and post-copulatory mate choice in both sexes in a wild population of a promiscuous primate, the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus). There was no support for pre-copulatory male or female mate choice, but our data indicate post-copulatory mate choice that is associated with genetic constitution. Fathers had a higher number of MHC supertypes different from those of the mother than randomly assigned males. Fathers also had a higher amino acid distance to the females' MHC as well as a higher total number of MHC supertypes and a higher degree of microsatellite heterozygosity than randomly assigned males. Female cryptic choice may be the underlying mechanism that operates towards an optimization of the genetic constitution of offspring. This is the first study that provides support for the importance of the MHC constitution in post-copulatory mate choice in non-human primates.
Role of noggin as an upstream signal in the lack of neuronal derivatives found in the avian caudal-most neural crest

Neural crest cells (NCCs) arising from trunk neural tube (NT) during primary and secondary neurulation give rise to melanocytes, glia and neurons, except for those in the caudal-most region during secondary neurulation (somites 47 to 53 in the chick embryo), from which no neurons are formed, either in vivo or in vitro. To elucidate this discrepancy, we have specifically analyzed caudal-most NCC ontogeny. In this region, NCCs emerge at E5/HH26, one day after full cavitation of the NT and differentiation of flanking somites. The absence of neurons does not seem to result from a defect in NCC specification as all the usual markers, with the exception of Msx1, are expressed in the dorsal caudal-most NT as early as E4/HH24. However, Bmp4-Wnt1 signaling, which triggers trunk NCC delamination, is impaired in this region due to persistence of noggin (Nog) expression. Concomitantly, a spectacular pattern of apoptosis occurs in the NT dorsal moiety. Rostral transplantation of either the caudal-most somites or caudal-most NT reveals that the observed features of caudal-most NCCs relate to properties intrinsic to these cells. Furthermore, by forced Nog expression in the trunk NT, we can reproduce most of these particular features. Conversely, increased Bmp4-Wnt1 signaling through Nog inhibition in the caudal-most NT at E4/HH24 induces proneurogenic markers in migratory NCCs, suggesting that noggin plays a role in the lack of neurogenic potential characterizing the caudal-most NCCs.
Using nanovibrations to monitor biofouling

The article proposes the use of the mechatronic surface sensor (MSS) to detect surface contamination. This methodology is based on the analysis of the vibration response of the monitored surface. In the present work a comparison between the responses of the MSS to different structural deposits build‐up (Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilm—formed under turbulent and laminar flow and a silica deposit) were made. The results showed that the MSS response depends not only on the amount but also on the viscoelasticity of the attached deposit—different responses were obtained for the deposits according to their viscoelasticity. Another important conclusion is that the MSS response is not highly affected by solids that are not really attached to its surface. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2008;99: 1407–1415. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Affine Sergeev Algebra and q‐Analogues of the Young Symmetrizers for Projective Representations of the Symmetric Group

We study a q‐deformation for the crossed product of the symmetric group Sn with the Clifford algebra on n anticommuting generators. We obtain a q‐version of the projective analogue for the classical Young symmetrizer introduced by the second author. Our main tool is an analogue of the Hecke algebra of complex‐valued functions on the group GLn over a p‐adic field relative to the Iwahori subgroup. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification: 11D25, 11G05, 14G05.
Fixed-precision estimation of join selectivity

We compare the performance of sampling-based procedures for estimation of the selectivity of an equijoin. While some of the procedures have been proposed in the database sampling literature, their relative performance has never been analyzed. A main result of this paper is a partial ordering that compares the variability of the estimators for the different procedures after an arbitrary fixed number of sampling steps. Prior to the current work, it was also unknown whether these fixed-step estimation procedures can be extended to asymptotically efficient fixed-precision estimation procedures. Our second main result is a general method for such an extension and a proof that the method is valid for all the estimation procedures under consideration. Finally, we show that, under reasonable assumptions on sampling costs, the partial ordering on the variability of the fixed-step estimation procedures implies a partial ordering on the cost of the corresponding fixed-precision estimation procedures. These results lead to a new algorithm for fixed-precision estimation of the selectivity of an equijoin. The algorithm appears to be the best available when there are no indices on the join key. Our results can be extended to general select-join queries.
Comparison of laboratory performance of two superpave binders mixed with two modifiers

This research compares laboratory performance of two superpave modified asphalt binders including PG 64-10 and PG 70-10. A series of laboratory tests were conducted on 14 asphalt mixes treated with 0, 2, 4, and 6% of Acrylate Styrene Acrylonhrtilrei (ASA) polymer and nanoparticles aluminium oxide (Al2O3) by weight of the base asphalt binder. It was found that as the concentration of both modifiers increased, the resistance of asphalt binder PG 64-10 and PG 70-10 to rutting parameter and fatigue parameter increased for concentrations of 2 and 4% only. Increases in complex modulus values were consistently observed for all modified asphalt binders compared to the base asphalt binder. The increment of concentration of ASA polymer and Al2O3 nanoparticles can significantly increase the asphalt binder viscosity. All modified asphalt samples have greater storage stability at high temperatures. Also, it was found that the adding of ASA polymer and Al2O3 nanoparticles to all the mixes results in a substantial impact on the material properties of the asphalt binder. The samples altered with Al2O3 nanoparticles show better results than the samples modified with ASA polymer. The figure of 4% can be considered the optimum amount for both modifiers.
Effects of Active Exploration and Passive Observation on Spatial Learning in a CAVE

