Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Network formation, learning and innovation in multi-stakeholder research projects : experiences with Adaptive Research and Learning Alliances in rice farming communities in Southeast Asia

Mounting pressure on research organizations to achieve sustainable development outcomes from research has pushed them to use multi-stakeholder approaches. Insights are missing however, on how these influence social, technical, and institutional change, as well as what outcomes emerge from these. The thesis is an examination of the enactment of multi-stakeholder approaches, questioning how and to what extent Adaptive Research (AR) and Learning Alliance (LA) approaches influence socio-technical innovation in rice farming communities. Four case studies of research and development projects that employed the approaches in rice farming communities were elaborated in this thesis. AR implementation in Indonesia (chapter 2), showed how AR fast-tracked technical adaptations and built upon the improvisational capacities of farmers. AR monitoring however, rendered invisible the adaptations required on the social aspect. Simultaneous social, technical, and institutional redesign was limited. A case of LA implemented at national level engaged a network that changed and expanded after three years to include diverse actors (chapter 3). There were points where implementation (mis)aligned with assumptions from project implementers and from conceptual literature of the LA approach. The network influenced change at community level by engaging small groups that made reconfigurations on the technologies and the social arrangements for these (chapter 4). A community-level LA in Myanmar was also found to stimulate a self-organized learning process towards innovation for flatbed dryer technology (chapter 5). A case where a project used AR only versus AR with LA in Myanmar (chapter 6), revealed differing networks, learning processes, and outcomes in terms of learning agenda. The involvement of a wider network resulted in a broader set of activities, which were initiatives outside the original plans of the project. The learning activities were not only about technologies but also included experimentations on supportive environment for access and use of the technologies. This thesis therefore demonstrates that project actors implement AR and LA approaches through a range of translations in multiple contexts. These imply varied interactions in different types of networks. Such interactions triggered varied learning processes and thus influenced different planned or emergent outcomes. Both approaches have potential to catalyze innovation in farming communities; however, outcomes on adoption numbers provide a caveat that these approaches are not silver bullets that guarantee technology adoption. Instead, implementation that facilitates effective learning processes, and monitoring that flags where projects could support emergent outcomes, can help implementers improve their contributions to development in farming communities.
Cryogenic Coaxial Printing for 3D Shell/Core Tissue Engineering Scaffold with Polymeric Shell and Drug-Loaded Core

For decades, coaxial printing has been widely applied in 3D tissue engineering scaffold fabrication. However, there are few reports regarding polymeric materials application in shell production due to fabrication constraints. In this study, a combination of cryogenic printing and coaxial printing aims to approach the challenge. Polycaprolactone (PCL) and sodium alginate (SA) were selected as the representative shell and core materials to test the feasibility of the coaxial cryogenic printing by optimizing key parameters, including working temperature, air pressure, PCL, and SA concentration. According to the optical and SEM images, the SA core contracts a string inside the PCL shell, illustrating the shell/core structure of the 3D coaxial PCL/SA scaffolds. Besides, the shell/core 3D scaffold possesses a 38.39 MPa Young’s modulus in mechanical tests; the PCL shell could retain at least 8 h in 5 mol/L HCl solution, leading to a fabricated drug-loaded PCL/SA shell/core “responsive” to acidic pH. In summary, coaxial cryogenic printing was developed to fabricate 3D scaffolds with a PCL/SA shell/core scaffold, broadening the material range of coaxial printing and providing promising applications in drug release.
MicoRNA-214-3p: a key player in CPLX2-mediated inhibition on temozolomide resistance in glioma

ABSTRACT Objective This study plans to investigate whether miR-214-3p could bind CPLX2 to regulate temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in glioma. Methods The differential expression of miR-214-3p and CPLX2 was determined by qRT-PCR and Western blotting in TMZ-resistant glioma tissues. Then, TMZ-resistant glioma cells (U87/TMZ and U251/TMZ) were established and transfected with miR-214-3p mimic, miR-214-3p inhibitor, pcDNA3.1-CPLX2 or pcDNA3.1-CPLX2 plus miR-214-3p mimic to evaluate the impact of miR-214-3p and CPLX2 on the proliferation, apoptosis and TMZ resistance in U87/TMZ and U251/TMZ cells. The binding relationship between miR-214-3p and CPLX2 was reported by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results Higher miR-214-3p and lower CPLX2 expression levels were revealed in TMZ-sensitive glioma tissues. The alterations in miR-214-3p and CPLX2 expression were more significant in TMZ-resistant tissues compared with TMZ-sensitive tissues. In cellular experiments, TMZ-resistant cells expressed higher miR-214-3p expression and lower CPLX2 expression than TMZ-sensitive cells. Transfection of miR-214-3p mimic elevated the proliferation and half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and decreased the apoptosis in U87/TMZ and U251/TMZ cells. Introduction of miR-214-3p inhibitor or pcDNA3.1-CPLX2 reduced the proliferation and IC50 value and prompted the apoptosis in TMZ-resistant glioma cells. The effects of pcDNA3.1-CPLX2 on inhibiting the proliferation and IC50 value and enhancing the apoptosis in TMZ-resistant glioma cells were hindered by the transfection of miR-214-3p mimic. In addition, CPLX2 was a target gene of miR-214-3p. Conclusion Downregulation of miR-214-3p inhibits TMZ resistance in glioma by promoting CPLX2.
Psychological Adaptations to High-Intensity Interval Training in Overweight and Obese Adults: A Topical Review

