Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The neurobiology of play

A large volume of neurobiological research has been conducted in recent years, almost all of which has been considered solely from the perspective of biology. However, most of the insights gained through this research are also valuable for the game research field. This paper discusses the implications of existing research in neurobiology to the play of games (including, but not restricted to digital games), and connects neurobiological perspectives with models of play aiming to construct superior player satisfaction models built upon biological foundations. Connections are presented between already recognized patterns of play and recent research on the brain (in particular, the limbic system). By providing a framework for understanding how the brain responds to recurrent patterns inherent to play, we aim to provide a platform for future experimental player-game interaction research (for which possible directions are briefly explored), and a propaedeutic to biologically-grounded player satisfaction models.
Dynamic User Task Composition Based on User Preferences

As the number of devices in a pervasive environment is increased, the number of components available on the network also grows rapidly. In such cases, it is possible to compose various applications through a combination of different sets of components. Considering the multifaceted problem of having varying device capabilities supporting a different set of protocols, and each device hosting a number of components providing the same functionality, it becomes very difficult to choose a particular device hosting a required component which can be the best-fit for the user. This becomes practically impossible when the required components are distributed across various devices in the networked environment. We propose a solution for dynamic user task composition considering user preferences, device capabilities, and heterogeneity of communication protocols. With our proposed approach, a user task can be instantiated in different environments using a different set of devices and components, depending upon their capabilities and user preferences. We propose mechanisms for modeling device capabilities and user preferences and for modeling the user task as a graph. We then propose algorithms for selection of devices based on user preferences and task requirements. Since the underlying network is also modeled as a graph, we describe an algorithm for mapping of services in the user task on to the components distributed across devices in the pervasive environment. We also give an overview of our initial implementation and some results of our evaluations.
Visualizing and querying software structures

Software engineering problems often involve large sets of objects and complex relationships among them. This report proposes that graphical visualization techniques can help engineers understand and solve a class of these problems. To illustrate this, two problems are analyzed and recast using the graphical language GraphLog. The first problem is that of simplifying dependencies among components of a system, which translates into removing cycles from a graph. The second problem is that of designing an efficient code overlay structure, which is facilitated in several ways through graphical techniques.
Health Expenditure and Impoverishment in India

This article examines impoverishment effect of the out-of-pocket (OOP) payment for health care on households in India where only 10 per cent of the population is covered by insurance. At the national level, 10.1 per cent of rural households as against 6.2 per cent of urban households have either become poor or poorer as a consequence of OOP for health care. The proportion of rural impoverished households due to OOP health expenditure in the four most underdeveloped states of Orissa, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh are 11.4, 9.5, 7.9 and 7.3 per cents, respectively. The corresponding proportion of urban impoverished households for these states are 7.2, 7.5, 5.9 and 5.1 per cents, respectively. It is also found that the OOP payment tends to increase significantly with inequality in income distribution and shortage of physicians at the state level. Health system inadequacy measure by population density per physician has escalating effect on impoverishment.
Student-Generated Protective Behaviors to Avert Severe Harm Due to High-Risk Alcohol Consumption

High-risk alcohol consumption is a significant problem on college campuses that many students see as a rite of passage in their development into adulthood. Developing effective prevention campaigns designed to lessen or avert the risks associated with alcohol consumption entails understanding how students perceive harmful consequences as well as the ways they protect themselves while drinking. This study used survey research to determine what undergraduate students perceived to be the most severe alcohol-related harms and the protective behaviors that they thought would be effective at averting those harms. Results showed that students saw forced sex as the most severe alcohol-related harm, and the most commonly described protective behavior was personal responsibility. Implications of these findings for campus-focused health communication strategists and directions for future research are discussed.
Contribution of behavior intervention components to 24-month weight loss.

UNLABELLED Sustaining weight loss at the long term is difficult. PURPOSE To examine if eating behaviors, physical activity levels, and program participation influence ones ability to achieve ≥5%, ≥7%, and ≥10% weight loss during a period of 24 months. METHODS Data from 170 overweight and obese women (body mass index = 32.7 ± 4.2 kg·m(-2)) were analyzed in this study. All women followed a standard 24-month behavioral weight loss program in which they were instructed to decrease caloric intake and increase physical activity levels. Eating behaviors, body weight, and physical activity levels were assessed at baseline and at 6 and 24 months. Program participation was evaluated by the percentage of group meetings attended and the percentage of telephone calls completed with an interventionist. Three separate stepwise linear regression analyses were performed to identify variables that were predictive of ≥5%, ≥7%, and ≥10% weight loss at 24 months. RESULTS The percentage of telephone calls completed and change in weight loss eating behaviors predicted ≥5% (r2 = 0.16), ≥7% (r2 = 0.14), and ≥10% weight loss (r2 = 0.10) at 24 months. However, the change in physical activity levels from baseline to 24 months was only predictive of weight losses ≥10% (r2 = 0.11). CONCLUSIONS Behavioral factors, such as adopting healthy eating behaviors and telephone contact time, are important components that assist individuals in achieving weight losses ≥5%. However, high levels of physical activity play a more prominent role in sustaining weight losses ≥10%. Therefore, innovative strategies to enhance long-term exercise adherence should be developed.
Reflex inhibition of electrically induced muscle cramps in hypohydrated humans.

