Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measurement of the thickness of the urethrovaginal space in women with or without vaginal orgasm.

INTRODUCTION The physiology and anatomy of female sexual function are poorly understood. The differences in sexual function among women may be partly attributed to anatomical factors. AIM The purpose of this study was to use ultrasonography to evaluate the anatomical variability of the urethrovaginal space in women with and without vaginal orgasm. METHODS Twenty healthy, neurologically intact volunteers were recruited from a population of women who were a part of a previous published study. All women underwent a complete urodynamic evaluation and those with clinical and urodynamic urinary incontinence, idiopathic detrusor overactivity, or micturition disorders, as well as postmenopausal women and those with sexual dysfunction were excluded. The reported experience of vaginal orgasm was investigated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The urethrovaginal space thickness as measured by ultrasound was chosen as the indicator of urogenital anatomical variability. Designated evaluators carried out the measurements in a blinded fashion. RESULTS The urethrovaginal space and distal, middle, and proximal urethrovaginal segments were thinner in women without vaginal orgasm. A direct correlation between the presence of vaginal orgasm and the thickness of urethrovaginal space was found. Women with a thicker urethrovaginal space were more likely to experience vaginal orgasm (r = 0.884; P = 0.015). A direct and significant correlation between the thickness of each urethrovaginal segment and the presence of vaginal orgasm was found, with the best correlation observed for the distal segment (r = 0.863; P < 0.0001). Interobserver agreement between the designated evaluators was excellent (r = 0.87; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The measurement of the space within the anterior vaginal wall by ultrasonography is a simple tool to explore anatomical variability of the human clitoris-urethrovaginal complex, also known as the G-spot, which can be correlated to the ability to experience the vaginally activated orgasm.
Asymmetry and Polymorphism of Hybrid Male Sterility During the Early Stages of Speciation in House Mice

Abstract House mice offer a powerful system for dissecting the genetic basis of phenotypes that isolate species in the early stages of speciation. We used a series of reciprocal crosses between wild-derived strains of Mus musculus and M. domesticus to examine F1 hybrid male sterility, one of the primary phenotypes thought to isolate these species. We report four main results. First, we found significantly smaller testes and fewer sperm in hybrid male progeny of most crosses. Second, in some crosses hybrid male sterility was asymmetric and depended on the species origin of the X chromosome. These observations confirm and extend previous findings, underscoring the central role that the M. musculus X chromosome plays in reproductive isolation. Third, comparisons among reciprocal crosses revealed polymorphism at one or more hybrid incompatibilities within M. musculus. Fourth, the spermatogenic phenotype of this polymorphic interaction appears distinct from previously described hybrid incompatibilities between these species. These data build on previous studies of speciation in house mice and show that the genetic basis of hybrid male sterility is fairly complex, even at this early stage of divergence.
Time-space tradeoffs for branching programs

We obtain the first non-trivial time-space tradeoff lower bound for functions f: {0,1}/sup n//spl rarr/{0,1} on general branching programs by exhibiting a Boolean function f that requires exponential size to be computed by any branching program of length (1+/spl epsiv/)n, for some constant /spl epsiv/>0. We also give the first separation result between the syntactic and semantic read-k models for k>1 by showing that polynomial-size semantic read-twice branching programs can compute functions that require exponential size on any syntactic read-k branching program. We also show a time-space tradeoff result on the more general R-way branching program model: for any k, we give a function that requires exponential size to be computed by length kn q-way branching programs, for some q=q(k).
The Effect of Physical Cleaning on Threatened Morality in Individuals With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The association between morality and physical cleansing has been demonstrated in a series of studies by Zhong and Liljenquist. We predicted that this association would be especially prominent in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Participants with OCD and matched control participants wrote about an immoral deed they had committed, after which half of the participants in each group cleaned their hands with a wipe. All participants were then offered an opportunity to help a fictitious graduate student by taking part in her experiment. Replicating previous findings, physical cleaning reduced the willingness to help and relieved moral emotions. As predicted, this effect was particularly prominent among participants with OCD. We discuss two processes that may account for the association between morality and cleanliness in general and particularly in the context of OCD: embodiment of morality in terms of physical cleanliness and assigning abstract meaning to the physical actions of cleaning.
Heterozygosity for a mutation in the growth hormone-releasing hormone receptor gene does not influence adult stature, but affects body composition.

