Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Qualidade de vida de mulheres com dor pélvica crônica: um estudo de corte transversal analítico

OBJETIVOS: comparar a qualidade de vida (QV) de mulheres com e sem dor pelvica cronica (DPC) e investigar os fatores associados a QV de mulheres com DPC. METODOS: conduziu-se estudo de corte transversal, incluindo 30 mulheres com DPC e 20 sem DPC. Foram avaliadas caracteristicas sociodemograficas e clinicas. A QV foi investigada pelo questionario SF-36, que apresenta oito dominios: capacidade funcional, aspectos fisicos, dor, estado geral de saude, vitalidade, aspectos sociais, aspectos emocionais e saude mental. Esses dominios podem ser resumidos em dois sumarios: sumario do componente fisico (SCF) e sumario do componente mental (SCM). A intensidade da dor foi pesquisada, aplicando-se a escala visual analogica. Utilizou-se analise de regressao linear para comparacao dos escores de QV entre mulheres com e sem DPC e para identificacao dos fatores associados a QV de mulheres com DPC. RESULTADOS: a media de idade das mulheres com e sem DPC foi de 35,2±7,5 e de 36±9,3 anos (p=0,77), respectivamente. Mulheres com DPC apresentaram menor renda familiar mensal (p=0,04) e maior prevalencia de dismenorreia (87 versus 40%; p<0,01) e depressao (30 versus 5%; p=0,04) quando comparadas aquelas sem DPC. Na analise ajustada por potenciais variaveis confundidoras, mulheres com DPC apresentaram menores escores de QV nos dominios dor (p<0,01) e aspectos sociais (p<0,01). Depressao associou-se negativamente ao dominio aspectos emocionais (p=0,05) e ao SCM (p=0,03), enquanto intensidade da dor relacionou-se negativamente ao dominio dor (p<0,01) da QV de mulheres com DPC. CONCLUSOES: mulheres com DPC apresentaram pior QV quando comparadas a mulheres sem DPC. Depressao e intensidade da dor relacionaram-se negativamente a QV de mulheres com DPC. Dessa forma, a avaliacao e o tratamento de sintomas depressivos e da dor devem estar entre as prioridades que objetivem melhorar a QV de mulheres com DPC.
Determinants of Physical Activity Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior in Iranian Military Staff’s Wives: A Path Analysis

Level of physical activity as a key determinant of healthy lifestyle less than is required in individuals particularly women. Applying theories of behavioral change about complex behaviors such as physical activity leads to identify effective factors and their relations. The aim of this study was to determine predictors of physical activity behavior based on the Theory of Planned Behavior in military staff’s wives in Tehran. This cross-sectional study was performed in 180 military personnel’s spouses residing in organizational houses, in Tehran, Iran in 2014. The participants were randomly selected with multi-stage cluster sampling. The validity and reliability of the theory based scale evaluated before conducting the path analysis. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS16 and LISREL8.8. The results indicated the model explained 77% and 17% of intention and behavior variance. Subjective norms (Beta=0.83) and intention (Beta=0.37) were the strongest predictors of intention and behavior, respectively. The instrumental and affective attitude had no significant path to intention and behavior. The direct relation of perceived behavioral control to behavior was non-significant. This research demonstrated relative importance and relationships of Theory of Planned Behavior constructs in physical activity behavior of military personnel’s spouses in Tehran. It is essential to consider these determinants in designing of educational interventions for promoting and maintaining physical activity behavior in this target group.
Measuring Economic Costs of Urban Traffic Congestion to Business

Key findings are provided from NCHRP Study 2-21, which examined how urban traffic congestion imposes economic costs within metropolitan areas. Specifically, the study applied data from Chicago and Philadelphia to examine how various producers of economic goods and services are sensitive to congestion, through its impact on business costs, productivity, and output levels. The data analysis showed that sensitivity to traffic congestion varies by industry sector and is attributable to differences in each industry sector's mix of required inputs and hence its reliance on access to skilled labor, access to specialized inputs, and access to a large, transportation-based market area. Statistical analysis models were applied with the local data to demonstrate how congestion effectively shrinks business market areas and reduces the "agglomeration economies" of businesses operating in large urban areas, thus raising production costs. Overall, this research illustrates how it is possible to estimate the economic implications of congestion, an approach that may be applied in the future for benefit-cost analysis of urban congestion-reduction strategies or for development of congestion pricing strategies. The analysis also shows how congestion-reduction strategies can induce additional traffic as a result of economic benefits.
Delinquents with Mature Moral Reasoning: A Comparison with Delayed Delinquents and Mature Nondelinquents.