INTRODUCTION Anecdotal evidence suggests that ingesting small volumes of pickle juice relieves muscle cramps within 35 s of ingestion. No experimental evidence exists supporting the ingestion of pickle juice as a treatment for skeletal muscle cramps. METHODS On two different days (1 wk apart), muscle cramps were induced in the flexor hallucis brevis (FHB) of hypohydrated male subjects (approximately 3% body weight loss and plasma osmolality approximately 295 mOsm x kg(-1) H2O) via percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation. Thirty minutes later, a second FHB muscle cramp was induced and was followed immediately by the ingestion of 1 mL x kg(-1) body weight of deionized water or pickle juice (73.9 +/- 2.8 mL). RESULTS Cramp duration and FHB EMG activity during the cramp were quantified, as well as the change in plasma constituents. Cramp duration (water = 151.9 +/- 12.9 s and pickle juice = 153.2 +/- 23.7 s) and FHB EMG activity (water = 60% +/- 6% and pickle juice = 68% +/- 9% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction EMG activity) were similar during the initial cramp induction without fluid ingestion (P > 0.05). During FHB muscle cramp induction combined with fluid ingestion, FHB EMG activity was again similar (water = 55% +/- 9% and pickle juice = 66% +/- 9% of maximum voluntary isometric contraction EMG activity, P > 0.05). However, cramp duration was 49.1 +/- 14.6 s shorter after pickle juice ingestion than water (84.6 +/- 18.5 vs 133.7 +/- 15.9 s, respectively, P < 0.05). The ingestion of water or pickle juice had little impact on plasma composition 5 min after ingestion. CONCLUSIONS Pickle juice, and not deionized water, inhibits electrically induced muscle cramps in hypohydrated humans. This effect could not be explained by rapid restoration of body fluids or electrolytes. We suspect that the rapid inhibition of the electrically induced cramps reflects a neurally mediated reflex that originates in the oropharyngeal region and acts to inhibit the firing of alpha motor neurons of the cramping muscle.
Estimating MET values using the ratio of HR for persons with paraplegia.

UNLABELLED The current compendium of physical activity (CPA) cannot be applied to persons with disabilities due to the lack of physical activity (PA) they are regularly engaged in and inaccurate MET values when applied to persons with disabilities. PURPOSE The purposes of this study were (a) to determine whether HR ratio during PA and resting can be used to accurately predict MET values of PA in persons with paraplegia, (b) to compare individual calibration (IC) with group calibration (GC) in error reduction, and (c) to examine prediction generalizability through a cross-validation design. METHODS Twenty-seven participants (aged 18-45 yr) with complete and incomplete paraplegia at T6 to L4 participated in this study. Oxygen uptake (VO2) and HR were measured simultaneously at rest and during 10 PA using indirect calorimetry and a Polar HR monitor. Predicted METs were calculated using the HR ratio for six activities by applying regression analysis by group (GC) and individuals (IC), respectively. The derived equations were then cross-validated using the four other activities, and corresponding METs were calculated. Absolute error rates (AC), paired t-test, and correlation (r) were used to determine the absolute and relative difference between observed and predicted METs. RESULTS The overall correlation coefficient (r) between HR ratio and observed METs was 0.77 using group regression and 0.93 +/- 0.05 using individual regression. GC (R2 = 0.59, AC = 0.07%-65.25%) was less accurate than IC (R2 = 0.90 +/- 0.10, AC = 1.64%-10.26%). Cross-validation results also showed higher correlations for IC (r = 0.90 in IC and 0.72 in GC) between observed and predicted METs. CONCLUSIONS HR ratio was able to accurately predict METs of persons with paraplegia. IC estimated METs more accurately than GC.
Practical investigations of digital forensics tools for mobile devices

With the continued growth of the mobile device market, the possibility of their use in criminal activity will only continue to increase. While the mobile device market provides a great variety of manufactures and models causing a strong diversity. It becomes difficult for a professional investigator to choose the proper forensics tools for seizing internal data from mobile devices. Through this paper, we will give a comprehensive perspective of each popular digital forensic tool and offer an inside view for investigators to choose their free sources or commercial tools. In addition, a summary for the future direction for forensics tools in mobile devices.
Measurement of physical activity in preschool children.

