LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Development of robot leg composed of parallel linkage and elastic spring for dynamic locomotion

Musculoskeletal structures in many animals are flexible, which are very important to achieve dynamic locomotion such as running and jumping. For this reason, in recent research of robotics, elastic element is introduced in robot structure in order to improve dynamic performance of robots. In this paper, we propose a robot leg composed of parallel linkage and elastic tension spring. A prototype of the leg has been developed and it is evaluated by jumping simulations and experiments. As results of the experiments, higher and more efficient jumping is realized by the proposed leg comparing to the leg without elastic spring.
Online speaker clustering

The paper describes a set of new algorithms that perform speaker clustering in an online fashion. Unlike typical clustering approaches, the proposed method does not require the presence of all the data before performing clustering. The clustering decision is made as soon as an audio segment is received. Being causal, this method enables low-latency incremental speaker adaptation in online speech-to-text systems. It also gives a speaker tracking and indexing system the ability to label speakers with cluster ID on the fly. We show that the new online speaker clustering method yields better performance compared to the traditional hierarchical speaker clustering. Evaluation metrics for speaker clustering are also discussed.
Diversification and the Entrepreneurial Motivations of Farmers in Norway

A series of significant pressures but also new opportunities face the agricultural sector in developed economies. Farm diversification is presented as a political solution and a viable business strategy and highlights the entrepreneurial side of farmers. This paper is a unique attempt to address the question of motivation for farm diversification using Norwegian data. The results demonstrate that social motivations are as important as economic motivations, that is, there are substantial differences in which motivations underpin different types of diversification. This suggests, first, that the literature could gain from engaging more in the variation of motivational drivers than general trends, and second, that farmers need different forms of support to develop their entrepreneurial skills. With a data set derived from a large survey (N = 1607) of Norwegian farm holdings, we use a multinomial logistic regression model to analyze how six farm diversification categories are differently influenced by different types of motivations and other background variables.
Predictors of stroke in patients undergoing cardiac
surgery

OBJECTIVE
To determine the risk factors related to the development of stroke in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.


METHODS
A historical cohort study. We included 4626 patients aged > 18 years who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve replacement surgery alone or heart valve surgery combined with coronary artery bypass grafting between January 1996 and December 2011. The relationship between risk predictors and stroke was assessed by logistic regression model with a significance level of 0.05.


RESULTS
The incidence of stroke was 3% in the overall sample. After logistic regression, the following risk predictors for stroke were found: age 50-65 years (OR=2.11 - 95% CI 1.05-4.23 - P=0.036) and age >66 years (OR=3.22 - 95% CI 1.6-6.47 - P=0.001), urgent and emergency surgery (OR=2.03 - 95% CI 1.20-3.45 - P=0.008), aortic valve disease (OR=2.32 - 95% CI 1.18-4.56 - P=0.014), history of atrial fibrillation (OR=1.88 - 95% CI 1.05-3.34 - P=0.032), peripheral artery disease (OR=1.81 - 95% CI 1.13-2.92 - P=0.014), history of cerebrovascular disease (OR=3.42 - 95% CI 2.19-5.35 - P<0.001) and cardiopulmonary bypass time > 110 minutes (OR=1.71 - 95% CI 1.16-2.53 - P=0.007). Mortality was 31.9% in the stroke group and 8.5% in the control group (OR=5.06 - 95% CI 3.5-7.33 - P<0.001).


CONCLUSION
The study identified the following risk predictors for stroke after cardiac surgery: age, urgent and emergency surgery, aortic valve disease, history of atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, history of cerebrovascular disease and cardiopulmonary bypass time > 110 minutes.
Extension of technology acceptance model by using system usability scale to assess behavioral intention to use e-learning

This study examines the acceptance of technology and behavioral intention to use learning management systems (LMS). In specific, the aim of the research reported in this paper is to examine whether students ultimately accept LMSs such as eClass and the impact of behavioral intention on their decision to use them. An extended version of technology acceptance model has been proposed and used by employing one of the most reliable measures of perceived eased of use, the System Usability Scale. 345 university students participated in the study. The data analysis was based on partial least squares method. The majority of the research hypotheses were confirmed. In particular, social norm, system access and self-efficacy were found to significantly affect behavioral intention to use. As a result, it is suggested that e-learning developers and stakeholders should focus on these factors to increase acceptance and effectiveness of learning management systems.
Reticence in Chinese EFL Students at Varied Proficiency Levels

