On selection criteria for problems with moving inhomogeneities

We study mechanical problems with multiple solutions and introduce a thermodynamic framework to formulate two different selection criteria in terms of macroscopic energy productions and fluxes. Studying simple examples for lattice motion we then compare the implications for both resting and moving inhomogeneities.Comment: revised version contains new introduction, numerical simulations of Riemann problems, and a more detailed discussion of the causality principle; 18 pages, several figure

Path finding strategies in scale-free networks

We numerically investigate the scale-free network model of Barab{\'a}si and Albert [A. L. Barab{\'a}si and R. Albert, Science {\bf 286}, 509 (1999)] through the use of various path finding strategies. In real networks, global network information is not accessible to each vertex, and the actual path connecting two vertices can sometimes be much longer than the shortest one. A generalized diameter depending on the actual path finding strategy is introduced, and a simple strategy, which utilizes only local information on the connectivity, is suggested and shown to yield small-world behavior: the diameter $D$ of the network increases logarithmically with the network size $N$, the same as is found with global strategy. If paths are sought at random, $D \sim N^{0.5}$ is found.Comment: 4 pages, final for

Can The Delivery Method Influence Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Triggered By The First Pregnancy

Introduction and Objectives: The increase of the intensity of urinary symptoms in late pregnancy and postpartum has been well documented by several authors, but their causes remain uncertain, partly because of its probable multifactor origin. There are also controversies whether the etiology of lower urinary tract symptoms during pregnancy is the same as postpartum and whether the method of delivery could infl uence the risk of onset of urinary symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the urinary symptoms triggered during pregnancy and its evolutionin the late puerperium, correlating them with the delivery method. Materials and Methods: A longitudinal study was conducted, which included 75 primigravidae women, classifi ed according to method of delivery as: (VD) vaginal delivery with right mediolateral episiotomy (n = 28); (CS) elective caesarean section (n = 26); and (EC) emergency caesarean section (n = 21). Urinary symptoms were assessed in the last trimester of pregnancy and at 45 days (± 10) of puerperium with validated versions for Portuguese language of the following questionnaires: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Overactive Bladder (ICIQ-OAB). Results: It was observed that frequency, urgency, nocturia and urge incontinence, triggered during pregnancy, decreased signifi cantly in the postpartum period, regardless of the delivery method (p = 0.0001). However, symptoms related to urinary loss due to stress persisted after vaginal delivery (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: Urgency, frequency and nocturia triggered during pregnancy tend to disappear in the late postpartum period, regardless of the delivery method, but the symptoms related to urinary loss due to stress tend to persist in late postpartum period after vaginal delivery.382267276Abrams, P., Cardozo, L., Fall, M., Griffiths, D., Rosier, P., Ulmsten, U., The standardisation of terminology of lower urinary tract function: report from the Standardisation Sub-committee of the International Continence Society (2002) Neurourol Urodyn., 21, pp. 167-178Milsom, I., Altman, D., Lapitan, M.C., Nelson, R., Sillén, U., Thom, D., Epidemiology of urinary (UI) and faecal (FI) incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). In: Abrams P, Cardozo L, Khoury S, Wein A (eds). Incontinence, 4th edn. (2009) Committee 1. Paris, France: Health Publication Ltd., pp. 37-111Mostwin, J., Bourcier, J., Haab, F., Koebl, S., Rao, N., Resnick, S., Pathophysiology of urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (2005) In: Abrams P, Cardozo L, Khoury, Wein A (eds). Incontinence. 