Regular exercise has been reported as a fundamental piece of the management and treatment puzzle of obesity, playing a vital role in numerous psychological indicators. However, it is unclear whether high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can improve critical psychological health markers such as adherence, exercise enjoyment, affective responses, health-related quality of life, anxiety, and depression in overweight and obese adults. The purpose of this topical review was to catalogue studies investigating the psychological responses to HIIT in order to identify what psychological outcomes have been assessed, the research methods used, and the results. The inclusion/exclusion criteria were met by 25 published articles investigating either a traditional, single-component (84%) or a hybrid-type, multi-component (16%) HIIT protocol and involving 930 participants with overweight/obesity. The present topical review on HIIT-induced psychological adaptations shows that this popular exercise mode, but also demanding for the masses, can meaningfully increase the vast majority of the selected mental health-related indices. These improvements seem to be equal if not greater than those observed for moderate-intensity continuous training in overweight and obese adults. However, further research is needed in this area, focusing on the potential mechanisms behind positive alterations in various psychological health parameters through larger samples and high-quality randomized controlled trials.
Linear Programming Coordination for Overcurrent Relay in Electrical Distribution Systems with Distributed Generation

Electric power distribution networks are generally radial in nature, with unidirectional power flows transmitted from the highest voltage levels to the consumption levels. The protection system in these distribution networks is relatively simple and consists mainly of fuses, reclosers (RC) and overcurrent relays (OCRs). The installation of distributed generation (DG) in a network causes coordination problems between these devices, because the power flows are no longer unidirectional and can flow upstream to the substation. For this reason, the work proposed here analyzes the most significant impacts that DG has on the protection devices and proposes an adjustment method for the OCRs based on linear programming (LP) techniques with the aim of improving their response time to the different faults that may occur in the main feeder of the network. The distribution system selected for the study is the IEEE 34 bus system using DIgSILENT 14.1 software for its modeling and Matlab for the adjustment of the overcurrent devices. Results indicate that better coordination between protection devices are achieved if LP is used.
Exploration of Symptom Scale as an Outcome for Deprescribing: A Medication Review Study in Nursing Homes

The use of inappropriate medication is an increasing problem among the elderly, leading to hospitalizations, mortality, adverse effects, and lower quality of life (QoL). Deprescribing interventions (e.g., medication reviews (MRs)) have been examined as a possible remedy for this problem. In order to be able to evaluate the potential benefits and harms of a deprescribing intervention, quality of life (QoL) has increasingly been used as an outcome. The sensitivity of QoL measurements may, however, not be sufficient to detect a change in specific disease symptoms, e.g., a flair-up in symptoms or relief of side effects after deprescribing. Using symptom assessments as an outcome, we might be able to identify and evaluate the adverse effects of overmedication and deprescribing alike. The objective of this study was to explore whether symptom assessment is a feasible and valuable method of evaluating outcomes of MRs among the elderly in nursing homes. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been investigated before. We performed a feasibility study based on an experimental design and conducted MRs for elderly patients in nursing homes. Their symptoms were registered at baseline and at a follow-up 3 months after performing the MR. In total, 86 patients, corresponding to 68% of the included patients, received the MR and completed the symptom questionnaires as well as the QoL measurements at baseline and follow-up, respectively. Forty-eight of these patients had at least one deprescribing recommendation implemented. Overall, a tendency towards the improvement of most symptoms was seen after deprescribing, which correlated with the tendencies observed for the QoL measurements. Remarkably, deprescribing did not cause a deterioration of symptoms or QoL, which might otherwise be expected for patients of this age group, of whom the health is often rapidly declining. In conclusion, it was found that symptom assessments were feasible among nursing home residents and resulted in additional relevant information about the potential benefits and harms of deprescribing. It is thus recommended to further explore the use of symptom assessment as an outcome of deprescribing interventions, e.g., in a controlled trial.
New Channels for Old Businesses: Examining the Drivers and Obstacles of Mobile Commerce Adoption for Complex Products