CONTEXT Biallelic mutations in the GHRH receptor (GHRHR) gene (GHRHR) are a frequent cause of isolated GH deficiency (IGHD). Although heterozygous carriers of these mutations appear normal, we hypothesized that heterozygosity for a GHRHR mutation might be associated with a subclinical phenotype. METHODS We studied members of a large Brazilian kindred with IGHD (Itabaianinha cohort) caused by a homozygous null GHRHR mutation. We compared 76 adult subjects (age, 25-75 yr) heterozygous for the mutation (WT/MT) with 77 sex-matched controls from the same population who are homozygous for the wild-type GHRHR allele (WT/WT). RESULTS We found no difference in adult height and sd score for serum IGF-I between the two groups. Body weight, body mass index, skin folds, waist and hip circumferences, and lean mass were all reduced in WT/MT subjects. Percentage fat mass and waist/hip ratio were similar in the two groups. Fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance were lower in WT/MT. The other biochemical parameters [total and fractionated cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein (a), and C-reactive protein] were not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Heterozygosity for a null GHRHR mutation is not associated with reduction in adult stature or in serum IGF-I but is associated with changes in body composition and possibly an increase in insulin sensitivity. These effects do not seem to be modulated by changes in circulating IGF-I.
Acute infection and macrophage subversion by Mycobacterium tuberculosis require a specialized secretion system

Although many bacterial pathogens use specialized secretion systems for virulence, no such systems have been described for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a major pathogen of humans that proliferates in host macrophages. In a screen to identify genes required for virulence of M. tuberculosis, we have discovered three components and two substrates of the first Sec-independent secretion pathway described in M. tuberculosis, which we designate the Snm pathway. Here we demonstrate that the proteins Snm1, -2, and -4 are required for the secretion of ESAT-6 and CFP-10, small proteins previously identified as major T cell antigens. Snm2, a member of the AAA ATPase family, interacts with substrates and with Snm1, another AAA ATPase. We show that M. tuberculosis mutants lacking either the Snm system or these substrates exhibit defects in bacterial growth during the acute phase of a mouse infection and are attenuated for virulence. Strikingly, snm mutants fail to replicate in cultured macrophages and to inhibit macrophage inflammatory responses, two well established activities of wild-type M. tuberculosis bacilli. Thus, the Snm secretion pathway works to subvert normal macrophage responses and is a major determinant of M. tuberculosis virulence.
Immunomodulatory effects of Lisovit® in response to Newcastle Disease and infectious bursal disease vaccines in broilers.

The present study was designed to investigate effects of Lisovit (Biomin, Austria) on the immune system of broiler chickens. For this purpose, 270 (day-old) broiler chicks were randomly divided into three groups A, B and C of 90 birds each. The birds were vaccinated against Newcastle Disease (ND) on day 3 (intraocular) and day 18 (drinking water) of age and against Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) on day 8 (intraocular) and day 21 (drinking water) of age. Group A served as control, while birds of groups B and C were offered Lisovit (Biomin, Austria) at the dose rate of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight (b.wt.) respectively on days 22, 24 and 26 of age. The serum samples were collected at day 21, 31 and 41 of age and subjected to haemagglutination inhibition (HI) and indirect haemagglutination (IHA) antibody titres for ND and IBD vaccines, respectively. On day 13 post vaccination against ND, maximum values of the geometric mean haemagglutination inhibition (GMHI) antibody titres of groups A, B and C were 33.51,185 and 244, respectively. Whereas on day 10 post vaccination against IBD, maximum values of geometric mean indirect haemagglutination (GMIHA) antibody titres of groups A, B and C were 35.09, 255.19 and 387.01, respectively. The group C achieved significantly (p<0.05) higher antibody titres than group B and A. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) of group C was found better than group B and A. Mortality rate upto 42 days of age was significantly (p<0.05) lower in group C (2.2%), followed by B (13.3%) and highest in A (29.0%). These results indicate that Lisovit at the dose rate of 200mg/kg b.wt. can be used to enhance antibody titres against ND and IBD vaccines, to reduce mortality rate and to improve FCR in broiler chickens.
Motion capture and classification for real-time interaction with a bipedal robot using on-body, fully wireless, motion capture specknets

