Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Introducing a Method of In Vitro Testing of Different Anchoring Systems Used for Female Incontinence and Prolapse Surgery

Aims. To develop a method for in vitro testing to compare different intracorporeal anchoring systems (AS) used, for example, in single-incision slings or vaginal meshes. Intracorporeal fixation needs reliable anchorage systems, which keep the implant in the operative and early postoperative phase in place. Up to now, the impact of the design of current anchor systems and their capability to provide sufficient retention forces is not known. Methods. Four AS (“PelFix”, “Surelift”, “TFS”, and “MiniArc”) were evaluated in an animal model and a ballistic gelatine model with pull-out tests. We performed ANOVA with post hoc Bonferroni. Results were presented as mean values whereby a significance level of <0.05 was considered significant. Results. The four systems showed significantly different pull-out forces. Depending on mesh structure, size, and form of the AS, mechanical strain resulted in deformation with local peak stresses. Under the condition of form stability, relative differences of pull-out forces did not change in different tissues. Conclusions. Reliable testing of different AS in their ability to keep mesh implants in place can be done in animal models and in especially designed ballistic gelatine. These methods of testing will help to modify AS in novel pelvic floor implants.
Assessment of effects of different language in VOIP

This paper investigates the effects of different language on speech quality in voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) scenarios. We carry out comprehensive experiment to investigate how different languages(English, Chinese) effects on perceived voice quality on different VOIP system factors, which include different kind of delay distribution, codec and packet loss level. Since present-day VOIP speech quality prediction or evaluation models always based on English language, the coefficient or the formula of these model are not really fit VOIP environment in our country. A new parameter relate to language is added to E-Model (ITU G.107). The enhanced E-Model achieves an improved measurement accuracy under different talker condition.
Prevalence of Spina Bifida Occulta and Its Relationship With Overactive Bladder in Middle-Aged and Elderly Chinese People

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence of spina bifida occulta (SBO) and its relationship with the presence of overactive bladder (OAB) in middle-aged and elderly people in China. Methods: A cross-sectional community-based survey was carried out at 7 communities in Zhengzhou City, China from December 15, 2013 to June 10, 2014, where residents aged over 40 years were randomly selected to participate. All of the participants underwent lumbosacral radiographic analysis and relevant laboratory tests. A questionnaire including basic information, past medical history and present illness, and the OAB symptom score was filled out by all participants. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used for data analysis with a P-value of <0.05 denoting statistical significance. Results: A total of 1,061 subjects were qualified for the final statistical analysis (58.8±11.7 years; male, 471 [44.4%]; female, 590 [55.6%]). The overall prevalence of SBO was 15.1% (160 of 1,061): 18.3% (86 of 471) in men and 12.5% (74 of 590) in women. Among these subjects, 13.7% (145 of 1,061) had OAB: 13.2% (62 of 471) in men and 14.1% (83 of 590) in women. The results of logistic regression showed that age, SBO, history of cerebral infarction (HCI), and constipation were risk factors for OAB (P<0.05), while sex, history of childhood enuresis (HCE), body mass index (BMI), and diabetes mellitus (DM) were not (P>0.05). In men, age, SBO, and constipation were risk factors for OAB (P<0.05), while HCE, BMI, DM, HCI, and benign prostate hyperplasia were not (P>0.05). In women, age, SBO, and HCI were risk factors for OAB (P<0.05), while HCE, BMI, DM, vaginal delivery, and constipation were not (P>0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of SBO is high and it is related to OAB in middle-aged and elderly people in China.
Stationary BPS Solutions in N=2 Supergravity with R^2-Interactions

