LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Accumulation of deicing salts in soils in an urban environment

Examining rates of deicing salt accumulation and leaching in urban soils is important for understanding the distribution and movement of salt in the environment. We examined autumn concentrations of deicing salts in soils in a moderately dense urban landscape in eastern New York State. The study area contrasted to the isolated, rural highways examined in previous studies. While NaCl was the most abundantly applied salt, Mg2+ (apparently from MgCl2, a secondary deicing salt) was the most abundant salt cation in soils. Moderate Na+ levels, and equivalent concentrations at depth and in surface samples, indicate that leaching of Na+ is rapid in this system. Leaching may ameliorate toxicity for land plants but accelerate inputs to aquatic systems. In contrast to rural highway studies, where salt levels declined rapidly with distance to pavement, Na+ remained elevated at the maximum distance measured. Airborne salt dispersal and dense networks of pavement likely contribute to widespread elevated salt levels. This semi-urban setting had salt levels high enough to be toxic to terrestrial plants and soil protozoa. Even moderate levels of development can have dramatic effects on salt inputs into soils and aquatic systems.
Yohimbine Enhancement of Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND
Preclinical and clinical trials suggest that yohimbine may augment extinction learning without significant side effects. However, previous clinical trials have only examined adults with specific phobias. Yohimbine has not yet been investigated in the augmentation of exposure therapy for other anxiety disorders.


METHODS
Adults (n = 40) with a DSM-IV diagnosis of social anxiety disorder were randomized to placebo or yohimbine HCl (10.8 mg) 1 hour before each of four exposure sessions. Outcome measures were collected at baseline, each treatment session, posttreatment, and 1-month follow-up.


RESULTS
Yohimbine was well tolerated. Yohimbine augmentation, relative to placebo augmentation, resulted in faster improvement and better outcomes on self-report measures of social anxiety disorder severity (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, d = .53) and depressed mood severity (Beck Depression Inventory, d = .37) but not on the clinician-rated measures (Clinical Global Impressions-Severity Scale, d = .09; Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement Scale, d = .25). Between-group differences on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale were moderated by the level of fear reported at the end of an exposure exercise (end fear), such that the advantage of yohimbine over placebo was only evident among patients who reported low end fear.


CONCLUSIONS
The results provide moderate support for yohimbine as a therapeutic augmentation strategy for exposure therapy in social anxiety disorder, one that may be especially effective when coupled with successful exposure experiences. Beneficial effects for yohimbine were readily evident for self-report measures but not for clinician-rated outcomes of social anxiety severity and improvement.
Accurate relative localization using odometry

AbsIracfAll mobile robots suffer from odometry error. Relative localization from odometry has both the systematic and the non-systematic errors. However, once a precise system error model and its parameters are given, the accuracy of odometry can be remarkably improved. Most previous works on this effort focused on the differential drive robots with little attention to the other types of mobile bases. In this paper, we analyze sources of odometry error and propose an error model for the synchro drive robot. We then describe a novel procedure to accurately estimate the error parameters of the derived error model and the covariance matrix of the synchro drive robot. However, this procedure is general for all mobile bases, so we also apply our method for the differential drive robots and show experiments. This new process uses the shape of the path, as opposed to just end points, to estimate the error parameters and covariance matrix. We happen to use the generalized Voronoi graph to generate this path. Experimental results validate the error model of the synchro drive robot and precise estimation ability of the proposed method for the synchro and the differential drive robots.
PortOS: an educational operating system for the Post-PC environment

In this paper, we describe PortOS, an educational operating system designed to complement undergraduate and graduate level classes on operating systems. PortOS is a complete user-level operating system project, with phases covering concurrency, synchronization, networking and file systems. It focuses particularly on ad hoc and peer-to-peer distributed computing on mobile devices. This paper discusses alternative approaches to operating system projects, and presents our particular design point along with pedagogical justifications.
People counting based on head detection combining Adaboost and CNN in crowded surveillance environment

