Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Grazing Behavior on Weight Regain Post-Bariatric Surgery: A Systematic Review

Grazing, a type of maladaptive eating behavior, has been associated with poor weight outcomes in bariatric patients. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the association between grazing behavior and weight regain post-bariatric surgery. Literature searches, study selection, design of the method, and quality appraisal were carried out by two independent authors. The search strategy was performed until October 2017 in Medline, Embase, Cochrane, Lilacs, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertation & Theses, and Open Grey. Of a total of 3764 articles, five papers met the inclusion criteria (four original articles and one thesis), comprising 994 subjects, mostly women. The prevalence of grazing behavior ranged from 16.6 to 46.6%, and the highest prevalence of significant weight regain was 47%. The association between grazing and weight regain was observed in four of the five evaluated studies. Our findings support an association between grazing behavior and weight regain after bariatric surgery, regardless of surgery type and contextual concept of grazing. Further studies are needed to confirm the clarity of the real prevalence and interfering factors related to grazing behavior and weight outcomes.
An Evolutionary Approach for Cloud Learning Agents in Multi-cloud Distributed Contexts

Learning software agents are able to assist Cloud providers in taking decisions about resource management at any level, as they are able to collect knowledge and improve their performances over time by means of learning strategies. On the other hand Cloud Federations allow providers to share computational infrastructures in order to build a distributed, interoperable multi-cloud context. In this work we present an evolutionary approach based on agent cloning, i.e. a mechanism of agent reproduction allowing providers to substitute an "unsatisfactory" agent acting in a "cloud context" with a clone of an existing agent having a suitable knowledge and a good reputation in the multi-cloud context. By this approach, cloud agents performances can be improved because they are substituted with agent clones that have shown a better behaviour.
A joint sparsity and linear regression based method for customization of median plane HRIR

In this paper, a joint sparsity and multiple linear regression(MLR) based method for computing customized median plane Head Related Impulse Response(HRIR) is proposed. A novel sparsity and MLR based method are first used to identify the dominant pinna parameters individually. Subsequently, parameters obtained by both these individual methods are combined to obtain smaller set of pinna parameters using the principle of majority voting. The HRIRs for an unknown subject are then customized using this meaningful subset of pinna parameters. Experiment on pinna spectral notch extraction and RMSE analysis are used to illustrate the improved performance provided by the proposed method.
Swinging 3D lamps: a projection technique to create 3D illusions on a static 2D image

"Swinging 3D lamp" is a multiuser and naked-eye three-dimensional (3D) display technique using a projector and common printed media. This technique creates 3D optical illusions of motion parallax by superimposing dynamic luminance patterns on a static two-dimensional image in a real environment. The basic idea involves combining "wiggle stereoscopy," a method of creating 3D images by exploiting motion parallax, with "dynamic luminance projection," a projection technique making static images dynamic. However, in some cases, it does not work well when just combining these methods. This challenge was overcome by adding a depth-of-field effect on the original image. The proposed technique is useful for simple and eye-catching 3D displays in public spaces because of the fact that depth information can be presented on the common printed images and that multiple people can perceive the depth without special glasses or equipment.
Debt, Performance-Based Incentives, and Firm Performance

We identify conditions of prior performance and pay-performance sensitivity under which an increase in incentives is associated with improved performance. We find that increasing sensitivity increases risk-adjusted performance in firms with poor prior performance, but has little impact on high-performance firms. We also observe that firms choose higher pay-performance sensitivity when the probability of wealth transfers to bondholders is high(e.g., in low-growth, high-debt firms). Pay-performance sensitivity to stock prices is important. If carefully implemented under the appropriate conditions, it can provide effective incentives for improving firm performance.
Strategic choices regarding talent management in the Flemish public sector

