LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic Aspects of Rice-Fish Farming in Bangladesh: Opportunities, Challenges and Production Efficiency

In spite of the potential for rice-fish farming in Bangladesh, it has been adopted by relatively few farmers because of socioeconomic, environmental, technological and institutional constraints. Rice monoculture remains the main farming system in Bangladesh even though integrated rice-fish farming is the best farming system in terms of resource utilisation, diversity, productivity, production efficiency and food supply. Only a small number of farmers involve in integrated rice-fish farming. This study concludes that rice-fish farming is as production efficient as rice monoculture and that integrated performs better in terms of cost and technical efficiency compared with alternate rice-fish farming. Integrated rice-fish farming can help Bangladesh keep pace with the current demand for food through rice and fish production. However, a lack of technical knowledge of farmers, high production costs and risks associated with flood and drought are inhibiting more widespread adoption of the practice.
Distinct neural correlates for pragmatic and semantic meaning processing: An event-related potential investigation of scalar implicature processing using picture-sentence verification

The present study examines the brain-level representation and composition of meaning in scalar quantifiers (e.g., some), which have both a semantic meaning (at least one) and a pragmatic meaning (not all). We adopted a picture-sentence verification design to examine event-related potential (ERP) effects of reading infelicitous quantifiers for which the semantic meaning was correct with respect to the context but the pragmatic meaning was not, compared to quantifiers for which the semantic meaning was inconsistent with the context and no additional pragmatic meaning is available. In the first experiment, only pragmatically inconsistent quantifiers, not semantically inconsistent quantifiers, elicited a sustained posterior negative component. This late negativity contrasts with the N400 effect typically elicited by nouns that are incongruent with their context, suggesting that the recognition of scalar implicature errors elicits a qualitatively different ERP signature than the recognition of lexico-semantic errors. We hypothesize that the sustained negativity reflects cancellation of the pragmatic inference and retrieval of the semantic meaning. In our second experiment, we found that the process of re-interpreting the quantifier was independent from lexico-semantic processing: the N400 elicited by lexico-semantic violations was not modulated by the presence of a pragmatic inconsistency. These findings suggest that inferential pragmatic aspects of meaning are processed using different mechanisms than lexical or combinatorial semantic aspects of meaning, that inferential pragmatic meaning can be realized rapidly, and that the computation of meaning involves continuous negotiation between different aspects of meaning.
Ways of linking geometry and algebra, the case of Geogebra

This paper discusses ways of enhancing the teaching of mathematics through enabling learners to gain stronger links between geometry and algebra. The vehicle for this is consideration of the affordances of GeoGebra, a form of freely-available open-source software that provides a versatile tool for visualising mathematical ideas from elementary through university level. Following exemplification of teaching ideas using GeoGebra for secondary school mathematics, the paper considers current emphases on geometry and algebra in the school curriculum and the current (and potential) impact of technology (such as GeoGebra). The paper concludes by raising the implications of technological developments such as GeoGebra for the pre-service education and inservice professional development of teachers of mathematics. For the full text, please click on the following link: http://www.bsrlm.org.uk/IPs/ip27-3/BSRLM-IP-27-3-22.pdf
Isolated wetlands: State-of-the-science and future directions

In Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (SWANCC), the U.S. Supreme Court held that isolated, intrastate, non-navigable waters could not be protected under the Clean Water Act based solely on their use by migratory birds. The SWANCC decision has created a need to compile and make available scientific information for post-SWANCC policy development. In response, this article reviews the state of our scientific understanding of isolated wetlands, based on the major findings of papers contributed to this special issue of Wetlands. Because the term “isolated wetland” has not been used consistently in the scientific literature, we recommend that geographically isolated wetlands be defined as “wetlands that are completely surrounded by upland,” as proposed by Tiner, for the purposes of scientific studies. Geographically isolated wetlands are not homogeneous but have a broad range of functional response, partly due to their occurrence over a wide range of climatic and geologic settings. One major question addressed through this special issue is the role that isolation plays in the function of geographically isolated wetlands. It appears that isolation is not a primary factor and that many of the functions performed by isolated wetlands are also performed by non-isolated wetlands and non-wetland ecosystems. Variability in moisture conditions plays an important role in the function of many geographically isolated wetlands. However, hydrologic isolation may affect moisture conditions, and biotic isolation could be important for certain populations. Depending on the factor being considered, geographically isolated wetlands are not entirely isolated but are better viewed as occurring within an isolation-connectivity continuum that has both hydrologic and biotic expressions. The juxtaposition of isolation and connectivity occurring in geographically isolated wetlands may represent a semi-isolated state that uniquely shapes these wetlands and their functions. Comprehensive data, designating the number, total area, and functional classification of isolated wetlands, would provide the foundation for monitoring impacts to isolated wetlands. Studies are needed to examine and quantify how isolated wetlands, wetland complexes, and other potentially impacted waters contribute hydrologically, chemically, and biologically to waters of the U.S. Methods to assess and map the degree of connectivity between geographically isolated wetlands and waters of the U.S., based on ground-water travel time, recurrence frequency of intermittent surface-water connections, and home ranges of species that require both types of waters, could be useful for regulators. Whatever policies are developed, scientific input and technical information will continue to play a crucial role in the policy and regulatory arena. Maintaining and enhancing the dialogue among wetland scientists, policy-makers, and regulators will ensure that critical information is developed and communicated and also continue to invigorate wetland science.
A Sensorless Power Reserve Control Strategy for Two-Stage Grid-Connected PV Systems