We analyze a broad class of stationary solutions with residual N = 1 supersymmetry of four-dimensional N = 2 supergravity theories with terms quadratic in the Weyl tensor. These terms are encoded in a holomorphic function, which determines the most relevant part of the action and which plays a central role in our analysis. The solutions include extremal black holes and rotating field configurations, and may have multiple centers. We prove that they are expressed in terms of harmonic functions associated with the electric and magnetic charges carried by the solutions by a proper generalization of the so-called stabilization equations. Electric/magnetic duality is manifest throughout the analysis. We also prove that spacetimes with unbroken supersymmetry are fully determined by electric and magnetic charges. This result establishes the so-called fixed-point behavior according to which the moduli fields must flow towards certain prescribed values on a fully supersymmetric horizon, but now in a more general context with higher-order curvature interactions. We briefly comment on the implications of our results for the metric on the moduli space of extremal black hole solutions.
Rectangular co-ordinate interleaved orthogonal designs

Space-time block codes (STBC) from orthogonal designs (OD), quasi-orthogonal designs (QOD) and co-ordinate interleaved orthogonal designs (CIOD) have been attracting wider attention due to their amenability for fast (single-symbol decoding for OD, CIOD and double-symbol decoding for QOD) ML decoding, and rate-one with full-rank over quasi-static fading channels. The importance of CIOD is due to the fact that, rate-one, full-rank, square ODs for arbitrary complex constellations exist only for 2 transmit antennas while such a CIOD exists for 2,3 and 4 transmit antennas with a slight restriction on the complex constellations (Zafar Ali Khan and B. Sundar Rajan, Proc. IEEE ISIT 2002, p.275, 2002; DRDO-IISc Tech. Report No. TR-PME-2002-17, 2002). These limitations motivate study of rectangular (non-square) designs. One way of obtaining rectangular designs is by deleting columns from square or non-square ODs or CIODs. We present a new construction of rectangular single-symbol decodable designs that have higher maximum mutual information than those obtained by deleting columns of CIODs and has lower peak-to-average-power ratio (PAPR). Simulation results are presented for three and five transmit antennas and compared with that of OD, QOD, CIOD to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed rectangular designs.
Cooperation in an unpredictable environment

A framework for studying the evolution of cooperative behaviour in a random environment, using evolution of finite state strategies, is presented. The interaction between agents is modelled by a repeated game with random observable payoffs. The agents are thus faced with a more complex situation, compared to the Prisoner's Dilemma that has been widely used for investigating the conditions for cooperation in evolving populations (Matsuo 1985; Axelrod 1987; Miller 1989; Lindgren 1992; Ikegami 1994; Lindgren & Nordahl 1994; Lindgren 1997). Still, there are robust cooperating strategies that usually evolve in a population of agents. In the cooperative mode, these strategies selects an action that allows for maximizing the payoff sum of both players in each round, regardless of the own payoff. Two such players maximize the expected total long-term pay-off. If the opponent deviates from this scheme, the strategy invokes a punishment action, which aims to lower the opponent's score for the rest of the (possibly infinitely) repeated game. The introduction of mistakes to the game actually pushes evolution towards more cooperative strategies even though the game becomes more difficult.
Why subduction zones are curved

We give an explanation for the polarity, localization, shape, size, and initiation of subduction zones on Earth. By considering a soft, thin, curved lithospheric cap with either elastic or viscous rheology supported by a thick, nearly incompressible mantle, we find two different characteristic subduction geometries arise depending on boundary conditions: (1) plate boundaries where subduction results primarily from the gravitational body force (free subduction) have characteristic plate lengths and form arc‐shaped dimpled segments resulting from the competition between bending and stretching in edge buckling modes of thin spherical shells, and (2) subduction zones due to localized applied loads that push one slab of thin, positively buoyant lithosphere beneath an overriding plate (forced subduction) form localized straight segments, consistent with the deformation of indented spherical shells. Both types of subduction are nonlinear subcritical instabilities, so small perturbations in the mechanical properties of the lithosphere have pronounced effects on subduction initiation and evolution. Yet in both cases, geometric relationships determined by the shape of the Earth itself play the most critical role in controlling the basic morphology and characteristic length scales of subduction zones.
Any-Angle Path Planning for Computer Games