PURPOSE To provide an overview of the methods that have been developed for measurement of physical activity in children of preschool age. Emphasis will be given to direct observation and accelerometry, but pedometry, HR monitoring, and proxy reports will be reviewed as well. METHOD Research articles detailing the measurement properties of direct observational systems, accelerometry, pedometry, HR monitoring, and proxy reporting specifically in children of preschool age were selected and reviewed. RESULTS Systems for direct observation of physical activity and accelerometry are valid and reliable measures of physical activity in young children. Direct observation, which can provide information on type and context of physical activity, is an excellent complement to accelerometry, which provides detailed information on the intensity and duration of physical activity but no contextual information. CONCLUSIONS Direct observation systems and accelerometry have become well-established measurements of physical activity in young children as well as older groups. Pedometry and HR monitoring have been shown to be applicable, but these methods have been studied less extensively than direct observation and accelerometry. Proxy reports of physical activity are attractive because of low burden, but they have limited validity.
Application of Object-Oriented Metrics To C++ and Java: A Comparative Study

The increasing importance of software measurement has led to design and development of new software measures. As the development of object-oriented software is rising, more and more metrics are being defined for object-oriented programming languages. But there is a little understanding of comparative application of many of these measures to different programming languages. As a consequence, it is very difficult for software managers and developers to select suitable measures and programming languages for object-oriented systems. In this paper, we investigate 23 object-oriented metrics proposed by various researchers. The metrics are applied to same set of 15 programs coded in C++ and Java in an attempt to make comparative study of these two prominent object-oriented programming languages. The work done here reveals that these object-oriented metrics can be applied successfully to both Java and C++. But, Java proves to be more object-oriented than C++ as per intuition. However, counting rules defined for computation of these metrics should be framed more carefully.
Confounders in the association between exercise and femur bone in postmenopausal women.

INTRODUCTION Abundant animal and human evidence demonstrates that loading stimuli generate positive adaptive changes in bone, but effects of activity on bone mineral density (BMD) are often modest and frequently equivocal. HYPOTHESIS Physical activity effects on the femur would be better reflected in measurements of geometry than BMD. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional cohort study. METHODS We used data from 6032 women of mixed ethnicity aged 50-79 yr who had dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans of the total body and hip from the Women's Health Initiative observational study. Subjects were distributed in three ways: self-report categories included 1) tertiles of MET and 2) reported minutes per week walking for exercise. A third, more objective, category was based on tertile of lean body mass fraction (LMF) from DXA scans. Femur outcomes included conventional femoral neck and total hip BMD, bone mineral content and region area, and geometry measurements using the Hip Structure Analysis software. Outcomes were compared between activity groups using models adjusted for common confounders. RESULTS Adjusted bone measurements showed similar activity effects with all three grouping variables, but these were greater and more significant when evaluated by LMF tertile. Women in the highest LMF tertile had the widest femurs. Differences in section modulus between highest and lowest tertile of LMF were 50%-80% greater than the association with bone mineral content and two to three times that on BMD. CONCLUSIONS More active women in the Women's Health Initiative observational study had geometrically stronger femurs, although effects are underestimated, not apparent, or sometimes negative when using BMD as an outcome. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Exercise improves the strength of the femur largely by adding bone to the outer cortical surface; this improves resistance to bending, but because of the way DXA measurements are made, this may paradoxically reduce BMD.
Stride rate recommendations for moderate-intensity walking.

UNLABELLED Current physical activity guidelines recommend physical activity of at least moderate intensity to gain health benefits. Previous studies have recommended a moderate-intensity walking cadence of 100 steps per minute for adults, but the influence of height or stride length has not been investigated. PURPOSE the purpose of the current study was to determine the role of height and stride length in moderate-intensity walking cadence in adults. METHODS seventy-five adults completed three treadmill walking trials and three overground walking trials at slow, medium, and fast walking speeds while V˙O2 was measured using indirect calorimetry. Five stride length-related variables were also measured. RESULTS mixed model regression analysis demonstrated that height explained as much variability in walking intensity at a given cadence as did two different measures of leg length and two different stride length tests. CONCLUSIONS the previous general recommendations of 100 steps per minute were supported for use where a simple public health message is needed. Depending on height, moderate-intensity walking cadence can vary by more than 20 steps per minute, from 90 to 113 steps per minute for adults 198 to 152 cm tall, respectively. Height should therefore be taken into consideration for more precise evaluation or prescription of walking cadence in adults to provide health benefits.
Carbohydrate does not augment exercise-induced protein accretion versus protein alone.

