Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A meta-analysis of tunica vaginalis fascia versus dartos fascia to prevent postoperative urethrocutaneous fistula in hypospadias and fistula repair

Background: Urethrocutaneous fistula (UCF) is the commonest postoperative complication in hypospadias and fistula repair. Several flap procedures have been recommended to decrease this complication rate, but no single flap procedure is ideal. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of tunica vaginalis fascia (TVF) and dartos fascia (DF) as intermediate layers in prevention of the formation of UCF. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Web of Science for comparative studies up to July 1st, 2019. Studies were selected by the predesigned inclusion criterias. The primary outcomes was UCF incidence. Results: The pooled RR with 95% CI were calculated. We extracted the relevant informations from the included studie. 9 comparative studies were included The RR of UCF rate for TVF was 0.21 (95% CI: 0.09-0.51, P=0.0005) compared with DF in hypospadias and fistula repair. For other postoperative complications, the RR was 0.87 (0.28-2.70, P=0.80), 1.33 (0.41-4.35, P=0.64) and 0.17 (0.03-0.88, P=0.04) for meatal stenosis/ urethral stricture, glans dehiscence/ wound dehiscence and skin necrosis, respectively. Conclusions: This meta-analysis reveals that TVF is a better option in TIP repair as compared to DF in terms of decreasing the incidence of the UCF and skin necrosis. But there is limited for other hypospadias operative techniques and fistula repair. registration number: PROSPERO CRD42019148554
Assemblage reorganization of South African dragonflies due to climate change

Climate change is expected to cause large shifts in species assemblages such as dragonflies and damselflies (Insecta: Odonata). Here, we assess the influence of environmental drivers of turnover on Odonata assemblages. Secondly, we map the predicted spatial variation in species composition, first as a gradient of assemblage similarity, and then as discrete bioregions delineating major areas of odonate endemism. Finally, we map the magnitude of expected change in species turnover in response to climate change under two emission scenarios.
Hybrid CMOS Single-Electron-Transistor Device And Circuit Design

Preface. Introduction: CMOS Scaling and Single Electronics. Compact Modeling of Single Electron Transistors. Single Electron Transistor Logic. Hybridization of CMOS and SET. Few Electron Multiple Value Logic and Memory Design. Fabrication of Single Electron Transistors and Compatibility with Silicon CMOS. Appendixes A and B.
NONLINEAR BEHAVIOUR OF SINGLE-SKIN AND SANDWICH HULL PANELS

In context with research aiming at improved structural design methods for boats and small-craft, the behaviour of typical hull panels has been studied at the VTT Ship Laboratory. The bending behaviour of FRP hull panels is characterised by remarkable geometric nonlinearities due to large panel size and high lateral loads. The importance of performing nonlinear analysis is demonstrated as well for single-skin as sandwich panels. The geometric nonlinearity of a laterally loaded single-skin FRP-plate becomes significant if the deflection exceeds half of the plate thickness. This is common in structures designed for the allowed stress rather than the maximum deflection. The analysis of the plate bending problem must then be extended to include membrane stresses. The influence of the boundary conditions and the panel geometry as well as laminate orientation on the stress distribution and the maximum deflection are investigated. These were studied with a calculation method based on the direct minimisation of the total potential energy. The results for a typical rectangular panel show the significance of the membrane effects even at low loading levels. The influence of curvature of sandwich panels on the bending behaviour, the face strain and the transverse shear strain distributions is studied using the geometric nonlinear finite element methods. The results show that the bending behaviour varies depending on the curvature of the panel. Transverse shear strains decrease significantly with increasing curvature, except for panels with very small curvature, where snap-through occurs. For typical flat sandwich panels, the membrane effects become significant if the deflection exceeds about twice the thickness of one face.
Modelling in Geomechanics

This study presents the fundamental principles of the theory of modelling with equivalent materials. Recommendations are given for the computation and development of models as well as planning and conduction of experiments. Experimentation, techniques adopted for measurement of pressure, stress & strain as well as the methods employed for predicting geomechanical processes during mining for minerals.
Total Quality and Human Resources: An Executive Guide

1. Total Quality Management: An Overview 2. What the Senior Executives Need to Know About Quality Costing 3. The Role of the Senior Management in Total Quality Management 4. Total Quality Management, Some Common Failings of Senior Management 5. Motivating Managers to Accept and Promote Total Quality Management 6. Managing the Process of Organizational Change 7. Team Building 8. Involvement at Work 9. The Japanese Approach to TQM 10. Epilogue Appendix 1. Quality Systems 2. Quality Management Tools and Techniques: An Overview 3. Statistical Process Control 4. Failure Mode and Effects Analysis.
Arabidopsis MLK3, a Plant-specific Casein Kinase 1, Negatively Regulated Flowering and Phosphorylated Histone H3 in vivo

