LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
A modern Bayesian look at the multi-armed bandit

A multi-armed bandit is an experiment with the goal of accumulating rewards from a payoff distribution with unknown parameters that are to be learned sequentially. This article describes a heuristic for managing multi-armed bandits called randomized probability matching, which randomly allocates observations to arms according the Bayesian posterior probability that each arm is optimal. Advances in Bayesian computation have made randomized probability matching easy to apply to virtually any payoff distribution. This flexibility frees the experimenter to work with payoff distributions that correspond to certain classical experimental designs that have the potential to outperform methods that are ‘optimal’ in simpler contexts. I summarize the relationships between randomized probability matching and several related heuristics that have been used in the reinforcement learning literature. Copyright q 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
THE PURCHASING POWER PARITY DEBATE

The Purchasing Power Parity Debate* Originally propounded by the 16th-century scholars of the University of Salamanca, the concept of purchasing power parity (PPP) was revived in the interwar period in the context of the debate concerning the appropriate level at which to re-establish international exchange rate parities. Broadly accepted as a long-run equilibrium condition in the post-war period, it first was advocated as a short-run equilibrium by many international economists in the first few years following the breakdown of the Bretton Woods system in the early 1970s and then increasingly came under attack on both theoretical and empirical grounds from the late 1970s to the mid 1990s. Accordingly, over the last three decades, a large literature has built up that examines how much the data deviated from theory, and the fruits of this research have provided a deeper understanding of how well PPP applies in both the short run and the long run. Since the mid 1990s, larger datasets and nonlinear econometric methods, in particular, have improved estimation. As deviations narrowed between real exchange rates and PPP, so did the gap narrow between theory and data, and some degree of confidence in long-run PPP began to emerge again. In this respect, the idea of long-run PPP now enjoys perhaps its strongest support in more than 30 years, a distinct reversion in economic thought. JEL Classification: F31 and F41
Illiquidity and stock returns : cross-section and time-series effects

This paper shows that over time, expected market illiquidity positively affects ex ante stock excess return, suggesting that expected stock excess return partly represents an illiquidity premium. This complements the cross-sectional positive return–illiquidity relationship. Also, stock returns are negatively related over time to contemporaneous unexpected illiquidity. The illiquidity measure here is the average across stocks of the daily ratio of absolute stock return to dollar volume, which is easily obtained from daily stock data for long time series in most stock markets. Illiquidity affects more strongly small firm stocks, thus explaining time series variations in their premiums over time. r 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. JEL classificaion: G12
Self-Efficacy, Perceptions of Barriers, Vocational Identity, and the Career Exploration Behavior of Latino/a High School Students.

This study explored the potential relationship between the social cognitive variables of career decision-making self-efFicacy and perceptions of barriers and the outcome variables of vocational identity and career exploration behaviors in a sample of 128 urban Latino/a high school students. The results indicated that higher levels of career decision-making self-efficacy were related to both a more differentiated vocational identity and a greater engagement with career exploration tasks. Perception of fewer barriers was also found to be related to a more integrated vocational identity. Implications for career counseling and future research are discussed.
Cloud-Assisted Multiparty Computation from Fully Homomorphic Encryption

