LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Multi-Source Domain Adaptation with Mixture of Experts

We propose a mixture-of-experts approach for unsupervised domain adaptation from multiple sources. The key idea is to explicitly capture the relationship between a target example and different source domains. This relationship, expressed by a point-to-set metric, determines how to combine predictors trained on various domains. The metric is learned in an unsupervised fashion using metatraining. Experimental results on sentiment analysis and part-of-speech tagging demonstrate that our approach consistently outperforms multiple baselines and can robustly handle negative transfer.1
Peripheral artery tonometry demonstrates altered endothelial function in children with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVES
To assess the ability of reactive hyperemia-peripheral artery tonometry (RH-PAT) to serve as a surrogate marker of endothelial dysfunction in children with type 1 diabetes (T1D).


RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Forty-four children with T1D [age 14.6 +/- 2.7 yr; duration of diabetes 6.01 +/- 4 yr; range of diabetes duration 1-16 yr; and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) 8.34 +/- 1.2%] and 20 children without diabetes (age 14.1 +/- 1.5 yr) underwent RH-PAT endothelial function testing after an overnight fast. Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), fasting lipid profile, and glucose level were determined in each child. Children with T1D underwent a second RH-PAT study 4 wk after their initial study to determine the intrapatient variability of the technique.


RESULTS
Children with T1D had endothelial dysfunction as evidenced by lower mean RH-PAT scores (1.63 +/- 0.5) when compared with children without diabetes (mean RH-PAT score 1.95 +/- 0.3) (p = 0.01). Repeat RH-PAT scores were predicted by initial RH-PAT scores (p = 0.0025). Mean intrapatient standard deviation of RH-PAT score was 0.261 and mean coefficient of variation was 14.8. Variations in RH-PAT score were not explained by differences in glucose, HbA1c, BMI, systolic BP, diastolic BP, or lipids.


CONCLUSIONS
Although larger validation studies are required, RH-PAT is a promising non-invasive technique to assess endothelial function in children with T1D. Non-invasive measures of endothelial dysfunction may provide the additional risk stratification data needed to justify more aggressive primary prevention of cardiovascular disease in children with T1D.
Design of a sensorless commutation IC for BLDC motors

This paper presents the design and realization of a sensorless commutation integrated circuit (IC) for brushless dc motors (BLDCMs) by using mixed-mode IC design methodology. The developed IC can generate accurate commutation signals for BLDCMs by using a modified back-EMF sensing scheme instead of using Hall-effect sensors. This IC can be also easily interfaced with a microcontroller or a digital signal processor (DSP) to complete the closed-loop control of a BLDCM. The developed sensorless commutation IC consists of an analog back-EMF processing circuit and a programmable digital commutation control circuit. Since the commutation control is very critical for BLDCM control, the proposed sensorless commutation IC provides a phase compensation circuit to compensate phase error due to low-pass filtering, noise, and nonideal effects of back-EMFs. By using mixed-mode IC design methodology, this IC solution requires less analog compensation circuits compared to other commercially available motor control ICs. Therefore, high maintainability and flexibility can be both achieved. The proposed sensorless commutation IC is integrated in a standard 0.35m single-poly four-metal CMOS process, and the realization technique of this mixed-mode IC has been given. The proposed control scheme and developed realization techniques provide illustrative engineering procedures for the system-on-a-chip solution for advanced digital motor control. Simulation and experimental results have been carried out in verification of the proposed control scheme.
Nasal ventilation in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: effect of ventilator mode on arterial blood gas tensions.

BACKGROUND
There are no controlled trials of the use of different modes of nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) in patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study describes the effect on blood gas tensions of four different modes of nasal ventilation.


METHODS
Twelve patients with acute exacerbations of COPD were studied (mean (SD) FEV1 0.59 (0.13) l, PaO2 (air) 5.10 (1.12) kPa, PaCO2 9.28 (1.97) kPa, pH 7.32 (0.03)). Each patient underwent four one-hour periods of nasal ventilation in randomised order: (a) inspiratory pressure support 18 cm H2O; (b) pressure support 18 cm H2O+positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) 6 cm H2O (IPAP+EPAP); (c) continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) 8 cm H2O; and (d) volume cycled NIPPV. Arterial blood samples were obtained before each period of ventilation and at one hour.


