LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Touch-less palm print biometrics: Novel design and implementation

In this paper, we propose an innovative touch-less palm print recognition system. This project is motivated by the public’s demand for non-invasive and hygienic biometric technology. For various reasons, users are concerned about touching the biometric scanners. Therefore, we propose to use a low-resolution web camera to capture the user’s hand at a distance for recognition. The users do not need to touch any device for their palm print to be acquired. A novel hand tracking and palm print region of interest (ROI) extraction technique are used to track and capture the user’s palm in real-time video stream. The discriminative palm print features are extracted based on a new method that applies local binary pattern (LBP) texture descriptor on the palm print directional gradient responses. Experiments show promising result using the proposed method. Performance can be further improved when a modified probabilistic neural network (PNN) is used for feature matching. Verification can be performed in less than one second in the proposed system. 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Impact of East Asian summer monsoon on the air quality over China: View from space

[1] Tropospheric O3 columns retrieved fromOzoneMonitoring Instrument andMicrowave Limb Sounder measurements, CO columns retrieved from Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere, and tropospheric O3 and CO concentrations retrieved from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer from May to August in 2006 are analyzed using the Regional Chemical and Transport Model to investigate the impact of the East Asian summer monsoon on the air quality over China. The observed and simulated migrations of O3 and CO are in good agreement, demonstrating that the summer monsoon significantly affects the air quality over southeastern China, and this influence extends to central East China from June to July. Enhancements of CO and O3 over southeastern China disappear after the onset of the summer monsoon and reemerge in August after the monsoon wanes. The premonsoon high O3 concentrations over southern China are due to photochemical production from pollutant emissions and the O3 transport from the stratosphere. In the summer monsoon season, the O3 concentrations are relatively low over monsoon‐affected regions because of the transport of marine air masses and weak photochemical activity. We find that the monsoon system strongly modulates the pollution problem over a large portion of East China in summer, depending on its strength and tempo‐spatial extension. Model results also suggest that transport from the stratosphere and long‐range transport from East China and South/central Asia all make significant contributions to O3 enhancements over West China. Satellite observations provide valuable information for investigating the monsoon impact on air quality, particularly for the regions with limited in situ measurements.
Leukocytapheresis in Ulcerative Colitis: Results of a Multicenter Double-Blind Prospective Case-Control Study with Sham Apheresis as Placebo Treatment

OBJECTIVE:Leukocytapheresis (LCAP) is a method of therapeutic apheresis that removes peripheral leukocytes. Previous studies showed that in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), LCAP was more effective than high-dose steroid therapy, and it had few adverse effects. We investigated LCAP in a multicenter study using active and sham devices in a double-blind study in order to elucidate the placebo effect of extracorporeal treatment including anticoagulant medication.METHODS:Twenty-five patients with active UC of severe or moderately severe grade were enrolled and assigned to the active group or the sham group. Six patients were excluded from the study and 19 (10 in the active group and nine in the sham group) were evaluated. LCAP (treatment using an active device or a sham device) was performed once a week for 5 wk, followed by two additional sessions during the next 4 wk at 2-wk intervals. Steroids and other medications were continued at the same dosage for 4 wk, which included a 2-wk pre-observation period and the first 2 wk after the start of the LCAP treatment. New medications or increase in the dosage of previous medication were prohibited until evaluation was conducted.RESULTS:The clinical activity index (CAI) value of UC, indicated that the active group showed a significantly greater improvement (80%, 8/10) than the sham group (33%, 3/9; p < 0.05). Adverse effects were observed in five patients (one in the active group and four in the sham group). None of these effects was severe and none of the sessions was terminated as a consequence of the adverse effects.CONCLUSION:The results confirmed that LCAP is a safe and effective therapeutic option for patients with active UC.
Skeletal Tissue Mechanics

This chapter describes how engineering principles can be used to estimate joint forces. Principles of static and dynamic analysis are reviewed, with examples of static analysis applied to the hip and elbow joints and to the analysis of joint forces in human ancestors. Applications to indeterminant problems of joint mechanics are presented and utilized to analyze equine fetlock joints.
Customized logistics service and online shoppers' satisfaction: an empirical study

Customized logistics service and online shoppers’ satisfaction: an empirical study Mingyao Hu Fang Huang Hanping Hou Yong Chen Larissa Bulysheva Article information: To cite this document: Mingyao Hu Fang Huang Hanping Hou Yong Chen Larissa Bulysheva , (2016),"Customized logistics service and online shoppers’ satisfaction: an empirical study", Internet Research, Vol. 26 Iss 2 pp. Permanent link to this document: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/IntR-11-2014-0295
Using Knowledge Representation and Reasoning Tools in the Design of Robots

The paper describes the authors’ experience in using knowledge representation and reasoning tools in the design of robots. The focus is on the systematic construction of models of the robot’s capabilities and its domain at different resolutions, and on establishing a clear relationship between the models at the different resolutions.
Predictors of long-term opioid use among patients with painful lumbar spine conditions.

