LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of a randomized trial on adjuvant radio-iodine therapy in differentiated thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND
Justification for adjuvant radio-iodine (I-131) therapy in differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) is purely based on retrospective data. This is true for ablative therapy and even more so for high-dosage adjuvant schedules. Randomized trials on the latter application are considered impossible due to anticipated formidable sample sizes required in a disease with an overall excellent prognosis like DTC.


OBJECTIVE
To develop and validate a model that could stratify for risk of recurrence, rather than survival, as is usually done in prognostic indices, and secondly, to use this model to estimate the sample size required for a randomized trial.


DESIGN, PATIENTS AND RESULTS
From databases of three large Dutch centres, we identified 342 consecutive patients without known residual DTC after (near-) total thyroidectomy. Using Cox proportional hazards analysis, a model was validated that clearly distinguished risk categories of recurrence using commonly available baseline variables. The model included age, N stage at presentation and T stage in papillary carcinoma. According to this stratification, a subset of patients at substantial risk for relapse (30-40%) was identified. They could be eligible for a trial assessing the impact of high-dose adjuvant I-131 on recurrence rates. Assuming a clinically relevant effect of 30% reduction of relapses, 290 patients would have to be entered in either arm (alpha 0.05, power 80%).


CONCLUSION
We conclude that even though a randomized trial on this issue will be difficult to design and conduct, sample size is not the main problem.
The Effects of a Graded Activity Intervention for Low Back Pain in Occupational Health on Sick Leave, Functional Status and Pain: 12-Month Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Behaviorally oriented graded activity interventions have been suggested for sick-listed workers with low back pain on return to work, but have not been extensively evaluated. Methods: One hundred and thirty-four workers were randomly assigned to either a graded activity intervention (n = 67) or usual care (n = 67) and followed-up for 12 months. Results: The graded activity group returned back to work faster with a median of 54 days compared to 67 days in the usual care group. The graded activity intervention was more effective after approximately 50 days post-randomization (HRR = 1.9, CI = 1.2–3.1, p = 0.01). Differences between the groups in number of recurrent episodes, total number of days of sick leave due to low back pain, and total number of days of sick leave due to all diagnoses, were in favor of the graded activity group, although not statistically significant. No effects of the graded activity intervention were found for functional status or pain. Conclusion: Graded activity intervention is a valuable strategy to enhance short-term return to work outcomes.
An application-centric model for cloud management

The cloud model is increasingly popular as a means of creating dynamic, flexible and cost effective networkcentric application infrastructures. The model separates the applications, or application cloud, from the resources, or resource cloud, upon which the applications will be hosted. There are an increasing number of utility resource providers that aim to provide cloud infrastructure on demand to users and libraries that aim to manage owned infrastructure as a resource cloud. There is, unfortunately, no common API for cloud resources and it is unlikely that one will emerge soon given the immaturity of the area and the competing commercial interests in the domain. In this paper, we outline our commodity and application-centric approach to resource management, and describe our integration framework for cloud application management-illustrating its use in a field deployed application and a particular dynamic component within that application.
Fortification of Six Sigma: expanding the DMAIC toolset

Special Issue Fortification of Six Sigma: Expanding the DMAIC Toolset Loon Ching Tang1,∗,†, Thong Ngee Goh1, Shao Wei Lam1 and Cai Wen Zhang2 1Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, National University of Singapore, 1 Engineering Drive 2, Singapore 117576, Republic of Singapore 2Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Singapore) Pte Ltd, 4 Kaki Bukit Avenue 1, Singapore 417939, Republic of Singapore
Otsu Method and K-means

Otsu method is one of the most successful methods for image thresholding. This paper proves that the objective function of Otsu method is equivalent to that of K-means method in multilevel thresholding . They are both based on a same criterion that minimizes the within-class variance. However, Otsu method is an exhaustive algorithm of searching the global optimal threshold, while K-means is a local optimal method. Moreover, K-means does not require computing a gray-level histogram before running, but Otsu method needs to compute a gray-level histogram firstly. Therefore, K-means can be more efficiently extended to multilevel thresholding method, two-dimensional thresholding method and three-dimensional method than Otsu method. This paper proved that the clustering results of K-means keep the order of the initial centroids with respect to one-dimensional data set. The experiments show that the k-means thresholding method performs well with less computing time than Otsu method does on three dimensional image thresholding.
Context-Adaptive Multimodal Wireless Sensor Network for Energy-Efficient Gas Monitoring