The present study provides empirically based insights into a theoretically anomalous group of juvenile delinquents, namely, those mature In moral reasoning in terms of Kohlberg's (1983) theory of sociomoral development. Forty-three incarcerated delinquents with age-appropriate moral reasoning (stage 3) were coMpared with 42 incarceraied delinquents delayed In moral reasoning and 35 nondelinquents with age-appropriate moral reasoning. Both delinquent . groups evidenced a greater acceptance of antisocial Lehavior and values than the nondelinquents. Both delayea and mature delinquent groups also demonstratea much psychopathology. However, mature delinquents evidenced MMPI scores reflecting more interhalizing pathology than the delayed delinquents. This internalizing pathology may reflect thc anxiety or guilt resulting from the strain between mature moral structures and antisocial behavior, or, a parallel between sociomoral structures and personality/psychopathology.
19q13.11 deletion syndrome: a novel clinically recognisable genetic condition identified by array comparative genomic hybridisation

Background: Deletions of chromosome 19 have rarely been reported, with the exception of some patients with deletion 19q13.2 and Blackfan–Diamond syndrome due to haploinsufficiency of the RPS19 gene. Such a paucity of patients might be due to the difficulty in detecting a small rearrangement on this chromosome that lacks a distinct banding pattern. Array comparative genomic hybridisation (CGH) has become a powerful tool for the detection of microdeletions and microduplications at high resolution in patients with syndromic mental retardation. Methods and results: Using array CGH, this study identified three interstitial overlapping 19q13.11 deletions, defining a minimal critical region of 2.87 Mb, associated with a clinically recognisable syndrome. The three patients share several major features including: pre- and postnatal growth retardation with slender habitus, severe postnatal feeding difficulties, microcephaly, hypospadias, signs of ectodermal dysplasia, and cutis aplasia over the posterior occiput. Interestingly, these clinical features have also been described in a previously reported patient with a 19q12q13.1 deletion. No recurrent breakpoints were identified in our patients, suggesting that no-allelic homologous recombination mechanism is not involved in these rearrangements. Conclusions: Based on these results, the authors suggest that this chromosomal abnormality may represent a novel clinically recognisable microdeletion syndrome caused by haploinsufficiency of dosage sensitive genes in the 19q13.11 region.
A secure data hiding scheme for two-color images

In this paper we propose a new steganography scheme for hiding a piece of critical information in a host binary image (such as facsimiles). A secret key and a weight matrix are used to protect the hidden data. Given an image block of size m/spl times/n, our scheme can hide as many as [log/sub 2/(mn+1)] bits of data in the image by changing at most 2 bits in the image. This scheme, as compared to an existing scheme by M. Y. Wu et al. 1998), can provide higher security, embed more data, and maintain higher quality of the host image.
Unsupervised texture segmentation using multiresolution hybrid genetic algorithm

This work approaches the texture segmentation problem by incorporating genetic algorithm and k-mean clustering method within a multiresolution structure. First, a quad-tree structure is constructed and the input image is partition into blocks at different resolution levels. Texture features are then extracted from each block. Based on the texture features, a hybrid genetic algorithm is employed to perform the segmentation. The crossover operator of traditional genetic algorithm is replaced with k-means clustering method while the mutate and select operators are adopted. In the final step, the boundaries and the segmentation result of the current resolution level are propagated down to the next level to act as contextual constraints and the initial configuration of the next level, respectively.
Insulin Secretagogues, But Not Glucose, Stimulate an Increase in [Ca2+]i in the Fetal Rat β-cell