UNLABELLED
Our objective was to assess predictors of self-reported opioid use among patients with back pain due to lumbar disc herniation or spinal stenosis. Data were from the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT), a multi-site observational study and randomized trial. We examined characteristics shown or hypothesized to be associated with opioid use. Using generalized estimating equations, we modeled associations of each potential predictor with opioid use at 12 and 24 months. At baseline, 42% of participants reported opioid use. Of these participants, 25% reported continued use at 12 months and 21% reported use at 24 months. In adjusted models, smoking (RR = 1.9, P < .001 at 12 months; RR = 1.5, P = .043 at 24 months) and nonsurgical treatment (RR = 1.7, P < .001 at 12 months; RR = 1.8, P = .003 at 24 months) predicted long-term opioid continuation. Among participants not using opioids at baseline, incident use was reported by 8% at 12 months and 7% at 24 months. We found no significant predictors of incident use at 12 or 24 months in the main models. In conclusion, nonsurgical treatment and smoking independently predicted long-term continued opioid use. To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study to assess predictors of long-term and incident opioid use among patients with lumbar spine conditions.


PERSPECTIVE
This longitudinal study of patients with disc herniation or spinal stenosis found that nonsurgical treatment and smoking predicted long-term self-reported opioid use. The greater risk of opioid continuation with nonsurgical therapy may be helpful in decision-making about treatment. The relationship between opioid use, smoking, and other substance use deserves further study.
HIV viral load response to antiretroviral therapy according to the baseline CD4 cell count and viral load.

CONTEXT
It is unclear whether delay in initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) may lead to a poorer viral load response for patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).


OBJECTIVE
To characterize the relationship of viral load response to ART with baseline CD4 cell count and baseline viral load.


DESIGN
Inception cohort of 3430 therapy-naive patients with HIV, of whom 3226 patients had at least 1 viral load count after the start of ART.


SETTING
Three cohort studies of patients cared for in HIV clinics in Europe between 1996 and 2000.


PATIENTS
All patients initiating ART consisting of at least 3 drugs initiated in or after 1996 and for whom CD4 cell count and viral load were available in the prior 6 months (at most).


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Viral load decrease to below 500 copies/mL; viral load rebound to above 500 copies/mL (2 consecutive values).


RESULTS
Of 3226 patients during the median follow-up of 119 weeks, 2741 (85%) experienced viral suppression to less than 500 copies/mL by 32 weeks. Relative hazards (RHs) of achieving this were 1.08 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98-1.21) and 0.94 (95% CI, 0.84-1.04) for baseline CD4 cell counts between 200 and 349 x 10(6)/L and baseline CD4 cell counts lower than 200 x 10(6)/L, respectively, compared with baseline CD4 cell counts of 350 x 10(6)/L or higher, after adjustment for several factors including baseline viral load. For baseline viral load, the RHs were 0.95 (95% CI, 0.84-1.07) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.58-0.74), for 10 000 to 99 999 and 100 000 copies/mL or greater, respectively, compared with less than 10 000 copies/mL, but the probability of viral load lower than 500 copies/mL at week 32 was similar in all 3 groups. Subsequent rebound above 500 copies/mL was no more likely with a lower baseline CD4 cell count or higher viral load.