Path planning is a critical part of modern computer games; rare is the game where nothing moves and path planning is unneeded. A* is the workhorse for most path planning applications. Block A* is a state-of-the-art algorithm that is always faster than A* in experiments using game maps. Unlike other methods that improve upon A*'s performance, Block A* is never worse than A* nor require any knowledge of the map. In our experiments, Block A* is ideal for games with randomly generated maps, large maps, or games with a highly dynamic multi-agent environment. Furthermore, in the domain of grid-based any-angle path planning, we show that Block A* is an order of magnitude faster than the previous best any-angle path planning algorithm, Theta*. We empirically show our results using maps from Dragon Age: Origins and Starcraft. Finally, we introduce ``populated game maps'' as a new test bed that is a better approximation of real game conditions than the standard test beds of this field. The main contributions of this paper is a more rigorous set of experiments for Block A*, and introducing a new test bed (populated game maps) that is a more accurate representation of actual game conditions than the standard test beds.
Perspective taking and the heterogeneity of the entrepreneurial imagination

Perspective-taking is a social competency to consider the world from other viewpoints (Galinsky, Maddux, Gilin, & White, 2008); it “allows an individual to anticipate the behavior and reactions of others” (Davis, 1983, p. 115) and helps to balance attention between self- and other-interests (Galinsky et al., 2008). Though often used interchangeably with the term empathy – “an other-focused emotional response that allows one person to affectively connect with another” (Galinsky et al., 2008, p. 378), clear evidence exists that demonstrates that the two concepts are distinct (Coke, Batson, & McDavis, 1978; Davis, 1983; Deutch & Madle, 1975; Hoffman, 1977; Oswald, 1996). Although both concepts refer to a social competency of taking another's perspective, empathy tends to be more affective while perspective taking leans toward the cognitive (Galinsky et al., 2008). For example, perspective taking is associated with personality characteristics such as high self-esteem and low neuroticism as opposed to emotionality (Davis, 1983). Perspective-takers are more capable of stepping outside the constraints of their own immediate, biased frames of reference (Moore, 2005) to reduce egocentric perceptions of fairness in competitive contexts (without it being at the expense of their own self-interest; Epley, Caruso, & Bazerman, 2006). Perspective taking has also been shown to be a more valuable strategy than empathy in strategic interactions because it helps negotiators find the necessary balance between competition and cooperation, between self- and other-interest (Galinsky et al., 2008). Achieving such a balance facilitates creative problem-solving (Pruitt & Rubin, 1986). For instance, in negotiation, a focus only on self-interests is associated with excessive aggression and obstinacy whereas a focus only on other-interests encourages excessive concession making to the detriment of one's own outcomes (Galinsky et al., 2008). In contrast, perspective takers have the capacity to uncover underlying interests to generate creative solutions when an obvious deal is not possible (Galinsky et al., 2008). Consequently, the cognitive appreciation of another person's interests is capable of facilitating economically efficient outcomes by acting as a discovery heuristic that reveals hidden problems or solutions and as a tool that enables individuals to capture more value for themselves (Galinsky et al., 2008).
Physiological and pharmacokinetic effects of multilevel caging on Sprague Dawley rats under ketamine-xylazine anesthesia

While the cage refinement is a necessary step towards improving the welfare of research rats, increasing the complexity and surface area of the living space of an animal may have physiological impacts that need to be taken into consideration. In this study, ketamine (80 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg) caused a short duration anesthesia that was significantly decreased in Sprague-Dawley rats housed in multilevel cages (MLC), compared to rats housed in standard cages (SDC). The withdrawal reflex, the palpebral reflexes and the time-to-sternal all occurred earlier in MLC housed rats, suggesting an effect of housing on the physiology of the rats. In addition, during anesthesia, cardiac frequencies were increased in animals housed in the smaller SDC. Respiratory frequencies, the blood oxygen saturation and rectal temperatures during anesthesia did not vary between conditions during the anesthesia. While xylazine pharmacokinetics were unchanged with caging conditions, the clearance and half-lives of ketamine and its metabolite, norketamine, were altered in the rats housed in MLC. Finally, while no difference was ultimately seen in rat body weights, isolated liver and adrenal gland weights were significantly lighter in rats housed in the MLC. Increasing cage sizes, while having a positive impact on wellbeing in rats, can alter anesthetic drug metabolism and thus modify anesthesia parameters and associated physiological processes.
Author ' s personal copy Microplane model M 7 f for fiber reinforced concrete