PURPOSE We tested the thesis that CHO and protein coingestion would augment muscle protein synthesis (MPS) and inhibit muscle protein breakdown (MPB) at rest and after resistance exercise. METHODS Nine men (age=23.0±1.9 yr, body mass index=24.2±2.1 kg·m) performed two unilateral knee extension trials (four sets×8-12 repetitions to failure) followed by consumption of 25 g of whey protein (PRO) or 25 g of whey protein plus 50 g of maltodextrin (PRO+CARB). Muscle biopsies and stable isotope methodology were used to measure MPS and MPB. RESULTS The areas under the glucose and insulin curves were 17.5-fold (P<0.05) and 5-fold (P<0.05) greater, respectively, for PRO+CARB than for PRO. Exercise increased MPS and MPB (both P<0.05), but there were no differences between PRO and PRO+CARB in the rested or exercised legs. Phosphorylation of Akt was greater in the PRO+CARB than in the PRO trial (P<0.05); phosphorylations of Akt (P=0.05) and acetyl coA carboxylase-β (P<0.05) were greater after exercise than at rest. The concurrent ingestion of 50 g of CHO with 25 g of protein did not stimulate mixed MPS or inhibit MPB more than 25 g of protein alone either at rest or after resistance exercise. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that insulin is not additive or synergistic to rates of MPS or MPB when CHO is coingested with a dose of protein that maximally stimulates rates of MPS.
Social Network Analysis and Mining for Business Applications

Social network analysis has gained significant attention in recent years, largely due to the success of online social networking and media-sharing sites, and the consequent availability of a wealth of social network data. In spite of the growing interest, however, there is little understanding of the potential business applications of mining social networks. While there is a large body of research on different problems and methods for social network mining, there is a gap between the techniques developed by the research community and their deployment in real-world applications. Therefore the potential business impact of these techniques is still largely unexplored. In this article we use a business process classification framework to put the research topics in a business context and provide an overview of what we consider key problems and techniques in social network analysis and mining from the perspective of business applications. In particular, we discuss data acquisition and preparation, trust, expertise, community structure, network dynamics, and information propagation. In each case we present a brief overview of the problem, describe state-of-the art approaches, discuss business application examples, and map each of the topics to a business process classification framework. In addition, we provide insights on prospective business applications, challenges, and future research directions. The main contribution of this article is to provide a state-of-the-art overview of current techniques while providing a critical perspective on business applications of social network analysis and mining.
Vigorous physical activity, mediating biomarkers, and risk of myocardial infarction.

PURPOSE The effects of physical activity on risk of myocardial infarction (MI) are well documented and may include beneficial changes in blood lipids, inflammatory markers, and insulin sensitivity. The degree to which these and other traditional and nontraditional cardiovascular biomarkers mediate the inverse association between physical activity and risk of MI in men remains unclear. METHODS We conducted a nested case-control study among 18,225 men in the Health Professionals Follow-up Study followed from 1994 to 2004. A total of 412 men with incident MI were matched 1:2 with control participants on age and smoking status using risk-set sampling. From detailed responses to a modified Paffenbarger physical activity questionnaire, we determined the association between average hours of vigorous-intensity activity (activities requiring METs ≥ 6) and MI risk. RESULTS For a 3-h·wk(-1) increase in vigorous-intensity activity, the multivariate relative risk (RR) of MI was 0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.61-0.98). In models including preexisting CVD-related conditions, further adjustment for HDL-C, vitamin D, apolipoprotein B, and hemoglobin A1c attenuated the RR by 70% (95% CI = 12%-127%) to an RR of 0.93 (95% CI = 0.72-1.19). CONCLUSIONS Participating in 3 h·wk(-1) of vigorous-intensity activity is associated with a 22% lower risk of MI among men. This inverse association can be partially explained by the beneficial effects of physical activity on HDL-C, vitamin D, apolipoprotein B, and hemoglobin A1c. Although the inverse association attributable to these biomarkers is substantial, future research should explore benefits of exercise beyond these biomarkers of risk.
COgnition-based DEsign Rules Enhancing Decisionmaking TRaining In A Game Environment (Code Red Triage): doctoral consortium paper

Motivation -- To improve the effectiveness of (serious) games by empirically testing a number of cognition-based game design guidelines. Research approach -- A serious game was made to train players in performing the primary triage procedure in a large scale crisis situation. With this game, a number of game design decisions are systematically varied and the subsequent corresponding effects on learning gains, mental model construction and perceived engagement empirically tested. Findings -- While the game has been successful in training the triage procedure, the use of auditory guidance cues has led to worse mental model construction. Research limitations/Implications -- A triage consists of mostly procedural information, and the empirically tested guidelines are only tested in one game, making the possibility of generalization to other games and game types unclear. In addition, only the effects with relatively short play times are measured. Originality/Value -- Many serious games struggle to effectively convey their instructional material to the player. Conventional game design practice may even harm serious games; we seek to measure what works and what doesn't. Take away message -- When designing a serious game, pay careful attention to how much you task the player, subtle changes can make a big difference.