We present a wireless sensor network (WSN) for monitoring indoor air quality, which is crucial for people's comfort, health, and safety because they spend a large percentage of time in indoor environments. A major concern in such networks is energy efficiency because gas sensors are power-hungry, and the sensor node must operate unattended for several years on a battery power supply. A system with aggressive energy management at the sensor level, node level, and network level is presented. The node is designed with very low sleep current consumption (only 8 μA), and it contains a metal oxide semiconductor gas sensor and a pyroelectric infrared (PIR) sensor. Furthermore, the network is multimodal; it exploits information from auxiliary sensors, such as PIR sensors about the presence of people and from the neighbor nodes about gas concentration to modify the behavior of the node and the measuring frequency of the gas concentration. In this way, we reduce the nodes' activity and energy requirements, while simultaneously providing a reliable service. To evaluate our approach and the benefits of the context-aware adaptive sampling, we simulate an application scenario which demonstrates a significant lifetime extension (several years) compared to the continuously-driven gas sensor. In March 2012, we deployed the WSN with 36 nodes in a four-story building and by now the performance has confirmed models and expectations.
Insecure attachments: Attachment, emotional regulation, sexting and condomless sex among women in relationships

Associations have been found among sexting, attachment insecurity, emotional dysregulation, and sexual and risky sexual behavior in young adults. In a sample of 92 young adult women in romantic relationships, this study aimed to examine whether emotional regulation might constitute an indirect pathway linking attachment and sexting, and the potential implications for engaging in condomless sex. Findings revealed that in young adult women in romantic relationships, attachment anxiety was associated with sexting through difficulty controlling impulses during moments of emotional distress. Also, sexting directly predicted condomless sex. Attachment avoidance and anxiety were both associated with sexting in the bivariate correlations. Findings highlight the role of digital technology in understanding how people's negotiation of needs for attachment and emotional regulation might lead to risky sexual behavior. Interventions targeting the interplay of attachment, emotional regulation and technology use may positively impact relational and behavioral health outcomes. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Efficient Bounds for the Softmax Function and Applications to Approximate Inference in Hybrid models

The softmax link is used in many probabilistic model dealing with both discrete and continuous data. However, efficient Bayesian inference for this type of model is still an open problem due to the lack of efficient upper bound for the sum of exponentials. We propose three different bounds for this function and study their approximation properties. We give a direct application to the Bayesian treatment of multiclass logistic regression and discuss its generalization to deterministic approximate inference in hybrid probabilistic graphical models. The softmax function is the extension of the sigmoid function for more than two values. Its role is of central importance in many non-linear probabilistic models. In particular, many well-known models deal with discrete and continuous data. Variational approximations based on the minimization of the Kullback-Leibler divergence are one of the most popular tools in large-scale Bayesian inference. In recent years, generic tools such as VIBES [1] have been proposed for inference and learning of graphical models using mean field approximations. For graphs having discrete nodes with continuous parents, the direct mean field cannot be applied, since there is no conjugate family for the multinomial logistic model. Local variational approximations have been proposed in the case of binary variables [2]. They are based on a quadratic lower bound for the log of the sigmoid function. This is used in directed probabilistic graphical models having binary variables with continuous parents [3, 1]. However, for more than 2 categories, the inference problem remains unsolved. In section 2, give an detailed overview of the techniques used by different authors to deal with Bayesian inference for models involving softmax links. In section 3, we derive three simple lower bounds and discuss their approximation properties. In Section 4 we perform numerical experiments on a typical application which is the variational approximation of the multiclass logistic regression. Finally, we discuss its application to more general deterministic approximate inference algorithms in graphical models.
Location, Concentration, and Performance of Economic Activity in Brazil