3nd ed. Plymouth: Health Publication Ltd, 1, pp. 436-462Viktrup, L., Lose, G., The risk of stress incontinence 5 years after first delivery (2001) Am J Obstet Gynecol, 185, pp. 82-87Toozs-Hobson, P., Boos, K., Cardozo, L., Pregnancy, childbirth and pelvic floor damage. In: Appell RA, Bourcier AP, La Torre F, eds. Pelvic floor dysfunction: Investigations and conservative treatment (1999) Rome: Casa Editrice Scientifica Internazionale, pp. 97-106Amaro, J.L., Macharelli, C.A., Yamamoto, H., Kawano, P.R., Padovani, C.V., Agostinho, A.D., Prevalence and risk factors for urinary and fecal incontinence in Brazilian women (2009) Int Braz J Urol, 35, pp. 592-597. , discussion 598Torkestani, F., Zafarghandi, N., Davati, A., Hadavand, S.H., Garshasbi, M., Case-controlled study of the relationship between delivery method and incidence of post-partum urinary incontinence (2009) J Int Med Res, 37, pp. 214-219Martins, G., Soler, Z.A., Cordeiro, J.A., Amaro, J.L., Moore, K.N., Prevalence and risk factors for urinary incontinence in healthy pregnant Brazilian women (2010) Int Urogynecol J, 21, pp. 1271-1277Brown, S.J., Donath, S., MacArthur, C., McDonald, E.A., Krastev, A.H., Urinary incontinence in nulliparous women before and during regnancy: prevalence, incidence, and associated risk factors (2010) Int Urogynecol J, 21, pp. 193-202Rortveit, G., Daltveit, A.K., Hannestad, Y.S., Hunskaar, S., Norwegian EPINCONT Study. Urinary incontinence after vaginal delivery or cesarean section (2003) N Engl J Med, 348, pp. 900-907Arrue, M., Ibañez, L., Paredes, J., Murgiondo, A., Belar, M., Sarasqueta, C., Stress urinary incontinence six months afterfirst vaginal delivery (2010) Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol, 150, pp. 210-214Huebner, M., Antolic, A., Tunn, R., The impact of pregnancy and vaginal delivery on urinary incontinence (2010) Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 110, pp. 249-251Diez-Itza, I., Arrue, M., Ibañez, L., Murgiondo, A., Paredes, J., Sarasqueta, C., Factors involved in stress urinary incontinence 1 year after first delivery (2010) Int Urogynecol J, 21, pp. 439-445Leijonhufvud, A., Lundholm, C., Cnattingius, S., Granath, F., Andolf, E., Altman, D., Risks of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery in relation to mode of childbirth (2011) Am J Obstet Gynecol, 204, pp. 70.e1-77.e1Thüroff, J.W., Abrams, P., Andersson, K.E., Artibani, W., Chapple, C.R., Drake, M.J., EAU guidelines on urinary incontinence (2011) Eur Urol, 59, pp. 387-400Koebl, H., Nitti, V., Baessler, K., Salvatore, S., Sultan, A., Yamaguchi, O., Pathophysiology of urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. In: Abrams P, Cardozo L, Khoury, Wein A (ed.), Incontinence. 4th ed. (2009) Plymouth: Health Publication Ltd, pp. 255-330Parente, M.P., Jorge, R.M., Mascarenhas, T., Fernandes, A.A., Martins, J.A., Deformation of the pelvic floor muscles during a vagin l delivery (2008) Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct, 19, pp. 65-71Arruda, R.M., Castro, R.A., GirÃo, M.J.B.C., Impacto na qualidade de vida. In: Truzzi JC, Dambros M. Bexiga Hiperativa - AspectosPráticos (2009) SÃo Paulo, Nome da Rosa, pp. 36-39Tamanini, J.T., Dambros, M., D'Ancona, C.A., Palma, P.C., Rodrigues Netto Jr., N., ValidaçÃo para o português do International Consultation on Incontinence questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF) (2004) Rev Saude Publica, 38, pp. 438-444Pereira, S.B., Thiel, R.R.C., Riccetto, C., Silva, J.M., Pereria, L.C., Herrmann, V., ValidaçÃo do International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Overactive Bladder (ICIQOAB) para a língua portuguesa (2010) Rev. Bras. Ginecol. Obstet, 32, pp. 273-278Abrams, P., Andersson, K.E., Birder, L., Brubaker, L., Cardozo, L., Chapple, C., Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence (2010) Fourth International Consultation on Incontinence Recommendations of the International Scientific Committee: Evaluation and treatment of urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and fecal incontinence. Neurourol Urodyn, 29, pp. 213-240Staskin, D., Kelleher, C., Avery, K., Bosch, R., Cotterill, N., Coyne, K., Initial assessment of urinary and faecal incontinence in adult male and female patients (2009) Plymouth UK: Health Publications, pp. 3311-3412. , Abrams P, Cardozo L, Khoury S, Wein A (ed.), Incontinence. 