Reticence in foreign language classes has long been a challenge for both teachers and students. With the advent of globalization, there is a pressing need for EFL (English as a Foreign Language) teachers to help reticent students develop the skills and confidence needed to take an active role in oral English lessons. This article reports on a study of reticence in EFL classrooms in a key university in Beijing. Five hundred, forty-seven first-year non-English majors with three proficiency levels answered a 124-item questionnaire with 20 items on reticence. In addition, one class from each proficiency group was selected for a more focused investigation of reticence and participation in oral EFL lessons. As well as the survey, data gathered during the 14-week term included reflective journals, videotaped observations, and interviews. Analyses of the data revealed that (a) the students were willing to communicate with their peers in English in class and considered speech communication valuable; the more proficient were most positive about interpersonal communication and the most willing to engage in interaction; (b) all the students, irrespective of proficiency level, were the most active during pair work and the least active when responding to teachers’ questions; the more proficient students tended to be the most active in all classroom activities; and (c) with increased exposure to spoken English and more familiarity with the English-learning environment, students at all proficiency levels became (more) active in class. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications are discussed with the aim of enhancing the teaching and learning of spoken English in foreign-language contexts.
Communication dynamics in hospice teams: understanding the role of the chaplain in interdisciplinary team collaboration.

BACKGROUND
Hospice chaplains provide a specific expertise to patient and family care, however, individual roles and responsibilities that facilitate the interdisciplinary team environment are less well known.


OBJECTIVE
The primary aim of this study was to investigate how hospice chaplains perceive their role in interdisciplinary team meetings and to what extent hospice chaplains share common experiences within the interdisciplinary team approach in hospice.


METHOD
Hospice chaplains within a 10-state region participated in a 39-item phone survey about professional roles, group roles, and structural characteristics that influence their ability to participate in interdisciplinary collaboration.


RESULTS
Findings revealed that professional role conflict is experienced, primarily with social workers. Informal group task and maintenance roles included team spiritual care advisor and conflict manager, and structural characteristics consisted of extracurricular communication outside of the organization.


CONCLUSIONS
Although chaplains foster interdisciplinary collaboration within the hospice team, future research needs to address improvements to the chaplain's role within the interdisciplinary team process.
Home-Based Aerobic Interval Training Improves Peak Oxygen Uptake Equal to Residential Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

UNLABELLED
Aerobic capacity, measured as the peak oxygen uptake, is a strong predictor of survival in cardiac patients. Aerobic interval training (AIT), walking/running four times four minutes at 85-95% of peak heart rate, has proven to be effective in increasing peak oxygen uptake in coronary heart disease patients. As some patients do not attend organized rehabilitation programs, home-based exercise should be an alternative. We investigated whether AIT could be performed effectively at home, and compared the effects on peak oxygen uptake with that observed after a standard care, four-week residential rehabilitation. Thirty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery were randomized to residential rehabilitation or home-based AIT. At six months follow-up, peak oxygen uptake increased 4.6 (±2.7) and 3.9 (±3.6) mL·kg(-1) min(-1) (both p<0.005, non-significant between-group difference) after residential rehabilitation and AIT, respectively. Quality of life increased significantly in both groups, with no statistical significant difference between groups. We found no evidence for a different treatment effect between patients randomized to home-based AIT compared to patients attending organized rehabilitation (95% confidence interval -1.8, 3.5). AIT patients reported good adherence to exercise training. Even though these first data indicate positive effects of home-based AIT in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, more studies are needed to provide supporting evidence for the application of this rehabilitation strategy.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00363922.
Intraoperative optical identification of pituitary adenomas

Introduction The main goals of transsphenoidal pituitary surgery are total removal of pituitary adenomas (PAs) and preservation of normal pituitary functions. Achieving these goals is dependant upon the precise localisation of PAs during surgery, particularly secreting microadenomas. However, some microadenomas are invisible on preoperative imaging and during surgery, leading some surgeons to perform total hypophysectomy in many patients to achieve cure at the expense of panhypopituitrism. We have examined optical detection systems to identify PAs intraoperatively. This paper reports our preliminary findings. Methods A prospective observational study design. Technique Patients were given 20 mg/kg body weight 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) mixed in 30 ml of orange juice, orally 3 h before surgery. Surgery was performed in the supine position, under image guidance, through the right nostril using Storz 0 degree endoscope assisted with microsurgery as required. The endoscope was attached to photodiagnostic filters (PD) allowing switching the light from white to blue at the flick of a foot pedal. After the dura of the floor of the sella was incised a laser probe was inserted into the pituitary gland to identify the ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX spectroscopy at 632 nm, using an optical biopsy system (OBS). Once the adenoma was identified by the OBS it was exposed and examined by the PD system to detect fluorescence. The PA was removed and its type was confirmed by histopathology and correlated to the OBS and PD system findings. Patients Thirty consecutive patients were studied: 14 were non-functioning macroadenomas (NFA), 12 were secreting PAs and 4 pituitary cysts. The secreting PAs were GH (2), ACTH (3), prolactin (2) and gonadotrophins (5). Six were microadenomas (3 ACTH, 1 GH, 2 prolactin) and 20 were macroadenomas, of which 12 were invading macroadenomas. Twenty-four of these were examined by the OBS and the PD systems and six were examined by the PD system only. The true positive (sensitivity) of the PD and OBS systems were 80.8% (21/26) and 95.5% (21/22) respectively. The true negative (specificity) of PD and OBS were 75% (3/4) and 100% (2/2) respectively. The false negative rate of PD was 19.2% (5/26) and for OBS was 4.5% (1/22), while the false positive rate for PD was 25% (1/4) and for OBS was 0. Conclusion Intraoperative optical identification of pituitary adenomas is a feasible and reliable way to localize pituitary adenomas during transsphenoidal surgery and it may lead to improved cure rate and preservation of normal pituitary functions.
Variational Bayes for Hierarchical Mixture Models