Due to the still increasing penetration of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems, advanced active power control functionalities have been introduced in grid regulations. A power reserve control, where namely the active power from the PV panels is reserved during operation, is required for grid support. In this paper, a cost-effective solution to realize the power reserve for two-stage grid-connected PV systems is proposed. The proposed solution routinely employs a maximum power point tracking control to estimate the available PV power and a constant power generation (CPG) control to achieve the power reserve. In this method, the solar irradiance and temperature measurements that have been used in conventional power reserve control schemes to estimate the available PV power are not required, and thereby, being a sensorless approach with reduced cost. Experimental tests have been performed on a 3-kW two-stage single-phase grid-connected PV system, where the power reserve control is achieved upon demands.
Hindi-english cross-lingual question-answering system

We developed a cross-lingual, question-answering (CLQA) system for Hindi and English. It accepts questions in English, finds candidate answers in Hindi newspapers, and translates the answer candidates into English along with the context surrounding each answer. The system was developed as part of the surprise language exercise (SLE) within the TIDES program.
Obesity and Occupational Injury: A Prospective Cohort Study of 69,515 Public Sector Employees

BACKGROUND
Obesity and overweight are suggested to increase the risk of occupational injury but longitudinal evidence to confirm this is rare. We sought to evaluate obesity and overweight as risk factors for occupational injuries.


METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
A total of 69,515 public sector employees (80% women) responded to a survey in 2000-2002, 2004 or 2008. Body mass index (kg/m(2)) was derived from self-reported height and weight and was linked to records of subsequent occupational injuries obtained from national registers. Different injury types, locations and events or exposures (the manner in which the injury was produced or inflicted) were analyzed by body mass index category adjusting for baseline socio-demographic characteristics, work characteristics, health-risk behaviors, physical and mental health, insomnia symptoms, and sleep duration. During the mean follow-up of 7.8 years (SD = 3.2), 18% of the employees (N = 12,204) recorded at least one occupational injury. Obesity was associated with a higher overall risk of occupational injury; multivariable adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.21 (95% CI 1.14-1.27). A relationship was observed for bone fractures (HR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.10-1.70), dislocations, sprains and strains (HR = 1.36; 95% CI: 1.25-1.49), concussions and internal injuries (HR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.11-1.44), injuries to lower extremities (HR = 1.62; 95%: 1.46-1.79) and injuries to whole body or multiple sites (HR = 1.37; 95%: 1.10-1.70). Furthermore, obesity was associated with a higher risk of injuries caused by slipping, tripping, stumbling and falling (HR = 1.55; 95% CI: 1.40-1.73), sudden body movement with or without physical stress (HR = 1.24; 95% CI: 1.10-1.41) and shock, fright, violence, aggression, threat or unexpected presence (HR = 1.33; 95% CI: 1.03-1.72). The magnitude of the associations between overweight and injuries was smaller, but the associations were generally in the same direction as those of obesity.


CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE
Obese employees record more occupational injuries than those with recommended healthy weight.
Perception of midline deviations in smile esthetics by
laypersons

Objective:
To evaluate the esthetic perception of upper dental midline deviation by laypersons and if adjacent structures influence their judgment.


Methods:
An album with 12 randomly distributed frontal view photographs of the smile of a woman with the midline digitally deviated was evaluated by 95 laypersons. The frontal view smiling photograph was modified to create from 1 mm to 5 mm deviations in the upper midline to the left side. The photographs were cropped in two different manners and divided into two groups of six photographs each: group LCN included the lips, chin, and two-thirds of the nose, and group L included the lips only. The laypersons performed the rate of each smile using a visual analog scale (VAS). Wilcoxon test, Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney test were applied, adopting a 5% level of significance.


Results:
Laypersons were able to perceive midline deviations starting at 1 mm. Statistically significant results (p< 0.05) were found for all multiple comparisons of the values in photographs of group LCN and for almost all comparisons in photographs of group L. Comparisons between the photographs of groups LCN and L showed statistically significant values (p< 0.05) when the deviation was 1 mm.


Conclusions:
Laypersons were able to perceive the upper dental midline deviations of 1 mm, and above when the adjacent structures of the smiles were included. Deviations of 2 mm and above when the lips only were included. The visualization of structures adjacent to the smile demonstrated influence on the perception of midline deviation.
Side-Channel Attack Pitfalls

While cryptographic algorithms are usually strong against mathematical attacks, their practical implementation, both in software and in hardware, opens the door to side-channel attacks. Without expensive equipment or intrusive monitoring, these attacks bypass the mathematical complexity and find the cryptographic key by observing the power consumption or the execution time variations of the device in normal operation mode. The power traces of 8000 encryptions are for instance sufficient to extract the secret key of an unprotected ASIC AES implementation, which is orders of magnitude smaller than the 2128 tests required to brute force the algorithm. A careful implementation can address these vulnerabilities, yet the solutions conflict with the common design goals to optimize for area, performance and power consumption. This paper introduces the side-channel attack pitfalls, which help create or facilitate the observation of the information leakage, discusses mitigation strategies and identifies opportunities for future research.
Emotional intelligence mediates the relationship between mindfulness and subjective well-being

Both mindfulness and emotional intelligence are associated with positive life outcomes, including greater subjective well-being. The present study examined whether emotional intelligence mediates the relationship between mindfulness and subjective well-being. Participants completed measures of characteristic mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and affect and life satisfaction as indices of subjective wellbeing. Higher levels of mindfulness were associated with greater emotional intelligence, positive affect, and life satisfaction and lower negative affect. Higher levels of emotional intelligence were associated with greater positive affect and life satisfaction and lower negative affect. Emotional intelligence mediated between mindfulness and higher positive affect, lower negative affect, and greater life satisfaction. These results provide information regarding a possible process through which mindfulness exerts its
Contingent non-invasive prenatal testing: an opportunity to improve non-genetic aspects of fetal aneuploidy screening.

BACKGROUND
Several countries today struggle with suboptimal performances in many aspects of the fetal aneuploidy screening process and consider introducing non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPT) as a solution. In this study, costs and benefits of different scenarios for contingent NIPT screening in Belgium are evaluated with respect to partial redistribution of the national screening budget into quality improving measures for those screening activities that will be maintained when full NIPT screening is implemented.


METHODS
Data from the Belgian National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance and the Study Centre for Perinatal Epidemiology were used in modeled calculations of medical and economic impact of NIPT after prior conventional screening (1) at thresholds 1:300 and 1:600, and (2) at current and improved screening sensitivity.


RESULTS
Contingent NIPT screening under current screening conditions would maintain today's 7.9(0)/000 live birth prevalence of Down syndrome (LBPD) at an 11% reduction of overall short-term costs. Lowering the screening threshold to 1:600 or increasing sensitivity by 10% would reduce LBPD to 7(0)/000 at a maximum 3% increase of overall short-term costs.


CONCLUSION
Today, in Belgium and in many other countries, full NIPT screening is considered too expensive for immediate introduction into the national fetal aneuploidy screening program. Contingent NIPT screening is both clinically and economically beneficial. A temporary contingent NIPT protocol allows for reinvesting economic savings into optimization of those screening aspects, which are to be maintained in parallel to full NIPT screening.
Safety and effectiveness of oral quinidine in cardioversion of persistent atrial fibrillation.

OBJECTIVES
The effectiveness of oral quinidine for conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm was evaluated in 49 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation on anticoagulation therapy. Atrial fibrillation was considered as persistent when the duration was longer than 3 days but less than 6 months.


METHODS
Patients received orally one to 7 doses of 150 mg hydroquinidine hydrochloride every one hour until restoration of sinus rhythm, or to a maximum of 7 tablets. Patients who were not converted underwent elective electrical cardioversion.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine of 49 patients (79.6%) were converted with quinidine and only one of the remaining 10 was converted with electrical cardioversion. Quinidine had no significant effect on blood pressure or unexpected changes on the QRS duration and the QT interval. Four patients developed gastrointestinal symptoms (8.1%).


CONCLUSIONS
Oral quinidine was safe and effective in the conversion of persistent atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm.
Estimating near-surface shear wave velocities in Japan by applying seismic interferometry to KiK-net data: NEAR-SURFACE S WAVE VELOCITIES IN JAPAN

[1] We estimate shear wave velocities in the shallow subsurface throughout Japan by applying seismic interferometry to the data recorded with KiK-net, a strong motion network in Japan. Each KiK-net station has two receivers; one receiver on the surface and the other in a borehole. By using seismic interferometry, we extract the shear wave that propagates between these two receivers. Applying this method to earthquake-recorded data at all KiK-net stations from 2000 to 2010 and measuring the arrival time of these shear waves, we analyze monthly and annual averages of the near-surface shear wave velocity all over Japan. Shear wave velocities estimated by seismic interferometry agree well with the velocities obtained from logging data. The estimated shear wave velocities of each year are stable. For the Niigata region, we observe a velocity reduction caused by major earthquakes. For stations on soft rock, the measured shear wave velocity varies with the seasons, and we show negative correlation between the shear wave velocities and precipitation. We also analyze shear wave splitting by rotating the horizontal components of the surface sensors and borehole sensors and measuring the dependence on the shear wave polarization. This allows us to estimate the polarization with the fast shear wave velocity throughout Japan. For the data recorded at the stations built on hard rock sites, the fast shear wave polarization directions correlate with the direction of the plate motion.
An Automatic Switched-Capacitor Cell Balancing Circuit for Series-Connected Battery Strings

In this paper, a novel voltage equalizer is developed for series battery strings based on the two-phase switched capacitor technique. Different from the conventional voltage equalizers which are developed by switched-mode power converters, bulky magnetic components and complex monitoring and control system are avoided in the proposed system. Just a pair of complementary pulse signals with constant switching frequency and fixed duty ratio are required to control all of switches employed in the proposed voltage equalizer, and charge transfers from the higher voltage battery cells to lower voltage ones automatically. The circuit configuration and operation principle are provided in this paper. The model of the proposed voltage equalizer is also derived. Comparison with other works indicates that the proposed method is superior to the conventional switched-capacitor (SC) voltage equalizer for the high stack of series battery strings. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed voltage equalization system is capable of excellent voltage balancing performance with a simple control method.
Comparison of lumbar spine stabilization exercise versus general exercise in young male patients with lumbar disc herniation after 1 year of follow-up.

OBJECTIVE
The safest and most effective conservative treatment for patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH) has not been established. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of lumbar spine stabilization exercise (LSSE) and general exercise (GE) on pain intensity and functional capacity in young male patients with LDH.


METHODS
Sixty-three young male adults aged 20 to 29 years with the diagnosis of LDH were enrolled and divided into an LSSE group (n=30) and a GE group (n=33). Patients in both groups received low-power laser (LPL) therapy during the first week of the onset of LDH. Patients in the GE group underwent a GE program. Patients in the LSSE group followed an LSSE program for 3 months. All of the patients were subjected to pain intensity and functional capacity evaluations four times: at pre-and post-LPL therapy, and at 3 months and 1 year post-exercise. Pain intensity of the lower back and legs was evaluated with the visual analogue scale (VAS), and functional capacity was evaluated with the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI).


RESULTS
Both groups showed a significant reduction in VAS and ODI scores at 3 and 12 months post-exercise compared with before treatment (P<0.001). The LSSE group showed a significant reduction in the average score of the VAS for low back pain (P=0.012) and the ODI (P=0.003) at 12 months post-exercise compared with the GE group.


CONCLUSIONS
LSSE and GE are considered as effective interventions for young male patients with LDH. Moreover, LSSE is more effective than GE, and physical therapy, such as LPL, is required during acute LDH.
Searching for a vulnerable dark triad: comparing Factor 2 psychopathy, vulnerable narcissism, and borderline personality disorder.

Paulhus and Williams (2002) identified a "Dark Triad" comprising the following related personality styles: narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism. The heterogeneity found in narcissism and psychopathy raises the possibility of a second triad made up of emotional vulnerability and dark traits (i.e., the vulnerable dark triad; VDT). Along with vulnerable narcissism and Factor 2 psychopathy, the third member of the hypothesized VDT is borderline personality disorder (BPD). Using a sample of 361 undergraduates, we examine the relations between these constructs and their relations with criterion variables, including personality, environmental etiological factors (e.g., abuse), and current functioning (e.g., psychopathology, affect). The results suggest that the VDT constructs are significantly related to one another and manifest similar nomological networks, particularly vulnerable narcissism and BPD. Although the VDT members are related to negative emotionality and antagonistic interpersonal styles, they are also related to introversion and disinhibition. Ultimately, it seems there is a "dark continuum" of pathological personality traits that differ primarily in relation to negative and positive emotionality and disinhibition.