4th edvan Brummen, H.J., Bruinse, H.W., van der Bom, J.G., Heintz, A.P., van der Vaart, C.H., How do the prevalences of urogenital symptomschange during pregnancy? (2006) Neurourol Urodyn, 25, pp. 135-139Scarpa, K.P., Herrmann, V., Palma, P.C.R., Riccetto, C.L.Z., Morais, S., Prevalências de sintomas do trato urinário inferior no terceiro trimestre da gestaçÃo (2006) Rev Assoc Med Bras, 52, pp. 153-156van Brummen, H.J., Bruinse, H.W., van de Pol, G., Heintz, A.P., van der Vaart, C.H., The effect of vaginal and cesarean delivery on lower urinary tract symptoms: what makes the difference? (2007) Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct, 18, pp. 133-139Scarpa, K.P., Herrmann, V., Palma, P.C.R., Ricetto, C.L.Z., Morais, S., Sintomas do trato urinário inferior três anos apòs o parto: estudo prospectivo (2008) Bras Ginecol Obstet, 30, pp. 355-359Sharma, J.B., Aggarwal, S., Singhal, S., Kumar, S., Roy, K.K., Prevalence of urinary incontinence and other urological problems during pregnancy: a questionnaire based study (2009) Arch Gynecol Obstet, 279, pp. 845-851Genadry, R., A urogynecologist's view ofthe pelvic floor effects of vaginal delivery/cesarean section for the urologist (2006) Curr Urol Rep, 7, pp. 376-383Mørkved, S., Salvesen, K.A., BØ, K., Eik-Nes, S., Pelvic floor muscle strength and thickness in continent and incontinent nulliparous pregnant women (2004) Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct, 15, pp. 384-389. , discussion 390Casey, B.M., Schaffer, J.I., Bloom, S.L., Heartwell, S.F., McIntire, D.D., Leveno, K.J., Obstetric antecedents for postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction (2005) Am J Obstet Gynecol, 192, pp. 1655-1662Scarabotto, L.B., Riesco, M.L., Fatores relacionados ao trauma perineal no parto normal em nulíparas Rev Esc Enferm USP (2006), 40, pp. 389-395Ekström, A., Altman, D., Wiklund, I., Larsson, C., Andolf, E., Planned cesarean section versus planned vaginal delivery: compar son of lower urinary tract symptoms (2008) Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct, 19, pp. 459-465Thomason, A.D., Miller, J.M., Delancey, J.O., Urinary incontinence symptoms during and after pregnancy in continent and incont nent primiparas (2007) Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct, 18, pp. 147-151Wesnes, S.L., Hunskaar, S., Bo, K., Rortveit, G., The effect of urinary incontinence status during pregnancy and delivery mode on incontinence postpartum (2009) A cohort study. BJOG, 116, pp. 700-707Botelho, S., Riccetto, C., Ribeiro, G., Gome, J., Brisola, M., Herrmann, V., Overactive bladder symptoms in pregnancy and puerperium: is there a relationship between the symptoms score and quality of life? (2010) Actas Urol Esp, 34, pp. 794-797Viktrup, L., Lose, G., Rolff, M., Barfoed, K., The symptom of stress incontinence caused by pregnancy or delivery in primipar s (1992) Obstet Gynecol, 79, pp. 945-949Viktrup, L., Rortveit, G., Lose, G., Does the impact of subsequent incontinence risk factors depend on continence status du ing the first pregnancy or the postpartum period 12 years before? A cohort study in 232 primiparous women (2008) Am J Obstet Gy ecol, 199, pp. 73.e1-74.e1McLennan, M.T., Melick, C.F., Alten, B., Young, J., Hoehn, M.R., Patients' knowledge of potential pelvic floor changes associated with pregnancy and delivery (2006) Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct, 17, pp. 22-26Burgio, K.L., Zyczynski, H., Locher, J.L., Richter, H.E., Redden, D.T., Wright, K.C., Urinary incontinence in the 12-month postpartum eriod (2003) Obstet Gynecol, 102, pp. 1291-1298Bruschini, H., Etiopatogenia e classificaçÃo da incontinÊncia urinária feminina. In: Amaro JL, Haddad JM, Trindade JCS,Ribeiro RM (ed.), ReabilitaçÃo do assoalho pélvico nas disfunções urinárias e anorretais. (2005) SÃo Paulo: Se mento Farma, pp. 41-46Chin, H.Y., Chen, M.C., Liu, Y.H., Wang, K.H., Postpartum urinary incontinence: a comparison of vaginal delivery, elective, and emergent cesarean section (2006) Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct, 17, pp. 631-635Dumoulin, C., Hay-Smith, J., Pelvic floor muscle training versus no treatment for urinary incontinence in women (2007) Eura Medicophys, 43, pp. 1-17Hay-Smith, J., Berghmans, B., Burgio, K., Dumoulin, C., Hagen, S., Moore, K., Adult Conservative Management In: Abrams P, Cardozo L, Khoury S, Wein A (ed.), Incontinence. 4th International Consultation on Incontinence, Paris, July 5-8, 2008. (2009) Health Publications Ltd, Portsmouth, pp. 1025-112

