Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Maximal Versus Supra-Maximal Exhausting Race on Lipid Peroxidation, Antioxidant Activity and Muscle-Damage Biomarkers in Long-Distance and Middle-Distance Runners

Background Exhausting physical exercise increases lipid peroxidation and causes important muscle damages. The human body tries to mitigate these adverse effects by mobilizing its antioxidant defenses. Objectives This study aims to investigate the effect of a maximal versus supra-maximal race sustained until exhaustion on lipid peroxidation, antioxidant activity and muscle-damage biomarkers in trained (i.e. long-distance and middle-distance runners) and sedentary subjects. Materials and Methods The study has been carried out on 8 middle-distance runners (MDR), 9 long-distance runners (LDR), and 8 sedentary subjects (SS). Each subject has undergone two exhaustive running tests, the first one is an incremental event (VAMEVAL test), the second one is a constant supra-maximal intensity test (limited-time test). Blood samples were collected at rest and immediately after each test. Results A significant increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations was observed in SS and MDR after the VAMEVAL test and in LDR after the Limited-Time test. A significant difference was also observed between LDR and the other two groups after the VAMEVAL test, and between LDR and MDR after the Limited-Time test. Significant modifications, notably, in myoglobin, CK, LDH, IL-6, TNF-α, and TAS were likewise noted but depending on the race-type and the sportive specialty. Conclusions Maximal and supra-maximal races induce a significant increase in lipid peroxidation and cause non-negligible inflammation and muscle damage. These effects were relatively related to the physical exercise type and the sportive specialty.
Working Memory Learning Method and Astrocytes Number in Different Subfields of Rat's Hippocampus

The aim of this study was evaluation of the astrocytes number in different subfields of rat's Hippocampus after spatial learning with usage of Morris Water Maze technique and working memory method. In this study, between 2005-2006 years in Pasteur institute of Iran-Tehran and histological department of Gorgan University with usage of Morris Water Maze and working memory technique, we used 14 male albino wistar rats. Seventh rats were in control group and 7 rats in working memory group. After histological preparation, the slides were stained with PTAH staining for showing the Astrocytes. Present results showed significant difference in astrocytes number in CA1, CA2 and CA3 areas of hippocampus between control and reference memory group. The number of astrocytes is increased in working memory group. Then we divided the hippocampus to three parts: Anterior, middle and posterior and with compare of different area (CA1, CA2 and CA3) of hippocampus, we found that the differences between Anterior-middle and Middle-Posterior of CA1 and CA2 area of hippocampus were significant, whereas the difference between Anterior-Posterior parts was not significant in CA1 and CA2 areas. In CA3 area, the difference between Anterior-Middle and Anterior-Posterior parts was significant, whereas the difference between middle and posterior parts was not significant. We concluded that the number of astrocytes increased due to spatial learning and working memory technique.
The introduction of public-private partnerships in the Netherlands as a case of institutional bricolage: The evolution of an Anglo-Saxon transplant in a Rhineland context

In this contribution, the introduction of contractual public–private partnerships (PPPs) in the Netherlands, more specifically the use of Design, Build, Finance, Maintenance, and Operations (DBFMO) contracts in Dutch infrastructure management, is analysed using a specific strand within the policy transfer and institutional transplantation literature: that of ‘institutional bricolage’. This perspective states that policy transplants come to fit their new institutional context stepwise. This contribution reconstructs the adoption process by which the Anglo-Saxon-inspired PPP practice is incorporated into the traditional ‘Rhinelandic’ practice of infrastructure management in the Netherlands, identifying four waves of PPP initiatives. It concludes that these waves and the difficulties that emerge in them stem from an ongoing struggle between actor coalitions, one aiming to preserve the transplant in its original shape, and others making attempts at bricolage. Shifts in power relations explain the progress and outcomes of the process of institutional transplantation.
On the Analysis and Synthesis of Control Systems with Input Saturation

A saturating actuator can cause stability and performance issues such as windup for a feedback control system designed on linear methods. Anti-windup techniques can be used to preserve the linear behavior in the presence of saturation. Specifically, a local feedback around the saturating actuator via a compensator H can be used. The loop transmission Ln(s) around the actuator has been shown to be the key factor for saturation compensation. An independent Ln(s) can be created by introducing H . In this paper, detailed analysis on the nonlinear responses in terms of Ln(s) and the corresponding linear responses is presented. Synthesis of H is achieved through the solution of an equivalent input disturbance rejection problem. This new synthesis scheme can accommodate the plant uncertainty and the extension to multi-input multi-output (MIMO) plants. Also, it facilitates the application of robust control tools. Examples solved using H∞ and μ-synthesis demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
IMPACT OF NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION ON STUDENTS' LEARNING OUTCOMES

