Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vicious Circle of Metaboreflex Dysregulation in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disease of unknown origin without effective treatment identified so far. The metaboreflex is activated by skeletal muscles during physical exercise to meet the raised demand for oxygen in energy production. With increased activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain, uncoupling proteins counteract the risk presented by the generated harmful reactive oxygen species but at the expense of energy generation. The enhanced metaboreflex with raised sympathetic nervous system activity, and the enhanced uncoupling may explain motoneuron degeneration and muscle wasting, which are the main symptoms in ALS. Here it is proposed that dysregulation of the metaboreflex, maintained by mitochondrial respiratory chain uncoupling, initiate a vicious circle that account for the pathogenesis of ALS. Thus, this publication comments on a potential insight that may inform the search for effective therapy.
The Acute Effects of Humor and Exercise on Mood and Anxiety

The hypothesis that 20-minutes of humor would result in affective benefits that are comparable to those of a 20-minute bout of aerobic exercise was scrutinized by using a within-participants research design. Thirty-nine university students were tested, at weekly intervals, three times: running/jogging at self-selected pace, watching a humorous stand-up comedy, and watching a documentary video. Mood and state anxiety were determined 5-minutes before and after each treatment by using the Subjective Exercise Experience Scale (McAuley & Cour-neya, 1994) and the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, & Luchene, 1970). Both humor and exercise had an equally positive effect on psychological distress and positive well-being. However, humor exerted greater anxiety-lowering effect than exercise. Based on these results, it is tentatively concluded that humor could induce positive psychological changes that are at least comparable if not superior to the effects of exercise.
UTAUT: Integrating Achievement Goals and Learning Styles for Undergraduates' Behavioural Intention to Use Technology

In Malaysia, technology use is much emphasised as the Ministry of Education foresees great potential of technology use in amplifying students’ learning. However, the great potential of technology use has not been fully realised. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the existing antecedents in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model with two additional variables (achievement goal and learning styles) on undergraduates’ behavioural intention to use technology. This study also aimed to determine the best predictor of undergraduates’ intention to use technology. Hence, a quantitative survey method involving 699 undergraduates was employed in this study. The findings indicated that the undergraduates’ effort expectancy, performance expectancy, social influence and achievement goals had significant influence on their behavioural intention to use technology. This study provides insights to the education stakeholders on the necessity to enhance pedagogical technology innovations in the higher education system.
Optimal Collateralized Contracts

We examine the role of collateral in a dynamic model of optimal credit contracts in which a borrower values both housing and non-housing consumption. The borrower’s private information about his income is the only friction. An optimal contract is collateralized when in some state, some portion of the borrower’s net worth is forfeited to the lender. We show that optimal contracts are always collateralized. The total value of forfeited assets is decreasing in income, highlighting the role collateral as a deterrent to manipulation. Some assets, those that generate consumable services will necessarily be collateralized while others may not be. Endogenous default arises when the borrower’s initial wealth is low, as with subprime borrowers, and/or his future earnings are highly variable. JEL Codes: D86, D14, G21
Gut microflora and intestinal morphology of commercial broiler chickens and red jungle fowl fed diets containing palm kernel meal.

From days 21 to 56, equal number of the commercial broilerchickens (CB) and the red jungle fowl (RJF) were fed diets containing either 0% palm kernel meal (Diet A) or 25% palm kernel meal (Diet B). On days 28 and 56, the number of microflora (Lactobacillus sp. and Streptococcus sp.) in the gut contents of ileum and caecum were taken from six randomly selected birds per sub-group. Same number of birds per genotype-regimen subgroup were used for the measurements of height and width of villi of the duodenum and ileum and, columns of the caecum samples. The CB had significantly more Lactobacillus sp. in the ileum and Streptococcus sp. in the caecum and ileum compared to their RJF counterparts. Feeding of Diet B increased counts of Lactobacillus sp. and Streptococcus sp. in both caecum and ileum. The population of microflora in ileum for Lactobacillus sp. and in both caecum and ileum for Streptococcus sp. increased with the age of birds. The CB had significantly higher and wider villi of the duodenum and ileum and columns of the caecum segments, respectively, as compared to RJF. Birds fed Diet B had greater height and width of columns in the caecum. The height and width of columns in the caecum of birds fed Diet A and Diet B were not significantly different. Irrespective of age and genotype, there was a significant increase in the height and width of villi in the duodenum and ileum and, columns in the caecum with age.
A new AntTree-based algorithm for clustering short-text corpora

