Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retrieval analysis of alumina ceramic-on-ceramic bearing couples

Background and purpose — Ceramic-on-ceramic (CoC) bearings have been in use in total hip replacement (THR) for more than 40 years, with excellent long-term survivorship. Although there have been several simulator studies describing the performance of these joints, there have only been a few retrieval analyses. The aim of this study was to investigate the wear patterns, the surface properties, and friction and lubrication regimes of explanted first-generation alumina bearings. Materials and methods — We studied 9 explanted CoC bearings from Autophor THRs that were revised for aseptic loosening after a mean of 16 (range 7–19) years. The 3D surface roughness profiles of the femoral heads and acetabular cups (Srms, Sa, and Ssk) were measured to determine the microscopic wear. The bearings were imaged using an atomic-force microscope in contact mode, to produce a topographical map of the surfaces of the femoral heads. Friction tests were performed on the bearing couples to determine the lubrication regime under which they were operating during the walking cycle. The diametral clearances were also measured. Results — 3 femoral heads showed stripe wear and the remaining 6 bearings showed minimal wear. The femoral heads with stripe wear had significantly higher surface roughness than the minimally worn bearings (0.645 vs. 0.289, p = 0.04). High diametral clearances, higher than expected friction, and mixed/boundary lubrication regimes prevailed in these retrieved bearings. Interpretation — Despite the less than ideal tribological factors, these first-generation CoC bearings still showed minimal wear in the long term compared to previous retrieval analyses.
Dynamical model and nonextensive statistical mechanics of a market index on large time windows.

The shape and tails of partial distribution functions (PDF) for a financial signal, i.e., the S&P500 and the turbulent nature of the markets are linked through a model encompassing Tsallis nonextensive statistics and leading to evolution equations of the Langevin and Fokker-Planck type. A model originally proposed to describe the intermittent behavior of turbulent flows describes the behavior of normalized log returns for such a financial market index, for small and large time windows, and both for small and large log returns. These turbulent market volatility (of normalized log returns) distributions can be sufficiently well fitted with a chi(2) distribution. The transition between the small time scale model of nonextensive, intermittent process, and the large scale Gaussian extensive homogeneous fluctuation picture is found to be at ca. a 200 day time lag. The intermittency exponent kappa in the framework of the Kolmogorov log-normal model is found to be related to the scaling exponent of the PDF moments, thereby giving weight to the model. The large value of kappa points to a large number of cascades in the turbulent process. The first Kramers-Moyal coefficient in the Fokker-Planck equation is almost equal to zero, indicating "no restoring force. " A comparison is made between normalized log returns and mere price increments.
Data cache locking for tight timing calculations

Caches have become increasingly important with the widening gap between main memory and processor speeds. Small and fast cache memories are designed to bridge this discrepancy. However, they are only effective when programs exhibit sufficient data locality. In addition, caches are a source of unpredictability, resulting in programs sometimes behaving in a different way than expected. Detailed information about the number of cache misses and their causes allows us to predict cache behavior and to detect bottlenecks. Small modifications in the source code may change memory patterns, thereby altering the cache behavior. Code transformations, which take the cache behavior into account, might result in a high cache performance improvement. However, cache memory behavior is very hard to predict, thus making the task of optimizing and timing cache behavior very difficult. This article proposes and evaluates a new compiler framework that times cache behavior for multitasking systems. Our method explores the use of cache partitioning and dynamic cache locking to provide worst-case performance estimates in a safe and tight way for multitasking systems. We use cache partitioning, which divides the cache among tasks to eliminate intertask cache interferences. We combine static cache analysis and cache-locking mechanisms to ensure that all intratask conflicts, and consequently, memory access times, are exactly predictable. The results of our experiments demonstrate the capability of our framework to describe cache behavior at compile time. We compare our timing approach with a system equipped with a nonpartitioned, but statically, locked data cache. Our method outperforms static cache locking for all analyzed task sets under various cache architectures, demonstrating that our fully predictable scheme does not compromise the performance of the transformed programs.
PACE Continuous Innovation Indicators—a novel tool to measure progress in cancer treatments