What are the prospects for economic development in lagging sub-national regions? What are the roles of public infrastructure investments and fiscal incentives in influencing the location and performance of industrial activity? To examine these questions, we estimate a spatial profit function for industrial activity in Brazil that explicitly incorporates infrastructure improvements and fiscal incentives in the cost structure of individual firms. We use firm level data from the 2001 annual industrial survey along with regional data at the microregion level and find that there are considerable cost savings from being located in areas with relatively lower transport costs to reach large markets. In comparison, fiscal incentives have modest effects in terms of influencing firm level costs. Although the results suggest that firms benefit from being in locations with good access to markets, we do not suggest that improving interregional connectivity would necessarily assist lagging regions in the short run. Improving inter-regional connectivity implicitly reduces a natural tariff barrier so firms currently serving large markets and benefiting from economies of scale can more easily expand into new markets in competition with local producers. Therefore, producers in the leading regions can crowd out local producers, which would be detrimental for local production and employment in the lagging region. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3268, April 2004 The Policy Research Working Paper Series disseminates the findings of work in progress to encourage the exchange of ideas about development issues. An objective of the series is to get the findings out quickly, even if the presentations are less than fully polished. The papers carry the names of the authors and should be cited accordingly. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely those of the authors. They do not necessarily represent the view of the World Bank, its Executive Directors, or the countries they represent. Policy Research Working Papers are available online at http://econ.worldbank.org. * This paper has been co-funded by a World Bank research program grant on “Urbanization and Quality of Life” and the World Bank’s Local Economic Development strategy project for Brazil. We thank Newton De Castro, Marianne Fay, Mudit Kapoor, Zmarak Shalizi, Mark Thomas, Joachim Von Amsberg and participants of a World Bank seminar on ‘Regional and Local Economic Development in Brazil’ for useful comments and suggestions. We also thank the Brazilian IBGE for providing us access to confidential firm level data. ** Corresponding Author: Email: slall1@worldbank.org; Phone 1 202 458 5315, MC 2621, 1818 H St. N.W., Washington DC 20433, USA.
Gamifying learning experiences: Practical implications and outcomes

Gamification is the use of game design elements and game mechanics in non-game contexts. This idea has been used successfully in many web based businesses to increase user engagement. Some researchers suggest that it could also be used in web based education as a tool to increase student motivation and engagement. In an attempt to verify those theories, we have designed and built a gamification plugin for a well-known e-learning platform. We have made an experiment using this plugin in a university course, collecting quantitative and qualitative data in the process. Our findings suggest that some common beliefs about the benefits obtained when using games in education can be challenged. Students who completed the gamified experience got better scores in practical assignments and in overall score, but our findings also suggest that these students performed poorly on written assignments and participated less on class activities, although their initial motivation was higher. 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Variability of within-step acceleration and daily wellness monitoring in Collegiate American Football.

OBJECTIVES
It is commonplace to consider accelerometer load and any resultant neuromuscular fatigue in training programs. With these data becoming accepted in sport alongside wellness questionnaires this study aimed to investigate if a deeper analysis of the accelerometry data can provide actionable insight into training-induced disruptions.


DESIGN
Accelerometer data from Collegiate American Football athletes (n=63) were collected during training and matches across a regular season.


METHODS
These data were processed to: identify instances of high speed running, extract step waveforms from those sections, and determine the variability of those waveforms via a within- and between-section co-efficient of multiple determination. Athletes completed wellness questionnaires prior to sessions that were used to flag areas of muscle soreness as well as fatigue, or disturbed sleep quality. Linear mixed models were used to assess associations between inter stride variability and flags in wellness/soreness markers.


RESULTS
An increase in acute (7d) load saw an increased stride variability in these athletes. Feeling less fatigued and/or lower muscle soreness was associated with higher stride variability.


CONCLUSIONS
The assessment of variability has the potential to identify athletes who are displaying physical symptoms that would indicate the need to modify training.
Complementarities and fit Strategy , structure , and organizational change in manufacturing

The theories of supermodular optimization and games provide a framework for the analysis of systems marked by complementarity. We summarize the principal results of these theories and indicate their usefulness by applying them to study the shift to 'modern manufacturing'. We also use them to analyze the characteristic features of the Lincoln Electric Company's strategy and structure.
Validity of bioelectrical impedance analysis to assess fat-free mass in patients with head and neck cancer: an exploratory study.

BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to validate bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) using the Geneva equation for fat-free mass (FFM) in patients with head and neck cancer.


METHODS
In 24 patients with head and neck cancer, agreement between BIA (FFMBIA ) and dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (FFMDXA ) 1 week before (T0 ), 1 month (T1 ), and 4 months (T2 ) after cancer treatment was analyzed.


RESULTS
FFMBIA did not differ from FFMDXA (mean difference 0.71 ± 1.9, 0.30 ± 1.9, and 0.02 ± 2.1 kg) at any time point. Only at T0 , mean FFM correlated to the difference between FFMDXA and FFMBIA (r = 0.48; p = .017). Limits of agreement were 3.8, 3.7, and 4.1 kg, respectively. Concordance Correlation Coefficients were 0.98 at all time points.