We construct protocols for secure multiparty computation with the help of a computationally powerful party, namely the “cloud”. Our protocols are simultaneously efficient in a number of metrics: • Rounds: our protocols run in 4 rounds in the semi-honest setting, and 5 rounds in the malicious setting. • Communication: the number of bits exchanged in an execution of the protocol is independent of the complexity of function f being computed, and depends only on the length of the inputs and outputs. • Computation: the computational complexity of all parties is independent of the complexity of the function f , whereas that of the cloud is linear in the size of the circuit computing f . In the semi-honest case, our protocol relies on the “ring learning with errors” (RLWE) assumption, whereas in the malicious case, security is shown under the Ring LWE assumption as well as the existence of simulation-extractable NIZK proof systems and succinct non-interactive arguments. In the malicious setting, we also relax the communication and computation requirements above, and only require that they be “small” – polylogarithmic in the computation size and linear in the size of the joint size of the inputs. Our constructions leverage the key homomorphic property of the recent fully homomorphic encryption scheme of Brakerski and Vaikuntanathan (CRYPTO 2011, FOCS 2011). Namely, these schemes allow combining encryptions of messages under different keys to produce an encryption (of the sum of the messages) under the sum of the keys. We also design an efficient, non-interactive threshold decryption protocol for these fully homomorphic encryption schemes. ∗This work was partially supported by the Check Point Institute for Information Security and by the Israeli Centers of Research Excellence (I-CORE) program (center No. 4/11). †This work was partially supported by an NSERC Discovery Grant, by DARPA under Agreement number FA875011-2-0225. The U.S. Government is authorized to reproduce and distribute reprints for Governmental purposes notwithstanding any copyright notation thereon. The views and conclusions contained herein are those of the author and should not be interpreted as necessarily representing the official policies or endorsements, either expressed or implied, of DARPA or the U.S. Government.
Feature Selection for Brain-Computer Interfaces

In this paper we empirically evaluate feature selection methods for classification of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) data. We selected five state-of the-art methods, suitable for the noisy, correlated and highly dimensional BCI data, namely: information gain ranking, correlation-based feature selection, ReliefF, consistency-based feature selection and 1R ranking. We tested them with ten classification algorithms, representing different learning paradigms, on a benchmark BCI competition dataset. The results show that all feature selectors significantly reduced the number of features and also improved accuracy when used with suitable classification algorithms. The top three feature selectors in terms of classification accuracy were correlation-based feature selection, information gain and 1R ranking, with correlation based feature selection choosing the smallest number of features.
Direct-Indirect Class V Restorations: A Novel Approach for Treating Noncarious Cervical Lesions.

UNLABELLED
Noncarious cervical lesions are highly prevalent and may have different etiologies. Regardless of their origin, be it acid erosion, abrasion, or abfraction, restoring these lesions can pose clinical challenges, including access to the lesion, field control, material placement and handling, marginal finishing, patient discomfort, and chair time. This paper describes a novel technique for minimizing these challenges and optimizing the restoration of noncarious cervical lesions using a technique the author describes as the class V direct-indirect restoration. With this technique, clinicians can create precise extraoral margin finishing and polishing, while maintaining periodontal health and controlling polymerization shrinkage stress.


CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
The clinical technique described in this article has the potential for being used routinely in treating noncarious cervical lesions, especially in cases without easy access and limited field control. Precise margin finishing and polishing is one of the greatest benefits of the class V direct-indirect approach, as the author has seen it work successfully in his practice over the past five years.
Psychometric Properties of the Family Support Scale Adapted for African American Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was two-fold: 1) adapt and test a social support measure specific to the experiences of African American women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); 2) examine its relationship to psychosocial measures.


RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
200 rural African American women with uncontrolled T2DM participating in a randomized controlled trial completed surveys at baseline on their social support, empowerment, self-care, self-efficacy, depression and diabetes distress. Exploratory factor analysis and correlation analysis were conducted to test the psychometric properties of the Dunst Family Support Scale adapted for AA women with T2DM (FSS-AA T2DM) and its relationship with other psychosocial measures.


RESULTS
The 16 items of the FSS-AA T2DM loaded onto three distinct factors: parent and spouse/partner support, community and medical support, and extended family and friends support. Reliability for the entire scale was good (Cronbach's α = .90) and was acceptable to high across these three factors (Cronbach's α of .86, .83, and .83 respectively). All three factors were significantly correlated with self-reported empowerment, self-care, self-efficacy, depression and diabetes distress, although the pattern was different for each factor. FSS-AA-T2DM showed good concurrent validity when compared with similar items on the Diabetes Distress Scale.