In recent years, sparse classification problems have emerged in many fields of study. Finite mixture models have been developed to facilitate Bayesian inference where parameter sparsity is substantial. Classification with finite mixture models is based on the posterior expectation of latent indicator variables. These quantities are typically estimated using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm in an empirical Bayes approach or Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) in a fully Bayesian approach. MCMC is limited in applicability where high-dimensional data are involved because its sampling-based nature leads to slow computations and hard-to-monitor convergence. In this article, we investigate the feasibility and performance of variational Bayes (VB) approximation in a fully Bayesian framework. We apply the VB approach to fully Bayesian versions of several finite mixture models that have been proposed in bioinformatics, and find that it achieves desirable speed and accuracy in sparse classification with finite mixture models for high-dimensional data. Supplementary materials for this article that contain detailed technical derivations are available online.
Towards Accurate Dielectric Property Retrieval of Biological Tissues for Blood Glucose Monitoring

An analytical formulation for relative dielectric constant retrieval is reconstructed to establish a relationship between the response of a spiral microstrip resonator and effective relative dielectric constant of a lossy superstrate, such as biological tissue. To do so, an analytical equation is modified by constructing functions for the two unknowns, the filling factor A and effective length leff of the resonator. This is done by simulating the resonator with digital phantoms of varying permittivity. The values of A and leff are determined for each phantom from the resulting S-parameter response, using particle swarm optimization. Multiple nonlinear regression is applied to produce equations for A and leff, expressed as a function of frequency and the phantom's relative dielectric constant. These equations are combined to form a new nonlinear analytical equation, which is then solved using the Newton-Raphson iterative method, for both simulations and measurements of physical phantoms. To verify the reconstructed dielectric constant, the dielectric properties of the physical phantoms are determined with commercial high temperature open-ended coaxial probe. The dielectric properties are reconstructed by the described method, with less than 3.67% error with respect to the measurements.
Efficacy of dosing and re-dosing of two oral fixed combinations of indomethacin, prochlorperazine and caffeine compared with oral sumatriptan in the acute treatment of multiple migraine attacks: a double-blind, double-dummy, randomised, parallel group, multicentre study

AIMS AND METHODS
In this double-blind, double-dummy, randomised, parallel group, multicentre study, the efficacy of dosing and re-dosing of a fixed combination of indomethacin, prochlorperazine and caffeine (Indoprocaf) was compared with encapsulated sumatriptan in the acute treatment of two migraine attacks. Additionally, in the group taking Indoprocaf, two different oral formulations were tested: effervescent tablets and encapsulated coated tablets.


RESULTS
Of 297 patients randomised (150 assigned to Indoprocaf and 147 to sumatriptan), 281 were included in the intention-to-treat efficacy analysis. The initial dosing of Indoprocaf and sumatriptan was similarly effective with pain-free rates higher than 30% (95% CI of odds-ratio: 0.57-1.28) and headache relief rates of about 60% (95% CI of odds-ratio: 0.82-1.84) with both the drugs. The efficacy of re-dosing of Indoprocaf as rescue medication was more effective than that of sumatriptan with pain-free values of 47% vs. 27% in the total attacks with a statistically significant difference in the first migraine attack in favour of Indoprocaf. The efficacy of re-dosing to treat a recurrence/relapse was very high without differences between the drugs (pain-free: 60% with Indoprocaf and 50% with sumatriptan in the total attacks). Indoprocaf and sumatriptan were well-tolerated.


