Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of quality of life for different types of female urinary incontinence

Objectives: To compare the impact of the type of urinary incontinence on women’s quality of life. Methods: A retrospective evaluation was conducted on the medical records of 77 incontinent women who underwent physical therapy treatment between February 2005 and October 2006. Based on the urodynamic test data, the women were classified into three groups: stress urinary incontinence (SUI), overactive bladder (OB) and mixed urinary incontinence (MUI). The subjects’ history was taken, the women provided demographic data and they answered the King’s Health Questionnaire, which is a specific questionnaire for assessing the quality of life among individuals with urinary incontinence. Results: Most of the patients (44%) had MUI. The patients affected by OB were significantly older than the patients in the other groups. The negative impact of incontinence on quality of life (General Health Perception domain) and lifestyle was significantly greater among the women affected by MUI than among the patients in the other groups. Conclusion: This study indicated that the negative impact of incontinence on quality of life was greater among patients with MUI.
Annihilating Ideals of Quadratic Forms over Local and Global Fields

We study annihilating polynomials and annihilating ideals for elements of Witt rings for groups of exponent 2. With the help of these results and certain calculations involving the Cliord invariant we are able to give full sets of generators for the annihilating ideal of both the isometry class and the equivalence class of an arbitrary quadratic form over a local eld. By applying the Hasse-Minkowski theorem we can then achieve the same for an arbitrary quadratic form over a global eld.
The Strategic Politics of IMF Conditionality

Why do some IMF programs contain more conditions than others? In this paper, I offer a theoretical account of under what circumstances competing domestic political logics prevails over the other and explain why some IMF programs contain more conditions than others. The theoretical model shows that the effect of domestic politics on IMF program design depends on the interaction of three institutional parameters: sensitivity to vote losses; reform-mindedness of the government; and the strength of affected special interest groups. Specifically, the model yields the proposition that a government that is more sensitive to vote losses and less reformminded is more likely to extract a more lenient conditionality from the IMF. A government that is less sensitive to vote losses and more reform-minded is likely to pursue more extensive reforms siding with the IMF and is constrained by domestic politics only when there exist strong special interest groups that can hinder proper implementation of agreed conditions. My empirical analysis of public sector conditions supports the domestic politics hypotheses generated from the model and yields four main findings. First, democratic countries that are more sensitive to vote losses receive fewer conditions than those that are freer from electoral competition, suggesting that the IMF is strategic in limiting how much it pushes vulnerable negotiating partners. This conclusion is bolstered by the second and the third findings. The second finding shows that within democracies, governments that won the previous election by narrow margins have fewer conditions than those that have won the previous election with wider margins. The third finding suggests that within democracies, governments that have more proximate elections have fewer conditions than those that have more time to next elections. Finally, strong public sector interests reduces the number of conditions in autocratic countries but bears little influence over the number of conditions in democratic countries, suggesting that democratic governments are more sensitive to popular pressures (voters) and autocratic governments are more sensitive to strong organized interests (public sector employees). ∗Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Political Science, Ohio State University, woo.54@polisci.osu. edu, http://polisci.osu. edu/grads/bwoo/
Prevalence and Consequences of Internet Addiction in a Cohort of TunisianAdolescents: A Pilot Study