Research work on "short-text clustering" is a very important research area due to the current tendency for people to use "small-language", e.g. blogs, textmessaging and others. In some recent works, new bioinspired clustering algorithms have been proposed to deal with this difficult problem and novel uses of Internal Clustering Validity Measures have also been presented. In this work, a new AntTree-based approach is proposed for this task. It integrates information on the Silhouette Coefficient and the concept of attraction of a cluster in different stages of the clustering process. The proposal achieves results comparable to the best reported results in this area, showing an interesting stability in the quality of the results and presenting some interesting capabilities as a general improvement method for arbitrary clustering approaches.
Inhibition of KGA / GAC : A Strategy for Exploiting Tumors ’ Glutamine Addiction

A number of tumor cell lines exhibit dependence on glutamine in vitro, a phenomenon termed as ‘glutamine addiction’. The rate limiting step in the processing of glutamine in mitochondria is controlled by glutaminase, an amidohydrolase that converts glutamine to glutamate. In many tumor cell lines the kindney-type glutaminase (KGA) and particularly its C isoform (GAC) are upreglulated. As such, inhibition of KGA/GAC has been viewed as an attractive strategy for exploiting tumor cells’ glutamine addiction for cancer therapy, as it aims to deprive them from their ability to metabolize a nutrient they apparently need for their survival and proliferation. In this very brief review we discuss the progress toward the identification of KGA/GAC inhibitors.
Realistic mathematics learning based on the ethnomathematics in Bengkulu to improve students’ cognitive level

Mathematical learning based on ethnomathematics applying local culture can change the perception of the society about the applications of mathematics in everyday life. The purpose of this study was to describe the increase in high school students’ cognitive level through the implementation of realistic mathematics learning model based on ethnomathematics in Bengkulu. This study was an assessment phase of development research employing a 2 × 2 factorial experimental design with students’ initial performance being controlled. There were three main findings of this study. First, mathematical understanding of students taught using realistic mathematics learning was higher than those who taught using the conventional method (the learning materials in both groups was non-ethnomathematics oriented). Second, mathematical understanding of students learned the ethnomathematics oriented materials was higher than those learned non-ethnomathematics oriented materials (realistic mathematics learning applied in both groups). Third, mathematical understanding of students who learned the ethnomathematics oriented materials was lower compared to the students learned the non-ethnomathematics materials (the conventional learning method applied in both groups).
Rupture length and duration of the 2004 Aceh‐Sumatra earthquake from the phases of the Earth's gravest free oscillations

The Aceh‐Sumatra 2004 earthquake strongly excited the Earth's free oscillations. Well separated split multiplets provide useful information on the earthquake source. Particularly, the phases of split singlets constrain the duration, rupture length and mean rupture velocity. We analyze the initial phases of some of the Earth's gravest free oscillations (0S2, 0S3, 0S0 and 1S0) in order to constrain the space‐time finiteness of the source. We use recordings of vertical broadband seismometers and superconducting gravimeters from several worldwide geophysical networks. We estimate a rupture length of about 1220 km, a source time duration of about 500 s, and a mean rupture velocity of 2.4 km/s.
Illness beliefs about hypertension among non-patients and healthy relatives of patients

Objectives: Personal beliefs about illnesses have received increasing interest because these cognitions help to explain and predict preventive and therapeutic coping efforts, adjustment to a disease and health outcomes. We sought to explore and compare non-specialised illness representations of hypertension among adults never suffering from hypertension who had and had not lived with hypertensive patients. Design: Hypertension representations were explored in a community-based, convenient sample of normotensive Spanish adults of both genders from different educational backgrounds and with different family experience with this illness. Method: An adapted Illness Perception Questionnaire-R was used to assess such perceptions among healthy people in nine dimensions: Identity, Time-line, Consequences, Personal Control, Treatment Control, Illness Coherence, Evolution, Emotional Representations and Causes. Results: The participants’ beliefs mixed accurate and folk knowledge, while gender, age and education level had little impact, family experience (having or not having a relative with hypertension) strongly determined the content of hypertension representations. Participants with family experience held significantly stronger beliefs of controllability of the disease, both by patients and treatments, considered the disease as less stable and reported a lower emotional impact when thinking on suffering from hypertension. Family experience was the only significant predictor of illness cognitions. Conclusions: This study allowed us to know the perceptions of hypertension among non-patients and healthy relatives of patients. Our findings are useful in designing interventions aimed at hypertension prevention, particularly considering family experience with the disease.
Preferential weld corrosion of X65 pipeline steel in flowing brines containing carbon dioxide

