LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
A vibration damping optimization algorithm for a parallel machines scheduling problem with sequence-independent family setup times

Parallel machines scheduling problem is a branch of production scheduling, which is among the most difficult combinatorial optimization problems. This paper develops a meta-heuristic algorithm based on the concept of the vibration damping in mechanical vibration, called vibration damping optimization (VDO) algorithm for optimizing the identical parallel machine scheduling problem with sequence-independent family setup times. The objective function of this problem is to minimize the total weighted completion time. Furthermore, the Taguchi experimental design method is applied to set and estimate the appropriate values of the parameters required in our proposed VDO. We computationally compare the results obtained by the proposed VDO with the results of the genetic algorithm (GA) and branch-and-bound method. Consequently, the computational results validate the quality of the proposed algorithm. 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Brain Amyloid Deposition and Longitudinal Cognitive Decline in Nondemented Older Subjects: Results from a Multi-Ethnic Population

OBJECTIVE
We aimed to whether the abnormally high amyloid-β (Aβ) level in the brain among apparently healthy elders is related with subtle cognitive deficits and/or accelerated cognitive decline.


METHODS
A total of 116 dementia-free participants (mean age 84.5 years) of the Washington Heights Inwood Columbia Aging Project completed 18F-Florbetaben PET imaging. Positive or negative cerebral Aβ deposition was assessed visually. Quantitative cerebral Aβ burden was calculated as the standardized uptake value ratio in pre-established regions of interest using cerebellar cortex as the reference region. Cognition was determined using a neuropsychological battery and selected tests scores were combined into four composite scores (memory, language, executive/speed, and visuospatial) using exploratory factor analysis. We examined the relationship between cerebral Aβ level and longitudinal cognition change up to 20 years before the PET scan using latent growth curve models, controlling for age, education, ethnicity, and Apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype.


RESULTS
Positive reading of Aβ was found in 41 of 116 (35%) individuals. Cognitive scores at scan time was not related with Aβ. All cognitive scores declined over time. Aβ positive reading (B = -0.034, p = 0.02) and higher Aβ burden in temporal region (B = -0.080, p = 0.02) were associated with faster decline in executive/speed. Stratified analyses showed that higher Aβ deposition was associated with faster longitudinal declines in mean cognition, language, and executive/speed in African-Americans or in APOE ε4 carriers, and with faster memory decline in APOE ε4 carriers. The associations remained significant after excluding mild cognitive impairment participants.


CONCLUSIONS
High Aβ deposition in healthy elders was associated with decline in executive/speed in the decade before neuroimaging, and the association was observed primarily in African-Americans and APOE ε4 carriers. Our results suggest that measuring cerebral Aβ may give us important insights into the cognitive profile in the years prior to the scan in cognitively normal elders.
Influence of life-style choices on locomotor disability, arthritis and cardiovascular disease in older women: prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND
many chronic conditions have their roots in modifiable health-related behaviours.


METHODS
a total of 4,286 women aged 60-79 in the British Women's Heart and Health Study are followed up for incident cardiovascular disease (CVD), arthritis and locomotor disability over 7 years. Self-reported smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise and fruit intake at baseline is also available. Associations between these and each outcome, plus a composite outcome, are investigated in those without prevalent disease at baseline using logistic regression with multiple imputation.


RESULTS
ex-smokers and current smokers showed increased odds of locomotor disability, CVD and the combined outcome. Less regular exercisers had increased odds of all outcomes, particularly locomotor disability. There was no evidence that alcohol or fruit intake was associated with any outcome. Population attributable fractions (PAFs) suggest in addition to the influence of smoking and alcohol, exercise accounts for 9% of incident locomotor disability, 5% of CVD and 4% of arthritis. All four lifestyle factors combined account for 17% of incident locomotor disability and 9% of incident conditions combined.