RESULTS
Pressure support, CPAP, and volume cycled NIPPV all produced significant improvements in PaO2; there was no difference between these three modes. The change in PaO2 with IPAP+EPAP did not reach statistical significance. None of the modes produced significant changes in mean PaCO2; patients with higher baseline levels tended to show a rise in PaCO2 whereas those with lower baseline levels tended to show a fall.


CONCLUSIONS
Although PaO2 improved in all patients there are differences in efficacy between the modes, while the changes in PaCO2 were variable. The addition of EPAP conferred no advantage in terms of blood gas tensions.
Role of Na+ /H+ exchanger 3 in the acidification of the male reproductive tract and male fertility.

1. Male fertility is a complex process that is dependent on sex hormones and the normal function of the reproductive organs. Defects of these organs result in abnormal sperm production and function, which, in turn, lead to infertility. 2. Spermatozoa released from the testis are unable to move and fertilize with eggs. These features, known as sperm maturation, are acquired during their transit through the epididymis. 3. Among several processes that take place in the epididymis, absorption and acidification of the luminal fluid are essential for sperm maturation, sperm storage and fertility. Currently, the mechanism by which acidification occurs in the epididymis is still not fully understood. 4. The epididymis is fully equipped with the proteins required for acid/base transport, such as Na(+) /H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3, SLC9A3), vacuolar-type adenosine triphosphatase (V-ATPase) and various isoforms of enzyme carbonic anhydrase (CA). 5. Most studies, so far, have focused on the role of V-ATPase on H(+) secretion and acidification of the epididymis. The involvement of NHE3 in creating the acidic environment of the epididymal spermatozoa receives little attention. 6. This review presents evidence for and discusses the role of NHE3 in the acidification of the male reproductive tract and its requirement for male fertility.
Near-infrared spectroscopy-mediated neurofeedback enhances efficacy of motor imagery-based training in poststroke victims: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Despite the findings that motor imagery and execution are supposed to share common neural networks, previous studies using imagery-based rehabilitation have revealed inconsistent results. In the present study, we investigated whether feedback of cortical activities (neurofeedback) using near-infrared spectroscopy could enhance the efficacy of imagery-based rehabilitation in stroke patients.


METHODS
Twenty hemiplegic patients with subcortical stroke received 6 sessions of mental practice with motor imagery of the distal upper limb in addition to standard rehabilitation. Subjects were randomly allocated to REAL and SHAM groups. In the REAL group, cortical hemoglobin signals detected by near-infrared spectroscopy were fed back during imagery. In the SHAM group, irrelevant randomized signals were fed back. Upper limb function was assessed using the finger and arm subscales of the Fugl-Meyer assessment and the Action Research Arm Test.


RESULTS
The hand/finger subscale of the Fugl-Meyer assessment showed greater functional gain in the REAL group, with a significant interaction between time and group (F(2,36)=15.5; P<0.001). A significant effect of neurofeedback was revealed even in severely impaired subjects. Imagery-related cortical activation in the premotor area was significantly greater in the REAL group than in the SHAM group (T(58)=2.4; P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that near-infrared spectroscopy-mediated neurofeedback may enhance the efficacy of mental practice with motor imagery and augment motor recovery in poststroke patients with severe hemiparesis.
Fiscal adjustments and income inequality: a first assessment

Using a statistical approach to identify fiscal adjustments, we find that fiscal consolidation appears to shorten the income gap. Fiscal austerity plans that succeed in bringing public debt to a sustainable path seem to be more likely to reduce inequality. Expansionary fiscal adjustments are particularly important to promote changes in the income distribution.
24.5 A 4.5nW wake-up radio with −69dBm sensitivity