Communication plays a pivotal role in our daily lives.To articulate our ideas, feelings, emotions and skills we communicate not only with verbal but also with non-verbal methods.These are essential in teaching-learning process. Teachers can utilize a variety of verbal and non-verbal skills to aid students comprehension of difficult conceptsIt was an experimental study that looked into the impact of non-verbal communication on the learning outcomes of students of 9th and 10th classes in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.This study highlighted the importance of non-verbal communication in the subject of English (Compulsory) of classes (IX-X), further it explored the impact of non-verbal communication on students' learning by observing teachers and students in classrooms and;finding out how this mechanism contributed to better learning outcomes of students.The study examined the hypotheses that there is an impact of nonverbal communication on students learning outcomes both in rural and urban areas; and there is an impact of non-verbal communication on the learning outcomes of male and female students.Population of the study included students and teachers of 103 Govt. secondary schools in rural and urban areas of Peshawar.The sample included 2 teachers and 40 students from each school in the subject of English (Compulsory). The total number of sample teachers and students is 40 and 800 respectively.Tools of the data collection were questionnaires and experiment in the actual classrooms setting.The significance difference between pre and post tests of the control and experimental groups was tested through paired t-test. Furthermore the questionnaires were interpreted with the help of frequency and percentagemethods, while the correlation between teachers and studentsquestionnaires was carried out through Gamma correlation.The important conclusions indicated that teachers made the learning environment active through their non-verbal communication whereby students felt alert in the classrooms and participated in the learning process, which consequently enhanced the level of their retention and understanding.Proper use of facial expressions, movements, eye contact, pitch of voice, and spatial distance helped the teachers to provide better understanding to the students in the attainment of their learning outcomes. To the contrary the teachers who did not properly use non-verbal communication in the classroom could not motivate the students for effective learning.The study made the following recommendations1.Teachers should be given an orientation in non-verbalcommunication and the skills thus acquired should be utilized in their teaching methodologies. 2. Teachers should be encouraged to use this technology in order to provoke the interest of the students and make them attentive in the class3. It is recommended that curriculum planners and policy maker should also recognize the importance of non-verbal communication and make it a part of the teacher education program so that prospective teachers are trained in this important skill
Mesoscopic traffic simulation on CPU/GPU

Mesoscopic traffic simulation is an important branch of technology to support offline large-scale simulation-based traffic planning and online simulation-based traffic management. One of the major concerns using mesoscopic traffic simulations is the performance, which means the required time to simulate a traffic scenario. At the same time, the GPU has recently been a success, because of its massive performance compared to the CPU. Thus, a critical question is "whether the GPU can be a potential high-performance platform for mesoscopic traffic simulations"? To the best of our knowledge, there is no clear answer in the research area. In this paper, we firstly propose a comprehensive framework to run a traditional time-stepped mesoscopic traffic simulation on CPU/GPU. Then, we design a boundary processing method to guarantee the correctness of running mesoscopic supply traffic simulations on the GPU. Thirdly, the proposed mesoscopic traffic simulation framework is demonstrated to simulate 100,000 vehicles moving on a large-scale grid road network. In this case study, running a mesoscopic supply traffic simulation on a GPU (GeForce GT 650M) gives 11.2 times speedup, compared with running the same supply simulation on a CPU core (Intel E5-2620). In the end, this paper explains the theoretical limitation of running mesoscopic supply traffic simulations on the GPU. In conclusion, regardless of high system complexity, the proposed mesoscopic traffic simulation framework on CPU/GPU provides an innovative and promising solution for high-performance mesoscopic traffic simulations.
Measurement of Specialization – The Choice of Indices

This paper compares nine common specialization indices, discussing their properties, strengths and weaknesses. In order to unravel the differences between the indices they are applied to European employment structures in 2005, spanning 51 industries and 24 European countries. The resulting heterogeneity levels differ largely between relative and absolute specialization measures, but also within these two groups of indices. As results are highly dependent on which measure is employed, it is important to be aware of carefully choosing appropriate indices in empirical studies in order to attain appropriate conclusions and conduct sound economic policy.
A Logarithmic, Scale-Invariant Representation of Speed in Macaque Middle Temporal Area Accounts for Speed Discrimination Performance

