Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Foot shape of older people: implications for shoe design

Foot problems and deformities, which are highly prevalent in older people, may affect foot anthropometrics and result in older people having difficulty finding shoes that fit. This study aimed to characterise the dimensions and shape of the feet of older people and to determine whether foot anthropometrics were influenced by gender and/or the presence of foot problems in older people. Foot anthropometrics and foot problems were assessed in 312 community-dwelling older men and women. Men had significantly higher normalised first and fifth toe heights and a greater fifth toe angle, whereas women had a significantly longer normalised medial ball length and greater first toe and heel bone angles (p < 0.05). Older people who had moderate-to-severe hallux valgus, lesser toe deformities, swollen or flat feet exhibited different foot anthropometrics to those without foot problems. Consequently, footwear for older people should be designed to cater for the altered morphology of older feet.
Simplified methods for design of base‐isolated structures in the long‐period high‐damping range

A recent trend in the design of base‐isolated structures is the extension of the natural period and the incorporation of high damping. This paper shows that the existing simplified methods perform less accurately in this field of application, mainly due to inappropriate use of spectral data and insufficiently adjusted equivalent models. The paper proposes new period‐dependent concepts to reduce pseudo‐acceleration spectra and to transform these values into total accelerations with respect to the viscous damping ratio. The model of equivalent damping is adjusted to reflect several period‐dependent effects. The estimation of the accelerations in MDOF systems is based on additional period shifts. All modifications are derived for a simplified linear approach based on eigenforms, and a non‐linear approach based on pushover and capacity spectrum analysis. To illustrate observed problems and to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed concepts, example structures are studied in detail. Furthermore, intensive statistical tests prove the effectiveness of the modifications in a wide parameter range and show considerable improvements over traditional approaches. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The P600, but not N400, is modulated by sustained attention

The functional significance of the two prominent language-related ERP components N400 and P600 is still under debate. It has recently been suggested that one important dimension along which the two vary, is in terms of automaticity versus attentional control, with N400 amplitudes reflecting more automatic and P600 amplitudes reflecting more controlled aspects of sentence comprehension. The availability of executive resources necessary for controlled processes depends on sustained attention, which fluctuates over time. Here, we thus tested whether P600 and N400 amplitudes depend on the level of sustained attention. We re-analyzed EEG and behavioral data from a sentence processing task by Sassenhagen & Bornkessel-Schlesewsky (2015, Cortex), which included sentences with morphosyntactic and semantic violations. Participants read sentences phrase by phrase and indicated whether a sentence contained any type of anomaly as soon as they had the relevant information. To quantify periods of high versus low sustained attention, we extracted a moving reaction time coefficient of variation over the entire course of the task. We found that the P600 amplitude was significantly larger during periods of low reaction time variability (high sustained attention) than in periods of high reaction time variability (low sustained attention). In contrast, the amplitude of the N400 was not affected by reaction time variability. These results thus suggest that the P600 component is sensitive to sustained attention while the N400 component is not, which provides independent evidence for accounts suggesting that P600 amplitudes reflect more controlled and N400 amplitudes more automatic aspects of sentence comprehension.
Full‐scale bridge damage identification using time series analysis of a dense array of geophones excited by drop weight

This paper presents a simple and inexpensive technique for damage identification of bridges using drop weight vibration data of bridges recorded by an array of geophones, highly sensitive sensors to record vibration, and time series analysis. The dynamic response of bridges obtained using drop weight as an excitation source is convolved with white noise to create suitable input for autoregressive (AR) models. A two‐stage prediction model, combined AR and autoregressive with exogenous input (ARX), is employed to obtain a damage‐sensitive feature. An outlier analysis method is developed based on the Monte Carlo simulation to identify the existence of damage. The proposed technique is verified using unique vibration data of two full‐scale steel‐girder bridges located on I‐40 through downtown Knoxville, Tennessee, and subjected to progressive damage scenarios induced to steel girders. The results of the analysis for the vertical vibration data of the test bridges indicate that the proposed technique is able to detect the damage induced on the real bridge girders consistently even when the damage level is small and damage is located near a support; however, damage is not well localized or quantified in these two highly redundant bridges. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
TLRs in COVID-19: How they drive immunopathology and the rationale for modulation