Fetal pancreatic islets release insulin poorly in response to glucose; however, the cellular mechanism for this is controversial. By using fura 2 to measure changes in the cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in β-cells, we have examined islets from fetal, neonatal, and adult rats to determine the ability of glucose and other secretagogues to cause an increase in [Ca2+]i. The effects of glucose (20 mmol/l), glyceraldehyde (20 mmol/l), leucine (20 mmol/l), arginine (20 mmol/l), and the channel effectors glipizide (50 μmol/l), BAY K8644 (2 μmol/l), diazoxide (300 μmol/l), and verapamil (20 μmol/l) on changes in [Ca2+]i were studied. In both the fetal and the mature islet, glyceraldehyde, leucine, arginine, glipizide, and BAY K8644 caused an increase in [Ca2+]i. In mature islets, glucose also increased [Ca2+]i; however, in the fetal islet, glucose had no effect on [Ca2+]i. The stimulus-induced increases in [Ca2+]i in fetal and adult islets were both significantly inhibited by the addition of either diazoxide or verapamil. Similar results were obtained when insulin secretion was measured. Our data show that various secretagogues are able to stimulate fetal islets and cause an increase in [Ca2+]i. Glucose, however, fails to cause an increase in [Ca2+]i in the fetal islet. Hence, the immature insulin secretory response to glucose by the fetal islet is due to the inability of the fetal β-cell to translate glucose stimulation into the increase in [Ca2+]i required for exocytosis of the insulin granule.
Polymorphisms in K13, pfcrt, pfmdr1, pfdhfr, and pfdhps in parasites isolated from symptomatic malaria patients in Burkina Faso

Background: The emergence of resistance to artemisinin derivatives in western Cambodia is threatening to revert the recent advances made toward global malaria control and elimination. Known resistance-mediating polymorphisms in the K13, pfcrt, pfmdr1, pfdhfr, and pfdhps genes are of greatest importance for monitoring the spread of antimalarial drug resistance. Methods: Samples for the present study were collected from 244 patients with uncomplicated malaria in health centers of Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Blood sample was collected on filter paper before the subject received any treatment. The parasite DNA was then extracted and amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) to evaluate the prevalence of polymorphism of pfcrtK76T, pfmdr1 (N86Y, Y184F), and pfdhps (A437G, K540E). The K13 gene polymorphism was analyzed by nested PCR followed by sequencing. Results: The overall results showed 2.26% (5/221) of K13 synonymous mutant alleles (two C469C, one Y493Y, one G496G, and one V589V), 24.78%, 19.58%, 68.75%, 60.9%, 53.7%, 63.8%, and 64.28%, respectively, for mutant pfcrt 76T, pfmdr1-86Y, pfmdr1-184F, pfdhfr51I, pfdhfr59R, pfdhfr108N, and pfdhps 437G. We did not report any mutation at codon 540 of pfdhps. Conclusion: These results provide baseline prevalence of known drug resistance polymorphisms and suggest that artemisinin combination therapies may retain good efficacy in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in Burkina Faso.
The single pixel GPS: learning big data signals from tiny coresets

We present algorithms for simplifying and clustering patterns from sensors such as GPS, LiDAR, and other devices that can produce high-dimensional signals. The algorithms are suitable for handling very large (e.g. terabytes) streaming data and can be run in parallel on networks or clouds. Applications include compression, denoising, activity recognition, road matching, and map generation. We encode these problems as (k, m)-segment mean problems. Formally, we provide (1 + ε)-approximations to the k-segment and (k, m)-segment mean of a d-dimensional discrete-time signal. The k-segment mean is a k-piecewise linear function that minimizes the regression distance to the signal. The (k,m)-segment mean has an additional constraint that the projection of the k segments on Rd consists of only m ≤ k segments. Existing algorithms for these problems take O(kn2) and nO(mk) time respectively and O(kn2) space, where n is the length of the signal. Our main tool is a new coreset for discrete-time signals. The coreset is a smart compression of the input signal that allows computation of a (1 + ε)-approximation to the k-segment or (k,m)-segment mean in O(n log n) time for arbitrary constants ε,k, and m. We use coresets to obtain a parallel algorithm that scans the signal in one pass, using space and update time per point that is polynomial in log n. We provide empirical evaluations of the quality of our coreset and experimental results that show how our coreset boosts both inefficient optimal algorithms and existing heuristics. We demonstrate our results for extracting signals from GPS traces. However, the results are more general and applicable to other types of sensors.
Reinforcement Learning Based Handoff for Millimeter Wave Heterogeneous Cellular Networks