Introduction: There are few studies interested in internet addiction in Tunisia, despite the worldwide concern with this problem. The aim of the study is to measure the prevalence of internet addiction among secondary school students in the city of Monastir, Tunisia, and to portray its impact. Methodology: It is a transversal epidemiological study carried on a sample of students attending secondary school in the city of Monastir, Tunisia. It was conducted in the course of the 2010/2011 school year. The participants had filled the Internet Addiction Test of Young and a data file regarding the socio-demographic information, physical and psychological history and information about the internet access and use. The Internet Addiction Test consists of 20 items, rated according to Likert scale. The total score ranges from 20 to 100. It is considered as internet addicts those whose the scores are equal and higher than 70. Results: The sample consisted of 415 males (M) and 567 females (F) with a mean age of 17.10 ± 0.92 years. The prevalence of internet addiction was 11.6% (IC 95%: [9.60-13.61]); M: 12.8% (IC 95%: [9.55-15.99]), F: 10.8% (IC 95%/ [8.20-13.31]). The consequences of cyberaddiction reported by this study were: sleep disorders, neglecting household chores, academic difficulties, social isolation and mood and behavior disturbances (violence, irritability). Conclusion: The prevalence of internet addiction is elevated in Tunisia. Many negative consequences are identified. Urgent measures should be taken to counter the problem.
TESTING THE PERFORMANCE OF NoSQL DATABASES VIA THE DATABASE BENCHMARK TOOL

TESTING THE PERFORMANCE OF NoSQL DATABASES VIA THE DATABASE BENCHMARK TOOL Lazar J. Krstić, Marija S. Krstić a Higher Business School of Applied Studies, Leskovac, Republic of Serbia, e-mail: krstic.lazar@vpsle.edu. rs, ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9131-6876 b Technical School „Nikola Tesla“, Medvedja, Republic of Serbia, e-mail: krsticmarija1989@gmail.com, ORCID iD: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3009-8400 DOI: 10.5937/vojtehg66-15928; https://doi.org/10.5937/vojtehg66-15928 FIELD: Informatics, Databases ARTICLE TYPE: Professional Paper ARTICLE LANGUAGE: English
A novel approach to measure photodesorption rates of interstellar ice analogues - The photodesorption rate of CO ice reinvestigated

Context. In recent years photodesorption rates have been determined in dedicated laboratory experiments for a number of different interstellar ice analogues. These rates are important in order to model non-thermal desorption processes that, for example, affect gas-phase abundances of species and determine the position of photo-induced snow lines in protoplanetary disks. However, different groups using similar experiments have found significant deviating photodesorption values. Aims. Here a new measurement concept is introduced that allows photodesorption rates to be determined following a different experimental approach. The potential of this method is demonstrated using the example of pure CO ice, the solid that gives the most striking discrepancies in the published results. Methods. The new experimental approach uses laser desorption post-ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry. It is based on the concept that the physical and geometrical properties of the plume obtained by laser induced desorption of the ice directly depend on the original ice thickness. This allows the ice loss to be determined as function of vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) fluence, which results in a photodesorption rate. The method has the additional advantage that it records all ice species, including photoproducts generated by the VUV irradiation. As a consequence, the method introduced here is also suited to determine the overall photodesorption rate of mixed ices. Results. The photodesorption rate for CO ice at 20 K has been determined as (1.4 ± 0.7) × 10 -3 molecules per incident VUV photon. This result is compared to existing experimental and theoretical values and the astronomical relevance is discussed.
Self-esteem moderates preferences for accepting versus rejecting interaction partners

Two experiments compared the social orientations of people with high and low self-esteem (HSEs vs. LSEs). In Experiment 1, participants received positive or negative interpersonal feedback from an accepting or rejecting evaluator. HSEs chose to interact with a rejecting evaluator more often than LSEs did. In Experiment 2, participants received solely negative interpersonal feedback from an accepting or rejecting evaluator of high or low social status. This time, both HSEs and LSEs chose an accepting/high-status evaluator over a rejecting/low-status one, but only HSEs chose a rejecting/high-status evaluator over an accepting/low-status one. Implications are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Buckling Analyses of Axially Functionally Graded Nonuniform Columns with Elastic Restraint Using a Localized Differential Quadrature Method