CONCLUSION
The FSS-AA T2DM, a 16-item scale measuring social support among rural African American women with T2DM, is internally consistent and reliable. Findings support the utility of this screening tool in this population, although additional testing is needed with other groups in additional settings.
Endoscopic regression of Barrett's oesophagus during omeprazole treatment; a randomised double blind study.

BACKGROUND
Barrett's oesophagus, columnar metaplasia of the epithelium, is a premalignant condition with a 50-100-fold increased risk of cancer. The condition is caused by chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux. Regression of metaplasia may decrease the cancer risk.


AIMS
To determine whether elimination of acid gastro-oesophageal reflux induces a regression of metaplastic epithelium.


METHODS
Sixty eight patients with acid reflux and proven Barrett's oesophagus were included in a prospective, randomised, double blind study with parallel groups, and were treated with profound acid secretion suppression with omeprazole 40 mg twice daily, or with mild acid secretion suppression with ranitidine 150 mg twice daily, for 24 months. Endoscopy was performed at 0, 3, 9, 15, and 24 months with measurement of length and surface area of Barrett's oesophagus; pH-metry was performed at 0 and 3 months. Per protocol analysis was performed on 26 patients treated with omeprazole, and 27 patients treated with ranitidine.


RESULTS
Omeprazole reduced reflux to 0.1%, ranitidine to 9.4% per 24 hours. Symptoms were ameliorated in both groups. There was a small, but statistically significant regression of Barrett's oesophagus in the omeprazole group, both in length and in area. No change was observed in the ranitidine group. The difference between the regression in the omeprazole and ranitidine group was statistically significant for the area of Barrett's oesophagus (p=0. 02), and showed a trend in the same direction for the length of Barrett's oesophagus (p=0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
Profound suppression of acid secretion, leading to elimination of acid reflux, induces partial regression of Barrett's oesophagus.
Effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy on lipoprotein(a) concentration. PEPI Investigators. Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions.

BACKGROUND
Postmenopausal hormone therapy has been reported to decrease levels of lipoprotein (Lp)(a) in cross-sectional studies and small or short-term longitudinal studies. We report findings from a large, prospective, placebo-controlled clinical trial that allows a broad characterization of these effects for four regimens of hormone therapy.


METHODS AND RESULT
The Postmenopausal Estrogen/Progestin Interventions study was a 3-year, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial to assess the effect of hormone regimens on cardiovascular disease risk factors in postmenopausal women 45 to 65 years of age. The active regimens were conjugated equine estrogens therapy at 0.625 mg daily, alone or in combination with each of three regimens of progestational agents: medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) at 2.5 mg daily (ie, continuous MPA), MPA at 10 mg days 1 to 12 (ie, cyclical MPA), and micronized progesterone at 200 mg days 1 to 12. Plasma levels of Lp(a) were measured at baseline (n = 366), 12 months (n = 354), and 36 months (n = 342). Assignment to hormone therapy resulted in a 17% to 23% average drop in Lp(a) concentrations relative to placebo (P<.0001), which was maintained across 3 years of follow-up. No significant differences were observed among the four active arms. Changes in Lp(a) associated with hormone therapy were positively correlated with changes in LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and fibrinogen levels and were similar across subgroups defined by age, weight, ethnicity, and prior hormone use.


CONCLUSIONS
Postmenopausal estrogen therapy, with or without concomitant progestin regimens, produces consistent and sustained reductions in plasma Lp(a) concentrations.
Gender differences in the association between metabolic syndrome and periodontal disease: the Hisayama Study

AIMS
Periodontal disease and metabolic syndrome (MS) are more prevalent in males than in females. However, whether there is a gender difference in the association between these health conditions has not yet been investigated. This study examined the gender difference in this association, considering the definition of periodontal disease.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
We recruited 1040 males and 1330 females, aged ≥40 years, with at least ten teeth from subjects of the 2007 Hisayama health examination. We performed a logistic regression analysis with various definitions of periodontal disease the dependent variable and MS as the independent variable. Following the analysis, the data were reanalysed with the structural equations model.