COVID-19 is both a viral illness and a disease of immunopathology. Proximal events within the innate immune system drive the balance between deleterious inflammation and viral clearance. We hypothesize that a divergence between the generation of excessive inflammation through over activation of the TLR associated myeloid differentiation primary response (MyD88) pathway relative to the TIR-domain-containing adaptor-inducing IFN-β (TRIF) pathway plays a key role in COVID-19 severity. Both viral elements and damage associated host molecules act as TLR ligands in this process. In this review, we detail the mechanism for this imbalance in COVID-19 based on available evidence, and we discuss how modulation of critical elements may be important in reducing severity of disease.
Partial prevention of glucocorticoid-induced osteocyte deterioration with osteocrin gene therapy

Glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteoporosis and subsequent bone fragility are preceded by death and dysfunction at the cellular level. In particular, short-term glucocorticoid excess suppresses osteocyte remodeling of the surrounding bone mineral, causes apoptosis of osteoblasts and osteocytes, and disrupts homeostatic bone remodeling. Preventing apoptosis and preserving osteocyte morphology and function could be effective means of preventing bone loss during glucocorticoid excess. We hypothesized that osteocrin, which preserves osteocyte viability and morphology in other models where osteocyte defects exist, could prevent osteocyte death and dysfunction in a GC excess model. We used a liver-targeted adeno-associated virus (AAV8) to induce osteocrin overexpression in mice one week prior to implantation with prednisolone or placebo pellets. After 28 days, tissues were collected for micro-CT and histological analysis. GC excess caused the expected reduction in cortical bone thickness and osteocyte canalicular length in control AAV8-treated mice, and these effects were blunted in mice overexpressing osteocrin. However, GC-induced changes in cortical porosity, trabecular bone mass, and gene expression were not prevented by osteocrin. While the mechanism of osteocrin’s effects on osteocyte morphology warrants further investigation, this study does not support a role for this model of osteocrin supplementation to combat the full skeletal effects of GC excess.
A boost DC-AC converter: analysis, design, and experimentation

This paper proposes a new voltage source inverter (VSI) referred to as a boost inverter or boost DC-AC converter. The main attribute of the new inverter topology is the fact that it generates an AC output voltage larger than the DC input one, depending on the instantaneous duty cycle. This property is not found in the classical VSI, which produces an AC output instantaneous voltage always lower than the DC input one. For the purpose of optimizing the boost inverter dynamics, while ensuring correct operation in any working condition, a sliding mode controller is proposed. The main advantage of the sliding mode control over the classical control schemes is its robustness for plant parameter variations, which leads to invariant dynamics and steady-state response in the ideal case. Operation, analysis, control strategy, and experimental results are included in this paper. The new inverter is intended to be used in uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and AC driver systems design whenever an AC voltage larger than the DC link voltage is needed, with no need of a second power conversion stage.
Group size mediates effects of intraspecific competition and forest structure on productivity in a recovering social woodpecker population