Wake-up receivers (WuRXs) are low-power radios that continuously monitor the RF environment to wake up a higher-power radio upon detection of a predetermined RF signature. Prior-art WuRXs have 100s of kHz of bandwidth [1] with low signature-to-wake-up-signal latency to help synchronize communication amongst nominally asynchronous wireless devices. However, applications such as unattended ground sensors and smart home appliances wake-up infrequently in an event-driven manner, and thus WuRX bandwidth and latency are less critical; instead, the most important metrics are power consumption and sensitivity. Unfortunately, current state-of-the-art WuRXs utilizing direct envelope-detecting [2] and IF/uncertain-IF [1,3] architectures (Fig. 24.5.1) achieve only modest sensitivity at low-power (e.g., −39dBm at 104nW [2]), or achieve excellent sensitivity at higher-power (e.g., −97dBm at 99µW [3]) via active IF gain elements. Neither approach meets the needs of next-generation event-driven sensing networks.
Immunomodulatory effects of total intravenous and balanced inhalation anesthesia in patients with bladder cancer undergoing elective radical Cystectomy: preliminary results

BACKGROUND
Although surgery and anesthesia induce immunesuppression, remains largely unknown whether various anesthetic techniques have different immunosuppressive effects on cancer patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of total intravenous anesthesia with target-controlled infusion (TIVA-TCI) and balanced inhalation anesthesia (BAL) on the peri-operative levels of inflammatory cytokines and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in patients with bladder cancer undergoing surgery.


METHODS
Twenty eight consecutive patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy were prospectively randomized into two groups to receive TIVA-TCI (n = 14) or BAL (n = 14). Before the induction of anesthesia (T0), 6-8 hours (T1) post-surgery, and 5 days post-surgery (T2), Tregs and serum levels of interleukin -1beta (IL-1β), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin -2 (IL-2), interleukin -6 (IL-6), and interleukin -10 (IL-10) were measured.


RESULTS
In the peri-operative period all cancer patients showed a marked and significant increase in IL-6. Moreover, TIVA-TCI patients also showed a higher increase in IFN-γ, whereas in BAL patients Tregs were reduced by approximately 30% during surgery. The incidence of infections, metastases, and death was similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The increase in the Th1 response in the TIVA-TCI group and the reduction in Tregs in the BAL group seem to balance the immunosuppressive effect induced by IL-6. Therefore TIVA-TCI and BAL can be both used in major surgery in patients with bladder cancer without worsening the outcome.
Prediction of the failure properties of short fiber reinforced composites with metal and polymer matrix

The statistical strength of short fiber reinforced composites such as metal matrix composites (MMCs) and polymer matrix composites (PMCs) with different fiber volume fractions is investigated in this work using combined cell models (CCM) and Weibull statistical approach. Statistical combined cell models (SCCM) have been developed, which were originally developed for fiber fracture in composites. This allows to calculate separately the two types of unit cells, i.e. unit cells with unbroken fibers, and with broken ones. The global mechanical behavior of metal or PMCs reinforced with randomly oriented short fibers (e.g., an Al/15 vol.% Al2O3 aluminium matrix composite and PMC with 20 or 30 vol.% glass-fibers) is calculated based on the rule of mixture. In all cases, predictions of the behavior by the SCCM are compared with experiments and they show good agreement. 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. PACS: 81.05.N
Beneficial effects of using a minimal extracorporeal circulation system during coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND
In this study, we assessed clinical results by using a minimal extracorporeal circuit (MECC) and compared it to a conventional cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) system in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) procedures.


METHODS AND MATERIALS
From August to October 2006, forty consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG procedures were randomly assigned to either a miniaturized closed circuit CPB with the Maquet-Cardiopulmonary MECC system (Group M, n=20) or to a conventional CPB system (Group C, n=20). Clinical outcomes were observed before, during and after the operation. Besides evaluating the perioperative clinical data, serial blood venous samples were obtained after induction, 30 minutes after CPB initiation, 2h, 6h, 12h, and 24h post-CPB. The focus of our study was on myocardial damage (cTnI), neutrophil and platelet counts, activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and free hemoglobin.