CONCLUSION
BIA may be used to assess FFM with reasonable validity based on mean-level comparisons, but differences between BIA and DXA may vary by about 4 kg in an individual patient. These results require confirmation in a larger sample of patients with head and neck cancer.
A Graph-theoretic perspective on centrality

The concept of centrality is often invoked in social network analysis, and diverse indices have been proposed to measure it. This paper develops a unified framework for the measurement of centrality. All measures of centrality assess a node’s involvement in the walk structure of a network. Measures vary along four key dimensions: type of nodal involvement assessed, type of walk considered, property of walk assessed, and choice of summary measure. If we cross-classify measures by type of nodal involvement (radial versus medial) and property of walk assessed (volume versus length), we obtain a four-fold polychotomization with one cell empty which mirrors Freeman’s 1979 categorization. At a more substantive level, measures of centrality summarize a node’s involvement in or contribution to the cohesiveness of the network. Radial measures in particular are reductions of pair-wise proximities/cohesion to attributes of nodes or actors. The usefulness and interpretability of radial measures depend on the fit of the cohesion matrix to the onedimensional model. In network terms, a network that is fit by a one-dimensional model has a core-periphery structure in which all nodes revolve more or less closely around a single core. This in turn implies that the network does not contain distinct cohesive subgroups. Thus, centrality is shown to be intimately connected with the cohesive subgroup structure of a network. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Factors predictive of overall health over the course of the disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from the LUMINA cohort (LXII): use of the SF-6D.

OBJECTIVE
Health related quality of life (HRQOL) over course of the disease was ascertained in SLE patients from LUMINA, a multiethnic US cohort, using the SF-36-derived utility measure, the SF-6D.


METHODS
All available visits were examined to predict HRQOL using either variables from the baseline or enrollment visits or from the preceding visits. The physical and mental component summary (PCS and MCS, respectively) measures of the SF-36 were also examined. A total of 2662 visits from 588 SLE patients were included; 90% of the patients were women, 19% Hispanic-Texans, 17% Hispanic-Puerto Ricans, 35% African Americans and 29% Caucasians. The patients' mean (SD) SF-6D was 0.6 (0.1).


RESULTS
In multivariable analyses, Hispanic-Texan ethnicity and higher levels of social support were predictors of HRQOL whereas older age, poverty, greater disease activity and damage and higher levels of fatigue, helplessness and abnormal illness-related behaviors were negative predictors. Prior SF-6D was the strongest variable predictive of subsequent HRQOL, when included. The analyses in which the PCS and MCS were examined as end-points were, overall, consistent with the SF-6D results.


CONCLUSION
We conclude that the SF-6D index provides an adequate measure of self-perceived HRQOL and that patients' self-perception of HRQOL is influenced by disease and non-disease related factors.
Delta flashing of an ECU in the automotive industry

This paper has the purpose of describing a new approach on firmware update on automotive ECUs. The firmware update process for certain automotive ECUs requires excessive time through the CAN bus. By using the delta flashing concept, firmware update time can be greatly reduced by reducing the quantity of the data that is transmitted over the network.
Dermoscopic Features of Pigmented Fungiform Papillae of the Tongue.

Fungiform papillae of the tongue are small projections involved in taste function that are typically located on the lateral aspects and tip of the tongue. They are called fungiform papillae because of their close resemblance to a fungus. In fair-skinned individuals, they are usually pink or red, but in dark-skinned individuals, they are frequently pigmented and are considered a variant of normal oral pigmentation. We report a case of pigmented fungiform papillae of the tongue (PFPT) and describe its dermoscopic features, which have been rarely reported in the literature. A 30-year-old black woman with no personal or family history of interest was evaluated for a pigmented lesion with no apparent cause on the tongue. The lesion had appeared in adolescence but had remained stable and asymptomatic (Fig. 1). The patient was not taking any regular medication, did not smoke, had not had dental treatment in the area of
Accelerating in silico research with workflows: A lesson in Simplicity

Bioinformatics is the application of computer science and related disciplines to the field of molecular biology. While there are currently several web based and desktop tools available for biologists to perform routine bioinformatics tasks, these tools often require users to manually and repeatedly co-ordinate multiple applications before reaching a result. In an effort to reduce time and error, workflow tools have been developed to automate these tasks. However, many of these tools require expert knowledge of the techniques and supporting databases which more often than not lies outside the scope of most biologists. Herein, we describe the development of sequence information management platform (Simplicity), a workflow-based bioinformatics management tool, which allows non-bioinformaticians to rapidly annotate large amounts of DNA and protein sequence data.
Universal abelian covers of superisolated singularities

We give explicit examples of Gorenstein surface singularities with integral homology sphere link, which are not complete intersections. Their existence was shown by Luengo-Velasco, Melle-Hernandez and Nemethi, thereby providing counterexamples to the Universal abelian covering conjecture of Neumann and Wahl.