CONCLUSIONS
never smokers and regular exercisers had substantially reduced odds of 7-year disability onset. Low PAFs suggest changes in health-related behaviours in older women would result in only modest reductions in common chronic conditions.
Vocabulary Learning Strategies in an ESP Context

The paper focuses on vocabulary learning strategies as a subcategory of language learning strategies and their instruction within the ESP context at the Faculty of Maritime Studies and Transport in Portorož. Vocabulary strategy instruction will be implemented at our faculty as part of a broader PhD research into the effect of language learning strategy instruction on strategy use and subject-specific and general language acquisition. Additional variables that will be taken into consideration are language proficiency, motivation and learning styles of the students. The introductory section in which the situation that triggered my PhD research is presented is followed by a theoretical introduction to the concept of language and vocabulary learning strategies. The aspects that the paper focuses on are the central role of lexis within ESP, vocabulary learning strategy taxonomies, and the presentation of research studies made in the examined field to date. The final section presents the explicit vocabulary learning strategy instruction model. In the conclusion, some implications for teaching can be found. © 2006 Scripta Manent. Slovensko društvo uèiteljev tujega strokovnega jezika.
Urban cycles and mobility patterns: Exploring and predicting trends in a bicycle-based public transport system

This paper provides an analysis of human mobility data in an urban area using the amount of available bikes in the stations of the community bicycle program Bicing in Barcelona. Based on data sampled from the operator’s website, it is possible to detect temporal and geographic mobility patterns within the city. These patterns are applied to predict the number of available bikes for any station someminutes/hours ahead. The predictions could be used to improve the bicycle programand the information given to the users via the Bicing website. © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wireless Power and Data Transfer via a Common Inductive Link Using Frequency Division Multiplexing

For wireless power transfer (WPT) systems, communication between the primary side and the pickup side is a challenge because of the large air gap and magnetic interferences. A novel method, which integrates bidirectional data communication into a high-power WPT system, is proposed in this paper. The power and data transfer share the same inductive link between coreless coils. Power/data frequency division multiplexing technique is applied, and the power and data are transmitted by employing different frequency carriers and controlled independently. The circuit model of the multiband system is provided to analyze the transmission gain of the communication channel, as well as the power delivery performance. The crosstalk interference between two carriers is discussed. In addition, the signal-to-noise ratios of the channels are also estimated, which gives a guideline for the design of mod/demod circuits. Finally, a 500-W WPT prototype has been built to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed WPT system.
The oxidation state of the mantle and the extraction of carbon from Earth’s interior

Determining the oxygen fugacity of Earth’s silicate mantle is of prime importance because it affects the speciation and mobility of volatile elements in the interior and has controlled the character of degassing species from the Earth since the planet’s formation. Oxygen fugacities recorded by garnet-bearing peridotite xenoliths from Archaean lithosphere are of particular interest, because they provide constraints on the nature of volatile-bearing metasomatic fluids and melts active in the oldest mantle samples, including those in which diamonds are found. Here we report the results of experiments to test garnet oxythermobarometry equilibria under high-pressure conditions relevant to the deepest mantle xenoliths. We present a formulation for the most successful equilibrium and use it to determine an accurate picture of the oxygen fugacity through cratonic lithosphere. The oxygen fugacity of the deepest rocks is found to be at least one order of magnitude more oxidized than previously estimated. At depths where diamonds can form, the oxygen fugacity is not compatible with the stability of either carbonate- or methane-rich liquid but is instead compatible with a metasomatic liquid poor in carbonate and dominated by either water or silicate melt. The equilibrium also indicates that the relative oxygen fugacity of garnet-bearing rocks will increase with decreasing depth during adiabatic decompression. This implies that carbon in the asthenospheric mantle will be hosted as graphite or diamond but will be oxidized to produce carbonate melt through the reduction of Fe3+ in silicate minerals during upwelling. The depth of carbonate melt formation will depend on the ratio of Fe3+ to total iron in the bulk rock. This ‘redox melting’ relationship has important implications for the onset of geophysically detectable incipient melting and for the extraction of carbon dioxide from the mantle through decompressive melting.
Regular consumption of vitamin D-fortified yogurt drink (Doogh) improved endothelial biomarkers in subjects with type 2 diabetes: a randomized double-blind clinical trial

BACKGROUND
Endothelial dysfunction has been proposed as the underlying cause of diabetic angiopathy that eventually leads to cardiovascular disease, the major cause of death in diabetes. We recently demonstrated the ameliorating effect of regular vitamin D intake on the glycemic status of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, the effects of improvement of vitamin D status on glycemic status, lipid profile and endothelial biomarkers in T2D subjects were investigated.