Although revenues in mobile retail are continuously growing, mobile commerce for complex products such as insurance lags far behind. A basic reason is consumers’ perceived misfit of product and channel characteristics. However, scholars and practitioners have only vague ideas of the causes for this misfit. This prevents the development of adequate means to overcome consumer resistance. The present thesis confronts this shortcoming by systematically investigating the psychological mechanisms which produce reluctance, as well as the appropriate countermeasures to facilitate its adoption. In order to do this, four studies with mixed method approaches have been carried out; two studies cover the sources of m-commerce resistance, and two cover the means through which such resistance can be overcome. Study 1 examines and identifies key antecedents of channel choice based on field data. A synthesis of three fundamental theories was undertaken to pinpoint associated cognitive processes. Product complexity and expertise were found to be key determinants in this context. A quadratic moderating role of product expertise is shown to regulate the extent to which complexity enters the purchase decision. Subsequently, Study 2 examines the cognitive processes underlying resistance in m-commerce. Therefore, consumers’ cognitions were mapped and structured by using the laddering interview technique. This revealed hierarchical value linkages. Poor service and system components were the main reasons of customer resistance. In a field evaluation, Study 3 elaborates the understanding of resistance emergence and explores effective countermeasures by applying a set of four statistical analyses. A structural investigation of the concept of risk indicated that psychological risk concentrates the impact of other risk dimensions and acts as mediator towards purchase intention. The induction of service quality moderated the negative effect of risk on purchase intention in a quadratic fashion (inverted-U), leading to minimal risk influence for low and high service quality, but high influence for modest service quality. A laboratory experiment in Study 4 finally presents ways of how to configure service in m-commerce to efficiently support its adoption. Based on task-technology fit considerations, the findings propose a hybrid service approach which combines human-technology mediated and mere technology generated service to leverage the synergies of both. The theoretical and practical implications of all four studies are discussed.
Monitoring of Communication Precursors in Extremely Low Birth Weight (ELBW) Newborns by Video Analysis Method: Preliminary Results

Background: The survival of extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW) has increased worldwide. Even in the absence of major disabilities, ELBW infants show difficulty in simple language functions. It is relevant to assess early abilities, which are the base of early linguistic skills, in order to implement customized intervention programs in ELBW infants. Aims: To evaluate communication precursors of language development in ELBW infants at 12 and 24 months of correct age (C.A). To investigate the correlation of linguistic and communicative prerequisites with mental development outcome at 24 months CA. Method: 52 ELBW neonates (mean gestational age 26.6 weeks, mean birth weight was 775 g) who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of the University Hospital of Modena, were enrolled. Data were collected from archived audio-video recordings of neurodevelopmental follow-up visits. Video analysis of communicative and linguistic developmental was performed at 12 and 24 months CA. Neurodevelopmental outcome was evaluated with Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS-R). Results: The video-analysis showed that infants at 12 months CA used predominantly eye contacts and gestural turns, while vocal turns were scant. At 24 months CA, a significant change in eye contacts, vocal turns, gestural turns, and utterances (p < 0.001) occurred. The total number of utterances (p = 0.036) and eye contacts (p = 0.045) were significantly correlated to the Development Quotient (DQ) of Hearing and Language scale. Moreover, a significant correlation was found with the Personal-Social scale vocal turns (p = 0.009) and the total number of utterances (p = 0,02). Finally, the Global Quotient of the GMDS-R was related to the Vocal Turns (p = 0.034) and the total number of Utterances (p = 0.013). Conclusions: ELBW infants at 12 months CA use predominantly eye contacts and gestural turns to communicate with adults. At 24 months CA, the child’s communicative intention evolves from gestural to verbal communication. The latter is characterized by an increase in both vocal turns and the number of utterances produced during interaction. The video analysis we implement appears to be a sensitive tool for early assessment of communication and language development and to refine early intervention
A Unified Algorithm for the Sliding Spotlight and TOPS Modes Data Processing in Bistatic Configuration of the Geostationary Transmitter with LEO Receivers