People counting is one of the key techniques in video surveillance. This task usually encounters many challenges in crowded environment, such as heavy occlusion, low resolution, imaging viewpoint variability, etc. Motivated by the success of R-CNN [1] on object detection, in this paper we propose a head detection based people counting method combining the Adaboost algorithm and the CNN. Unlike the R-CNN which uses the general object proposals as the inputs of CNN, our method uses the cascade Adaboost algorithm to obtain the head region proposals for CNN, which can greatly reduce the following classification time. Resorting to the strong ability of feature learning of the CNN, it is used as a feature extractor in this paper, instead of as a classifier as its commonlyused strategy. The final classification is done by a linear SVM classifier trained on the features extracted using the CNN feature extractor. Finally, the prior knowledge can be applied to post-process the detection results to increase the precision of head detection and the people count is obtained by counting the head detection results. A real classroom surveillance dataset is used to evaluate the proposed method and experimental results show that this method has good performance and outperforms the baseline methods, including deformable part model and cascade Adaboost methods. ∗Corresponding author Email address: gaocq@cqupt.edu.cn (Chenqiang Gao∗, Pei Li, Yajun Zhang, Jiang Liu, Lan Wang) Preprint submitted to Neurocomputing May 28, 2016
Accelerated degeneration of the discoid lateral meniscus after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy

This study was undertaken to report clinical outcomes after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) in patients with a discoid lateral meniscus and to determine (1) whether discoid lateral meniscus degeneration by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) progresses after HTO and (2) whether this progression adversely affects clinical results. The records of 292 patients (292 knees) who underwent medial opening HTO were retrospectively reviewed, and discoid types and grades of lateral meniscus degeneration as determined by MRI were recorded preoperatively. Of the 292 patients, 17 (5.8 %) had a discoid lateral meniscus, and postoperative MR images were obtained at least 2 years after HTO for 15 of these 17 patients. American Knee Society (AKS) pain, knee and function scores significantly improved in the 15 patients after surgery (p < 0.001). Eight (53 %) had an incomplete and 7 (47 %) had a complete discoid lateral meniscus. By preoperative MRI, the distribution of meniscal degeneration was as follows: grade 1, 4 patients; grade 2, 7 patients; and grade 3, 4 patients. At the final follow-up, the distribution of degeneration was as follows: grade 1, 2 patients; grade 2, 5 patients; and grade 3, 8 patients. Two patients with grade 3 degeneration who did not undergo partial meniscectomy showed tear progression. Thus, 8 of the 15 patients (53 %) experienced progressive discoid meniscal degeneration after HTO. Median AKS pain score was significantly lower in the progression group than in the non-progression group (40 vs 45, respectively). The results of this study suggest that increased load on the lateral compartment after HTO can accelerate discoid lateral meniscus degeneration by MRI and caution that when a discoid lateral meniscus is found by preoperative MRI, progressive degeneration may occur after HTO and clinical outcome may be adversely affected. Therapeutic study, Level IV.
Toward a Comprehensive Model of Graph Comprehension: Making the Case for Spatial Cognition

We argue that a comprehensive model of graph comprehension must include spatial cognition. We propose that current models of graph comprehension have not needed to incorporate spatial processes, because most of the task/graph combinations used in the psychology laboratory are very simple and can be addressed using perceptual processes. However, data from our own research in complex domains that use complex graphs shows extensive use of spatial processing. We propose an extension to current models of graph comprehension in which spatial processing occurs a) when information is not explicitly represented in the graph and b) when simple perceptual processes are inadequate to extract that implicit information. We apply this model extension to some previously published research on graph comprehension from different labs, and find that it is able to account for the results.
Matching properties of MOS transistors

The matching properties of the threshold voltage, substrate factor and current factor of MOS transistors have been analysed and measured. Improvements of the existing theory are given, as well as extensions for long distance matching and rotation of devices. The matching results have been verified by measurements and calculations on a band-gap reference circuit.
Electrical reconnection after pulmonary vein isolation is contingent on contact force during initial treatment: results from the EFFICAS I study.