Background: Casein kinase 1 (CK1) family members are highly conserved serine/threonine kinase present in most eukaryotes with multiple biological functions. Arabidopsis MUT9-like kinases ( MLKs ) belong to a clade CK1 specific to the plant kingdom and have been implicated collectively in modulating flowering related processes. Three of the four MLKs ( MLK1/2/4 ) have been characterized, however, little is known about MLK3 , the most divergent MLKs. Results: We demonstrated that compared with wild type, mlk3 , a truncated MLK3 , flowered slightly early under long day conditions and ectopic expression of MLK3 rescued the morphological defects of mlk3 , indicating that MLK3 negatively regulates flowering. GA 3 application accelerated flowering of both wild type and mlk3 , suggesting that mlk3 had normal GA response. The recombinant MLK3-GFP was localized in the nucleus exclusively. In vitro kinase assay revealed that the nuclear protein MLK3 phosphorylated histone 3 at threonine 3 (H3T3ph). Mutation of a conserved catalytic residue (Lysine 175) abolished the kinase activity and resulted in failure to complement the early flowering phenotype of mlk3 . Interestingly, the global level of H3T3 phosphorylation in mlk3 did not differ significantly from wild type, suggesting the redundant roles of MLKs in flowering regulation. The transcriptomic analysis demonstrated that 425 genes significantly altered expression level in mlk3 relative to wild type. The mlk3 mlk4 double mutant generated by crossing mlk3 with mlk4 , a loss-of-function mutant of MLK4 showing late flowering, flowered between the two parental lines, suggesting that MLK3 played an antagonistic role to MLK4 in plant transition to flowering. Conclusions: A serine/threonine kinase encoding gene MLK3 is a casein kinase 1 specific to the plant species and represses flowering slightly. MLK3 located in nucleus catalyzes the phosphorylation of histone H3 at threonine 3 in vitro and an intact lysine residue (K175) is indispensible for the kinase activity. This study sheds new light on the delicate control of flowering by the plant-specific CK1 in Arabidopsis.
DEVELOPMENT AND FIELD TESTING OF MULTIPLE DEPLOYMENT MODEL PILE (MDMP)

A model pile is a calibrated tool equipped with instrumentation capable of monitoring the pile/soil interaction over the pile history. Monitoring includes the installation, pore pressure dissipation combined with consolidation and soil pressure equalization, and ultimately the pile behavior under loading and failure. The model pile installation and soil structure interaction simulate the actual field conditions of full-scale piles. As such, the obtained information can be utilized directly (e.g., skin friction) or extrapolated (e.g., pore pressure dissipation time) to predict the soil's response during full-scale installation. The Multiple Deployment Model Pile (MDMP) was developed as an in situ tool for site investigations. The MDMP instrumentation is capable of monitoring the pile/soil interaction throughout the life cycle of a driven pile: (1) dynamic force and acceleration readings at the pile top and along the pile during driving; (2) pore water pressure and radial stresses during equalization; and (3) skin friction, end-bearing resistance, and local (subsurface) displacement during static loading. These measurements allow the observation of pile capacity gain (a.k.a. "set-up" or "freeze") and accurately monitor the load-transfer relations. The MDMP was successfully deployed twice in Newbury, MA during March 1996. The obtained dynamic measurements allowed the evaluation of the pile's static capacity and clarified the difficulties associated with dynamic analysis of small-scale penetration. Pile capacity gain with time was examined based on normalization procedures developed by Paikowsky et al. (1995). The excess pore water pressure dissipation, variation of radial effective stresses, and pile capacity gain with time were determined for the two tests. The obtained results show that the MDMP is capable of providing accurate soil-structure interaction relations during static load testing. The measurements indicate a complex mechanism governing capacity gain that combines pore pressure dissipation and radial stress redistribution over time. These findings are used to predict the time-dependent behavior of full-scale instrumented piles and to re-evaluate the capacity gain phenomenon. The obtained results explain some unanswered questions and allow the development of procedures incorporating pile capacity gain in design and construction.
Impacts of traffic interventions on road safety : an application of causal models

5 List of Tables 11 List of Figures 12 List of Acronyms 12 Chapter 1: Introduction 15 1.1 Background 15 1.2 Motivations and Objectives 18 1.3 Research Contributions 21 1.4 Structure of the Thesis 23 Chapter 2: Literature Review 25 2.
Building large structures in space

The building of large structures in space would be required for the establishment of a variety of systems needed for different forms of space utilization. The problems involved in the building of such structures in space and the approaches which can be used to solve these problems are illustrated with the aid of an example involving a concept for packaging, transporting, and assembling two representative large space structures. The structure of a radio-astronomy telescope 200 m in diam was felt to be representative of the many medium-size structures of the Shuttle era. A typical very large structure is represented by the supporting structure for the transmission system of a 5000-Mw space solar power station.
On efficiency of methods and algorithms for solving optimization problems considering objective function specifics