Human speed discrimination thresholds follow Weber's law over a large range of reference (i.e., pedestal) speeds, that is, the just-noticeable-difference in speed scales in proportion to the reference speed. We analyzed the neural representation of speed information in macaque middle temporal visual area (MT) to determine whether this representation can account for the basic form of psychophysical data. Based on theoretical considerations, we hypothesized: (1) that the speed tuning curves of MT neurons should be bell-shaped (Gaussian) as a function of the logarithm of speed, (2) that the set of speed-tuning curves should be approximately scale-invariant, (3) that the distribution of speed preferences should be approximately uniform in log speed, and (4) that response variability should be independent of speed preference. Our quantitative analysis of data from 501 MT neurons shows that the neural representation of speed approximately obeys these constraints, with modest deviations particularly at slow speeds. We then used the MT data to predict how speed discrimination thresholds should depend on pedestal speed. The shape of this prediction matches very closely to that of human psychophysical data, accounting for constant Weber fractions over a large range of intermediate speeds as well as a marked departure from Weber's law at slow speeds. Moreover, we show that deviations of the MT representation from the above constraints are important for predicting how psychophysical thresholds depart from Weber's law at slow speeds. These findings support the notion that a logarithmic, approximately scale-invariant representation of speed in area MT limits perceptual speed discrimination.
TEACHING OBJECT-ORIENTED APPLICATIONS VIA DISTANCE EDUCATION

Due to the increasing popularity of distance education, it is important to understand the factors of distance education student success. The author reviews the literature and finds eight factors which have proven important ‐ hands-on experience, course design, variety, clarity, feedback, rapport, technical support, and content. The author reviews his experience and methods describing his inclusion of these factors into his object-oriented applications course.
Generalization of Learning in Adolescents and Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder

vi List Of Abbreviations Used . vii Acknowledgments . viii Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 1.1 Overview . 1 1.2 Perceptual And Cognitive Abnormalities In ASD . 2 1.2.1 Weak Central Coherence . 3 1.2.2 Enhanced Perceptual Discrimination And Reduced Generalization Theory . 8 1.2.3 Enhanced Perceptual Functioning . 10 1.3 Existing Research On Learning And Generalization In ASD . 12 1.3.1 Explicit Learning, Implicit Learning, And Generalization . 12 1.3.2 Category Learning In People With ASD . 15 1.4 Current Research . 20 1.5 Hypotheses . 23 Chapter 2: Method . 25 2.1 Participants . 25 2.2 Measures . 26 2.2.1 Set Learning And Generalization Measure . 26 2.2.2 Wisconsin Card Sorting Test . 29 2.2.3 Adaptive Behavior Assessment System 2 . 29 2.3 Procedure . 30 2.4 Statistical Analyses . 30 Chapter 3: Results . 32 3.1 Participant Characteristics . 32 3.2 Set Task . 32 3.2.1 Set Task: Initial Learning Phases . 32 3.2.2 Set Task: Generalization One . 33
Why are People So Prone to Steal Software? The Effect of Cost Structure on Consumer Purchase and Payment Intentions

Intellectual property piracy is a significant global problem and an enormous problem for U.S. companies and policymakers. This article examines why typically law-abiding people are more inclined to steal intellectual property products than more tangible, material products. The authors propose that the inclination to pay for certain types of goods and services is greater than for other types, and what distinguishes the two classes is their cost structure. They document how consumers are more or less inclined to pay for goods and services as a function of whether the product's cost is principally attributable to variable cost (VC) or fixed cost (FC). The authors’ central thesis is that consumers (1) believe that they cause less harm if their failure to pay prevents a seller from recovering FC than if their failure to pay helps a seller recoup VC; (2) are more likely to risk not paying for a product the less harm they perceive that not paying would cause; and (3) therefore feel less obligated and are less likely to pay voluntarily for a high-FC, low-VC product than for a high-VC, low-FC product, when total cost and average cost are held constant. This research is particularly relevant in the information age, because it helps explain why consumers appear to be more inclined to risk stealing software and other intellectual property products with relatively high FC and little or no VC. It also allows for the creation of marketing remedies that do not involve further legal enforcement.
Real-Time Video-Based Modeling and Rendering of 3D Scenes