CONCLUSION
The study demonstrated that the efficacy of the initial dosing of Indoprocaf was not higher than that of sumatriptan, but that the strategy to use the lowest effective dose as soon as the headache occurred, followed by a second dose if the headache has not relieved or to treat a relapse, was very effective, especially with Indoprocaf.
A music notation construction engine for optical music recognition

Optical music recognition (OMR) systems are used to convert music scanned from paper into a format suitable for playing or editing on a computer. These systems generally have two phases: recognizing the graphical symbols (such as note-heads and lines) and determining the musical meaning and relationships of the symbols (such as the pitch and rhythm of the notes). In this paper we explore the second phase and give a two-step approach that admits an economical representation of the parsing rules for the system. The approach is flexible and allows the system to be extended to new notations with little effort—the current system can parse common music notation, Sacred Harp notation and plainsong. It is based on a string grammar and a customizable graph that specifies relationships between musical objects. We observe that this graph can be related to printing as well as recognizing music notation, bringing the opportunity for cross-fertilization between the two areas of research. Copyright c © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A scoping review of cost-effectiveness of screening and treatment for latent tubercolosis infection in migrants from high-incidence countries

BACKGROUND
In low-incidence countries, most tuberculosis (TB) cases occur among migrants and are caused by reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) acquired in the country of origin. Diagnosis and treatment of LTBI are rarely implemented to reduce the burden of TB in immigrants, partly because the cost-effectiveness profile of this intervention is uncertain. The objective of this research is to perform a review of the literature to assess the cost-effectiveness of LTBI diagnosis and treatment strategies in migrants.


METHODS
Scoping review of economic evaluations on LTBI screening strategies for migrants was carried out in Medline.


RESULTS
Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. LTBI screening was cost-effective according to seven studies. Findings of four studies support interferon gamma release assay as the most cost-effective test for LTBI screening in migrants. Two studies found that LTBI screening is cost-effective only if carried out in immigrants who are contacts of active TB cases.


DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Our findings support the cost-effectiveness of LTBI diagnostic and treatment strategies in migrants especially if they are focused on young subjects from high incidence countries. These strategies could represent and adjunctive and synergistic tool to achieve the ambitious aim of TB elimination.
Laparoscopic Total Extraperitoneal Hernia Repair Outcomes

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has become increasingly popular as an alternative to open surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the laparoscopic total extraperitoneal procedure with the use of staple fixation and polypropylene mesh.


METHODS
A retrospective chart review examined outcomes of 1240 laparoscopic hernia operations in 783 patients, focusing on intraoperative and early postoperative complications, pain, and time until return to work and normal physical activities.


RESULTS
There were no intraoperative complications in this series; 106 patients experienced early postoperative complications across 8 evaluated categories: urinary retention (4.1%), seroma (3.0%), testicular/hemiscrotal swelling (1.9%), testicular atrophy (0%), hydrocele (0.6%), mesh infection (0.1%), and neurological symptoms (transient, 1.0%; persistent, 0.2%). Patients used an average of 5.6 Percocet pills after the procedure, and mean times until return to work and normal activities, including their routine exercise regimen, were 3.0 and 3.8 days, respectively.


CONCLUSION
Complication rates and convalescence times were considered equivalent or superior to those found in other studies assessing both laparoscopic and open techniques. The usage of multiple Endostaples did not result in increased neurologic complications in the early postoperative period when compared with findings in the literature. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, total extraperitoneal repair is a safe, effective alternative to open inguinal hernia repair.
Phenotypic Characterization of a Genetically Diverse Panel of Mice for Behavioral Despair and Anxiety

BACKGROUND
Animal models of human behavioral endophenotypes, such as the Tail Suspension Test (TST) and the Open Field assay (OF), have proven to be essential tools in revealing the genetics and mechanisms of psychiatric diseases. As in the human disorders they model, the measurements generated in these behavioral assays are significantly impacted by the genetic background of the animals tested. In order to better understand the strain-dependent phenotypic variability endemic to this type of work, and better inform future studies that rely on the data generated by these models, we phenotyped 33 inbred mouse strains for immobility in the TST, a mouse model of behavioral despair, and for activity in the OF, a model of general anxiety and locomotor activity.


RESULTS
We identified significant strain-dependent differences in TST immobility, and in thigmotaxis and distance traveled in the OF. These results were replicable over multiple testing sessions and exhibited high heritability. We exploited the heritability of these behavioral traits by using in silico haplotype-based association mapping to identify candidate genes for regulating TST behavior. Two significant loci (-logp >7.0, gFWER adjusted p value <0.05) of approximately 300 kb each on MMU9 and MMU10 were identified. The MMU10 locus is syntenic to a major human depressive disorder QTL on human chromosome 12 and contains several genes that are expressed in brain regions associated with behavioral despair.


CONCLUSIONS
We report the results of phenotyping a large panel of inbred mouse strains for depression and anxiety-associated behaviors. These results show significant, heritable strain-specific differences in behavior, and should prove to be a valuable resource for the behavioral and genetics communities. Additionally, we used haplotype mapping to identify several loci that may contain genes that regulate behavioral despair.
Multiple view semi-supervised dimensionality reduction

Article history: Received 21 September 2008 Received in revised form 14 July 2009 Accepted 24 July 2009