This paper deals with the imaging problem for sliding spotlight (SS) and terrain observation by progressive scan (TOPS) modes in bistatic configuration of the geostationary (GEO) transmitter with a low earth orbit satellite (LEO) receiver, named GTLR-BiSAR system. A unified imaging algorithm is proposed to process the GTLR-BiSAR data acquired in SS or TOPS modes. Our main contributions include four aspects. Firstly, the imaging geometry of this novel configuration is described in detail. Furthermore, the GTLR-BiSAR signal expressions were deduced in both time and frequency domains. These signal expressions provide great support for the design of processing the algorithm theoretically. Secondly, we present a unified deramping-based technique according to the special geometry of GTLR-BiSAR to overcome the azimuth spectrum aliasing phenomenon, which typically affects SS and TOPS data. Thirdly, the spatial variance of GTLR-BiSAR data were thoroughly analyzed based on the range-Doppler (RD) geolocation functions. On the basis of a former analysis, we put forward the azimuth variance correction strategy and modified the conventional chirp scaling function to solve the range variance problem. Finally, we completed the derivation of the two-dimensional spectrum after the range chirp scaling. On the basis of spectrum expressions, we compensated for the quadratic and residue phase, and the azimuth compression was completed by SPECAN operation. In addition, we provide a flow diagram to visually exhibit the processing procedures. At the end of this paper, the simulation and real data experiment results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Factors Associated with Body Weight Changes among Nigerian Postgraduate Students at Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Malaysia

International students usually experience a change in body weight and eating behaviour after migrating to a host country. The aim of this study is to determine the factors associated with body weight changes among Nigerian postgraduate students at Unversiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA), Malaysia. A prospective study was conducted for six months to determine the association between body weight changes and socio-demographic, eating behavior, physical activity, dietary intake and quality of life. A total of 82 students (76 male and six females) completed a set of self-administered questionnaires, and their weight and height were measured. Descriptive statistic and paired t-test were carried out to analyze the data (IBM SPSS Version 20.0). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine the factors. Body weight significantly increased by 2.3 ± 0.5 kg after 6 months. Being an art student (β=1.67, p=0.006), being a female (β=-2.68, p=0.009), consuming breakfast once a week (β=5.10, P=<0.001), taking morning tea less than once a month or never at all (β= 3.62, p<0.001), consuming lunch one to three times a month (β=-2.57, p= 0.006), taking afternoon tea two to three days a week (β=2.56, P=0.005), skipping meal sometimes (β=1.22, p= 0.049), taking meal at other food stalls, coffee shops or hawkers’ centers less than once a month or never at all (β=-2.31, p= <0.001) were adjusted significant associated factors for body weight changes. Socio-demography and eating behaviour were found to be the significant predicting factors of body weight changes. This paper concludes that the change in environment has an impact on body weight and eating behaviour of Nigerian students.
Promotion of psychosocial wellbeing in new mothers through mindfulness-based cognitive therapy

Physical wellness, mental wellbeing, psychological state (feelings, emotions, beliefs, perspectives), and social relationships (connections, behaviours, cultural values, and the influence of family, school, colleagues, and community) all have an impact on an individual's psychosocial well-being as stated by WHO. In order to understand the circumstances, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) involves mindful, walking, breathing smiling, indepth looking. accepting, love, compassion, a need to alleviate pain and create happiness are always the benefits of being attentive, touching intimately the present moment. MBCT has evolved into something that can help with a variety of concerns which includes anxiety, stress, sadness, overwhelm, frustration as well as behavioural issues like anger control. It's also a great approach to live a more mindful life. MBCT therapists employ these strategies to teach clients how to break free from negative thought patterns that might lead to a depressed state, allowing them to battle depression before it takes hold. It's a method of being in the world as well as a practise. This study is planned as a quasi-experimental study to see if mindfulness training, which includes balanced nutrition, physical activity, self-care, positive affirmations, self-introspection, stress-relieving exercises, and meditation, can help new moms improve their psychological well-being.
Detecting and Analysing Possible Outliers in Global Stock Market Returns

Abstract We employ a Boxplot method for detecting and analyzing outlying daily returns of 14 international stock market indices sampled from around the world. The main objective of the paper is to provide an extensive analysis of the main characteristics, features and effects of the detected outlier returns. The results show that from about 4–10% of observations constitute outlying returns with an average of 6%. Conservatively, about 1.4% of return series are extreme outliers. Negative outliers are found more frequent, influential, severe and transmissible. The bulk of detected outliers are found to be in the magnitude of three standard deviations. Also, outliers tend to cluster together, both within individual return series over time and across stock markets. We find a sequential pattern in outlier occurrence within individual return series, and a concurrent pattern across stock markets. Moreover, adjusting for outlying returns leads to a decrease in standard deviation, negative skewness and kurtosis by about 18%, 74% and 69% on average, respectively. We do not find consistent evidence that advanced and well-developed stock markets have less frequent and/or sever outliers. Overall, the results and analysis of the paper provide important considerations about international stock market returns which are relevant to stock investment, portfolio and risk management. The results show that the best (worst) outlying returns which represent about only 1% of the return observations have an enormous effect on the stock return performance and realization.