Conservation of endangered social wildlife in disturbance‐prone forests is challenging because direct and indirect effects of management strategies developed at the time of species’ listing when population density is low may change under high‐density conditions in locally recovered populations. Here, we used piecewise structural equation modeling to evaluate direct and indirect drivers of productivity in the federally endangered cooperatively breeding red‐cockaded woodpecker Dryobates borealis (RCW) on Savannah River Site, South Carolina, USA. We estimated direct and indirect relationships among group size, neighboring group sizes, fledgling production, density of cavity tree clusters occupied by RCWs, area satisfying threshold criteria of ≥22 stems ha−1 of pines ≥35.6 cm diameter at breast height (dbh), <1.4 m2 ha−1 basal area (BA) of hardwoods 7.6–22.9 cm dbh, and <6% hardwood canopy cover, and area treated with prescribed fire, and tested whether group size mediated indirect effects of area satisfying threshold criteria on fledgling production. Increases in area with ≥22 stems ha−1 of pines ≥35.6 cm dbh and <1.4 m2 ha−1 BA of hardwoods 7.6–22.9 cm dbh, and area treated with prescribed fire, but not area with <6% hardwood canopy cover, had direct positive effects on group size. Group size and area treated with prescribed fire, but not area satisfying threshold criteria, had direct positive effects on fledgling production. The direct effect of neighboring group sizes on fledgling production was negative and smaller relative to the direct positive effect of group size on fledgling production. Overall, our results indicate positive direct effects of group size on fledgling production outweighed negative direct effects of neighboring group sizes, and that group size mediated positive indirect effects of area satisfying structural threshold criteria on fledgling production. These findings indicate that ongoing forest management aimed to increase area with ≥22 pines ha−1 ≥35.6 cm dbh and <1.4 m2 ha−1 BA of hardwoods 7.6–22.9 cm dbh will promote large group sizes, which in turn improve fledgling production and offset costs of heightened competition with neighboring groups under high‐density conditions. Additionally, positive effects of area treated with prescribed fire on RCW group size and fledgling production indicate prescribed fire has unique contributions to woodpecker productivity, likely via direct effects on forest structure and potentially indirect effects on arthropod prey available to foraging RCWs. By simultaneously accounting for multiple drivers of productivity in social wildlife, our study contributes to the understanding of how increases in social wildlife population sizes can alter previously documented habitat‐fitness relationships.
Perceived Usability of Arabic System Usability Scale (A-SUS): Faculty Members’ Perspective of Smart PAAET Application

The recent past has seen increased usability of computer and mobile phones applications (apps) for education and applied skills services. Nevertheless, the usability of such apps, particularly in languages such as Arabic, remains a concern of theoretical understanding and practical implementation. This study applies the Arabic System Usability Scale (A-SUS) survey in Kuwait to understand the faculty' perspective of utilizing the Smart PAAET, that is an app utilized by the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) with various faculty members of Basic Education, Business Studies, Technological Studies, and Administrative Services. The A-SUS results suggest that the i) Faculties of Business and Technology have relatively higher usability ii) particularly among the faculty of age between 30-39, and iii) having a master qualification. The data is further reduced into two composite components of usability and learnability to explore the current theoretical critique on the factoring structure of SUS. These findings enhance the data theory of SUS in general and A-SUS in particular into an essential area of learning management applications from the faculty perspective.
Influence of Tundra Polygon Type and Climate Variability on CO2 and CH4 Fluxes Near Utqiagvik, Alaska

Arctic tundra has the potential to generate significant climate feedbacks, but spatial complexity makes it difficult to quantify the impacts of climate on ecosystem‐atmosphere fluxes, particularly in polygonal tundra comprising wetter and drier polygon types on the scale of tens of meters. We measured CO2, CH4, and energy fluxes using eddy covariance for 7 yr (April to November, 2013–2019) in polygonal tundra near Utqiagvik, Alaska. This period saw the earliest snowmelt, latest snow accumulation, and hottest summer on record. To estimate fluxes by polygon type, we combined a polygon classification with a flux‐footprint model. Methane fluxes were highest in the summer months but were also large during freeze‐up and increased with the warming trend in August–November temperatures. While CO2 respiration had a consistent, exponential relationship with temperature, net ecosystem exchange was more variable among years. CO2 and CH4 exchange (June–September) ranged between −0.83 (Standard error [SE] = 0.03) and −1.32 (SE = 0.04) μmol m−2 s−1 and 13.92 (SE = 0.26)—23.42 (SE = 0.45) nmol m−2 s−1, respectively, and varied interannually (p ≤ 0.05). The maximum‐influence method effectively attributed fluxes to polygon types. Areas dominated by low‐centered polygons had higher CO2 fluxes except in 2016–2017. Methane fluxes were highest in low‐centered polygons 2013–2015 and in flat‐centered polygons in subsequent years, possibly due to increasing temperature and precipitation. Sensible and latent heat fluxes also varied significantly among polygon types. Accurate characterization of Arctic fluxes and their climate dependencies requires spatial disaggregation and long term observations.
Simulation of the gate burnout of GaAs MESFET