RESULTS
The logistic regression analysis suggested a stronger association between periodontal disease and MS in females than that in males when periodontal disease was more severely defined. When we constructed the structural equations model in each gender, the model showed a good fit to the data of females, suggesting the association between periodontal disease and MS in females, but not in males.


CONCLUSIONS
Gender differences seem to exist in the association between periodontal disease and MS; MS might show a stronger association with periodontal disease in females than in males.
Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of Compliant Legged Quadruped Robot

Quadruped robot has many advantages over wheeled mobile robots, but it is a discrete system in which joints of each leg has to operate in particular fashion to get the desired locomotion. So, dynamics plays an important role in the operation and control of quadruped robot. Proper conception of the dynamic formulation is must for the complex system like quadruped robot. Here, an attempt is made to generate three dimensional model of a quadruped using the bond graph technique. Bond graph is an efficient tool for system modeling from the physical model itself and various control strategies can be developed very efficiently. A quadruped robot configuration used for analysis is two links legged robot in which upper link is rigid and lower link is compliant. In a lower link, piston and piston rod is sliding inside the cylinder and movement is restricted by the internal hydraulic pressure of the cylinder which will generate compliance in the leg. Simulation of the various gait performed by the quadruped is carried out, which proves the versatility of the three dimensional model generated. The generated model can be used in research of various aspects pertaining to quadruped, the same thing is demonstrated by doing performance evaluation between compliant and rigid legged robot and also between two different gaits like trot gait and amble gait. Keywords—Quadruped robot, Bond graph, Dynamic model
H. G. J. as a Chronicler of the Keynesian Revolution: His Search of a Non Revolutionary Account

Repeatedly throughout his career, and especially when giving special invited lectures to national gatherings of economists, Harry Johnson reexamined the impact of Keynes's "General Theory" and its parallels with the revival of the quantity theory of money. This paper explores Johnson's changing view of the recent history of macroeconomics and particularly of the Keynesian Revolution, a term that he found problematic. Copyright 2001 The American Journal of Economics and Sociology.
Ultra Low Thermal Expansion Ceramics

Abstract : Further exploration in the (NZP) - family was carried on-in that the systematic crystal chemistry investigation of M1Zr2P3O12 (M1 = Li, Na, K, Rb and Cs) and M11Zr4P6O24 (M11 = Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) was completed and few more new compositions were synthesized and characterized. An effort was made to grow single crystals of Na, Sr and Ca zirconium phosphates using B2O3 as flux in order to obtain more data to confirm the results obtained on powdered samples. NaGe2P3O12 was studied as a potential candidate for the development of glass- ceramic due to its low melting behavior. It has been established that sol-gel process is superior to powder method for synthesizing (NZP)-compounds and therefore most of the compositions were prepared by this route. Dielectric measurements made on CaZr4P6O24 showed that in general, (NZP)-materials have low dielectric constant with relatively low loss. New families such as diborides and A12O3-GeO2 were investigated in order to search any new low thermal expansion composition with high dielectric constant. (JES)
Occurrence and risk factors for autoimmune thyroid disease in patients with atrophic body gastritis.

PURPOSE
To investigate the occurrence of and risk factors for autoimmune thyroid disease in atrophic body gastritis patients.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study on 401 consecutive outpatients with atrophic body gastritis. Diagnostic work-up of thyroid disease was completed in 319 atrophic body gastritis patients (225 women, median age 55.5 years [range 17-95 years]). Data on anagraphics, lifestyle, family history, and biochemical and histological items were obtained at baseline, and associations between atrophic body gastritis and autoimmune and nonautoimmune thyroid diseases were explored through descriptive statistics and logistic regression analyses.