Accelerated simultaneous T2 and T2* mapping of multiple sclerosis lesions using compressed sensing reconstruction of radial RARE-EPI MRI

(1) BACKGROUND: Radial RARE-EPI MRI facilitates simultaneous T2 and T2* mapping (2in1-RARE-EPI). With modest undersampling (R = 2), the speed gain of 2in1-RARE-EPI relative to Multi-Spin-Echo and Multi-Gradient-Recalled-Echo references is limited. Further reduction in scan time is crucial for clinical studies investigating T2 and T2* as imaging biomarkers. We demonstrate the feasibility of further acceleration, utilizing compressed sensing (CS) reconstruction of highly undersampled 2in1-RARE-EPI. (2) METHODS: Two-fold radially-undersampled 2in1-RARE-EPI data from phantoms, healthy volunteers (n = 3), and multiple sclerosis patients (n = 4) were used as references, and undersampled (Rextra = 1–12, effective undersampling Reff = 2–24). For each echo time, images were reconstructed using CS-reconstruction. For T2 (RARE module) and T2* mapping (EPI module), a linear least-square fit was applied to the images. T2 and T2* from CS-reconstruction of undersampled data were benchmarked against values from CS-reconstruction of the reference data. (3) RESULTS: We demonstrate accelerated simultaneous T2 and T2* mapping using undersampled 2in1-RARE-EPI with CS-reconstruction is feasible. For Rextra = 6 (TA = 01:39 min), the overall MAPE was ≤8% (T2*) and ≤4% (T2); for Rextra = 12 (TA = 01:06 min), the overall MAPE was <13% (T2*) and <5% (T2). (4) CONCLUSION: Substantial reductions in scan time are achievable for simultaneous T2 and T2* mapping of the brain using highly undersampled 2in1-RARE-EPI with CS-reconstruction

High precision Monte Carlo simulations of interfaces in the three-dimensional Ising model: a comparison with the Nambu-Goto effective string model

Motivated by the recent progress in the effective string description of the interquark potential in lattice gauge theory, we study interfaces with periodic boundary conditions in the three-dimensional Ising model. Our Monte Carlo results for the associated free energy are compared with the next-to-leading order (NLO) approximation of the Nambu-Goto string model. We find clear evidence for the validity of the effective string model at the level of the NLO truncation.Comment: 20 pages, 1 figur

Pair creation: back-reactions and damping

We solve the quantum Vlasov equation for fermions and bosons, incorporating spontaneous pair creation in the presence of back-reactions and collisions. Pair creation is initiated by an external impulse field and the source term is non-Markovian. A simultaneous solution of Maxwell's equation in the presence of feedback yields an internal current and electric field that exhibit plasma oscillations with a period tau_pl. Allowing for collisions, these oscillations are damped on a time-scale, tau_r, determined by the collision frequency. Plasma oscillations cannot affect the early stages of the formation of a quark-gluon plasma unless tau_r >> tau_pl and tau_pl approx. 1/Lambda_QCD approx 1 fm/c.Comment: 16 pages, 6 figure, REVTEX, epsfig.st

High fidelity 3D magnetic stray field mapping of smartphones to address safety considerations with active implantable electronic medical devices