Our work targets 3D scenes in motion. In this article, we propose a method for view-dependent layered representation of 3D dynamic scenes. Using densely arranged cameras, we've developed a system that can perform processing in real time from image pickup to interactive display, using video sequences instead of static images, at 10 frames per second. In our system, images on layers are view dependent, and we update both the shape and image of each layer in real time. This lets us use the dynamic layers as the coarse structure of the dynamic 3D scenes, which improves the quality of the synthesized images. In this sense, our prototype system may be one of the first full real-time image -based modelling and rendering systems. Our experimental results show that this method is useful for interactive 3D rendering of real scenes.
Effect of glucosamine on pain-related disability in patients with chronic low back pain and degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT Chronic low back pain (LBP) with degenerative lumbar osteoarthritis (OA) is widespread in the adult population. Although glucosamine is increasingly used by patients with chronic LBP, little is known about its effect in this setting. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of glucosamine in patients with chronic LBP and degenerative lumbar OA. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted at Oslo University Hospital Outpatient Clinic, Oslo, Norway, with 250 patients older than 25 years of age with chronic LBP (>6 months) and degenerative lumbar OA. INTERVENTIONS Daily intake of 1500 mg of oral glucosamine (n = 125) or placebo (n = 125) for 6 months, with assessment of effect after the 6-month intervention period and at 1 year (6 months postintervention). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was pain-related disability measured with the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). Secondary outcomes were numerical scores from pain-rating scales of patients at rest and during activity, and the quality-of-life EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) instrument. Data collection occurred during the intervention period at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 and 6 months, and again 6 months following the intervention at 1 year. Group differences were analyzed using linear mixed models analysis. RESULTS At baseline, mean RMDQ scores were 9.2 (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.4-10.0) for glucosamine and 9.7 (95% CI, 8.9-10.5) for the placebo group (P = .37). At 6 months, the mean RMDQ score was the same for the glucosamine and placebo groups (5.0; 95% CI, 4.2-5.8). At 1 year, the mean RMDQ scores were 4.8 (95% CI, 3.9-5.6) for glucosamine and 5.5 (95% CI, 4.7-6.4) for the placebo group. No statistically significant difference in change between groups was found when assessed after the 6-month intervention period and at 1 year: RMDQ (P = .72), LBP at rest (P = .91), LBP during activity (P = .97), and quality-of-life EQ-5D (P = .20). Mild adverse events were reported in 40 patients in the glucosamine group and 46 in the placebo group (P = .48). CONCLUSIONS Among patients with chronic LBP and degenerative lumbar OA, 6-month treatment with oral glucosamine compared with placebo did not result in reduced pain-related disability after the 6-month intervention and after 1-year follow-up. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00404079.
Derandomizing Variance Estimators

One may consider a discrete-event simulation as a Markov chain evolving on a suitably rich state space. One way that regenerative cycles may be constructed for general state-space Markov chains is to generate auxiliary coin-flip random variables at each transition, with a regeneration occurring if the coin-flip results in a success. The regenerative cycles are therefore randomized with respect to the sequence of states visited by the Markov chain. The point estimator for a steady-state performance measure does not depend on the cycle structure of the chain, but the variance estimator (that defines the width of a confidence interval for the performance measure) does. This implies that the variance estimator is randomized with respect to the visited states. We show how to "derandomize" the variance estimator through the use of conditioning. A new variance estimator is obtained that is consistent and has lower variance than the standard estimator.
PASSIVITY-BASED DYNAMIC VISUAL FEEDBACK CONTROL WITH A MOVABLE CAMERA

Abstract This paper deals with the dynamic visual feedback control with a movable camera instead of a fixed camera in the fixed camera configuration. Firstly the brief summary of the visual feedback system with a fixed camera is given with the fundamental representation of a relative rigid body motion. Secondly we construct the new error system in order to consider the camera field of view. Next, we derive the passivity of the dynamic visual feedback system by combining the manipulator dynamics and the visual feedback system. Based on the passivity stability and L 2 -gain performance analysis are discussed. Finally the validity of the proposed control law can be confirmed by comparing the simulation results.
Is plus size equal? The positive impact of average and plus-sized media fashion models on women’s cognitive resource allocation, social comparisons, and body satisfaction

ABSTRACT During individual laboratory sessions, 49 women with an actual-ideal self-discrepancy randomly viewed 12 images of media fashion models varying in body types. Heart rate was recorded during image exposure. Self-report social comparisons and body satisfaction were measured following exposure to each image. A visual recognition test was administered following the last image. The results indicated that women reported the greatest body satisfaction and the least amount of social comparisons when viewing plus size models, but body satisfaction decreased and social comparisons increased when viewing average sized followed by thin size models. Further, as social comparisons increased (e.g., internal processing), external resource allocation and encoding decreased. The theoretical and applied implications from these findings are discussed.
Ieee Transactions on Communications, Accepted for Publication 1 Robust Decoding for Convolutionally Coded Systems Impaired by Memoryless Impulsive Noise

—It is well known that communication systems are susceptible to strong impulsive noises. To combat this, convo-lutional coding has long served as a cost-efficient tool against moderately frequent memoryless impulses with given statistics. Nevertheless, impulsive noise statistics are difficult to model accurately and are typically not time-invariant, making the system design challenging. In this paper, because of the lack of knowledge regarding the probability density function of impulsive noises, an efficient decoding scheme was devised for single-carrier narrowband communication systems; a design parameter was incorporated into recently introduced joint erasure marking and Viterbi decoding algorithm, dubbed the metric erasure Viterbi algorithm (MEVA). The proposed scheme involves incorporating a well-designed clipping operation into a Viterbi algorithm, in which the clipping threshold must be appropriately set. In contrast to previous publications that have resorted to extensive simulations, in the proposed scheme, the bit error probability performance associated with the clipping threshold was characterized by deriving its Chernoff bound. The results indicated that when the clipping threshold was judiciously selected, the MEVA can be on par with its optimal maximum-likelihood decoding counterpart under fairly general circumstances.