In the past decade, talent management (TM) research has mainly focused on (large) organizations in a for-profit context. From this, it has been established that it is important to apply a contingency perspective since ‘organizations develop talent systems which reflect particular organizational objectives in the context of the strategic constraints which they face’ (Vaiman & Collings 2013). Furthermore, Vaiman & Collings (2013) state that future research thus should aim to connect the talent management policy of an organization to the corporate culture and business strategy. In addition, Thunissen et al. (2013a) acknowledge that the approach to talent is not only determined by the management of an organization but also by other stakeholders (e.g. employees and society). This article aims to contribute to these concerns in the literature by using the contextually based human resource theory (CBHRT) of Paauwe (2004) in a public sector context. The CBHRT tries to explain the choice for an HR policy by looking at several dimensions in the (institutional) environment of an organization and by taking into account the influence of stakeholders. Furthermore, by focusing on the Flemish government, this article meets the call to further research on TM in underexplored research areas.
Hough Transform Based Image Registration

-Image registration is the process of overlaying images (two or more) of the same scene taken at different times, from different viewpoints, and/or by different sensors. The Hough transform is a method for detecting curves by exploiting the duality between points on a curve and parameters of that curve. Hough transform theory images by generating the peak point from gray scale images, and seek for the effect caused by the distance and the angles. Lines will appear on the edge of images, which has been processed edge detection theorem. The input to a Hough transform is normally an image that has been edge detected with a Robert, Sobel or Canny edge detector, for instance. To simplify the computation, the parameter can be divided into distance and angles parameters where both parameter to achieve the enhancement of straight line detection using Hough Transform. In this case it is more like a pattern matcher. Even though that the Hough transform is invariant to rotation. Finally, the input images are registered using the estimated rotation parameter.
Linking Entrepreneurial Orientation and Firm Performance: The Role of Organizational Learning Capability and Innovation Performance

This research contributes to the entrepreneurial orientation (EO)–performance literature by offering a wider picture that includes two intermediate steps: organizational learning capability (OLC) and innovation performance. This study also provides an explanation of intra‐industry firm performance differences by focusing on EO. We use structural equation modeling to test the hypotheses on a data set from talian and panish ceramic tile producers. The results support our conceptual model and demonstrate its usefulness in explaining differences in intra‐industry firm performance. Findings suggest that OLC and innovation performance should be enhanced by managers in order to boost the positive EO–performance link.
Extreme Contagion in Equity Markets

Contagion can be defined as the probability of observing large return realizations simultaneously across different financial markets (co-exceedances) rather than as increases in correlations. We introduce global extreme contagion measures constructed from bivariate extremal dependence measures. The measures are used to quantify both negative and positive equity returns contagion at the inter- and intraregional level for a number of mature and emerging equity markets during the past decade. Our results suggest that (a) contagion patterns differ significantly within regions and across regions, with Latin America showing a secular increase in contagion not matched by other regions or countries; (b) contagion is higher for negative returns than for positive returns; (c) only the 1998 Russian and Brazilian crises led to a global increase in contagion; and (d) extremal dependence measures of contagion and simple correlation measures are not highly correlated, with the exception of Latin America, suggesting that the use of correlations as a proxy for contagion may be misleading.
Realignment Surgery as Alternative Treatment of Varus and Valgus Ankle Osteoarthritis

In patients with asymmetric (varus or valgus) ankle osteoarthritis, realignment surgery is an alternative treatment to fusion or total ankle replacement in selected cases. To determine whether realignment surgery in asymmetric ankle osteoarthritis relieved pain and improved function, we clinically and radiographically followed 35 consecutive patients with posttraumatic ankle osteoarthritis treated with lower leg and hindfoot realignment surgery. We further questioned if outcome correlated with achieved alignment. The average patient age was 43 years (range, 26-68 years). We used a standardized clinical and radiographic protocol. Besides distal tibial osteotomies, additional bony and soft tissue procedures were performed in 32 patients (91%). At mean followup of 5 years (range, 3-10.5 years), pain decreased by an average of 4 points on a visual analog scale; range of ankle motion increased by an average of 5°. Walking ability and the functional parts of the American Foot and Ankle Society score increased by an average of 10 and 21 points, respectively, and correlated with achieved reversal of tibiotalar tilt and the score of Takakura et al. Revision surgery was performed in 10 ankles (29%), of which three ankles (9%) were converted to total ankle replacement. We believe the data support realignment surgery for patients with asymmetric ankle osteoarthritis. Level of Evidence: Level IV, therapeutic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Planning trajectories in post-socialist cities: patterns of divergence and change

This article explores the new planning regimes and planning processes in post-socialist countries and their ability to influence the spatial transformation of cities. It views planning institutions as culturally embedded in the overall process of economic, social, and political transition, while recognizing the power of specific local imperatives and market pressures to shape their response. The research draws on empirical evidence in four countries and their capital cities to highlight the links between the transition to democracy, markets, and decentralized governance on the spatial transformation in post-socialist cities. The main argument is that the new planning institutions have different ability to direct these processes of change, depending on the legal framework, the availability of plans, and the institutionalization of the plan-implementation process. Despite the diverse mosaic of urban experiences in Prague, Riga, Belgrade, and Tirana, planning institutions are viewed as path dependent, influenced by a common socialist legacy. Further, changes in the exogenous environment – economic, social, and institutional – are perceived to be important sources of convergence, but tend to shape different planning responses and policy choices. The research explores these differences as well as the new patterns of spatial transformation in three principal domains: (1) spaces of production/consumption reflecting the economic transition; (2) differentiation in residential spaces associated with the social transition; and (3) new approaches to planning and service delivery resulting from the transition in governance. Central to the arguments in the article is that transition of this magnitude has created a complex urban world in which the patterns of divergence are going to become more explicit in the future, producing spatial and temporal differentiation among post-socialist cities.
The sustainability of euro area debt: a re-assessment

This paper re-assesses findings of the literature that the systematic debt stabilising response in fiscal policy has been sufficiently strong for keeping debt ratios on a sustainable path in Euro area countries. In doing so, it adjusts the standard approach to the specific context of Economic and Monetary Union. Results show that before 1993 policy responses towards net and gross debt are comparable. After 1993, the reaction to net debt weakens while policies react more strongly to the build-up of gross debt according to the definition of the EU fiscal rules. This suggests that financial assets have increasingly been used for managing gross debt ratios while improving net worth has received less priority.
Systematic network coding for transmission over two-hop lossy links

Packet transmission over two-hop lossy link is increasingly important in communication networks. In this paper, we present a systematic network coding scheme for packet-level transmissions over two-hop lossy links. In the scheme, a source node sends out uncoded packets in their original order first, followed by a potentially unlimited number of coded packets using random linear network coding. The intermediate node forwards a packet if it receives an uncoded packet, and sends a coded packet from previously buffered packets using random linear network coding if it does not receive a packet or the received packet is coded. We show that, compared to the scheme in which random linear network coding is used all the time at the source and intermediate nodes, the proposed method requires much less computation in encoding and decoding and also achieves a higher end-to-end rate. The benefit is appreciable when the number of source packets is not large and the finite field in which network coding is performed is small. To analytically assess the performance, we employ a Markov chain based technique to calculate the expected completion time of the proposed scheme given the number of source packets, link erasure rates and finite field size.
A Dominant-Negative p65 PAK Peptide Inhibits Angiogenesis

PAK1 is a protein kinase downstream of the small GTPases Rac and Cdc42 that previous work has implicated in endothelial cell migration via modulation of cell contraction. The first proline-rich region of PAK that binds to an SH3 domain from the adapter protein NCK was responsible for these dominant-negative effects. To test the role of PAK in angiogenesis, we prepared a peptide in which the proline-rich region was fused to the polybasic sequence from the HIV Tat protein to facilitate entry into cells. We show that the short peptide selectively binds NCK, whereas a mutant peptide does not. Treatment of cells with the PAK peptide but not the control peptide disrupts localization of PAK. This peptide specifically inhibited endothelial cell migration and contractility similarly to full-length dominant-negative PAK. In an in vitro tube-forming assay, the PAK peptide specifically blocked formation of multicellular networks. In an in vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane assay, the PAK peptide specifically blocked angiogenesis. These results, therefore, suggest a role for PAK in angiogenesis.
High-speed inverter-fed AC drives