The aim of this research was to investigate the cause of the severe localised corrosion that sometimes occurs at welds in carbon steel pipelines carrying hydrocarbons and inhibited brines saturated with carbon dioxide. A rotating cylinder electrode apparatus was designed so that electrodes machined from the weld metal, heat affected zone and parent material of welded X65 pipeline steel could be galvanically coupled and tested in high shear stress conditions. The galvanic currents flowing between the weld regions were recorded using zero resistance ammeters, and their self-corrosion rates were found by polarisation resistance measurements. The total corrosion rate of each weld region was obtained from the sum of the self-corrosion and galvanic contributions. In uninhibited conditions, the weld metal and heat affected zone were both cathodic to the parent material, and localised corrosion was prevented. However, when an oilfield corrosion inhibitor was present, a current reversal took place, which resulted in accelerated weld corrosion. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the inhibitor film had lower electrical resistance and was less protective on the weld metal than on the parent material. At the highest shear stress, a second current reversal could occur when the inhibitor was removed from all regions of the weld, and there was a return to the original galvanic behaviour. It was concluded that preferential weld corrosion was caused by unstable conditions in which the inhibitor film was selectively disrupted on the weld metal but remained effective on the other weld regions.
Convection, Evaporation, and Condensation of Simple and Binary Fluids in Confined Geometries

Rayleigh-Benard and Marangoni convection in a layer of a homogeneous fluid with a free surface in the absence of phase change is a classic (and extensively studied) problem of fluid mechanics. Phase change has a major effect on the convection problem. Most notably, significant latent heat generated at the free surface as a result of phase change can dramatically alter the interfacial temperature, and hence, the thermocapillary stresses. Furthermore, differential evaporation in binary fluids can lead to considerable variation in the concentration field, producing solutocapillarity stresses, which can compete with thermocapillarity and buoyancy.This talk describes numerical studies of convection in alcohol and alcohol-water mixtures due to a horizontal temperature gradient in the presence of phase change. We illustrate how the composition of the liquid and the presence of non-condensable gases (e.g., air) can be used to alter the balance of the dominant forces. In particular, by adding or removing air from the test cell, the direction of the flow can be reversed by emphasizing either the thermocapillary or the solutocapillary stresses. © 2012 ASME
Biomechanical model of the primates ’ upper limb : design of stimulation protocols for the recovery of reaching movements in tetraplegia

Recent advances in neuroscience led to the development of therapies for paraplegic patients, currently at the stage of clinical trials, that permit to some extent the restoration of the patients’ natural control over their lower limbs through the electrical stimulation of the sensorial input to their spinal cord. Facedwith the individual’s benefits of such therapies, future developments will focus on porting the technology to the upper limbs, thus bringing partial solutions for increasing the quality of life in tetraplegia. Beyond evident anatomical similarities, the primates are the only animals sharing the direct cortico-motoneuronal pathway with humans, making their study necessary to develop strategies of spinal cord stimulation. Throughout this thesis, a computational model of the primate’s arm is developed on the OpenSim platform from a previously published but now obsolete SIMM model. Skeletal and muscular morphometric data is gathered, adapted and added until the model is validated dynamically, and its ability to reproduce the real animal’s experimental motion in a closed loop is asserted. The model is then used to predict, in the spinal cord, the spatiotemporal patterns of neuronal activation underlying the subject’s motor behaviour during a stereotypical reaching and grasping task. An estimation of the afferent fibres’ firing rates will be critical to the understanding of the interactions between the stimulation and the neuronal circuitry, and will alleviate challenges faced in recording the normal sensorimotor activity in real time. As such, the model lays some foundations for the development of future therapies.
Dental Trauma and Treatment Needs among Footballers in Baghdad City

: Oral health is an important element of overall health, well-being and quality of life. The nexus between sport and oral health has largely been investigated through studies focused on the risk of trauma to oral health. The purpose of this study to estimate the prevalence and severity of dental trauma in Iraqi footballers. This study included 403 Iraqi males footballers aged from 18-32 years. The cases were recruited from 18 club in Baghdad city. The results of this study show high percentage of trauma free was recorded among Luxation (99.50%) and enamel and dentine with pulp exposure EDP (99.26 %) with all age group followed by Concussion (97.77%) and enamel and dentine ED fracture (96.77%) and the lowest percent recorded in enamel fracture E (94.79%). In Luxation trauma type a significant differences (P=0.027) was found according to age and duration of playing while high significant differences (P=0.019) was found in concussion type. From current study concluded high percent of caries injuries in Iraqi footballers.
Serum, milk, saliva and urine progesterone and estradiol profiles in crossbred (Zebu x Holstein Friesian) dairy cattle