The millimeter wave (mmWave) radio band is promising for the next-generation heterogeneous cellular networks (HetNets) due to its large bandwidth available for meeting the increasing demand of mobile traffic. However, the unique propagation characteristics at mmWave band cause huge redundant handoffs in mmWave HetNets if conventional Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP) based handoff mechanism is used. In this paper, we propose a reinforcement learning based handoff policy named LESH to reduce the number of handoffs while maintaining user Quality of Service (QoS) requirements in mmWave HetNets. In LESH, we determine handoff trigger conditions by taking into account both mmWave channel characteristics and QoS requirements of UEs. Furthermore, we propose reinforcement-learning based BS selection algorithms for different UE densities. Numerical results show that in typical scenarios, LESH can significantly reduce the number of handoffs when compared with traditional handoff policies.
Sojourner Children’s Developmental Understanding of Nationality

A developmental model of children's understanding of nationality (Nationality Perspective-Taking Ability or NPTA) was proposed and evaluated in this study.The NPTA model expands extant definitions and provides a theoretical foundation for the developmental progression of national identity.Children (Mean age = 9.33 years) from Latin American and Asian countries who were sojourners in the U. S. for an average of 20.70 months were administered the NPTA assessment and scored according to the NPTA model.Results indicated children's understanding of nationality was predicted by children's chronological age and by the amount of their cross-national exposure.Additionally, the relative importance of children's identification with their national, racial and linguistic status was explored.A developmental trend revealed that children's identification with nationality increases across age while identification with racial status declines across age.
A Comparison of Technical and Vocational Acquired Skills Differences Based on Gender in Tvet Institutions, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Lower participation of women in the labor force and/or concentration of women labor in un skilled or low skilled, low income generating economic activities including part time and casual work has created many questions among the researcher on the kind and quality of technical and vocational skills acquired by woman. The current study compared technical and vocational acquired skills acquired between male and female in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions, Uasin Gishu. From the findings it has been observed that Male students had significantly and highly acquired interpersonal skills, Information Communication Technical (ICT) skills, Critical analysis, ability to use numerical data and management skills than female. Male students had also acquired critical thinking skills two times higher than that of female students. In addition, the study concludes that male students had acquired skills in many areas than female students. On the other hand female students had acquired high significant skills in ability to work in a team, organizational skills and academic qualifications than male. There is need to diversify Vocational and Technical Training and improve access for and retention of girls and women in education and vocational training in such fields as science, mathematics, engineering, environmental sciences, information technology and new technologies, as well as management training. Keywords; Gender, Technical, Vocational, TVET, Skills
E Y cient control of arm movements in advanced age

The present study addresses the inXuence of aging on the ability to regulate mechanical eVects arising during arm movements due to the multi-joint structure of the arm. Two mechanical factors were considered, interaction torque (IT) and inertial resistance (IR). Regulation of these two factors can be demanding in terms of the timing and magnitude of the required muscle torque (MT), speciWcally during fast movements. We hypothesized that aging exacerbates the challenge regarding the regulation of these eVects with muscular control due to declines in the motor system. This hypothesis was tested by comparing performance of a cyclic line-drawing task in two age groups, young and older adults. Only two joints, the shoulder and elbow, participated in motion. Four orientations of the lines were used to provide variations in the requirements for regulation of IT and IR. Cyclic frequency was manipulated to emphasize the dependence of the mechanical factors on movement speed. Various characteristics of Wngertip motion showed that there were no age-related deteriorations in accuracy of line drawing. However, older adults were systematically slower, particularly in the directions of high IR. A detailed analysis of the magnitude of MT and the contribution of this torque to production of net torque at each joint demonstrated that older adults modiWed joint control and decreased the demands for MT by skillful exploitation of IT in a way speciWc for each particular line orientation. The results point to a tendency in older adults to decrease the production of muscle force. Nevertheless, older adults also demonstrated an ability to partially compensate for declines in the force production by developing sophisticated strategies of joint control that exploit the multi-joint mechanical structure of the arm. This ability suggests that the internal representation of inter-segmental dynamics and the capability to use it for movement control does not decay with age. The study emphasizes the importance of analysis of joint motion and control characteristics for the investigation of arm movements and for comparison of these movements between diVerent subject populations.
Are the Old Days Gone? A Survey on Actual Software Engineering Processes in Video Game Industry