METHODS
Subjects with T2D were randomly allocated to one of the two groups to receive either plain yogurt drink (PYD; containing 170 mg calcium and no vitamin D/250 mL, n1 = 50) or vitamin D3-fortified yogurt drink (FYD; containing 170 mg calcium and 500 IU/250 mL, n2 = 50) twice a day for 12 weeks. Anthropometric measures, glycemic status, lipid profile, body fat mass (FM) and endothelial biomarkers including serum endothelin-1, E-selectin and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 were evaluated at the beginning and after the 12-week intervention period.


RESULTS
The intervention resulted in a significant improvement in fasting glucose, the Quantitative Insulin Check Index (QUICKI), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), triacylglycerols, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), endothelin-1, E-selectin and MMP-9 in FYD compared to PYD (P < 0.05, for all). Interestingly, difference in changes of endothelin-1, E-selectin and MMP-9 concentrations in FYD compared to PYD (-0.35 ± 0.63 versus -0.03 ± 0.55, P = 0.028; -3.8 ± 7.3 versus 0.95 ± 8.3, P = 0.003 and -2.3 ± 3.7 versus 0.44 ± 7.1 ng/mL, respectively, P < 0.05 for all), even after controlling for changes of QUICKI, FM and waist circumference, remained significant for endothelin-1 and MMP-9 (P = 0.009 and P = 0.005, respectively) but disappeared for E-selectin (P = 0.092). On the contrary, after controlling for serum 25(OH)D, the differences disappeared for endothelin-1(P = 0.066) and MMP-9 (P = 0.277) but still remained significant for E-selectin (P = 0.011).


CONCLUSIONS
Ameliorated vitamin D status was accompanied by improved glycemic status, lipid profile and endothelial biomarkers in T2D subjects. Our findings suggest both direct and indirect ameliorating effects of vitamin D on the endothelial biomarkers.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01236846.
Development of superficial white matter and its structural interplay with cortical gray matter in children and adolescents.

Healthy human brain undergoes significant changes during development. The developmental trajectory of superficial white matter (SWM) is less understood relative to cortical gray matter (GM) and deep white matter. In this study, a multimodal imaging strategy was applied to vertexwise map SWM microstructure and cortical thickness to characterize their developmental pattern and elucidate SWM-GM associations in children and adolescents. Microscopic changes in SWM were evaluated with water diffusion parameters including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) in 133 healthy subjects aged 10-18 years. Results demonstrated distinct maturational patterns in SWM and GM. SWM showed increasing FA and decreasing MD and RD underneath bilateral motor sensory cortices and superior temporal auditory cortex, suggesting increasing myelination. A second developmental pattern in SWM was increasing FA and AD in bilateral orbitofrontal regions and insula, suggesting improved axonal coherence. These SWM patterns diverge from the more widespread GM maturation, suggesting that cortical thickness changes in adolescence are not explained by the encroachment of SWM myelin into the GM-WM boundary. Interestingly, age-independent intrinsic association between SWM and cortical GM seems to follow functional organization of polymodal and unimodal brain regions. Unimodal sensory areas showed positive correlation between GM thickness and FA whereas polymodal regions showed negative correlation. Axonal coherence and differences in interstitial neuron composition between unimodal and polymodal regions may account for these SWM-GM association patterns. Intrinsic SWM-GM relationships unveiled by neuroimaging in vivo can be useful for examining psychiatric disorders with known WM/GM disturbances.
Abdominal obesity and the spectrum of global cardiometabolic risks in US adults