Effective breeding management is a crucial tool to enhance the reproductive and productive performance of dairy cattle. To achieve this, regular monitoring of their reproductive status is important. The aims of this study were to monitor the reproductive status of crossbred dairy cattle based on progesterone (P4) concentration in serum, whole milk, saliva and urine, and estradiol in serum using quantitative laboratory ELISA tests, and to document hormonal profiles at different reproductive stages. Three hundred and thirty-six (336) crossbred (Holstein Friesian x Zebu) dairy cattle (232 cows and 104 heifers) from 47 dairy farms owned by smallholder or organized commercial dairy farmers were included in the study. Matched blood, milk and saliva samples were collected twice at 11-day intervals at afternoon milking, while urine was collected just once. Serum was separated within 48 hr of blood collection. All samples were stored at -80oC until assayed. In both cows and heifers, P4 was higher during pregnancy than in other reproductive conditions. Estradiol was higher during estrus than at other reproductive stages. Estradiol levels were significantly higher (p<0.05) in estrus cows compared with heifers. The mean level of P4 in serum strongly correlated with the value in milk (r = 0.6368, P< 0.0001), however there was no correlation in P4 concentration between serum and saliva or between P4 in serum and in urine. Hence, determination of P4 in serum and milk using an ELISA test is a reliable and precise method to monitor reproductive status in crossbred dairy cattle. *Correspondence to: Mekonnin AB, The University of Edinburgh, College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, QMRI, 47 Little France Crescent, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK; E-mail: alemselambnh@yahoo.com
A preliminary camera traps assessment of terrestrial vertebrates at different elevation gradients in Gunung Stong State Park

As a preliminary mean of verifying their presence, composition and possible distribution of terrestrial wildlife, camera trapping was conducted within the Gunung Stong State Park. Seven camera traps were placed at 7 different locations at different altitudes. They were placed for 2 months and 83 images were captured with 10 species identified. The most frequently photographed during the 63 day period were the wild boar (Sus scrofa), red muntjac (Muntiacus muntjak), plantain squirrel (Callosciurus caniceps), leopard cat (Pardofelis marmorata), binturong (Arctictis binturong), Malayan sunbear (Heliarctos malayanus), Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus), serow (Capricornis sumatraensis), Malayan pangolin (Manis javanica) and Malaysian field rat (Rattus tiomanicus). The largest number of images recorded was at Point 3 (468.5m), with 35 out of 83 images, near a camp site frequented by hikers. The results are preliminary, but can be used as a baseline data for subsequent studies that could help in the management of Gunung Stong State Park.
Predicting Personal Mobility with Individual and Group Travel Histories

Understanding and predicting human mobility is a crucial component of a range of administrative activities, from transportation planning to tourism and travel management. In this paper we propose a new approach that predicts the location of a person over time based on both individual and collective behaviors. The system draws on both previous trajectory histories and the features of the region—in terms of geography, land use, and points of interest—which might be ‘of interest’ to travellers. We test the effectiveness of our approach using a massive dataset of mobile phone location events compiled for the Boston metropolitan region, and experimental results suggest that the predictions are accurate to within 1.35 km and demonstrate the significant advantages of incorporating collective behavior into individual trip predictions.
Unsaturated permeability and retention curve determination from in-flight weight measurements in a bench-scale centrifuge

Centrifuges have been used in many ways to determine permeabilities, as they can significantly shorten testing times in low-permeable soils. Typically equilibrium profiles are used, or inflow-outflow measurements, or direct measurements from inside the sample, like from tensiometers or radioactive decay. Recently weight measurements of the sample outside the centrifuge were used effectively in an adapted setup. We present the results of the possibilities offered by doing transient weight measurements of a soil-sample during rotation in the centrifuge. We present the set-up of such an experiment and how the unsaturated permeability and water retention curve can be recovered from it. This eliminates the overhead of doing measurements inside the sample.
All Aspects of Digital Video Watermarking Under an Umbrella

The present review covers the video watermarking literature published from 1997 to the year 2015. Through extensive work, some selection is necessary. Therefore, only articles published by a process of peer review in archival journal are reviewed. Papers are grouped according to the implementation techniques and further divided into sub techniques. Many papers deal with fundamental of digital video watermarking, including experimental, numerical and analytical works. Others are related to application or natural system. In addition to reviewing journal articles, this review also takes papers of good conferences and meeting on video watermarking. The main aim of authors is to provide every details regarding digital video watermarking under an umbrella. In other words all aspects of video watermarking are placed together in order to helpful to those readers looking the complete literature related to video watermarking scheme.