A localized differential quadrature method (LDQM) is introduced for buckling analysis of axially functionally graded nonuniform columns with elastic restraints. Weighting coefficients of differential quadrature discretization are obtained making use of neighboring points in forward and backward type schemes for the reference grids near the beginning and end boundaries of the physical domain, respectively, and central type scheme for the reference grids inside the physical domain. Boundary conditions are directly implemented into weighting coefficient matrices, and there is no need to use fictitious points near the boundaries. Compatibility equations are not required because the governing differential equation is discretized only once for each reference grid using neighboring points and variation of flexural rigidity is taken to be continuous in the axial direction. A large case of columns having different variations of cross-sectional profile and modulus of elasticity in the axial direction are considered. The results for nondimensional critical buckling loads are compared to the analytical and numerical results available in the literature. Some new results are also given. Comparison of the results shows the potential of the LDQM for solving such generalized eigenvalue problems governed by fourth-order variable coefficient differential equations with high accuracy and less computational effort.
An exploratory study on R&D performance measurement practices: a survey of Italian R&D-intensive firms

Although measuring the performance of a firm's R&D activities is a very challenging task, the critical role played by R&D in creating and sustaining a firm's competitive advantage has raised the need to adopt appropriate performance measurement systems (PMSs) in R&D units. Therefore, management scholars have been studying this issue and PMSs have diffused in the R&D departments of most R&D-intensive companies. Nevertheless, empirical investigations into the diffusion and practical use of PMSs in R&D units mainly concern Anglo-Saxon countries, where R&D information disclosure requirements have been in place for a long time. The purpose of this paper is to study the diffusion and practical use of PMSs in the R&D units of firms that are not subject to these types of external institutional influences. With this aim, the results of a survey on the R&D performance measurement practices adopted by a sample of Italian R&D-intensive firms are discussed. They allow to understand why and how R&D-intensive companies design and use a PMS in their R&D units for managerial purposes.
A PK Experiment with Zebra Finches and a Virtual Predator

The hypothesis that PK is a biological function which can be used by prey animals to their own benefi t was tested using 25 zebra fi nch- es. To test whether birds can manipulate the randomness of REG devices in a virtual predatory context, experimental and control trials were run. During the former, one subject was placed in the testing cage and could see a 25-frames-per-second, 150-second-duration video clip of a crawling predatory snake in a TFT-LCD screen. Immediately before each image, a REG device would randomly increase or decrease by one point the opacity of the subsequent image, which, as a consequence, would become more solid or more transparent. During the control test no subject was present in the testing cage. When the REG outcome was analyzed, the total number of events of image fading was found to be signifi cantly higher for the ex- perimental condition than for the control condition, and during the experi- mental condition the number of image fadings was also signifi cantly higher than that of opacity increases (and non-signifi cant during the control con- dition). Therefore, the birds might be able to infl uence the REG production to reduce the presence of the predator (i.e. the proposed hypothesis ap- pears to be supported).
Investigation of Silicon carbide based thin films for Solar cell applications

In today's predominant silicon based technology, a lot of research is carried out in using various silicon based matrices especially for new, efficient and reduced cost solar cells. This has led to a deep research into third generation silicon based thin film solar cells that consist of nanostructures. In this respect, a variety of silicon based host matrices have been investigated for solar cell applications including silicon dioxide and silicon nitride. Recently, interest has been extended to silicon carbide (SiC) because of its lower band gap (2.5 eV) as compared to SiO2 (9eV) and Si3N4 (5.3eV), in order to favor better electrical conductivity. This paper reports the initial works carried out on silicon carbide based thin films, where in, optical and structural properties of the film were investigated. These results would be useful in carrying out further research on the fabrication of Si nanostructures in SiC based matrix which is a challenge in today's research scenario.
A Systematic Review on the Effects of various Drugs which hamper or enhance Orthodontic Tooth Movement

The objective of this review of literature is to evaluate the effect of different types of drugs being used in orthodontic treatment which would hamper the orthodontic tooth movement. This review will brief out the different views given by various authors regarding various group of drug that effect orthodontic tooth movement. As more and more chemical analogues are being used in the form of new drugs to avoid resistance, today‟s clinicians should mandatorily update their knowledge on the clinical efficacy of the new drugs as well as the beneficial and harmful effects on human tissues. The administration of these drugs however play an important role on the orthodontic tooth movement and thus it is always advisable for a dentist to confirm with the family physician or the concerned physician for fitness of the patients who undergo orthodontics treatment involving tooth movement with a detailed medical history.
Die Sonifikation des menschlichen EEG