Objective:To compare the association of obesity and abdominal obesity with cardiometabolic risk factor burden and global estimated coronary heart disease (CHD) risk among multiethnic US adults.Design:Cross-sectional, survey study.Subjects:A total of 4456 participants (representing 194.9 million adults) aged 20–79 years in the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).Measurements:Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) measures, CHD risk factors and a 10-year estimated CHD risk based on Framingham algorithms. Obesity was defined as a BMI ⩾30 kg/m2 and abdominal obesity as a WC >88 cm in women and >102 cm in men. High CHD risk status included diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) or a 10-year Framingham risk score of >20%.Results:Overall, abdominal obesity was present in 42.3% of men and 62.5% of women and in 53.6% of whites, 56.9% of blacks and 50.5% of Hispanics (P<0.001 between gender and ethnicity). However, using International Diabetes Federation (IDF)-recommended WC cut points for Hispanics, the prevalence of abdominal obesity was 78.3%. Mean levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose and C-reactive protein increased, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) decreased (P<0.001) according to BMI and WC categories, although these associations were attenuated in blacks for blood pressure, LDL-C, HDL-C and triglycerides. Of those with high WC, 25–35% had ⩾3 cardiometabolic risk factors. High CHD risk among those with high WC was most common in men (27.9%) and non-Hispanic whites (23.9%). Persons with a high vs normal WC, adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity and BMI were more likely to have ⩾3 cardiometabolic risk factors (odds ratio (OR)=5.1, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.9–6.6) and were classified as high CHD risk (OR=1.5, 95% CI=1.1–2.0).Conclusion:The association of abdominal obesity with risk factors varies by ethnicity and is independently associated with high CHD risk status, further validating its clinical significance.
Frequency format diagram and probability chart for breast cancer risk communication: a prospective, randomized trial

BACKGROUND
Breast cancer risk education enables women make informed decisions regarding their options for screening and risk reduction. We aimed to determine whether patient education regarding breast cancer risk using a bar graph, with or without a frequency format diagram, improved the accuracy of risk perception.


METHODS
We conducted a prospective, randomized trial among women at increased risk for breast cancer. The main outcome measurement was patients' estimation of their breast cancer risk before and after education with a bar graph (BG group) or bar graph plus a frequency format diagram (BG+FF group), which was assessed by previsit and postvisit questionnaires.


RESULTS
Of 150 women in the study, 74 were assigned to the BG group and 76 to the BG+FF group. Overall, 72% of women overestimated their risk of breast cancer. The improvement in accuracy of risk perception from the previsit to the postvisit questionnaire (BG group, 19% to 61%; BG+FF group, 13% to 67%) was not significantly different between the 2 groups (P = .10). Among women who inaccurately perceived very high risk (> or = 50% risk), inaccurate risk perception decreased significantly in the BG+FF group (22% to 3%) compared with the BG group (28% to 19%) (P = .004).


CONCLUSION
Breast cancer risk communication using a bar graph plus a frequency format diagram can improve the short-term accuracy of risk perception among women perceiving inaccurately high risk.
Effectiveness of peer support in reducing readmissions of persons with multiple psychiatric hospitalizations.

OBJECTIVE
The study examined the feasibility and effectiveness of using peer support to reduce recurrent psychiatric hospitalizations.


METHODS
A randomized controlled design was used, with follow-up at nine months after an index discharge from an academically affiliated psychiatric hospital. Patients were 18 years or older with major mental illness and had been hospitalized three or more times in the prior 18 months. Seventy-four patients were recruited, randomly assigned to usual care (N=36) or to a peer mentor plus usual care (N=38), and assessed at nine months.