Introduction.The estimation of efficiency of methods and algorithms for solving optimization problems with a vector criterion and a set of nonlinear constraints is considered. The approach that allows proceeding to an optimization problem with a single objective function (i.e., an unconditional optimization problem) after equivalent transformations is described. However, the objective function obtained in this way has properties (nonlinearity, multimodality, ravine, high dimension) that do not allow classical methods to be used to solve it. The presented work objective is to develop hybrid methods, based on combinations of the algorithms inspired by wildlife with other approaches (gravitational and gradient) for the solution to this problem.Materials and Methods.New methods to solve the specified problem are developed. A computer experiment was conducted on a number of test functions; its analysis was performed, showing the efficiency of various combinations on various functions.Research Results.The efficiency of hybrid algorithms that combine the following approaches is evaluated: genetic and immune; methods of swarm intelligence and genetic and immune; immune and swarm with gravity and gradient.Discussion and Conclusions.The hybrid algorithms in optimization problems are studied. In particular, decisions can be made on their basis under the management of compound objects in the military and industrial sectors, in the creation of innovative projects related to the digital economy. It is established that the type of the objective function affects the result much more than the combination of algorithms.
Pointing, Placing, Touching: Physical Manipulation and Coordination Techniques for Interactive Meeting Spaces

In the design and study of dedicated ubiquitous computing environments, efforts to enhance and support co-located collaborative activities and work have been a particular focus. In his vision of ubiquitous computing, Mark Weiser foresees a new era of computing, one that closes and follows on from the era of Personal Computing (Post Desktop). The vision involves simultaneous computations facilitated by a number of technical resources (services and artifacts) available in the environment. Ubiquitous Computing also draws on the perspective of embodied interaction: that our overall physical and social interaction, and the design of artifacts supporting interaction with people, places, and the environment, are two different perspectives sharing a common goal. This thesis addresses three critical aspects of interactive meeting spaces: Multi-device selection, Multi-device setup, and Multi-device direct manipulation. To do so, physical interaction techniques have been designed that make more visible the critical and central co-located manipulation and coordination actions in interactive meeting spaces. The tree designed physical interaction techniques, that have been developed and investigated are: the iwand, a pointing technique; the Magic Bowl, a placing technique; and Physical Cursors, a touching technique. In evaluation of the interaction techniques, addressed five problems that originated in observations during the development of interactive meeting spaces. How to: 1) identify and manipulate a physical object in order to select and control a particular service; 2) support the control of complementary combinations of services through physical manipulation; 3) capture, store and recall a preset group of services; 4) maintain and reuse presets, to preserve the prerequisite for a scene, under continually changing circumstances; and 5) design ways to manipulate physical widgets to enable a social protocol for coordination as an alternative to individual (invisible) manipulation? A tentative design pattern language developed, along with “sharing control”, a further developed sample of a design pattern, which applies to physical manipulations in interactive meeting spaces. Additionally, principles are described for conducting long-term studies of living-laboratory observations and for revisiting central design decisions. The principles and design patterns are drawn from designed interaction techniques and from the design and deployment of interactive meeting spaces.
Verification of Job Mix Formula for Alaskan HMA

Some asphalt pavement does not last as long as it should. Every year, a significant amount of money is spent by the state on repairing and maintaining pavement, which raises the question: Are we getting the mix design we need? Since hot mix asphalt (HMA) is the main paving material in Alaska, it is critical to understand how the quality of this material is assured. Often, a properly lab-designed HMA is used in the field on a given project and performs in a substandard manner. Variability is inevitable during construction. Two projects were selected for the study. Pertinent data from Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (ADOT&PF) and from contractors at lab/design and construction were obtained, including general information regarding the paving projects, details of the materials and job mix formula (JMF) being used in the construction, quality control testing data from contractors, and acceptance testing results from the agency.
University of Birmingham Risk constrained short-term scheduling with dynamic line ratings for Increased Penetration of Wind power

17 Limited transmission capacity may lead to network congestion which results in wind 18 curtailment during periods of high availability of wind. Conventional congestion 19 management techniques usually involve generation management which may not always 20 benefit large wind farms. This paper investigates the problem in detail and presents an 21 improved methodology to quantify the latent scheduling capacity of a power system taking 22 into account stochastic variation in line-thermal rating, intermittency of wind, and mitigating 23 the risk of network congestion associated with high penetration of wind. The mathematical 24 model converts conventional thermal constraints to dynamic constraints by using a 25 discretized stochastic penalty function with quadratic approximation of constraint relaxation 26 risk. The uniqueness of the approach is that it can limit the generation to be curtailed or re27 dispatch by dynamically enhancing the network latent capacity as per the need. The approach 28 is aimed at strategic planning of power systems in the context of power systems with short to 29 medium length lines with a priori known unit commitment decisions and uses stochastic 30 optimization with a two stage recourse action. Results suggest that a considerable level of 31 *Manuscript Click here to view linked References
Understanding complex CI-combustion strategies: an experimental investigation