CONCLUSION
In this study, lower CD4 cell counts and higher viral loads at baseline were not associated with poorer virological outcome of ART. Those with baseline viral loads of greater than 100 000 copies/mL had a slower rate of achieving viral suppression.
Effect of educational intervention on medication timing in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Medicine usage in Parkinson's disease patients is often imperfect, in particular irregular timing of medication. The effect of informing Parkinson's disease patients about the continuous dopaminergic hypothesis (to encourage regular medicine intake) on medication adherence and motor control was tested. Methods: Patients were randomised either to the active group (receiving the intervention) or control group (no extra information). Antiparkinson medicine usage was monitored for 3 months before and after the intervention using electronic pill bottles which record the date and time of opening (MEMS®, Aardex, Switzerland) and data used to calculate the percentage of doses taken at correct time intervals. Results: 43 patients (52%) were randomised to active counselling, and 40 (48%) were controls (standard management). The intervention effect (difference in timing adherence preto postintervention between the 2 groups) was 13.4% (CI 5.1 to 21.7), p = 0.002. Parkinson motor scores did not change significantly (active group 0.1, CI -3.4 to 3.7) versus controls (4.5, CI 1.6 to 7.1), p = 0.06. Conclusion: Timing adherence, but not motor scores, improves by providing patients with extra information. Therapy timing is of potential importance in Parkinson's disease management. Trial registration number: NCT00361205 Background Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) depend on medication for relief of motor symptoms, and for this reason are often assumed to medicate very carefully. Overall, medication adherence is very good, but a subset of 15 to 20% of cases take less than 80% of the total prescribed dose[1,2], although the limit of 80% of tablet intake is often applied, this is arbitrary and does not have a strong pharmacological basis[3]. However, irregular timing of drug ingestion is almost universal[2], perhaps contributed by fluctuating symptoms and drug regimen complexity. Pulsatile dopaminergic stimulation in the basal ganglia is implicated in the development and manifestation of motor complications of advancing PD[4]. The mechanism of motor complications is complex but may relate partly to erratic absorption and short half-life of levodopa causing fluctuating serum and brain drug levels and abnormal pulsatile stimulation of striatal dopamine receptors [5,6] contrasting with more continuous neurone firing under normal circumstances [7,8]. In early disease Published: 16 July 2007 BMC Neurology 2007, 7:20 doi:10.1186/1471-2377-7-20 Received: 14 July 2006 Accepted: 16 July 2007 This article is available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/7/20 © 2007 Grosset and Grosset; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
An ecological valence theory of human color preference.

Color preference is an important aspect of visual experience, but little is known about why people in general like some colors more than others. Previous research suggested explanations based on biological adaptations [Hurlbert AC, Ling YL (2007) Curr Biol 17:623-625] and color-emotions [Ou L-C, Luo MR, Woodcock A, Wright A (2004) Color Res Appl 29:381-389]. In this article we articulate an ecological valence theory in which color preferences arise from people's average affective responses to color-associated objects. An empirical test provides strong support for this theory: People like colors strongly associated with objects they like (e.g., blues with clear skies and clean water) and dislike colors strongly associated with objects they dislike (e.g., browns with feces and rotten food). Relative to alternative theories, the ecological valence theory both fits the data better (even with fewer free parameters) and provides a more plausible, comprehensive causal explanation of color preferences.
Students' Personal Variables as Correlates of Academic Achievement in English as a Second Language in Nigeria

The study was designed to find out the relationship between students personal variables such attitude and academic ability and their achievement in English Language: Four Research Questions were generated for the Study in Lagos State. The instruments used were Questionnaire on Students’ Attitude to English (QSAE) and Students’ Academic Ability Test (SAAT), four hundred 400) senior Secondary II (SSII) Students randomly selected from five (5) secondary schools were involved in the study. A correlational Analysis was run on the variables and their annual scores in English and t-test calculated. The result of the study showed that there was a positive relationship between Students’ Attitude and their academic achievement in English Language. It also showed significant difference in the academic ability of male and female students with male students having higher academic ability mean scores. Based on the findings of the research, recommendations were made that teachers, should evolve effective teaching and learning strategies to develop students positive attitude to English Language; school administrators should encourage regular attendance of English Language teachers at seminars and workshops to keep them abreast of innovation in the teaching of the subject that can improve students attitude; parents should create conducive home environments for their children to improve their attitudes to English Language; and that teachers of English should consider varying academic ability of learners when planing instructional programmes for them. failure rate was 33%. With the data in the table, the failure rate each year is certainly greater than the pass rate (except in 2003). This is certainly disturbing and something urgent has to be done to get students out of this nagging problem. The percentage of students eligible for admission into tertiary institutions (Grade 1-6 in English) is less than 30% each year. This no doubt, is an ugly scene. Scholars have advanced reasons for this woeful performance in English Language over the years. Some other studies have identified learner variables, which may enhance or retard students learning of English language such variables are motivation, interest, age, intelligence, aptitude cognitive style and learner personality (Fakeye 2002; Anoma 2005). The fact remains that the standard of spoken and written English of today’s secondary school students cannot be compared with that of their Year No of Percentage Candidates Grade 1-6 Grade 7-8 Grade F9 Table 1: Statistics of entries and results for SSCE, WAEC, English language 2000-2003 2000 850479 14.88 34.29 44.07 2001 1025027 26.07 30.90 43.02 2002 909888 24.57 32.81 42.61 2003 929271 27.03 34.45 33.00 Source: Department of Statistics, West African Examination Council (WAEC) Lagos, 2004.
Heterogeneity in fire severity within early season and late season prescribed burns in a mixed-conifer forest