Concerns about rising health care costs and the often incremental nature of improvements in health outcomes continue to fuel intense debates about ‘progress’ and ‘value’ in cancer research. In times of tightening fiscal constraints, it is increasingly important for patients and their representatives to define what constitutes ’value’ to them. It is clear that diverse stakeholders have different priorities. Harmonisation of values may be neither possible nor desirable. Stakeholders lack tools to visualise or otherwise express these differences and to track progress in cancer treatments based on variable sets of values. The Patient Access to Cancer care Excellence (PACE) Continuous Innovation Indicators are novel, scientifically rigorous progress trackers that employ a three-step process to quantify progress in cancer treatments: 1) mine the literature to determine the strength of the evidence supporting each treatment; 2) allow users to weight the analysis according to their priorities and values; and 3) calculate Evidence Scores (E-Scores), a novel measure to track progress, based on the strength of the evidence weighted by the assigned value. We herein introduce a novel, flexible value model, show how the values from the model can be used to weight the evidence from the scientific literature to obtain E-Scores, and illustrate how assigning different values to new treatments influences the E-Scores. The Indicators allow users to learn how differing values lead to differing assessments of progress in cancer research and to check whether current incentives for innovation are aligned with their value model. By comparing E-Scores generated by this tool, users are able to visualise the relative pace of innovation across areas of cancer research and how stepwise innovation can contribute to substantial progress against cancer over time. Learning from experience and mapping current unmet needs will help to support a broad audience of stakeholders in their efforts to accelerate and maximise progress against cancer.
The Effect of Chain Structures on the Crystallization Behavior and Membrane Formation of Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride) Copolymers

The crystallization behaviors of two copolymers of PVDF were studied, and the effect of copolymerized chains on the crystallization behavior was investigated. The results indicated that both copolymers had a lowered crystallization temperature and crystallinity. The crystallization rate was improved by the copolymer with symmetrical units in PVDF chains, but hindered by asymmetrical units, compared with the neat PVDF. The symmetrical units in PVDF chains favored the β-crystals with fiber-like structures. According to the solubility parameter rule, methyl salicylate (MS) can be chosen as a diluent for PVDF copolymers. Both diluted systems had liquid-liquid (L-L) regions in the phase diagrams, which was due to the lowered crystallization temperature.
Wireless Advertising Effectiveness Evaluation of an SMS Advertising Trial

Executive Summary Wireless advertising is a new, exciting marketing channel with unique features, still in its infancy. The ability to send out targeted, customised information directly to the pockets of the consumers is a very appealing concept to most advertisers. The predictions of future industry growth are skyrocketing and many players are eager to invest. However, many hesitate and some are even sceptical to the idea. The main concerns are consumer acceptance and the effectiveness of the medium as a channel for advertising purposes. The need for increased knowledge in these two areas is therefore substantial. Before companies commit to this industry they want evidence of acceptance and effectiveness. This study aims to estimate and explore the effectiveness of an SMS advertising campaign. This has been done by first evaluating its effectiveness on traditional communication effect measures. The measures are Ad Awareness, Brand Awareness and Attitude, Purchase Intention and Search for more information. Secondly, possible mediators of advertising effectiveness have been investigated, i.e. ad specific and medium specific factors that have impacts on the evaluation measures. The study is based on a trial conducted in Sweden in September 2000. The end-users had signed up for an advertising-financed news service on SMS (Short Message Service). The messages started with a short news update and ended with a 50-character long advertisement. The individual end-user received 2-7 messages in total during a two-week period. The results were obtained from a quantitative survey, with the use of a questionnaire. The study compares the results of two groups; a test group of 337 respondents that were exposed to the campaign, and a control group of 109 respondents that were not. The evaluation of the SMS advertising campaign showed that the campaign was effective on all evaluation measures except for Brand Attitude. Therefore the campaign did have a positive impact on Brand Awareness and Purchase Intention. Ad Awareness varied from 22 to 82% depending on the number of exposures. 12,8% of the target population searched for more information, a measure that could be defined as the mobile Internet " click-through " rate. Measured on the number of individuals stating Ad Awareness, the number was 25%. All the results were statistically significant. The relevance, the credibility and the level of entertainment in the advertisements were proven to play an important role as mediators of effects on evaluation measures. These aspects should therefore be carefully considered when designing …
X linked mental retardation: a clinical guide

Mental retardation is more common in males than females in the population, assumed to be due to mutations on the X chromosome. The prevalence of the 24 genes identified to date is low and less common than expansions in FMR1, which cause Fragile X syndrome. Systematic screening of all other X linked genes in X linked families with mental retardation is currently not feasible in a clinical setting. The phenotypes of genes causing syndromic and non-syndromic mental retardation (NLGN3, NLGN4, RPS6KA3(RSK2), OPHN1, ATRX, SLC6A8, ARX, SYN1, AGTR2, MECP2, PQBP1, SMCX, and SLC16A2) are first discussed, as these may be the focus of more targeted mutation analysis. Secondly, the relative prevalence of genes causing only non-syndromic mental retardation (IL1RAPL1, TM4SF2, ZNF41, FTSJ1, DLG3, FACL4, PAK3, ARHGEF6, FMR2, and GDI) is summarised. Thirdly, the problem of recurrence risk where a molecular genetics diagnosis has not been made and what proportion of the male excess of mental retardation is due to monogenic disorders of the X chromosome are discussed.
A Subgroup of Patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome May Have a Disorder of Arousal