Model M7f is a new model for fiber reinforced concretes under static and dynamic loads, which features two kinds of improvement over the earlier versions: (1) It is built on M7, a new, greatly improved, microplane model for plain concrete; and (2) it includes a more realistic description of the fiber pullout and breakage. The former include: (a) the absence of volumetric deviato ric split of elastic strains, which eliminates excessive lateral expansions or contractions and stress locking in far post-peak extensions; (b) simulation of the differences between hydrostatic compression and uniaxial comp ression under rigid lateral confinement; and (c) high shear dilatancy of low strength concretes; and realistic description of unloading, reloading and load cycles, even if they cross between tension and compression. The latter includes an improved continu ous dependence of the effect of fibers on the fiber volume fraction. The fiber resistance is a function of the strain represe nting the average opening of cracks of given spacing and, as in model M5f, a horizontal plateau as a function of the type of fiber and fiber volume fraction has been employed and used systematically for all fits. In this study, this horizontal plateau is justified using uniformly distributed crack bridging fibers. The model beh avior is calibrated and verified by fitting of the main test data from the literature. The match of experimental observations and the computational results is closer than in the previous models. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
WINDOW ON THE NETHERLANDS ON THE SPATIAL DIMENSION OF THE GENDER DIVISION OF PAID WORK IN TWO-PARENT FAMILIES: THE CASE OF AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

Research shows that female participation rates are lower in suburbs than in urban areas. In this paper we explore the residential patterns of the gender division of family households at the level of the neighbourhood. We draw on national register data (SSB) to define various arrangements of the way in which parents with dependent children divide paid work. These household arrangements are plotted onto maps to sketch the geography of division of paid work in Amsterdam. Our findings show that family households with specific gender divisions of paid work tend to cluster in specific residential environments: (1) families who work with a traditional division of labour are concentrated in social-housing estates in neighbourhoods with high shares of non-Western minorities; (2) one-and-a-half earner families are clustered in the most suburban parts of the city; and (3) symmetrical and female-breadwinner households concentrate in central gentrification areas of the city.
Multiscale Cross-Approximate Entropy Analysis as a Measurement of Complexity between ECG R-R Interval and PPG Pulse Amplitude Series among the Normal and Diabetic Subjects

Physiological signals often show complex fluctuation (CF) under the dual influence of temporal and spatial scales, and CF can be used to assess the health of physiologic systems in the human body. This study applied multiscale cross-approximate entropy (MC-ApEn) to quantify the complex fluctuation between R-R intervals series and photoplethysmography amplitude series. All subjects were then divided into the following two groups: healthy upper middle-aged subjects (Group 1, age range: 41–80 years, n = 27) and upper middle-aged subjects with type 2 diabetes (Group 2, age range: 41–80 years, n = 24). There are significant differences of heart rate variability, LHR, between Groups 1 and 2 (1.94 ± 1.21 versus 1.32 ± 1.00, P = 0.031). Results demonstrated differences in sum of large scale MC-ApEn (MC-ApEnLS) (5.32 ± 0.50 versus 4.74 ± 0.78, P = 0.003). This parameter has a good agreement with pulse-pulse interval and pulse amplitude ratio (PAR), a simplified assessment for baroreflex activity. In conclusion, this study employed the MC-ApEn method, integrating multiple temporal and spatial scales, to quantify the complex interaction between the two physical signals. The MC-ApEnLS parameter could accurately reflect disease process in diabetics and might be another way for assessing the autonomic nerve function.
Positive Emotional Style Predicts Resistance to Illness After Experimental Exposure to Rhinovirus or Influenza A Virus