RESULTS
Both the transfusion of packed red blood cells and fresh frozen plasma were significantly lower in Group M compared to Group C (p<0.05). The levels of cTnI were lower in Group M at 2h, 6h and 12h post-CPB than in Group C (p<0.01). The values of aPTT in Group M recovered to normal levels after surgery, but were prolonged in Group C at early post-CPB and were statistically longer than Group M at 2h, 6h, and 12h post-CPB (p<0.05). The concentrations of free hemoglobin in Group C were higher than in Group M during and post-CPB, and there was a statistical difference at 2h post-CPB (p<0.05).


CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the MECC system is a safe alternative for patients who undertake extracorporeal circulation (ECC) for CABG surgery. Lower transfusion requirements and less damage to red cells may further promote the use of MECC systems, especially in higher risk patients.
Notifications and awareness: a field study of alert usage and preferences

Desktop notifications are designed to provide awareness of information while a user is attending to a primary task. Unfortunately the awareness can come with the price of disruption to the focal task. We review results of a field study on the use and perceived value of email notifications in the workplace. We recorded users' interactions with software applications for two weeks and studied how notifications or their forced absence influenced users' quest for awareness of new email arrival, as well as the impact of notifications on their overall task focus. Results showed that users view notifications as a mechanism to provide passive awareness rather than a trigger to switch tasks. Turing off notifications cause some users to self interrupt more to explicitly monitor email arrival, while others appear to be able to better focus on their tasks. Users acknowledge notifications as disruptive, yet opt for them because of their perceived value in providing awareness.
Association between ADAMTS1 matrix metalloproteinase gene variation, coronary heart disease, and benefit of statin therapy.

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between the Ala227Pro polymorphism in the ADAMTS1 metalloproteinase gene and coronary heart disease and benefit from statin therapy in 2 independent cohorts.


METHODS AND RESULTS
The frequency of the ADAMTS1 227Pro minor allele was 0.24 in 2421 male subjects from CARE, a randomized trial of pravastatin versus placebo. In the placebo arm, homozygotes (6.3% of study population) had a significantly increased risk of fatal coronary disease or nonfatal myocardial infarction (D/MI) compared with noncarriers (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.07 to 4.19, P=0.03), and in the entire study the benefit of pravastatin in reducing the risk of D/MI was greater in these subjects (OR 0.21, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.69) than in heterozygotes (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.14) or noncarriers (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.68 to 1.42; P(interaction)=0.044). Results were tested in 1565 male subjects from WOSCOPS, also a randomized trial of pravastatin versus placebo. Similar to the results in CARE, in the placebo arm subjects homozygous for the minor allele were at increased risk of D/MI (OR 1.72, P=0.052) and in the entire study the benefit of pravastatin in reducing D/MI was greater in these subjects (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.68) than in heterozygotes (OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.48 to 1.11) or noncarriers (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.20 to 2.09) (P(interaction)=0.029).


CONCLUSIONS
In men not on pravastatin, those homozygous for the 227Pro allele of ADAMTS1 have a nearly 2-fold increased risk of coronary heart disease events compared with noncarriers. In this high-risk group, treatment with pravastatin is highly efficacious, reducing the odds of fatal coronary disease or nonfatal MI by approximately 75%, as compared with 25% in noncarriers or heterozygotes.
Approaching 80 years of passive radar

The history of passive radar dates back to the early days of radar in 1935 when the Daventry experiment was conducted in the UK. It continues in WW II with the German Klein Heidelberg passive radar and receives new interest today, as passive covert radar (PCR) systems like Silent Sentry, Homeland Alerter 100, Aulos and PARADE are ready for operation. The future of PCR will strongly depend on the availability of transmitters of opportunity such as FM-radio and digital broadcast networks.
Water purification by photocatalysis on semiconductors

This paper describes the basics of photocatalysis on semiconductors, mainly on TiO2 and the application of photocatalytic processes to water purification from organic matter. The second chapter is devoted to metal cocatalysts introduced in order to improve the photocatalytic action of titania. Finally, a short review of more interesting practical applications of the processes is presented.
PalmHashing: a novel approach for cancelable biometrics