Objective: Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome complain of unrefreshing sleep, and some have poor sleep indicative of sleep disruption. We hypothesized that some CFS patients had a disorder of arousal which interfered with normal sleep which would manifest itself by difficulty falling asleep after a night of sleep deprivation. To test this, we de- termined sleep latency after a night of sleep deprivation. Methods: Patients and healthy controls, previously habituated to sleeping in a sleep lab, returned for a normal night of sleep and for a night of sleep deprivation followed by determination of latency to fall asleep. Patients also had indwelling catheters to allow repeated sampling of plasma for cortisol, a hormone whose levels might reflect arousal. Results: Five of 15 patients showed delays in falling asleep, relative to the healthy controls. Sleep latency following sleep deprivation correlated inversely with sleep efficiency on the normal sleep night. No significant difference was found in cortisol patterns across time for patients and controls on the sleep deprivation night. However, the slope of the curve was shifted up significantly for patients but not for controls on the normal sleep night. Conclusion: A subgroup of patients has difficulty falling asleep after a night of sleep deprivation. These patients may have a disorder of arousal that interferes with their having normal sleep. CFS patients as a group show a shift upwards in the temporal pattern of cortisol during the night - a possible measure of their being stressed while sleeping.
Are we teaching what we should? Dilemmas and problems in tourism and hotel management education.

There is a growing demand for professionally educated and trained staff in the Tourism and Hotel Management (THM) sector as the whole industry attempts to meet expanded consumer wants and desires. This article examines the relevance of THM education from stakeholders’ perspectives, namely, the THM sector, the current and graduate THM students. The following research questions were posed: 1) What are the sector representatives’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness of tourism education? 2) What are the current and graduate students’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness of tourism education? and 3) What recommendations can be made to improve the system? Both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed in the study. Results showed that there was an expanding need for university recognition of specialization due to new technologies and consumer maturation. Likewise, the need for an improved mix between the academic and practical experience and second language inadequacies were highlighted by joint concerns expressed by the sector representatives and the graduate students.
Androgens, insulin resistance and vascular disease in men

Type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasing globally and is an established risk factor for the development of atherosclerotic vascular disease. Insulin resistance is the hallmark feature of type 2 diabetes and is also an important component of the metabolic syndrome. There is evidence to suggest that testosterone is an important regulator of insulin sensitivity in men. Observational studies have shown that testosterone levels are low in men with diabetes, visceral obesity (which is strongly associated with insulin resistance), coronary artery disease and metabolic syndrome. Short‐term interventional studies have also demonstrated that testosterone replacement therapy produces an improvement in insulin sensitivity in men. Thus hypotestosteronaemia may have a role in the pathogenesis of insulin‐resistant states and androgen replacement therapy could be a potential treatment that could be offered for improvements in glycaemic control and reduction in cardiovascular risk, particularly in diabetic men.
Using Hidden Markov Chains for Modeling P2P-TV Traffic

The increasing success of P2P-TV applications, that may overwhelm the network with their large volume of traffic in the near future, calls for the need of new traffic models that can effectively represent the traffic generated by these applications. In this paper, we study the traffic generated by PPLive and SopCast, that are among the most popular P2P-TV applications of today, and propose Hidden-Markov chains for modeling the traffic they generate. Our results show that the models are quite accurate and can be effectively used in many networking tasks such as network performance analysis, network planning and dimensioning, traffic engineering.
Reversed processses , product forms , non-product forms and a new proof of the BCMP theorem

The equilibrium joint state probabilities of interacting Markov processes are obtained in a hierarchical way, by finding the reversed process of the interaction in terms of the reversed processes of the components. From a reversed process, a product-form solution for the joint state probabilities follows directly. The method uses a Markovian process algebra formalism and generalizes the recent Reversed Compound Agent Theorem (RCAT) to solve a diverse class of concurrent systems. This class includes processes with shared, exclusive resources, a customer-oriented specification of a last-come-first-served (LCFS) queue with Coxian service times and an extended PS queue with a non-product form solution. From these results, a new, very short proof of the BCMP theorem ensues. The principal advantage of the methodology is its potential for mechanisation and symbolic implementation. Indeed, many non-standard product-forms have emerged directly from the compositional approach.
Development of Ankle Dorsiflexion/Plantarflexion Exercise Device with Passive Mechanical Joint