RESULTS
Of the 319 atrophic body gastritis patients, 169 (53%) had an associated thyroid disorder, and 89 (52.7%) of these were unaware of it. The thyroid disease was autoimmune in 128 patients (75.7%) and nonautoimmune in 41 patients. Logistic regression showed that risk factors for having autoimmune thyroid disease in atrophic body gastritis patients were female sex (odds ratio [OR] 5.6, 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6-12.1), presence of parietal cell antibodies (OR 2.5, 95% CI, 1.1-5.5), and presence of metaplastic atrophy (OR 2.2, 95% CI, 1.0-5.0).


CONCLUSIONS
Autoimmune thyroid disease and atrophic body gastritis occur in a closely linked fashion, suggesting that atrophic body gastritis patients should be investigated for an occult autoimmune thyroid disease, in particular women and those with positive parietal cell antibodies.
A randomized trial testing the superiority of a postdischarge care management model for stroke survivors.

OBJECTIVE
We sought to evaluate whether comprehensive postdischarge care management for stroke survivors is superior to organized acute stroke department care with enhanced discharge planning in improving a profile of health and well-being.


METHODS
This was a randomized trial of a comprehensive postdischarge care management intervention for patients with ischemic stroke and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores greater than or equal to 1 discharged from an acute stroke department. An advanced practice nurse performed an in-home assessment for the intervention group from which an interdisciplinary team developed patient-specific care plans. The advanced practice nurse worked with the primary care physician and patient to implement the plan during the next 6 months. The intervention and usual care groups were compared using a global and closed hypothesis testing strategy. Outcomes fell into 5 domains: (1) neuromotor function, (2) institution time or death, (3) quality of life, (4) management of risk, and (5) stroke knowledge and lifestyle.


RESULTS
Treatment effect was near 0 SD for all except the stroke knowledge and lifestyle domain, which showed a significant effect of the intervention (P = .0003).


CONCLUSIONS
Postdischarge care management was not more effective than organized stroke department care with enhanced discharge planning in most domains in this population. The intervention did, however, fill a postdischarge knowledge gap.
Dispelling the myth that habitual caffeine consumption influences the performance response to acute caffeine supplementation.

This study investigates the influence of habitual caffeine intake on aerobic exercise-performance responses to acute caffeine supplementation. A double-blind, crossover, counterbalanced study was performed. Forty male endurance-trained cyclists were allocated into tertiles, according to their daily caffeine intake: low (58 ± 29 mg/d), moderate (143 ± 25 mg/d), and high (351 ± 139 mg/d) consumers. Participants completed three trials in which they performed simulated cycling time trials (TTs) in the fastest time possible following ingestion of the following: caffeine (CAF: 6 mg/kg body mass), placebo (PLA), and no supplement (CON). A mixed-model analysis revealed that TT performance was significantly improved in CAF compared with PLA and CON (29.92 ± 2.18 vs. 30.81 ± 2.67 and 31.14 ± 2.71 min, respectively; P = 0.0002). Analysis of covariance revealed no influence of habitual caffeine intake as a covariate on exercise performance (P = 0.47). TT performance was not significantly different among tertiles (P = 0.75). No correlation was observed between habitual caffeine intake and absolute changes (CAF - CON) in TT performance with caffeine (P = 0.524). Individual analysis showed that eight, seven, and five individuals improved above the variation of the test in CAF in the low, moderate, and high tertiles, respectively. A Fisher's exact test did not show any significant differences in the number of individuals who improved in CAF among the tertiles (P > 0.05). Blood lactate and ratings of perceived exertion were not different between trials and tertiles (P > 0.05). Performance effects of acute caffeine supplementation during an ~30-min cycling TT performance were not influenced by the level of habitual caffeine consumption.NEW & NOTEWORTHY There has been a long-standing paradigm that habitual caffeine intake may influence the ergogenicity of caffeine supplementation. Low, moderate, and high caffeine consumers showed similar absolute and relative improvements in cycling time-trial performance following acute supplementation of 6 mg/kg body mass caffeine. Performance effects of acute caffeine were not influenced by the level of habitual caffeine consumption, suggesting that high habitual caffeine intake does not negate the benefits of acute caffeine supplementation.