Case reports indicate that magnets in smartphones could be a source of electromagnetic interference (EMI) for active implantable medical devices (AIMD), which could lead to device malfunction, compromising patient safety. Recognizing this challenge, we implemented a high-fidelity 3D magnetic field mapping (spatial resolution 1 mm) setup using a three-axis Hall probe and teslameter, controlled by a robot (COSI Measure). With this setup, we examined the stray magnetic field of an iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 12, and MagSafe charger to identify sources of magnetic fields for the accurate risk assessment of potential interferences with AIMDs. Our measurements revealed that the stray fields of the annular array of magnets, the wide-angle camera, and the speaker of the smartphones exceeded the 1 mT limit defined by ISO 14117:2019. Our data-driven safety recommendation is that an iPhone 13 Pro should be kept at least 25 mm away from an AIMD to protect it from unwanted EMI interactions. Our study addresses safety concerns due to potential device–device interactions between smartphones and AIMDs and will help to define data-driven safety guidelines. We encourage vendors of electronic consumer products (ECP) to provide information on the magnetic fields of their products and advocate for the inclusion of smartphones in the risk assessment of EMI with AIMDs

Ion beam analysis of as-received, H-implanted and post implanted annealed fusion steels

The elemental distribution for as-received (AR), H implanted (AI) and post-implanted annealed (A) Eurofer and ODS-Eurofer steels has been characterized by means of micro Particle Induced X-ray Emission (μ-PIXE), micro Elastic Recoil Detection (μ-ERD) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). The temperature and time-induced H diffusion has been analyzed by Resonance Nuclear Reaction Analysis (RNRA), Thermal Desorption Spectroscopy (TDS), ERDA and SIMS techniques. μ-PIXE measurements point out the presence of inhomogeneities in the Y distribution for ODS-Eurofer samples. RNRA and SIMS experiments evidence that hydrogen easily outdiffuses in these steels even at room temperature. ERD data show that annealing at temperatures as low as 300 °C strongly accelerates the hydrogen diffusion process, driving out up to the 90% of the initial hydrogen

Prevalences of hyperhomocysteinemia, unfavorable cholesterol profile and hypertension in European populations

Item does not contain fulltextBACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). HHCY may interact with hypertension (HTEN) and an unfavorable cholesterol profile (UNFAVCHOL) to alter the risk of CVD. OBJECTIVES: To estimate the prevalences of HHCY (1) isolated and (2) in combination with UNFAVCHOL and/or HTEN in different age categories. To provide information that may improve the screening and treatment of subjects at risk of CVD. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data on 12,541 men and 12,948 women aged 20 + y were used from nine European studies. RESULTS: The prevalence of isolated HHCY was 8.5% in subjects aged 20-40 y, 4.7% in subjects aged 40-60 y and 5.9% in subjects aged over 60 y. When combining all age groups, 5.3% had isolated HHCY and an additional 5.6% had HHCY in combination with HTEN and/or UNFAVCHOL. The combinations of risk factors increased with age and, except for HHCY&UNFAVCHOL, were more prevalent than predicted by chance. Of the young subjects (20-40 y), 24% suffered from one or more of the investigated CVD risk factors. This figure was 75.1% in the old subjects (60+ years). CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of subjects in selected European populations have HHCY (10.9%). In half of these cases, subjects suffer also from other CVD risk factors like UNFAVCHOL and HTEN. Older people in particular tend to have more than one risk factor. Healthcare professionals should be aware of this when screening and treating older people not only for the conventional CVD risk factors like UNFAVCHOL and HTEN but also HHCY, as this can easily be reduced through increased intake of folic acid via supplement or foods fortified with folic acid

The Spin-dependent Structure Function of the Proton g_1^p and a Test of the Bjorken Sum Rule

The inclusive double-spin asymmetry, A_1^p, has been measured at COMPASS in deepinelastic polarised muon scattering off a large polarised NH3 target. The data, collected in the year 2007, cover the range Q2 > 1 (GeV/c)^2, 0.004 < x < 0.7 and improve the statistical precision of g_1^p(x) by a factor of two in the region x < 0.02. The new proton asymmetries are combined with those previously published for the deuteron to extract the non-singlet spin-dependent structure function g_1^NS(x,Q2). The isovector quark density, Delta_q_3(x,Q2), is evaluated from a NLO QCD fit of g_1^NS. The first moment of Delta_q3 is in good agreement with the value predicted by the Bjorken sum rule and corresponds to a ratio of the axial and vector coupling constants g_A/g_V = 1.28+-0.07(stat)+-0.10(syst).Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure