LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Von Glasersfeld’s radical constructivism: A critical review

We explore Ernst von Glasersfeld’s radical constructivism, its criticisms, and our own thoughts on what it promises for the reform of science and mathematics teaching. Our investigation reveals that many criticisms of radical constructivism are unwarranted; nevertheless, in its current cognitivist form radical constructivism may be insufficient to empower teachers to overcome objectivist cultural traditions. Teachers need to be empowered with rich understandings of philosophies of science and mathematics that endorse relativist epistemologies; for without such they are unlikely to be prepared to reconstruct their pedagogical practices. More importantly, however, is a need for a powerful social epistemology to serve as a referent for regenerating the culture of science education. We recommend blending radical constructivism with Habermas’ 'theory of communicative action' to provide science teachers with a moral imperative for adopting a constructivist epistemology.
Development of Marathi part of speech tagger using statistical approach

Part-of-speech (POS) tagging is a process of assigning the words in a text corresponding to a particular part of speech. A fundamental version of POS tagging is the identification of words as nouns, verbs, adjectives etc. For processing natural languages, Part of Speech tagging is a prominent tool. It is one of the simplest as well as most constant and statistical model for many NLP applications. POS Tagging is an initial stage of linguistics, text analysis like information retrieval, machine translator, text to speech synthesis, information extraction etc. In POS Tagging we assign a Part of Speech tag to each word in a sentence and literature. Various approaches have been proposed to implement POS taggers. In this paper we present a Marathi part of speech tagger. It is morphologically rich language. Marathi is spoken by the native people of Maharashtra. The general approach used for development of tagger is statistical using Unigram, Bigram, Trigram and HMM Methods. It presents a clear idea about all the algorithms with suitable examples. It also introduces a tag set for Marathi which can be used for tagging Marathi text. In this paper we have shown the development of the tagger as well as compared to check the accuracy of taggers output. The three Marathi POS taggers viz. Unigram, Bigram, Trigram and HMM gives the accuracy of 77.38%, 90.30%, 91.46% and 93.82% respectively.
Micro-insurance in Bangladesh: Risk Protection for the Poor?

Health services and modem medicines are out of reach for over one billion people globally. Micro-insurance for health is one method to address unmet health needs. This case study used a social exclusion perspective to assess the health and poverty impact of micro-insurance for health in Bangladesh and contrasts this with several micro-insurance systems for health offered in India. Micro-insurance for health in Bangladesh targeted towards the poor and the ultra-poor provides basic healthcare at an affordable rate whereas the Indian micro-insurance schemes for health have been implemented across larger populations and include high-cost and low-frequency events. Results of analysis of the existing literature showed that micro-insurance for health as currently offered in Bangladesh increased access to, and use of, basic health services among excluded populations but did not reduce the likelihood that essential health-related costs would be a catastrophic expense for a marginalized household.
Multi-mission radioisotope thermoelectric generator (MMRTG) program overview

Future NASA missions require safe, reliable, long-lived power systems for surface exploration of planetary bodies such as Mars as well as exploration of the solar system in the vacuum of space beyond Earth orbit. To address this need, the Department of Energy and NASA have initiated the development of radioisotope power systems, including the Multi-Mission Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator (MMRTG). In June of 2003, the Department of Energy (DOE) awarded the MMRTG system design, development, test and integration contract to a team led by the Boeing Company's Rocketdyne Propulsion and Power Division. Boeing and Teledyne Energy Systems collaborated on an MMRTG design concept based on heritage, SNAP 19, thermoelectric converter design utilized by Teledyne for previous space exploration missions. Boeing subsequently awarded a major subcontract to Teledyne Energy Systems to design and produce the thermoelectric converter system for the MMRTG. The MMRTG is designed to operate on planetary bodies as well as in the vacuum of space. At beginning of mission, the MMRTG is designed to generate a minimum of 110 Watts of power at 28 volts DC, and to have a design life of at least 14 years. The power level was selected to afford the capabilities of meeting the potential needs of a wider variety of planetary lander and deep space missions. Potential mission concepts that could benefit from use of the MMRTG include a Titan Biological Explorer - with both a balloon mission and a rover mission, the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL), with a follow-on Astrobiology Field Laboratory mission and finally a Neptune/Triton Orbiter mission.
Be an engineer right from the start

At the Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences (BRSU), Germany, students of engineering sciences are trained in thinking and acting like an engineer right from the start - by creating a Rube Goldberg machine in an introductory project, organized with SCRUM techniques.
The Relationship between Individualism, Collectivism, the Perception of Justice, Demographic Characteristics and Organisational Citizenship Behaviour

This study examines the relationship between individualism, collectivism, the perception of justice, and demographic variables and organisational citizenship behaviour. The research design is based on survey data acquired from questionnaires distributed to 241 certified nurses and their superiors in 20 units of one of the hospitals in northern Israel. The findings showed that collectivist employees tended to display OCB more frequently than individualistic employees. Positive relationships were found between justice variables and OCB. Of the demographic variables, married employees tended to display OCB more than unmarried workers. In addition, more experienced employees exhibited fewer organisational citizenship behaviours than did their less experienced colleagues. The findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications.
A situated classification solution of a resource allocation task represented in a visual language

The Sisyphus room allocation problem solving example has been solved using a situated classification approach. A solution was developed from the protocol provided in terms of three heuristic classification systems, one classifying people, another rooms, and another tasks on an agenda of recommended room allocations. The domain ontology, problem data, problem-solving method, and domain-specific classification rules, have each been represented in a visual language. These knowledge structures compile to statements in a term subsumption knowledge representation language, and are loaded and run in a knowledge representation server to solve the problem. The user interface has been designed to provide support for human intervention in under-determined and overdetermined situations, allowing advantage to be taken of the additional choices available in the first case, and a compromise solution to be developed in the second.
Myocardial Infarct Size and Mortality Depend on the Time of Day—A Large Multicenter Study

BACKGROUND
Different studies have shown circadian variation of ischemic burden among patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI), but with controversial results. The aim of this study was to analyze circadian variation of myocardial infarction size and in-hospital mortality in a large multicenter registry.


METHODS
This retrospective, registry-based study was based on data from AMIS Plus, a large multicenter Swiss registry of patients who suffered myocardial infarction between 1999 and 2013. Peak creatine kinase (CK) was used as a proxy measure for myocardial infarction size. Associations between peak CK, in-hospital mortality, and the time of day at symptom onset were modelled using polynomial-harmonic regression methods.


RESULTS
6,223 STEMI patients were admitted to 82 acute-care hospitals in Switzerland and treated with primary angioplasty within six hours of symptom onset. Only the 24-hour harmonic was significantly associated with peak CK (p = 0.0001). The maximum average peak CK value (2,315 U/L) was for patients with symptom onset at 23:00, whereas the minimum average (2,017 U/L) was for onset at 11:00. The amplitude of variation was 298 U/L. In addition, no correlation was observed between ischemic time and circadian peak CK variation. Of the 6,223 patients, 223 (3.58%) died during index hospitalization. Remarkably, only the 24-hour harmonic was significantly associated with in-hospital mortality. The risk of death from STEMI was highest for patients with symptom onset at 00:00 and lowest for those with onset at 12:00.


DISCUSSION
As a part of this first large study of STEMI patients treated with primary angioplasty in Swiss hospitals, investigations confirmed a circadian pattern to both peak CK and in-hospital mortality which were independent of total ischemic time. Accordingly, this study proposes that symptom onset time be incorporated as a prognosis factor in patients with myocardial infarction.
Disaggregated End-Use Energy Sensing for the Smart Grid

This article surveys existing and emerging disaggregation techniques for energy-consumption data and highlights signal features that might be used to sense disaggregated data in an easily installed and cost-effective manner.
Effects of monomers eluted from dental resin restoratives on osteoblast-like cells.

Resin-modified glass-ionomer (RMGIC) has been demonstrated to exhibit inhibition on the growth and differentiation of osteoblasts on its surface. In this study, the hypothesis that the different levels of inhibitory effects on osteoblasts of resin restoratives depend on elution of unpolymerized monomers was examined. Release of monomers from cured specimens of Bis-GMA/TEGDMA-composites, MMA-resin cements, or HEMA-containing RMGIC was determined and osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in the presence of 100-10 microg/mL of TEGDMA, 10-1 microg/mL of MMA, or 400-50 microg/mL of HEMA according to the release concentrations. Cell proliferation, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, the expression of osteoblastic markers, and mineralized tissue formation were evaluated. TEGDMA and MMA at the concentrations tested did not affect the growth of MC3T3-E1 and exhibited little harmful effects on their differentiation and mineralization. On the contrary, HEMA inhibited proliferation, ALP activities, the expression of osteocalcin, and mineralized tissue formation at 200 microg/mL or more. These results indicate that HEMA at the concentrations similar to that observed in elution tests affected osteoblastic proliferation, differentiation, and mineralization, suggesting that elution of unreacted HEMA could be the main component of the adverse effects of RMGIC on osteoblast-like cells and influences of resin restoratives on the osteoblasts are possibly dependant on release characteristics of unpolymerized monomers.
The development of a closed-form expression for the input impedance of power-return plane structures

In multilayer printed circuit boards, the noise on the power bus is influenced by the impedance between the power and ground planes. Power-bus noise estimates require an accurate estimate of the power-bus input impedance. This paper develops a closed-form estimate of the input impedance for circular power-return plane structures. When the structure is lossy (e.g., boards employing embedded capacitance or densely populated boards), the energy reflected from the board edge does not significantly affect the input impedance. In general, the expressions developed here for circular structures can be used to estimate the impedance of lossy power-return plane structures of any shape.
Masas in the Calkin algebra without the Continuum Hypothesis

Methods for constructing masas in the Calkin algebra without assuming the Continuum Hypothesis are developed.
Short-term triglyceride lowering with fenofibrate improves vasodilator function in subjects with hypertriglyceridemia.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of lowering plasma triglycerides (TGs) on endothelial function and gain insight into the role played by free fatty acids (FFAs) in hypertriglyceridemia-associated vascular dysfunction.


METHODS AND RESULTS
Eleven hypertriglyceridemic subjects without coronary artery disease, diabetes, elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, tobacco use, or hypertension were studied using a randomized, double-blinded, crossover design (fenofibrate and placebo, 14 days). After each regimen, forearm blood flow was assessed by plethysmography in response to arterial acetylcholine, nitroprusside, and verapamil infusion. Hourly plasma TGs, FFA, glucose, and insulin were measured during a 24-hour feeding cycle to characterize the metabolic environment. Changes in plasma FFA after intravenous heparin were used to estimate typical FFA accumulation in the luminal endothelial microenvironment. Fenofibrate lowered plasma TG (P<0.001), total cholesterol (P<0.01), and apolipoprotein B (P<0.01) without altering high-density lipoprotein or low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Forearm blood flow in response to acetylcholine (P<0.0001), nitroprusside (P<0.001), and verapamil (P<0.0001) improved after fenofibrate. Fenofibrate lowered 24-hour (P<0.0001) and post-heparin (P<0.001) TG and tended to lower 24-hour (P=0.054) and post-heparin (P=0.028) FFA.


CONCLUSIONS
Vascular smooth muscle function significantly improves after lowering plasma TG without changes in confounding lipoproteins or insulin resistance. The data raise additional questions regarding the role of FFA in hypertriglyceridemia-associated vascular dysfunction.
A meta-analysis to determine the dose response for strength development.

PURPOSE
The identification of a quantifiable dose-response relationship for strength training is important to the prescription of proper training programs. Although much research has been performed examining strength increases with training, taken individually, they provide little insight into the magnitude of strength gains along the continuum of training intensities, frequencies, and volumes. A meta-analysis of 140 studies with a total of 1433 effect sizes (ES) was carried out to identify the dose-response relationship.


METHODS
Studies employing a strength-training intervention and containing data necessary to calculate ES were included in the analysis.


RESULTS
ES demonstrated different responses based on the training status of the participants. Training with a mean intensity of 60% of one repetition maximum elicits maximal gains in untrained individuals, whereas 80% is most effective in those who are trained. Untrained participants experience maximal gains by training each muscle group 3 d.wk and trained individuals 2 d.wk. Four sets per muscle group elicited maximal gains in both trained and untrained individuals.


CONCLUSION
The dose-response trends identified in this analysis support the theory of progression in resistance program design and can be useful in the development of training programs designed to optimize the effort to benefit ratio.
Effects of myo-inositol supplementation in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome: a perspective, randomized, placebo-controlled study.

OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether myo-inositol, an insulin-sensitizing substance, may improve some features of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Eighty postmenopausal women affected by the metabolic syndrome were enrolled prospectively in the study and treated with diet plus supplementation of myo-inositol (2 g BID plus diet: intervention group) or with diet plus placebo (control group) for 6 months. They were evaluated at baseline and after 6 months for insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment ratio [HOMA] insulin resistance), lipid profile, and blood pressure.


RESULTS
Myo-inositol plus diet improved systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HOMA index, cholesterol, and triglyceride serum levels with highly significant differences, compared with the groups treated only with diet and placebo. In the group treated with myo-inositol, a decrease in diastolic blood pressure (-11%), HOMA index (-75%), and serum triglycerides (-20%) and an improvement in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (22%) were shown.


CONCLUSIONS
Supplementation with myo-inositol may be considered a reliable option in the treatment of metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women.
The Immune System Drugs in Fish: Immune Function, Immunoassay, Drugs

Fish is a heterogeneous group of different organisms which include the agnathans (hagfishes and lampreys), condryctians (sharks and rays) and teleosteans (bony fish). Like in all vertebrates, fish have cellular and humoral immune responses, and central organs whose the main function is involved in immune defence. Fish and mammals show some similarities and some differences regarding immune function (Cabezas, 2006; Nelson, 1994; Tort et al., 2003; Zapata et al., 1996). The fish defence system is basically similar to that described in mammals. For cellular defence systems in fish, teleosts have phagocytic cells similar to macrophages, neutrophils, and natural killer (NK) cells, as well as T and B lymphocytes. Teleosts also have various humoral defence components such as complement (classical and alternative pathways), lysozyme, natural hemolysin, transferrin and C-reactive protein (CRP). The existence of cytokines (such as interferon, interleukin 2 (IL-2), macrophage activating factors (MAF)) has also been reported (Secombes et al., 1996, Sakai, 1999). On the contrary, the morphology of the immune system is quite different between fish and mammals. Most obvious is the fact that fish lack bone marrow and lymph nodes. Instead, the head kidney serves as a major lymphoid organ, in addition to the thymus and spleen (Press & Evensen, 1999). Gut associated lymphoid tissues are also known lymphoid organs, and have been shown to function in eliciting immune responses in carp (Joosten et al., 1996). Some teleosts, such as plaice, have been shown to possess a lymphatic system that is differentiated from the blood vascular system, though the existence of such a system has been challenged in other species (Hølvold, 2007). Health of fish depends on the interrelationship of some major components of the fish and the environment in which they live (Figure 1). Tolerance of these various factors is dependent on the host and in many case the husbandry practices. The environment may be the most critical component of the fish health matrix because environmental quality influences the fish’s physiological well-being, species cultured, feeding regimes, rate of growth, and ability to maintain natural and acquired resistance and immunity. Overall physiological status of the fish host is determined by the husbandry practice, environmental quality, the fish’s nutritional well-being and the pathogen, all of which influence the natural resistance and acquired immunity of the host. It is common knowledge that fish stressed by one of these factors are more susceptible to infection (Magnadóttir, 2010; Plumb & Hanson, 2011).
Phase II randomized trial of neoadjuvant metformin plus letrozole versus placebo plus letrozole for estrogen receptor positive postmenopausal breast cancer (METEOR)

Neoadjuvant endocrine therapy with an aromatase inhibitor has shown efficacy comparable to that of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with postmenopausal breast cancer. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown that the antidiabetic drug metformin has anti-tumor activity. This prospective, multicenter, phase II randomized, placebo controlled trial was designed to evaluate the direct anti-tumor effect of metformin in non-diabetic postmenopausal women with estrogen-receptor (ER) positive breast cancer. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria and providing written informed consent will be randomized to 24 weeks of neoadjuvant treatment with letrozole (2.5 mg/day) and either metformin (2000 mg/day) or placebo. Target accrual number is 104 patients per arm. The primary endpoint will be clinical response rate, as measured by calipers. Secondary endpoints include pathologic complete response rate, breast conserving rate, change in Ki67 expression, breast density change, and toxicity profile. Molecular assays will be performed using samples obtained before treatment, at week 4, and postoperatively. This study will provide direct evidence of the anti-tumor effect of metformin in non-diabetic, postmenopausal patients with ER-positive breast cancer. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT01589367
Distributed R&D, Cross-Regional Knowledge Integration and Quality of Innovative Output

We explore the impact of geographic dispersion of a firm’s R&D activities on the quality of its innovative output. Using data on over half a million patents from 1,127 firms, we find that having geographically distributed R&D per se does not improve the quality of a firm’s innovations. In fact, distributed R&D appears to be negatively associated with average value of innovations. This suggests that potential gains from access to diverse ideas and expertise from different locations are, on average, offset by difficulty in achieving integration of knowledge across multiple locations. To investigate whether the innovating teams that do manage cross-fertilization of ideas from different locations achieve more valuable innovations, we analyze innovations for which there is evidence of such knowledge crossfertilization along any of the followings dimensions: knowledge sourcing from other locations within the firm, having at least one inventor with cross-regional ties, and having at least one inventor that has recently moved from another region. Analysis along all three dimensions consistently reveals a direct positive effect cross-regional knowledge integration has on innovation quality, as well as a positive interaction effect of cross-regional knowledge integration and distributed R&D for innovation quality. More generally, our findings provide new evidence regarding the importance of cross-unit integrative mechanisms for achieving superior performance in multi-unit firms.
Model based integration and experimentation of Information Fusion and C2 Systems

Modern Network Centric Operations drive the complexity of Information Fusion and Command and Control (C2) Systems. Driving this complexity further is the interplay dynamics of the human element, information systems, and communication networks. The lack of low-cost realistic experimental context limits the testing, evaluation, and further development of fusion systems to small-scale localized experiments. A Model-based Integration and Experimentation Framework is proposed. This framework is built on C2 Wind Tunnel - a robust multi-model simulation framework for integrating simulations to drive fusion experiments. The second component of the framework is a model-based system of systems integration tool-suite that allows modeling, synthesis, and deployment of networked system of systems. This component enables researchers to embed their research algorithm into the networked C2 systems. The C2 Wind Tunnel has been used to execute several simulation-driven C2 Experiments.
Syngnathia and obstructive apnea in a case of popliteal pterygium syndrome

We describe an infant with popliteal pterygia, syngnathia, cleft lip and palate, and retrognathia diagnosed with popliteal pterygium syndrome (PPS). The neonatal course was complicated by severe obstructive apnea necessitating tracheostomy. Conclusion: This report illustrates the potential for airway compromise in PPS patients and the need for thorough neonatal airway assessment.