High speed drives offer advantages such as small size, low noise, integrated and thus compact design for many industrial applications due to the fact, that as direct drives they avoid the mechanical gear. Inverter supply provides variable speed, which allows high efficient operation for compressors and pumps. A wide speed and power range from 0.1 kW up to 80 MW is covered with circumference speeds of 100 . 250 m/s. Recent progress is discussed and details of the design of high speed electric machinery are addressed, such as electromagnetic utilization, loss components, types of motors, bearing aspects and inverter-motor interaction.
Inference-based Detection of Architectural Violations in MVC2

Utilizing software architecture patterns is important for reducing maintenance costs. However, maintaining code according to the constraints defined by the architecture patterns is time-consuming work. As described herein, we propose a technique to detect code fragments that are incompliant to the architecture as finegrained architectural violations. For this technique, the dependence graph among code fragments extracted from the source code and the inference rules according to the architecture are the inputs. A set of candidate components to which a code fragment can be affiliated is attached to each node of the graph and is updated step-by-step. The inference rules express the components’ responsibilities and dependency constraints. They remove candidate components of each node that do not satisfy the constraints from the current estimated state of the surrounding code fragment. If the current result does not include the current component, then it is detected as a violation. By defining inference rules for MVC2 architecture and applying the technique to web applications using Play Framework, we obtained accurate detection results.
How does political violence affect confidence in a local currency? Evidence from Egypt

In this paper we estimate a time-series model of the financial asset portfolio shares in Egypt, distinguishing between assets of varying degrees of liquidity and between domestic currency and foreign currency deposits. While financial liberalization and financial stability are found to have encouraged domestic residents to increase the share of their portfolio composed of domestic currency assets, these effects have been offset by an increase in the number of violent political incidents arising from conflict between radical Islamic groups and the Egyptian state. Greater violence has led to lower domestic asset demand and substitution into foreign currency deposits. The link between political events and financial outcomes provides a rationale for economic policy interventions by Bretton Woods institutions in response to increases in political instability. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nonlinear conduction via solitons in a topological mechanical insulator

Significance Mechanisms are zero-energy motions that are key to the operation of mechanical devices, from windshield wipers to robotic arms. We built and studied chain-like mechanisms of coupled rigid rotors that are topologically protected, which means that they are not affected by smooth changes in material parameters like their quantum analogues. These prototypes are examples of mechanical structures that we dub topological metamaterials. Their mechanical excitations are nonlinear solitary waves which are topologically protected and yet tunable by changing the geometry of the unit cell. Although the left and right edges of the sample are equivalent in terms of local constraint counting, the solitary waves can start propagating only from the edge singled out by the topological polarization of the chain. Networks of rigid bars connected by joints, termed linkages, provide a minimal framework to design robotic arms and mechanical metamaterials built of folding components. Here, we investigate a chain-like linkage that, according to linear elasticity, behaves like a topological mechanical insulator whose zero-energy modes are localized at the edge. Simple experiments we performed using prototypes of the chain vividly illustrate how the soft motion, initially localized at the edge, can in fact propagate unobstructed all of the way to the opposite end. Using real prototypes, simulations, and analytical models, we demonstrate that the chain is a mechanical conductor, whose carriers are nonlinear solitary waves, not captured within linear elasticity. Indeed, the linkage prototype can be regarded as the simplest example of a topological metamaterial whose protected mechanical excitations are solitons, moving domain walls between distinct topological mechanical phases. More practically, we have built a topologically protected mechanism that can perform basic tasks such as transporting a mechanical state from one location to another. Our work paves the way toward adopting the principle of topological robustness in the design of robots assembled from activated linkages as well as in the fabrication of complex molecular nanostructures.
Nonlinear adjustment to purchasing power parity: the ADL test for threshold cointegration

This study applies a newly developed Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ADL) test for threshold cointegration, proposed by Li and Lee (2010) to test the validity of long-run Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) for a sample of East Asian countries from January 1986 to October 2009. Empirical results indicate that PPP holds true for all the countries studied, with the exception of Japan and Philippines, and the long-run PPP adjustment process towards its equilibrium is asymmetric. Our results have important policy implications for these East Asian countries under study.