Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Combating Obesity in Māori and Pasifika Adolescent School-Children Study: COMPASS Methodology and Study Protocol

Background: Lifestyle modifications including, physical activity can reduce obesity-related morbidity and subsequent cardiovascular disease in youth. This study will investigate the efficacy of a culturally-sensitive, non-contact, boxing-orientated training program on obesity and related cardio-metabolic conditions in Māori and Pasifika adolescents. Details of the methodological aspects of recruitment, inclusion criteria, randomization, cultural sensitivity, intervention program, assessments, process evaluation, and statistical analyses are described. Methods: This study will be a community based, New Zealand, randomized control trial (RCT). Male and female obese (body mass index >95th percentile) Māori and Pasifika adolescents aged 14-16 years will be recruited and the sample size will be confirmed through a feasibility study. Combating Obesity in Māori and Pasifika Adolescent School-children Study (COMPASS) is a 6-month, theory-based program, conducted 3-times/week in a culturally appropriate setting. Each session includes 40 min boxing-orientated training and 30 min resistance training. Assessments will be made at baseline, 3-months, 6-months, 12-months, and 24-months. Main outcomes include abdominal obesity, endothelial function, and insulin resistance. Other outcomes include arterial stiffness, lipid profile, inflammatory biomarkers, well-being, and aerobic fitness. Control measures include physical activity, sleep behavior, and dietary intake. Results: As a protocol paper there are no specific results to present, our purpose is to share our RCT design with the scientific community. Conclusions: COMPASS will be used to provide direction for exercise prescription policy in at-risk Māori and Pasifika adolescents.
Basal ganglia iron content in Parkinson's disease measured with magnetic resonance

The possibility of using magnetic resonance (MR) to evaluate the severity of the pathological changes of Parkinson's disease (PD) is suggested by the known accumulation of iron in the basal ganglia in PD and the reduced signal evident from this area with conventional reduced signal evident from this area with conventional T2‐weighted MR imaging. To improve the specificity of MR for the measurement of tissue iron content, we have developed a method that quantifies the effects of paramagnetic centers sequestered inside cellular membranes, based on the echo time dependence of the decay of transverse magnetization caused by the local field inhomogeneities which are due to intracellular iron. This method enables an index of local tissue iron content to be calculated for structures of the basal ganglia. We report here the application of this method to a series of patients with PD (n = 12) and of normal, age‐matched controls (n = 13). Our objective was to determine whether this measurement of basal ganglia iron concentration correlates with the presence and severity of PD. We observed a significant increase in iron content in both the putamen and pallidum in PD as well as a correlation with the severity of clinical symptomatology. More severely affected patients had a higher iron content in both of these structures. Our results suggest that this MR measurement may provide a noninvasive method of measuring the severity of the pathological changes underlying PD.
n urban forest-inventory-and-analysis investigation in Oregon and ashington acob

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis program recently inventoried trees on 257 sample plots in the urbanized areas of Oregon and Washington. Plots were located on the standard grid (≈1 plot/2428 ha) and installed with the 4-subplot footprint (≈.067 ha with 4 circular subplots). Using these data, we examined: 1) use of the land use classification data from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) for post-stratification; 2) the resolution of the inventory data
INFLUENCE OF AMPLITUDE LOADING AND STRESS RATIO ON FATIGUE LIFE OF ALUMINUM 2024 T 3 ALLOY

A systematic study of the effects of stress ratio on small fatigue crack growth in Al 2024 T3 was conducted under constant amplitude loading. Specimens were tested axially at room temperature under three amplitude loading and with three different stress ratios (R) of 0, 0.1, and -0.1at a frequency of 20 Hz. For a given material and environment, the fatigue crack growth behavior is essentially the same for different specimens or components because the stress intensity factor range is the principal controlling factor in fatigue crack growth. Variable loading effect was also analyzed in step down order to study the fatigue growth rate. Thus the fatigue crack growth rate (da/dN) versus K data obtained on simple specimen configurations, under constant amplitude conditions can be used for engineering design.
Estimation on concrete trench barrier effect : a hybrid experimental method based on neural network model