This experiment was a modification of Paul N. Wilson's 1999 study entitled "Active Exploration of a Virtual Environment Does Not Promote Orientation or Memory for Objects. " It was hoped that changing the immersion level from a standard desktop monitor to a more immersive CAVE environment would change the results of this experiment. All subjects explored a three-dimensional virtual environment in a CAVE. Active subjects were given controls to choose their own path and explore the environment. Passive subjects watched a playback tour through the virtual environment. A unique active subject determined the tour for each passive subject. Each subject was asked to remember the objects they saw, their locations, and the floor plan of the environment. Afterward, subjects were asked to indicate the direction to another location that was not visible from the current location. Other object memory tests required recalling the location of each object and indicating it on a plan view of the environment. Similar to Wilson's experiment, this experiment yielded no significant indication that active exploration or passive observation changes the level of spatial learning.
Representing Videos Using Mid-level Discriminative Patches

How should a video be represented? We propose a new representation for videos based on mid-level discriminative spatio-temporal patches. These spatio-temporal patches might correspond to a primitive human action, a semantic object, or perhaps a random but informative spatio-temporal patch in the video. What defines these spatio-temporal patches is their discriminative and representative properties. We automatically mine these patches from hundreds of training videos and experimentally demonstrate that these patches establish correspondence across videos and align the videos for label transfer techniques. Furthermore, these patches can be used as a discriminative vocabulary for action classification where they demonstrate state-of-the-art performance on UCF50 and Olympics datasets.
Throughput Maximization in 802.11 Wireless Networks Employing Adaptive Antenna Arrays

This paper proposes a mathematical framework for evaluating, in saturated and non-saturated traffic conditions, the performance of an 802.11 wireless network in which the nodes are equipped with adaptive antenna systems. The analysis, validated by simulations, adopts detailed models for the antenna behavior and the propagation environment, taking into account multipath and interference. The developed model is used to investigate the proper parameter settings that lead to throughput maximization, providing a simplified method to obtain the optimum contention window when adaptive arrays are employed.
The merit of sociological accounts of disorder: The Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder case

This article argues in favor of a sociological perspective on health and illness, drawing on recognized positions from the philosophy of health and illness about how to demarcate disorder from non-disorder. The argument specifies that a normative context in which bodies or behaviors are disvalued is a necessary component for identifying what constitutes a disorder, as this normative context allows material differences to be understood as dysfunctional and pathological. Descriptions of material states in themselves are insufficient to distinguish what is legitimately a disorder; some evaluative stance toward those states is also required. This article applies the argument to disorders of inattention and hyperactivity, currently best known as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. These disorders have been controversial since their formalization in the 1970s, the same time that they began receiving sociological attention. Sociological analyses have consistently expressed ambivalence toward recognizing claims about the biological status of such disorders. This ambivalence has at times committed to a problematic relationship between sociological explanation and medical explanation, implicitly allocating sociological explanation to an auxiliary position. This article argues that this is not necessary, as sociological perspectives address disorders on a fundamental, rather than secondary, register. Disorders are only intelligible due to the normative and social context in which they are found, and so medical sociology can recognize the validity of biological claims about disorders, such as Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, while still asserting the essential social nature of disorder.
CYP51A1 Induced by Growth Differentiation Factor 9 and Follicle-Stimulating Hormone in Granulosa Cells Is a Possible Predictor for Unfertilization

Growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), an oocyte-secreted factor, whose receptors exist in granulosa cells, is involved in follicle progression. Therefore, GDF9 is considered to potentially mediate signals necessary for follicular growth. However, the effect of GDF9 on human granulosa cells is not fully understood. Human immortalized nonluteinized granulosa cell line (HGrC1) which we have previously reported was stimulated with GDF9 and/or follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Granulosa cells obtained from in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients were also evaluated with quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Real-time RT-PCR showed that GDF9 increased messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of enzymes required for cholesterol biosynthesis, such as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutanyl-CoA synthase 1 (HMGCS1), farnesyl-diphosphate farnesyltransferase 1, squalene epoxidase, lanosterol synthase, and cytochrome P450, family 51, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (CYP51A1). A greater increase in mRNA levels of HMGCS1 and CYP51A1 was observed by combined treatment with GDF9 and FSH. Clinical samples showed a significant increase in CYP51A1 mRNA in the group of granulosa cells connected with unfertilized oocytes. Our results suggest that GDF9, possibly with FSH, may play significant roles in the regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis and the expression of CYP51A1 which might be a predictor for unfertilization.