Objective: In an earlier study, positive emotional style (PES) was associated with resistance to the common cold and a bias to underreport (relative to objective disease markers) symptom severity. This work did not control for social and cognitive factors closely associated with PES. We replicate the original study using a different virus and controls for these alternative explanations. Methods: One hundred ninety-three healthy volunteers ages 21 to 55 years were assessed for a PES characterized by being happy, lively, and calm; a negative emotional style (NES) characterized by being anxious, hostile, and depressed; other cognitive and social dispositions; and self-reported health. Subsequently, they were exposed by nasal drops to a rhinovirus or influenza virus and monitored in quarantine for objective signs of illness and self-reported symptoms. Results: For both viruses, increased PES was associated with lower risk of developing an upper respiratory illness as defined by objective criteria (adjusted odds ratio comparing lowest with highest tertile = 2.9) and with reporting fewer symptoms than expected from concurrent objective markers of illness. These associations were independent of prechallenge virus-specific antibody, virus type, age, sex, education, race, body mass, season, and NES. They were also independent of optimism, extraversion, mastery, self-esteem, purpose, and self-reported health. Conclusions: We replicated the prospective association of PES and colds and PES and biased symptom reporting, extended those results to infection with an influenza virus, and “ruled out” alternative hypotheses. These results indicate that PES may play a more important role in health than previously thought. BMI = body mass index; CI = confidence interval; NES = negative emotional style; PES = positive emotional style; RV = rhinovirus; TCID = Tissue Culture Infectious Dose.
Understanding the underlying mechanism of the spacing effect in verbal learning: a case for encoding variability and study-phase retrieval

ABSTRACT The spacing effect refers to the mnemonic benefit of spacing repeated study events across time compared to massing (i.e. cramming) repeated study events. Due to the robustness of this finding, substantial research has been devoted to uncovering the spacing effect’s underlying mechanism. Specification of such a mechanism has been guided by consistent findings across methodologies and several experimental manipulations that serve as boundary conditions. Past reviews of the spacing effect literature have generally considered subsets of these factors but never an exhaustive set. Thus, the current review considers more comprehensively six consistent findings in the extant spacing effect literature pertaining to human memory to better discriminate among the previously proposed theories. Review of the literature provides substantial evidence indicating the need for an encoding variability mechanism [e.g. Glenberg, A. M. (1976). Monotonic and nonmonotonic lag effects in paired-associate and recognition memory paradigms. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 15, 1–16] in addition to a reminding mechanism [e.g. Benjamin, A. S. , & Tullis, J. G. (2010). What makes distributed practice effective? Cognitive Psychology, 61, 228–247].
Dissecting the spiral galaxy M 83: mid-infrared emission and comparison with other tracers of star formation

We present a detailed mid-infrared study of the nearby, face-on spiral galaxy M 83 based on ISOCAM data. M 83 is a unique case study, since a wide variety of MIR broad-band filters as well as spectra, covering the wavelength range of 4 to 18 μ m, were observed and are presented here. Emission maxima trace the nuclear and bulge area, star-formation regions at the end of the bar, as well as the inner spiral arms. The fainter outer spiral arms and interarm regions are also evident in the MIR map. Spectral imaging of the central $3\arcmin \times 3\arcmin$ ($4\,{\rm kpc}\times 4\,{\rm kpc}$) field allows us to investigate five regions of different environments. The various MIR components (very small grains, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules, ionic lines) are analyzed for different regions throughout the galaxy. In the total λ 4 μ m to 18 μ m wavelength range, the PAHs dominate the luminosity, contributing between 60% in the nuclear and bulge regions and 90% in the less active, interarm regions. Throughout the galaxy, the underlying continuum emission from the small grains is always a smaller contribution in the total MIR wavelength regime, peaking in the nuclear and bulge components. The implications of using broad-band filters only to characterize the mid-infrared emission of galaxies, a commonly used ISOCAM observation mode, are discussed. We present the first quantitative analysis of new H α and λ 6 cm VLA+Effelsberg radio continuum maps of M 83. The distribution of the MIR emission is compared with that of the CO, HI, R band, H α and λ 6 cm radio. A striking correlation is found between the intensities in the two mid-infrared filter bands and the λ 6 cm radio continuum. To explain the tight mid-infrared-radio correlation we propose the anchoring of magnetic field lines in the photoionized shells of gas clouds.