This paper presents, to the best of our knowledge, the first instance of real-time human-robot interaction using motion capture (mocap) data obtained from fully wireless, on-body sensor networks. During the learning phase, data for motion such as waving of the hands, standing on a leg, performing sit-ups and squats is captured from a human strapped with the Orient motion capture specks. Key features are extracted from the captured motion data using unsupervised learning algorithms. During subsequent interactions with the robot, the motion of the operator, speckled with Orients, is classified and the robot selects to play the closest motion. This approach is particularly useful in situations where the robot operates a well defined vocabulary of motion, and the advantages are the real-time interaction and the rapidity (in a matter of minutes) in programming new behaviour compared to a heuristics-based approach. This paper compares the performances of three unsupervised learning algorithms: c-means, k-means and Expectation Maximisation (EM) for the four motion scenarios. Nine best candidates for the three learning algorithms for each of the four motion scenarios were selected in the Webots robot simulator and then transferred to the real robot. Metrics were defined for each motion scenario and their performances compared for the three learning algorithms. In all the cases the motions were able to be imitated; c-means was the best, followed closely by the k-means algorithms, and the reasons have been analysed.
A Mouse-Adapted Enterovirus 71 Strain Causes Neurological Disease in Mice after Oral Infection

ABSTRACT A mouse-adapted enterovirus 71 (EV71) strain with increased virulence in mice, MP4, was generated after four serial passages of the parental EV71 strain 4643 in mice. Strain MP4 exhibited a larger plaque size, grew more rapidly, and was more cytotoxic in vitro than strain 4643. Although strains 4643 and MP4 both induced apoptosis of SK-N-SH human neuroblastoma cells, MP4 was more virulent than 4643 in 1-day-old mice (50% lethal doses, 102 and 104 PFU/mouse, respectively). Strain MP4 (5 × 106 PFU/mouse), but not 4643, could orally infect 7-day-old mice, resulting in rear-limb paralysis followed by death 5 to 9 days after inoculation with the virus. Histopathologically, neuronal loss and apoptosis were evident in the spinal cords as well as the brain stems of the infected mice. The limb muscles displayed massive necrosis. There was early and transient virus replication in the intestines, whereas the spinal cord, brain, and muscle became the sites of viral replication during the late phase of the infection. Virus transmission occurred among infected and noninfected cagemates, as demonstrated by the occurrence of seroconversion and the presence of viable viruses in the stool samples of the latter. Protection against EV71 challenge was demonstrated following administration of hyperimmune serum 1 day after inoculation with the virus. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the genome of EV71 strain MP4 revealed four nucleotide changes on the 5′ untranslated region, three on the VP2 region, and eight on the 2C region, resulting in one and four amino acid substitutions in the VP2 and 2C proteins, respectively.
When culture does (not) matter: role models and self-efficacy as drivers of entrepreneurial behavior

The correlation between facets of national culture and startup activities has received confirmation in empirical research while many mechanisms behind the correlation remain unclear. We study the interplay between the individualism-collectivism orientation of national culture, the incidence of entrepreneurial role models and selfefficacy understood as the perception of possessing relevant skills and knowledge to become a successful entrepreneur. We find that exposure to entrepreneurial role models offsets self-efficacy as a driver of entrepreneurial intentions. The effect is magnified by the individualistic character of the national culture. Key words: entrepreneurial intentions, role models, self-efficacy, individualism, multilevel regressions
Identification and Design of Peptides as a New Drug Delivery System for the Brain

By controlling access to the brain, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) restricts the entry of proteins and potential drugs to cerebral tissues. We demonstrate here the transcytosis ability of aprotinin and peptides derived from Kunitz domains using an in vitro model of the BBB and in situ brain perfusion. Aprotinin transcytosis across bovine brain capillary endothelial cell (BBCEC) monolayers is at least 10-fold greater than that of holo-transferrin. Sucrose permeability was unaffected by high concentrations of aprotinin, indicating that transcytosis of aprotinin was unrelated to changes in the BBCEC monolayer integrity. Alignment of the amino acid sequence of aprotinin with the Kunitz domains of human proteins allowed the identification and design of a family of peptides, named Angiopeps. These peptides, and in particular Angiopep-2, exhibit higher transcytosis capacity and parenchyma accumulation than aprotinin. Overall, these results suggest that these Kunitz-derived peptides could be advantageously used as a new brain delivery system for pharmacological agents that do not readily enter the brain.
Genetic structure of the annual weed Senecio vulgaris in relation to habitat type and population size

Throughout the world, the highly selfing annual common groundsel, Senecio vulgaris (Asteraceae) is a common weed. Recently, it has also colonized ecological compensation areas in agro‐ecosystems. We investigated the genetic structure of S. vulgaris using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) profiles of 80 plants from nine populations representing three habitat types in two regions in Switzerland. RAPD variation among regions (19.8%), among populations within regions (19.2%) and within populations (61.1%) was highly significant (amova; P < 0.001). Gene flow estimated from the observed differentiation among populations (ΦST = 0.382) was low (assuming Wright’s island model, Nem = 0.404). Genetic distances between pairs of populations were significantly correlated with geographical distances (Mantel test; r = 0.37, P < 0.03). Molecular variance obtained with amova was lowest in the small populations in compensation areas (1.13), intermediate in vineyard populations (2.49), all located in northern Switzerland and highest in the larger vegetable field populations from western Switzerland (3.41; P < 0.05). Overall, there was a positive correlation of molecular variance and population size (P < 0.05), as expected under genetic drift. However, molecular variance was negatively correlated with population size among populations in ecological compensation areas, suggesting that selection was also important. We also applied triazine herbicide to leaves of three offspring of each of the 80 plants. Plants from populations of compensation areas showed higher mean levels and reduced variation in the resistance to triazine herbicide than plants from vineyards and vegetable fields. This suggests that compensation areas were colonized from adjacent corn fields, in which there has been selection for herbicide resistance. We discuss the implications of our results for the biological control of S. vulgaris.
Essays on the Economics of Self-Control and Lifestyle Brands

Chapter 1 addresses the role of self-set, non-binding goals as a source of internal motivation to attenuate the self-control problem of a hyperbolic discounter. Agents have linear reference-dependent preferences and endogenously set a goal that serves as the reference point. They face an infinite horizon, optimal stopping problem in continuous time. I show that goal-setting attenuates the hyperbolic agent’s tendency to stop too early, but too much reference dependence leads an agent to wait longer than the first-best. Extending the model to social comparisons, I find that comparison to increasingly patient peers induces increasingly patient behavior. Nonetheless, every agent prefers to compare himself to a peer with the lowest degree of self-control possible. Chapter 2 extends the framework developed in Chapter 1 to address the role of goal bracketing to improve a hyperbolic discounter’s self-control. When setting nonbinding goals in a sequential stopping problem, he also decides how and when to evaluate himself against such goals. He can bracket broadly by setting an aggregate goal for the entire project, or narrowly by setting incremental goals for individual stages. If the agent is sufficiently loss averse and ex-ante uncertainty is high, he will choose to bracket broadly; otherwise, he brackets narrowly despite the disutility from frequent goal evaluation. Whether he stops earlier or later than the first-best depends on the level of ex-ante uncertainty. Chapter 3 offers an information-based account of the existence of lifestyle brands and analyzes firms’ brand investment and pricing choices in a duopoly setting. If agents have uncertainty over their preferences but are aware that these are correlated with those of others, there exists an incentive to communicate and learn from others with similar tastes. When firms can offer branded goods as coordination mechanisms for their customers, they become associated with specific subgroups, forming lifestyle brands. In a duopoly setting, only one firm chooses to invest in a brand. Surpris-
Investigating the relationships among PSTs’ teaching beliefs: are epistemological beliefs central?