In this paper, the neural network is introduced as the basic model, and the barrier effect of the vertical seismic wave amplitude is estimated by the three dimensional concrete trench. The back propagation training method is adopted in the paper. The main procedure includes inputting the related parameters of trench barrier seismic wave, analyzing by the pre-processed method and factor algorithm, and selecting six parameters such as the trench section, the distance between the epicenter and the trench, the immersed depth in the foundation and the in-filled material property, etc. The disadvantage of the node numbers and the network learning, which is made by the previous trial-anderror method, should be improved by the Cascade Correlation learning procedure, the automatically adjusted learning speed ratio and the inertia factor algorithm. In addition, the neural network should be built up and taken the average vertical amplitude as the output value. The experiment results show that the built neural network model can simulate the barrier effect of the vertical seismic wave amplitude analyzed by the three dimensional concrete trench, and its accuracy of the predicted results is better.
First Order Reactant of Dusty Fluid MHD Turbulence Prior to the Ultimate Phase of Decay for Four-Point Correlation in A Rotating System

In this paper, first order chemical reactant will be analyzed to study the effect of the fluctuation of MHD turbulence before the ultimate phase of decay in present of dust particles in a rotating system at four point correlation. Following Deissler’s approach two, three and four point correlation equations have been obtained, and the set of correlation equations is made determinate by neglecting the quintuple correlations in comparison to the third and fourth order correlation terms. By taking Fourier-transforms, the correlation equations are converted to spectral form. Finally, integrating the energy spectrum over all wave numbers. The energy decay of MHD turbulence for first-order reactant in the presence of dust particles in a rotating system is obtained, and the result is shown graphically in the text.
Non-Invasive Diagnosis of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Using Gastrin- and Pepsinogen-Based Tests

Abstract Gastrin-17 (G-17), pepsinogen-1 (Pg1) and pepsinogen-2 (Pg2) reflect the functional state of gastric mucosa and are used for non-invasive diagnosis and screening of atrophic gastritis. The aim of the study was to clarify if erosive reflux disease (ERD) or non-ERD (NERD) can be distinguished from other dyspeptic conditions in patients, in a non-invasive manner using specific biomarkers. Levels of G-17, Pg1, and Pg2 were measured in 141 ERD patients (median age 48 years, males — 68), 122 NERD patients (median age 45 years, males — 32) and 410 control patients (median age 50 years, males — 97). Levels of biomarkers in ERD and NERD groups were compared to controls. Median levels of G-17 (1.94 vs 2.92 pmol/L, p = 0.036) and Pg2 (6.70 vs 7.79 µg/l, p = 0.046) were lower in the ERD group compared to control patients; no difference with respect to the control was found for the NERD group. After exclusion of the patients having at least one potential condition that might modify the levels of the biomarkers (gastric mucosa atrophy, Helicobacter pylori colonisation), no difference in levels of biomarkers was observed with respect to the control for both the ERD and NERD groups. G-17, Pg1, and Pg2 based tests cannot be used to distinguish ERD or NERD from other dyspeptic conditions in patients.
Video-based face recognition using tensor and clustering

Video-based face recognition has become one hot topic in the field of pattern recognition recently. How to fully utilize the spatial and temporal information in video to overcome the difficulties existing in the video-based face recognition, such as low resolution of face images in video, large variations of face scale, radical changes of illumination and pose as well as occasionally occlusion of different parts of faces, is the focus. In this paper, we propose a novel manifold-based face recognition algorithm using tensor and clustering(TCVLPP), which can discover more space-time semantic information hidden in video face sequence, simultaneously make the best of the intrinsic nonlinear structure information to extract discriminative manifold features. We also compare our approach with other algorithms on our own video databases. The experimental results show that TCVLPP can get a higher recognition accuracy rate for video-based face recognition.
Cartographic Algorithms: Problems of Implementation and Evaluation and the Impact of Digitising Errors

Cartographic generalisation remains one of the outstanding challenges in digital cartography and Geographical Information Systems (GIS). It is generally assumed that computerisation will lead to the removal of spurious variability introduced by the subjective decisions of individual cartographers. This paper demonstrates through an in‐depth study of a line simplification algorithm that computerisation introduces its own sources of variability. The algorithm, referred to as the Douglas‐Peucker algorithm in cartographic literature, has been widely used in image processing, pattern recognition and GIS for some 20 years. An analysis of this algorithm and study of some implementations in wide use identify the presence of variability resulting from the subjective decisions of software implementors. Spurious variability in software complicates the processes of evaluation and comparison of alternative algorithms for cartographic tasks. No doubt, variability in implementation could be removed by rigorous study and specification of algorithms. Such future work must address the presence of digitising error in cartographic data. Our analysis suggests that it would be difficult to adapt the Douglas‐Peucker algorithm to cope with digitising error without altering the method.
Anomalous Gate-Edge Leakage Induced by High Tensile Stress in NMOSFET