Structural heterogeneity in forests of the Sierra Nevada was historically produced through variation in fire regimes and local environmental factors. The amount of heterogeneity that prescription burning can achieve might now be more limited owing to high fuel loads and increased fuel continuity. Topography, woody fuel loading, and vegetative composition were quantified in plots within replicated early and late season burn units. Two indices of fire severity were evaluated in the same plots after the burns. Scorch height ranged from 2.8 to 25.4 m in early season plots and 3.1 to 38.5 m in late season plots, whereas percentage of ground surface burned ranged from 24 to 96% in early season plots and from 47 to 100% in late season plots. Scorch height was greatest in areas with steeper slopes, higher basal area of live trees, high percentage of basal area composed of pine, and more small woody fuel. Percentage of area burned was greatest in areas with less bare ground and rock cover (more fuel continuity), steeper slopes, and units burned in the fall (lower fuel moisture). Thus topographic and biotic factors still contribute to the abundant heterogeneity in fire severity with prescribed burning, even under the current high fuel loading conditions. Burning areas with high fuel loads in early season when fuels are moister may lead to patterns of heterogeneity in fire effects that more closely approximate the expected patchiness of historical fires. Additional keywords: fire ecology; landscape heterogeneity; prescribed fire; season of burning.
ACL reconstruction: patellar tendon versus hamstring grafts—economical aspects

The aim of the present investigation was to compare the costs for the use of patellar tendon versus hamstring tendons as grafts for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction including the different fixation methods. The background is that during recent years there has been a dramatic shift from patellar tendon to hamstring tendons in ACL reconstructions in Sweden. All our patients with ACL reconstructions performed during 1 year (2004) were included. Knee joints numbering 440 in 439 patients were primary ACL reconstructions. A hamstring graft was used in 345 knee joints (78.4%) and a patellar tendon graft in 95 (21.6%) of the patients (Table 2). On average 34 (SD 12.9; range 14–63) ACL reconstructions per surgeon were performed by a total of 14 surgeons. The average cost for patellar tendon procedure was 197 € compared to 436 € for the hamstring procedure. Mean time for surgery in primary reconstructions was 11.5 min shorter (P<0.001) for patellar tendon reconstructions (71.3±31 min) compared to hamstring reconstructions (83.2±27 min). This means a difference in cost of 90 €. The total additional cost (fixation and surgery time) for the hamstring method compared to the patellar tendon method was on an average 329 €. From a strict economic point of view we therefore recommend or at least consider the use of the patellar tendon as a graft in ACL reconstructions.
Chapter 1 the Success and Failure of Rational Choice

The rational choice approach, despite widespread criticism, has reached a point of unrivaled prominence among general theoretical approaches for explaining human action. This prominence extends across the entire range of social sciences. In economics, rational choice remains unchallenged as the dominant, if not defining, theoretical paradigm, and is sometimes referred to simply as the " economic approach. " 1 In political science, largely under auspices of the public choice school, the rational choice approach has grown to the point where it has more adherents than any other, and its threatened dominance has set off an intense debate that has polarized the discipline. 2 In psychology, rational choice can claim close ties to a wide variety of theories located under the broad rubric of expectancy-value analysis. 3 Furthermore, the rapidly-growing subfield of decision theory, while often rejecting the economist's optimizing version of rational choice, uses it as the standard against which to compare its own bounded rational choice models. 4 In sociology, rational choice has risen from obscurity to become a major theoretical approach in both Europe and the United States, benefiting from the strong support of some the most prominent names in the discipline. 5 While anthropology is less interested than other social science disciplines in grand theories, rational choice has nonetheless been at the center of perhaps the main ongoing theoretical debate in cultural and social anthropology, that over whether interpretation of unfamiliar cultural practices should always proceed on the assumption that participants in such practices are rational. 6 Furthermore, it could 2 Numerous books have been written on the topic of rational choice theory and political science, many of which are cited later in this chapter. For a journalist's overview of this intradisciplinary strife, see Cushman 1994. 3 Although the exact boundaries of expectancy-value analysis are open to debate, it is usually defined as encompassing theories in which action is based on the value placed on different outcomes and the perceived effect of each alternative in achieving these outcomes. These include achievement motivation theory, some versions of social learning theory, some versions of decision theory, the theory of reasoned action, field theory, and purposive behavior theory. Although most of these theories do not formally specify their models of action, the major survey of the expectancy-value approach explicitly equates expectancy-value with expected utility, a key assumption in conventional rational choice theories. More citations are included in the section on …