RESULTS
Participants who were assigned a peer mentor had significantly fewer rehospitalizations (.89 ± 1.35 versus 1.53 ± 1.54; p=.042 [one-tailed]) and fewer hospital days (10.08 ± 17.31 versus 19.08 ± 21.63 days; p<.03, [one tailed]).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite the study's limitations, findings suggest that use of peer mentors is a promising intervention for reducing recurrent psychiatric hospitalizations for patients at risk of readmission.
Design of multimedia network courseware for Building Materials of civil engineering

This paper illustrates the design of multimedia network courseware for Building Materials from four aspects as Exploiture Aims, Design of Structure, Designing Standards and Main Characteristics of Courseware. According to the characteristics of the course, we established the Designing Standards for the courseware and introduce an innovative section as experiments simulation to settle the lack of practice for engineering course.
Wikipedia Research and Tools: Review and Comments

I here give an overview of Wikipedia and wiki research and tools. Well over 1,000 reports have been published in the field and there exist dedicated scientific meetings for Wikipedia research. It is not possible to give a complete review of all material published. This overview serves to describe some key areas of research.
Different clinical outcomes in patients with asymptomatic severe aortic stenosis according to the stage classification: Does the aortic valve area matter?

BACKGROUND
The ACC/AHA guidelines introduced a new classification of severe aortic stenosis (AS) mainly based on maximum jet velocity (Vmax) and mean pressure gradient (mPG), but not on aortic valve area (AVA). However, prognostic value of this new classification has not yet been fully evaluated.


METHODS AND RESULTS
We studied 1512 patients with asymptomatic severe AS enrolled in the CURRENT AS registry in whom surgery was not initially planned. Patients were divided into 2 groups: Group 1 (N=122) comprised patients who met the recommendation for surgery; high-gradient (HG)-AS (Vmax≥4.0m/s or mPG≥40mmHg) with ejection fraction (EF)<50%, or very HG-AS (Vmax≥5.0m/s or mPG≥60mmHg), and Group 2 (N=1390) comprised patients who did not meet this recommendation. Group 2 was further subdivided into HG-AS with preserved EF (HGpEF-AS, N=498) and low-gradient (LG)-AS, but AVA<1.0cm2 (N=892). The excess risk of Group 1 relative to Group 2 for the primary outcome measure (a composite of aortic valve-related death or heart failure hospitalization) was significant (adjusted HR: 1.92, 95%CI: 1.37-2.68, P<0.001). The excess risk of HGpEF-AS relative to LG-AS for the primary outcome measure was also significant (adjusted HR: 1.45, 95%CI: 1.11-1.89, P=0.006). Among LG-AS patients, patients with reduced EF (<50%) (LGrEF-AS, N=103) had extremely high cumulative 5-year incidence of all-cause death (85.5%).


CONCLUSION
Trans-aortic valve gradient in combination with EF was a good prognostic marker in patients with asymptomatic AS. However, patients with LGrEF-AS had extremely poor prognosis when managed conservatively.
Optimal Policies for Multiechelon Inventory Problems with Markov-Modulated Demand

This paper considers a multistage serial inventory system with Markov-modulated demand. Random demand arises at Stage 1, Stage 1 orders from Stage 2, etc., and Stage N orders from an outside supplier with unlimited stock. The demand distribution in each period is determined by the current state of an exogenous Markov chain. Excess demand is backlogged. Linear holding costs are incurred at every stage, and linear backorder costs are incurred at Stage 1. The ordering costs are also linear. The objective is to minimize the long-run average costs in the system. The paper shows that the optimal policy is an echelon base-stock policy with state-dependent order-up-to levels. An efficient algorithm is also provided for determining the optimal base-stock levels. The results can be extended to serial systems in which there is a fixed ordering cost at stage N and to assembly systems with linear ordering costs.
Design of Low-Offset Voltage Dynamic Latched Comparator

ABSTRACT The offset voltage of the dynamic latched comparator is analyzed in detailed and dynamic latched comparator design is optimized for the minimal offsetvoltage based on the analysis in this paper. As a result offset-voltage was reduced from 0.87μV (in conventional double tail latched comparator) to 0.3μV (in case of proposed comparator. The simulated results of the conventional as well as proposed comparator have been shown on pspice orcad 9.2 versions.