The burnout (irreversible breakdown) mechanism of GaAs MESFET at the gate avalanche breakdown has been studied using two-dimensional (2-D) numerical simulation and pulsed measurements. It is shown, that at some critical level of gate avalanche current the current instability results in formation of the negative differential conductivity region on the gate-source I-V characteristic, spatial instability of the avalanche current and formation of high density current filament.
The shear design of in situ reinforced concrete beam–column joints subjected to monotonic loading

Synopsis Research into in situ reinforced concrete joints has been almost exclusively restricted to the study of their behaviour under seismic loading. Different research workers in different parts of the world have used widely differing cyclic loading patterns and this has led to inconsistencies in the proposals put forward for the design of a joint for shear. Even for single-cycle (static or monotonic) loading, there is widespread disagreement on how a joint should be designed. In this paper. a method is proposed for ultimate shear strength design for joints subjected to monotonic loading which gives reliable predictions for an extensive range of test results. A proposal for predicting the serviceability limit state, or the diagonal cracking strength of a joint, which may be necessary for some designs is also given.
The damping of short gravity-capillary waves by experimental sea slicks measured by an airborne multi-frequency microwave scatterometer

As a part of the joint US-German SAXON-FPN experiment radar signatures of five experimental monomolecular sea slicks of different visco-elastic properties were measured by an airborne five-frequency (L-, S-, C-, X- and Ku-band) microwave scatterometer. The ratio of the backscattered radar power from slick-free and slick-covered sea surfaces were measured at different microwave frequencies and incidence angles such that the Bragg wavelength ranged from 2 to 40 cm. At wind speeds up to 6 m/s this ratio exhibits the wavenumber dependence that is consistent with the Marangoni damping theory, which describes the damping of ocean surface waves by visco-elastic surface films in the centimeter to decimeter wavelength region. At wind speeds between 9 and 11 m/s the ratio decreases in the wavenumber range between k=60 m/sup -1/ and k=300 m/sup -1/. No statistically significant dependence of the damping ratio on radar look direction and polarization of the radar was measured at wind speeds between 1.5 m/s and 6 m/s. <<ETX>>
Investigation of Saturation Flow on Shared Right-Turn Lane at Signalized Intersections

Saturation flow rate is regarded as one of the key parameters in estimating capacity and delay for the evaluation of performance at signalized intersections. In China, the saturation flow rates of shared right-turn lanes typically show large fluctuations because of the different departure characteristics of through and right-turning traffic, as well as complex interactions with pedestrians. This study addresses this complexity by proposing a four-stage saturation departure model based on an empirical analysis of discharge headways in shared lanes. The developed model reflects the stochastic nature of vehicle–pedestrian conflict and constructs the logical relationships between shared right-turn saturation flow and its various influencing factors, such as right-turn proportion, pedestrian demand, and the storage capacity of the right-turn radius. A comparison of observed saturation flow rates and estimates from the proposed model and the Highway Capacity Manual demonstrates the good performance of the proposed method. The manual, however, is found to underestimate the effect of pedestrian interference on performed saturation flow rates.
Assessment of the Biological Effects of Pellia endiviifolia and its Constituents in Vitro