Abstract The present case study explored the teaching belief systems of pre-service science teachers (PSTs), including epistemological beliefs, self-efficacy beliefs, conceptions of science learning and teaching and pedagogical content knowledge. Based on their epistemological scores, three PSTs who were categorised as exhibiting naïve, moderately sophisticated and sophisticated beliefs were selected for analysis. Each of the participants was interviewed individually on four occasions and prepared a lesson plan. Analyses of interview transcripts and lesson plans indicated that PSTs’ epistemological beliefs were differentially related to particular domains and topics and that their previous learning experiences and observations were more likely to influence their teaching behaviours. The conclusion section presents suggestions for implementing study findings and recommendations for future research.
Distributed Constraint Handling and Optimization

Constraints pervade our everyday lives and are usually perceived as elements that limit solutions to the problems that we face (e.g., the choices we make everyday are typically constrained by limited money or time). However, from a computational point of view, constraints are key components for efficiently solving hard problems. In fact, constraints encode knowledge about the problem at hand, and so restrict the space of possible solutions that must be considered. By doing so, they greatly reduce the computational effort required to solve a problem. Against this background, constraint processing can be viewed as a wide and diverse research area unifying techniques and algorithms that span across many different disciplines including Planning and Scheduling, Operation Research, Computer Vision, Automated Reasoning and Decision Theory. All these areas deal with hard computational problems that can be made more tractable by carefully considering the constraints that define the structure of the problem. Here we will focus on how constraint processing can be used to address optimization problems in Multi-Agent Systems. Specifically, we will consider Distributed Constraint Optimization Problems (DCOPs) where a set of agents must
Myocardial infarction in Québec rural and urban populations between 1995 and 1997.

INTRODUCTION There is abundant evidence of health inequities between urban and rural populations. The purpose of this paper is to describe the socioeconomic characteristics of Québec urban and rural populations and the relation between rurality and incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), care management and outcomes. METHODS Socioeconomic data by census subdivisions were available from the 1996 Canadian census, representing 7,137,245 individuals. Data on patients with MI were taken from the provincial administrative health database (MED-ECHO), which is managed by the Ministry of Health and contains clinical and demographic information collected when patients are released from acute care hospitals in Québec. RESULTS We included a total of 37,678 cases compiled over the 3 years of follow-up in the analyses. Residents of rural areas with low urban influence have higher MI incidence rates than all of the other populations in the study. In comparison with urban populations, their observed rural counterparts are at a disadvantage with regard to education, employment and income. Although angioplasty and coronary artery bypass graft surgery rates were higher in more urban areas, the survival rate was lower than in rural areas. CONCLUSION This study revealed geographic heterogeneity of MI incidence, revascularization rates and survival rates among urban and rural populations.
Public-Interest Institutionalism

Two ongoing debates in regulation research concentrate on public-interest versus private-interest theories, and actor-centered theories versus institutionalism. The first controversy is about the origins and goals of regulation, and the latter is about the analysis of regulatory processes. A theoretical framework that combines these four concepts is suggested. Four patterns of regulation are presented; each addresses a regulatory goal as well as a regulatory process. Each pattern is associated with a different type of regulator: the selfish, the manipulative, the combative, and the coordinating. The author argues that by employing institutional considerations and tools, the coordinating regulator best serves the public interest.