Anomalously high gate tunneling current, induced by high-tensile-stress memorization technique, is reported in this letter. Carrier-separation measurement method shows that the increased gate tunneling current is originated from the higher gate-to-source/drain (S/D) tunneling current, which worsens when channel length is getting shorter. Also, the device with enhanced tensile strain exhibits 9% higher gate-to-S/D overlapping capacitance. These data indicate that the anomalously high gate tunneling current could be attributed to the high tensile strain that induces the effects of excessive lightly doped dopant diffusion and higher gate-edge damage. The proposed inference is confirmed by channel hot-electron stress.
Post Method Pedagogy of Secondary Education in Bangladesh : An Insinuation

Being the foreign language, English language learning and teaching are always a tough job. To change progressively, we must change the existing Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) method and adopt the more effective one for our learners. Bangladesh still applies CLT in the teaching and learning process currently while the other world rejects CLT in the recent days. As English is not a second language in Bangladesh, our students are not at all interested in learning English. Many of our teachers are also not efficient in teaching English following the CLT approach. Consequently there raises the needs of a new and fruitful method for the learners and that is the Post Method pedagogy. So, the current study deals with the needs, importance and scholarly application of this new method for ELT in Bangladesh at the secondary level education. Kewords: Post Method Pedagogy, Cul-de-sac, Secondary Education, CLT, EFL, SEQAEP.
When Pastor's Kid Becomes College Student: Identity Development of PKs During College

Pastors’ kids (PKs) have a very unique childhood experience with certain, inherent challenges, but there has not been any prior research on how this unique background impacts the establishment of their identity when they matriculate into college. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of and challenges to a healthy identity development that pastors’ kids experience during their years in college. Participants included current undergraduate students who grew up as pastors’ kids, and each was interviewed using the phenomenological qualitative methodology. Three primary themes that emerged from the interviews are discussed: the uniqueness of their faith development, the importance of a positive relationship with their father, and both negative and positive aspects of the life of a PK, as well as a discussion of how those themes factor into their identity development during college.
Effect of impact load and active load on bone metabolism and body composition of adolescent athletes.

PURPOSE It is unclear whether adolescents involved in nonweight-bearing activities experience a delay in bone growth acquisition and sexual maturation. The purpose of this study was to compare bone mineral density (BMD), body composition, hormonal profile, and bone biochemical markers of adolescent athletes active in sports involved in impact load sports with those participating in active load sports. METHODS Forty-five male Caucasian athletes aged 12--18 yr were divided into two groups according to type of skeleton loading, impact (N = 18), or active (N = 27). Twenty-four male Caucasian adolescents (12--18 yr) served as controls and only performed the activities included in their physical education classes. All subjects were assessed for bone mass, body composition, and bone age by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Serum calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), total testosterone, FSH, LH, urinary calcium to creatinine ratio (Ca/Cr), and urinary deoxypyridinoline crosslinks to creatinine ratio (DPD/Cr) were measured. RESULTS The impact load group presented the highest BMD among the three groups for all studied sites. Lean mass and absolute weight were correlated with all of the bone mass measurements. BAP levels were significantly higher and testosterone levels significantly lower in the active load group compared with the impact group. CONCLUSION High-impact load exercises have a beneficial effect on bone mass in male adolescents. There is also a positive correlation of weight and body composition with BMD. However, further longitudinal studies are necessary to determine whether there is a delay in bone growth acquisition among adolescents involved in a nonweight-bearing exercise regimen and its association with sex hormones.
Cato Institute Policy Analysis No . 79 : Professional Licensure and Quality : The Evidence December 9 , 1986

The generally stated purpose for licensing and the primary justification for this use of the police power of the state is to ensure quality in services offered to the public. Until fairly recently, the relationship between licensing and quality was rarely questioned; it appeared self-evident that conscientious restriction of entry into a profession would result in protection of the public from quacks and incompetents. In the last decade, though, this conventional wisdom has been questioned by a number of investigators.
Momentary Fluctuations in Allocation of Attention: Cross-modal Effects of Visual Task Load on Auditory Discrimination