Liverworts are characterized by a high content of bioactive compounds reported to show antimicrobial, anticancer, and antioxidant properties. In this study, the biological effects of the methanol extract of the liverwort Pellia endiviifolia and its constituents, bis-bibenzyls perrottetin E, 10′-hydroxyperrottetin E, and 10,10′-dihydroxyperrottetin E, were investigated using human peripheral blood cells as a model system. The assessment of the investigated compounds comprised testing their genotoxicity, apoptotic potential, and redox modulating activities. The genotoxicity testing indicated that medium (25 µM) and high concentrations (100 µM) of the investigated compounds displayed genotoxic and antiproliferative effects in human lymphocytes as revealed by significant, concentration-dependent enhancement of the micronuclei incidence and decrease in the cytokinesis-block proliferation index compared to the control (P < .001). Analysis of leukocyte apoptosis showed a substantial potential of all investigated compounds to induce apoptosis, which was not concentration-dependent. The P endiviifolia extract and perrottetin E demonstrated considerable pro-apoptotic potential, even at the lowest concentration (1 µM) applied. Evaluation of the redox modulating effects, which comprised measuring erythrocyte catalase activity and the lymphocyte malondialdehyde level, showed that the investigated compounds did not induce oxidative stress in human peripheral blood cells (P > .05). The observed genotoxic, antiproliferative, and proapoptotic effects of the investigated compounds make them suitable for further comprehensive studies related to their possible applications as anticancer agents.
Facilitating family decision making: A study of the Family Welfare Conference Service in the HSE Western Area

Some rights reserved. For more information, please see the item record link above. Title Facilitating family decision making: A study of the Family Welfare Conference Service in the HSE Western Area Author(s) Brady, Bernadine Publication Date 2006 Publication Information Brady, B. (2006). "Facilitating family decision making: A study of the Family Welfare Conference Service in the HSE Western Area. " Galway: Child & Family Research and Policy Unit, NUI, Galway Publisher Child & Family Research and Policy Unit, NUI, Galway
Time-Dependent Structural Response of Full-Depth Reclamation

Innovative pavement rehabilitation techniques, such as in-place recycling, are becoming more prevalent as highway agencies face an ever-increasing list of pavement maintenance needs and declining or stagnant budgets. Full-depth reclamation (FDR) has been shown to be a cost-effective alternative to deep milling and repaving to rehabilitate deteriorated flexible pavements. The results of previous FDR studies that investigated pavement structural capacity through the use of deflection testing suggest that long-term strength gain may be achieved through curing; however, such a strength gain has not been well quantified. This study documented the in situ structural testing, with a falling weight deflectometer, of three FDR projects constructed in 2008. Deflection testing was performed periodically at the project sites in the first 2 years after reclamation. This study showed that an accurate estimation of the final structural capacity of an FDR project may not feasibly be achieved immediately after the project has been completed and that it could vary greatly depending on the stabilizing agent used. If data from early-age testing are used to calculate design parameters for future projects, the parameters may be too conservative and result in the loss of potential cost savings through the use of unnecessary overlay materials. A cost analysis, based on data collected in this study, showed that these potential cost savings could approach $37,000 per lane mile. Further mechanistic-based studies of the time-dependent structural response of FDR materials are recommended.
Educating Integrated Project Delivery Educators: A Study of the Source of IPD Knowledge Among Educators

The focus of this paper is a survey conducted to determine how Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) content is currently being taught in undergraduate construction and architecture programs, and how it can be improved. Although there have been surveys conducted by construction educators to determine the presence of IPD education in construction programs, and similar studies have been conducted by architecture educators of architecture programs, the creators of this survey questioned whether those teaching IPD principles, in both construction and architecture, have first-hand industry experience with IPD projects. In order to improve the quality of IPD teaching, the survey further sought to determine which content areas IPD educators wish they were better positioned to teach, and what resources could improve their teaching of IPD. The results of the survey are being used to help the creators of the survey develop content for a symposium centered on improving the teaching of IPD principles in both construction and architecture programs.