Within this body of work several series of experiments will investigate the nature of complex combustion in an experimental single-cylinder engine emulating a modern passenger car size compression-ignition (CI) engine. Regimes of single, piloted single and piloted split-main injections will be tested and compared in terms of combustion characteristics, specific emission output and cyclic behaviour to determine how increased injection complexity affects the emissions and output of the modern CI engine. Through these tests, the effect of fuel-line stationary waves will be demonstrated and investigated, showing conclusively that optimised engine calibration is essential to account for injector-generated waves in any multiple injection scenario. This data will then be confirmed with a dedicated analysis using an injector rate measuring tube. The tests will then be expanded to include examination into the behaviour of injector needle-lift standard deviation over its operating cycle, in-cylinder pressure standard deviation behaviour and trends over the combustion cycle as well as IMEP variability. Through these tests a novel method to detect start of combustion will be proposed and compared to conventional methods. Low temperature combustion (LTC) will be tested under incremental injection complexity. Tests will be optimised for combustion phasing and injection pressure, with a view to analysis of emissions, output and cyclic behaviour to establish whether the knowledge gained about conventional combustion holds true under LTC. Optimization of engine parameters will be shown to result in easier to implement LTC regimes with superior emissions characteristics. Finally, LTC tests will be expanded to include 30% and 50% by volume gas-to-liquid fuel (GTL) blends in order to determine whether fuel characteristics further influence emissions, output and cyclic behaviour in LTC through complex injection regimes. How GTL-blend ratio affects trends in emissions and cyclic behaviour will also be examined and compared to conventional diesel fuel.
MODIFICATION OF OLIGOSACCHARIDE AND SHORT CHAIN FATTY ACID CONTENT OF COWPEA MILK THROUGH FERMENTATION WITH SELECTED MIXED STARTER CULTURES

Cowpea milk was fermented with three mixed starter cultures containing (i) Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bifidobacterium sp, and Streptococcus thermophilus (ABT) (ii) Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus (DT) or (iii) Lactobacillus rhamnosus GR-1 and Streptococcus thermophilus (GT). Effects of these cultures on flatulencecausing raffinose family oligosaccharides and the production of postbiotic short chain fatty acids were determined. The oligosaccharides and short chain fatty acids were determined by high performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography, respectively. The stachyose content of raw cowpea (1.388±0.23 g/100 g) was higher than raffinose (0.221±0.06 g/100 g), while verbascose was not detected. Cowpea milk fermentation caused 67-100% reduction in raffinose and 20-70% reduction in stachyose in a culture-dependent manner. All the cultures produced propionic acid, butyric acid and valeric acid in differing concentrations but only GT and ABT produced isovaleric acid. The product fermented with DT attained 2430 ppm of propionic acid, which was four times and ten times higher than the concentrations produced by the ABT and GT cultures, respectively. In conclusion, fermentation of cowpea milk with the three starter cultures reduced flatulence-causing oligosaccharides and produced postbiotic short chain fatty acids that might promote health regardless of the survival of the microorganisms in the gut.
Predicting visual memory across images and within individuals

We only remember a fraction of what we see-including images that are highly memorable and those that we encounter during highly attentive states. However, most models of human memory disregard both an image's memorability and an individual's fluctuating attentional states. Here, we build the first model of memory synthesizing these two disparate factors to predict subsequent image recognition. We combine memorability scores of 1100 images (Experiment 1, n = 706) and attentional state indexed by response time on a continuous performance task (Experiments 2 and 3, n = 57 total). Image memorability and sustained attentional state explained significant variance in image memory, and a joint model of memory including both factors outperformed models including either factor alone. Furthermore, models including both factors successfully predicted memory in an out-of-sample group. Thus, building models based on individual- and image-specific factors allows for directed forecasting of our memories. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Although memory is a fundamental cognitive process, much of the time memory failures cannot be predicted until it is too late. However, in this study, we show that much of memory is surprisingly pre-determined ahead of time, by factors shared across the population and highly specific to each individual. Specifically, we build a new multidimensional model that predicts memory based just on the images a person sees and when they see them. This research synthesizes findings from disparate domains ranging from computer vision, attention, and memory into a predictive model. These findings have resounding implications for domains such as education, business, and marketing, where it is a top priority to predict (and even manipulate) what information people will remember.