Even when our attention is dedicated to an important task, background processes monitor the environment for significant events. The mismatch negativity (MMN) event-related potential is thought to reflect such a monitoring process. Nevertheless, there is continuing debate concerning the susceptibility of the MMN to attentional manipulation. We investigated the trial-by-trial relationship between brain activity related to change detection, reflected in the MMN, and visual psychophysical performance—while varying task difficulty. We find that auditory change detection is indeed “automatic” in that MMN remains robust despite increasing (visual) task load. However, the MMN amplitude and latency are susceptible to both visual load and to momentary attentional fluctuations as reflected in success or failure to identify a following visual target. We conclude that background central auditory processing is sensitive to the demands of a visual task, and fluctuates based on moment-to-moment allocation of attentional resources to the visual task.
DNA technology for small molecules sensing: a new approach for Acetamiprid detection

In this work, an electrochemical DNA aptasensor for acetamiprid is presented. The aptasensor is based on a dual signal amplified strategy by employing a gold-polyaniline modified screen-printed electrode as sensor platform and an enzyme-linked label for sensitive detection. The polyaniline-gold nanocomposite modified electrodes were firstly modified with a mixed monolayer of a thiol-tethered DNA aptamer and 6-mercapto-1-hexanol. The acetamiprid solution was then incubated with the aptasensor. An enzyme-amplified detection scheme, based on the coupling of a streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase conjugate and secondary biotinylated aptamer was then applied. The enzyme catalyzed the hydrolysis of the electroinactive 1-naphthyl-phosphate to 1-naphthol. This electroactive product was detected by means of differential pulse voltammetry. A calibration curve between 0-200 nM acetamiprid concentration range was obtained.
InsideInsights: Integrating Data‐Driven Reporting in Collaborative Visual Analytics

Analyzing complex data is a non‐linear process that alternates between identifying discrete facts and developing overall assessments and conclusions. In addition, data analysis rarely occurs in solitude; multiple collaborators can be engaged in the same analysis, or intermediate results can be reported to stakeholders. However, current data‐driven communication tools are detached from the analysis process and promote linear stories that forego the hierarchical and branching nature of data analysis, which leads to either too much or too little detail in the final report. We propose a conceptual design for integrated data‐driven reporting that allows for iterative structuring of insights into hierarchies linked to analytic provenance and chosen analysis views. The hierarchies become dynamic and interactive reports where collaborators can review and modify the analysis at a desired level of detail. Our web‐based InsideInsights system provides interaction techniques to annotate states of analytic components, structure annotations, and link them to appropriate presentation views. We demonstrate the generality and usefulness of our system with two use cases and a qualitative expert review.
Blind Sources Separation Based on Short-Time Discrete Cosine Transforms

This paper presents a sparse blind source separation method which uses short-time discrete cosine transform (STDCT) to obtain the transformed domain information from a set of linear instantaneous mixtures of these sources. Unlike short-time Fourier transform (STFT) determining the single source point or area by using the ratio of the real and imaginary parts, we remove these points which are away from the mean direction of the cluster using the orthogonal distance between the point and the line. For the clustering part, we use, in this paper, an algorithm inspired from K-means. The final algorithm is easy to extend for any number of sources. Because the STDCT is a Fourier-related transform similar to the STFT, which using only real numbers, so it reduces the computer cost on clustering and improves the algorithm accuracy. Experimental results are provided to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm through comparing with STFT from the normalized mean-square error (NMSE) and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR).
Genetic variation and population structure in Scandinavian wolverine (Gulo gulo) populations

Wolverine (Gulo gulo) numbers in Scandinavia were significantly reduced during the early part of the century as a result of predator removal programmes and hunting. Protective legislation in both Sweden and Norway in the 1960s and 1970s has now resulted in increased wolverine densities in Scandinavia. We report here the development of 15 polymorphic microsatellite markers in wolverine and their use to examine the population sub‐structure and genetic variability in free‐ranging Scandinavian wolverine populations as well as in a sample of individuals collected before 1970. Significant subdivision between extant populations was discovered, in particular for the small and isolated population of southern Norway, which represents a recent recolonization. Overall genetic variability was found to be lower than previously reported for other mustelids, with only two to five alleles per locus and observed heterozygosities (HO) ranging from 0.269 to 0.376 across the examined populations, being lowest in southern Norway. Analysis of the mitochondrial DNA control region revealed no variation throughout the surveyed populations. As the historical sample did not show higher levels of genetic variability, our results are consistent with a reduction in the genetic variation in Scandinavian wolverines that pre‐dates the demographic bottleneck observed during the last century. The observed subdivision between populations calls for management caution when issuing harvest quotas, especially for the geographically isolated south Norwegian population.