Dieser Artikel stellt vor, wie Sonifikation eine neuartige Wahrnehmung gesunder und krankhafter Korperrhythmen ermoglicht. Dies wird am Beispiel von EEG-Rhythmen gezeigt. Das Bild zeigt das zeitliche Signal einer EEG-Elektrode (oben). den aus den multivariaten Daten berechneten Klang (Sonifikation, als Signal, mitte) und das Spektrogramm. Die Veranderung des Rhythmus wird horbar.
HYPERACCUMULATION OF CADMIUM IN MAIZE PLANT ( Zea Mays )

Maize plant responses, in terms of growth and metal uptake, to different concentrations of cadmium ions (4, 20 μM) were analyzed in a hydroponic culture, for 2 weeks. For a 4 μM cadmium-contaminated environment, the maize plant presents the highest bioaccumulation level after 192 h, with a recovery degree of 52%, meanwhile, at a 20 μM concentration, the highest bioaccumulation was registered after 366 h, with a corresponding recovery degree after 288 h (10.56%). The translocation factor presented higher values for 20 μM induced contamination than for 4 μM, which means that increasing metal concentration in the medium increased the concentration in the upper parts of the plant. Anatomical sections of a maize plant (in a 4 and 20 μM cadmium-contaminated environment) were observed to evidence the changes in plant morphological structure. The efficiency of phytoextraction is related to the metal concentration in the environment and to the plant’s ability to grow on polluted soil sites, concomitantly with a high biomass yield.
Exploratory Analysis of the Winter Chemistry of Five Lakes on the North Slope of Alaska 1

Abstract: Lakes are important water resources on the North Slope of Alaska. Freshwater is required for oilfield production as well as exploration, which occurs largely on ice roads and pads. Since most North Slope lakes are shallow, the quantity and quality of the water under ice at the end of winter are important environmental management issues. Currently, water‐use permits are a function of the presence of overwintering fish populations, and their sensitivity to low oxygen concentrations. Sampling of five North Slope lakes during the winter of 2004‐2005 shed some light on the winter chemistry of four lakes that were used as water supplies and one undisturbed lake. Field analysis was conducted for oxygen, conductivity, pH, and temperature throughout the lake depth, as well as ice thickness and water depth. Water samples were retrieved from the lakes and analyzed for Na, Ca, K, Mg, Fe, dissolved‐organic carbon, and alkalinity in the laboratory. Lake properties, rather than pumping, were the best predictors of oxygen depletion, with the highest dissolved‐oxygen levels maintained in the lake with the lowest concentration of constituents. Volume weighted mean dissolved‐oxygen concentrations ranged from 4 to 94% of saturation in March. Dissolved oxygen and specific conductance data suggested that the lakes began to refresh in May.
Genetic Algorithm-Optimized Long Short-Term Memory Network for Stock Market Prediction

With recent advances in computing technology, massive amounts of data and information are being constantly accumulated. Especially in the field of finance, we have great opportunities to create useful insights by analyzing that information, because the financial market produces a tremendous amount of real-time data, including transaction records. Accordingly, this study intends to develop a novel stock market prediction model using the available financial data. We adopt deep learning technique because of its excellent learning ability from the massive dataset. In this study, we propose a hybrid approach integrating long short-term memory (LSTM) network and genetic algorithm (GA). Heretofore, trial and error based on heuristics is commonly used to estimate the time window size and architectural factors of LSTM network. This research investigates the temporal property of stock market data by suggesting a systematic method to determine the time window size and topology for the LSTM network using GA. To evaluate the proposed hybrid approach, we have chosen daily Korea Stock Price Index (KOSPI) data. The experimental result demonstrates that the hybrid model of LSTM network and GA outperforms the benchmark model.
CISPLATIN AND ETOPOSIDE WITH EITHER CONCURRENT OR SEQUENTIAL RADIATION THERAPY IN LIMITED-STAGE SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER

Aim of the Work: To compare concurrent versus sequential thoracic radiation therapy in combination with cisplatin and etoposide in treatment of limited-stage small cell lung cancer. Patients and Methods: Forty two patients with previously untreated limited-stage small cell lung cancer were randomized to receive chest irradiation either with the first cycle of chemotherapy in the concurrent arm (20 patients) or after the fourth cycle of chemotherapy in the sequential arm (22 patients). The total dose of radiation was 60 Gy, using daily seating of 2 Gy in 30 treatments over a period of six weeks. All patients received chemotherapy every 4 weeks, for total of 4 to 6 cycles in the form of cisplatin (100 mg/m2 intravenously) on day 1 and etoposide (100 mg/ m2 intravenously) on days 1, 2 and 3. Results: The overall response rate was higher in concurrent arm (90%) than in sequential arm (77.2%). Brain metastasis occurred as first site of recurrence in 22.7% of the patients in the sequential arm and 20% of the patients in the concurrent arm. Leucopenia was more frequent in the concurrent arm. Progression-free and overall survivals tended to be higher in the concurrent arm than those in the sequential arm (P =0.09 and 0.07, respectively). Conclusion: Concurrent use of cisplatin and etoposide with radiation therapy in limited-stage small cell lung cancer is preferred than sequential treatment.
Response of rare and endangered species Picea omorika to climate change - The need for speed

Serbian spruce (Picea omorika (Pancic) Purk. ) is a rare and endangered tertiary relict and endemic species, with restricted and fragmented natural range in Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, mainly around the mid-course of the Drina river. Since the middle of the 19th century, its natural range declines constantly, followed by a decline in the number of mature individuals. The decline of this forest species is slow and mainly attributed to poor regeneration and low competing ability. Given the foreseen worsening of the climate in forthcoming decades, this decline can only accelerate. In recent years, dieback related to drought has been observed as response to extreme weather events suggesting that Serbian spruce will face difficulties in adapting to climate change within its natural range. However, successful use of Serbian spruce in Central and Northern Europe indicates potentially large adaptive potential of this species which, along with the high genetic variability, outweigh the limited morphological variation, self-fertilization, and limitations related to the restricted natural range in the first place, and, indicates possible directions of migration in the second place. In this paper, current conservation actions are discussed, and strategies for the species survival in a changing environment are suggested. Since migration and adaptation are the least likely responses of this species to climate change, measures such as assisted migration may be the only strategy which will enable persistence of Serbian spruce. Current conservation programs, limited to in-situ actions, need to be supplemented with ex-situ actions and strategies. In the worst case scenario, i.e. for species such as Serbian spruce which are unable to migrate and/or adapt to changing climate, the most suitable sites should be identified and colonized in order to prevent extinction in the near future.
The Effect of Audit Objectives on Audit Quality—Why is There Little Disclosure of Significant Deficiencies in Japanese Internal Control Audits?

Many prior research findings indicate that audit quality differs between the Big 4 and non-Big 4 audit firms using an indicator variable. However, most previous research focuses on only outcome measures, such as audit fees, going concern reports, and non-audit services. This study investigates audit quality differentiation between the Big 4 and non-Big 4 audit firms hypothesis from an audit objective point of view. One of the material objectives of Japanese internal control audit institutions is to facilitate assessment and improvement of internal controls by corporations themselves. The findings of this study indicate that the Big 4 audit firms accomplish this objective better than non-Big 4 audit firms. Consequently, most Big 4 clients do not disclose significant deficiencies (SDs), implying that they improve the quality of internal controls through internal controls auditing. This paper concludes that Big 4 firms produce a higher audit quality level than non-Big 4 firms, and this quality difference is related to how an audit objective is interpreted and implemented.