We have been developing a passive motion exercise device for ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion that can be applied to patients with complicated ankle joint deformity. In conventional ankle motion exercise devices, a footplate remains parallel to the axis of ankle dorsiflexion/plantarflexion. This may cause pain by forcing the ankle position to fit in the device and may also cause uneven contact of the sole to the footplate during the exercise. Therefore, we proposed to make a device which enables passive dorsiflexion/plantarflexion movements of ankle with adjustable inversion/eversion. In this study, the effect of passive joint of inversion/eversion is examined using pressure distribution on the footplate.
Why Differences Make a Difference: A Field Study of Diversity, Conflict and Performance in Workgroups

A multimethod field study of 92 workgroups explored the influence of three types of workgroup diversity (social category diversity, value diversity, and informational diversity) and two moderators (task type and task interdependence) on workgroup outcomes. Informational diversity positively influenced group performance, mediated by task conflict. Value and social category diversity, task complexity, and task interdependence all moderated this effect. Social category diversity positively influenced group member morale. Value diversity decreased satisfaction, intent to remain, and commitment to the group; relationship conflict mediated the effects of value diversity. We discuss the implications of these results for group leaders, managers, and organizations wishing to create and manage a diverse workforce successfully.
DECISION SUPPORT UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF AUTOMATIC MILKING SYSTEMS USING MIXED LINEAR MODELS AS PART OF A PRECISION DAIRY FARMING CONCEPT

The concept of Precision Dairy Farming is, to a crucial degree, based on data collection related to individual animals. In dairy farming, the amount of data per individual animal will increase. Thus, a particular meaning has the use of this data through decision support systems. A particular meaning has the use of this data through decision support system In the present article, the chosen examples of data utilization were the generation of lactation curves, predicted milk yields per cow, as well as test day effects. The evaluation is based on a mixed linear model with the fixed effects test day, lactation number and four covariates, as well as the random effect of the animal. The trait under investigation was the daily milk yields for a data recording period of 12 months and an average herd size of 160 animals. It will be shown how these predictions and estimates can be used for decision support at herd level.
Insights into the late Cenozoic configuration of the Laurentide Ice Sheet from 40Ar/39Ar dating of glacially transported minerals in midcontinent tills

Glacial sedimentary sequences in the north central United States record multiple advances of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) since ∼2 Ma. Although the tills found in these sequences were deposited by southward flowing glacial lobes, little information is available on the geometry of flow lines in the interior of the LIS during any one glaciation, and the provenance of glacial deposits older than the last ice advance is largely unknown. Systematic changes in the composition of midcontinent tills and other paleogeographic considerations, however, raise the possibility of significant shifts in the trajectory of flow lines feeding the lobes of the southwestern LIS margin. Here we constrain till provenance using 40Ar/39Ar ages of individual hornblende and feldspar grains retrieved from tills representing several glaciations since ∼2 Ma. Hornblende grains show 40Ar/39Ar ages that indicate erosion of Paleoproterozoic (∼1.7–2.0 Ga) and late Archean (>2.5 Ga) rock sources, whereas feldspar grains show a broad range of Paleoproterozoic ages (∼1.4–2.4 Ga). Dating of hornblende and feldspar minerals in single pebbles suggests that this latter distribution of ages is related to the greater sensitivity of feldspars to thermal resetting during minor tectonic events. Accordingly, the range of 40Ar/39Ar ages for the predominant population of Paleoproterozoic hornblende and feldspar grains in our samples is consistent with a source from terrains forming the Churchill province of the Canadian Shield, while the small population of Archean‐age grains likely reflects a source from the southwestern tip of the Archean Superior province that crops out near the study area. These results indicate that midcontinent tills were deposited by ice derived from the northwestern (Keewatin) sector of the LIS. The nearly identical distribution of hornblende and feldspar ages in the till samples identifies the Keewatin ice dome and the related ice flow to the midcontinent as long‐standing features of the LIS throughout the late Pliocene‐Pleistocene glaciations.
Fiscal Legitimacy, Inequality and Democratic Consolidation In Latin America

Latin America suffers from low fiscal legitimacy. In many Latin American countries, fiscal performance and democratic governance are damaged by citizens’ lack of trust and confidence in democratic fiscal institutions. One explanation for this distrust of the government’s fiscal responsibility is that, in contrast to most OECD countries, taxes and transfers play little or no redistributive role in most Latin America states. When taxation fails to deliver and help bridge the gap between the richer and the poorer, the credibility of the fiscal system suffers: poor quality fiscal policy hinders tax revenue, frustrates public expenditure and undermines fiscal and democratic legitimacy. The comparison between Latin American and OECD countries, that we will develop in this paper in the very first section, allow therefore for putting in contrast the achievements and pending progress of the region, focusing in particular on the need for more progressive spending in the region, something achieved by OECD countries, including the Latin ones like Spain or Italy.