We propose a novel cancelable biometric approach, known as PalmHashing, to solve the non-revocable biometric proposed method hashes palmprint templates with a set of pseudo-random keys to obtain a unique code called palmhash. The palmhash code can be stored in portable devices such tokens and smartcards for verification. Multiple sets of palmha can be maintained in multiple applications. Thus the privacy and security of the applications can be greatly enhance compromised, revocation can also be achieved via direct replacement of a new set of palmhash code. In addition, PalmHashin offers several advantages over contemporary biometric approaches such as clear separation of the genuine-imposter and zero EER occurrences. In this paper, we outline the implementation details of this method and also highlight its p in security-critical applications.  2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Determinants of Capital Structure in Nigeria

Capital structure represents one of the most discussed concepts in financial management. Capital structure refers to how a company finances its operations whether through shareholders equity-fund or debt or a combination of both. Various internal and external factors contribute to the choice of these sources of fund. The external factors include factors such as tax policy, capital market conditions and tax policy, among others. Meanwhile, the internal factors are those that relate to individual firm characteristics. This study examines the determinants of capital structure in Nigeria using the descriptive research design. The population comprised of the eighty-six manufacturing firms that are listed in the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The sample firms were selected using the simple random sampling method. Secondary data obtained from the annual accounts of 24 randomly selected manufacturing firms for 10 years period culminating in 240 firm-year observations. The results of the regression analysis revealed that leverage (a measure of capital structure) has a negative relationship with firm size and tax on one hand and a positive relationship with tangibility of assets, profitability and growth on the other hand. However, only with tangibility of assets and firm size that significant relationship is established. It is recommended for future researchers to carry out similar studies in multiple sectors.
A Framework for Transfer in Reinforcement Learning

We present a conceptual framework for transfer in reinforcement learning based on the idea that related tasks share a common space. The framework attempts to capture the notion of tasks that are related (so that transfer is possible) but distinct (so that transfer is non-trivial). We define three types of transfer (knowledge, skill and model transfer) in terms of the framework, and illustrate them with an example scenario.
Aspirin increases nitric oxide formation in chronic stable coronary disease.

INTRODUCTION
There are no published randomized data on secondary prevention in humans about whether aspirin affects nitric oxide (NO) formation. In patients with chronic stable coronary disease, we tested whether aspirin at clinically relevant doses increases NO formation.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
In a randomized, double-blind trial, 37 patients from 2 cardiology office practices were assigned to daily doses of 81, 162.5, 325, 650, or 1300 aspirin for 12 weeks. Primary prespecified outcome measures were changes in heme oxygenase (HO-1), a downstream target of NO formation, and asymmetrical dimethyl arginine (ADMA), a competitive inhibitor of NO synthase.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences for HO-1 or ADMA between any of the clinically relevant doses of aspirin tested, so all were combined. For HO-1, there was a significant increase (10.29 ± 2.44, P < .001) from baseline (15.37 ± 1.85) to week 12 (25.66 ± 1.57). The mean ratio (MR) of week 12 to baseline for HO-1 was significantly higher than 1.0 (1.67, confidence interval [CI] from 1.60 to 1.74, P < .001). For ADMA, there was a significant decrease (-0.24 ± 0.11, P < .001) from baseline (0.78 ± 0.08) to week 12 (0.54 ± 0.07). The MR of week 12 to baseline for ADMA was significantly lower than 1.0 (0.69, CI from 0.66 to 0.73, P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with chronic stable coronary disease, all clinically relevant daily doses of aspirin tested, from 81 to 1300 mg, produce similar and statistically significant increases in HO-1 and decreases in ADMA. These are the first randomized data on secondary prevention patients. These data support the hypothesis that aspirin has additional beneficial effects mediated through NO formation. Further research, including direct randomized comparisons on atherosclerosis using noninvasive techniques as well as on occlusive vascular disease events, is necessary.