In the past 10 years, several researches studied video game development process who proposed approaches to improve the way how games are developed. These approaches usually adopt agile methodologies because of claims that traditional practices and the waterfall process are gone. However, are the ``old days" really gone in the game industry? In this paper, we present a survey of software engineering processes in video game industry from postmortem project analyses. We analyzed 20 postmortems from Gamasutra Portal. We extracted their processes and modelled them through using the Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN). This work presents three main contributions. First, a postmortem analysis methodology to identify and extract project processes. Second, the study main result: the ``old days" are gone, but not completely. Iterative practices are increasing and are applied to at least 65% of projects in which 45% of this projects explicitly adopted Agile practices. However, waterfall process is still applied at least 30% of projects. Finally, we discuss some implications, directions and opportunities for video game development community.
Celebrity worship, addiction and criminality

Abstract Two studies assessed the relationship between celebrity worship and (i) addiction (n=1359) and (ii) criminality (n=2158). Overall Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS) scores correlated positively with Eysenck Personality Questionnaire – Revised (EPQ-R) Addiction and Criminality sub-scale scores. In further support of the absorption–addiction model of celebrity worship (McCutcheon, Lange, & Houran, 2002, Conceptualization and measurement of celebrity worship. British Journal of Psychology, 93, 67–87.), addiction correlated positively with one component of celebrity worship, and criminality correlated positively with all four components produced by the current work. Different types of celebrity worship were associated with preferences for celebrities from particular domains. For instance, those scoring highly on the “Deleterious Imitation” component favoured music celebrities, as opposed to political figures. It was concluded that pathological celebrity worshippers are seeking a personal identity and are drawn to particular celebrities. Imitating these celebrities can have negative consequences for the worshipper.
Determination and Occurrence of Phenoxyacetic Acid Herbicides and Their Transformation Products in Groundwater Using Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry

A sensitive method was developed and validated for ten phenoxyacetic acid herbicides, six of their main transformation products (TPs) and two benzonitrile TPs in groundwater. The parent compounds mecoprop, mecoprop-p, 2,4-D, dicamba, MCPA, triclopyr, fluroxypr, bromoxynil, bentazone, and 2,3,6-trichlorobenzoic acid (TBA) are included and a selection of their main TPs: phenoxyacetic acid (PAC), 2,4,5-trichloro-phenol (TCP), 4-chloro-2-methylphenol (4C2MP), 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP), 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol (T2P), and 3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybenzoic acid (BrAC), as well as the dichlobenil TPs 2,6-dichlorobenzamide (BAM) and 3,5-dichlorobenzoic acid (DBA) which have never before been determined in Irish groundwater. Water samples were analysed using an efficient ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method in an 11.9 min separation time prior to detection by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The limit of detection (LOD) of the method ranged between 0.00008 and 0.0047 µg·L−1 for the 18 analytes. All compounds could be detected below the permitted limits of 0.1 µg·L−1 allowed in the European Union (EU) drinking water legislation [1]. The method was validated according to EU protocols laid out in SANCO/10232/2006 with recoveries ranging between 71% and 118% at the spiked concentration level of 0.06 µg·L−1. The method was successfully applied to 42 groundwater samples collected across several locations in Ireland in March 2012 to reveal that the TPs PAC and 4C2MP were detected just as often as their parent active ingredients (a.i.) in groundwater.