BACKGROUND
Pulmonary vein isolation is the most prevalent approach for catheter ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Long-term success of the procedure is diminished by arrhythmia recurrences occurring predominantly because of reconnections in previously isolated pulmonary veins. The aim of the EFFICAS I multicenter study was to demonstrate the correlation between contact force (CF) parameters during initial procedure and the incidence of isolation gaps (gap) at 3-month follow-up.


METHOD AND RESULTS
A radiofrequency ablation catheter with integrated CF sensor (TactiCath, Endosense, Geneva, Switzerland) was used to perform pulmonary vein isolation in 46 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. During the ablation procedure, the operator was blinded to CF information. At follow-up, an interventional diagnostic procedure was performed to assess gap location as correlated to index procedure ablation parameters. At follow-up, 65% (26/40) of patients showed ≥1 gaps. Ablations with minimum Force-Time Integral (FTI) <400 gs showed increased likelihood for reconnection (P<0.001). Reconnection correlated strongly with minimum CF (P<0.0001) and minimum FTI (P=0.0007) at the site of gap. Gap occurrence showed a strong trend with lower average CF and average FTI. CF and FTI are generally higher on the right side, although the left anterior segment presents a unique challenge to achieve stable position with good CF.


CONCLUSIONS
Minimum CF and minimum FTI values are strong predictors of gap formation. Optimal CF parameter recommendations are a target CF of 20 g and a minimum FTI of 400 gs for each new lesion.
Self-efficacy and self-esteem as predictors of participation in spinal cord injury—an ICF-based study

Study design:A multi-centre cross-sectional study.Objective:To examine the relationship of self-efficacy and self-esteem with participation of persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) from a comprehensive bio-psycho-social perspective, based on the conceptual framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).Setting:Community-dwelling participants, <5 years post discharge, recruited through three SCI rehabilitation centers in Switzerland.Methods:Data were collected by means of standardized self-report questionnaires sent to the eligible participants by postal mail. The questionnaires covered the different components of the ICF's bio-psycho-social model, namely health conditions, body functions, participation, environmental and personal factors. Bivariate correlations and multivariate linear regression analyses with participation as the dependent variable have been conducted.Results:In all, 102 persons with SCI answered the survey, response rate 25.9%. Self-esteem (r=0.61) and self-efficacy (r=0.54) correlated highly with participation and were the strongest correlates of participation. They were stronger correlates of participation than symptoms of anxiety, depressive symptoms, pain, health conditions, social support, coping styles or sense of coherence. Participation seemed to be independent of gender, age, level or completeness of injury. Self-efficacy and self-esteem explained together with time since discharge and years of education 48% of the variance in participation adjusting for health condition, depressive symptoms, pain interference and social support.Conclusion:Considering self-efficacy and self-esteem within the comprehensive framework of the ICF can contribute to a better understanding of functioning, disability and health in SCI, which in turn may facilitate the development of interventions to support the persons’ adjustment and reintegration.
Effects of behavioral and pharmacological therapies on peer reinforcement of deviancy in children with ADHD-only, ADHD and conduct problems, and controls.

OBJECTIVE
This study compared the unique and combined effects of evidence-based treatments for ADHD-stimulant medication and behavior modification-on children's rates of reinforcement for deviant peer behavior (RDPB).


METHOD
Using a within-subjects design, 222 elementary school-age children attending a summer treatment program, including 151 children with ADHD (127 male), with and without comorbid conduct problems, and 71 control children (57 male), received varying combinations of behavior modification (no, low-intensity, and high-intensity) and methylphenidate (placebo, 0.15 mg/kg, 0.30 mg/kg, and 0.60 mg/kg). RDPB was measured through direct observation and compared across all behavior modification and medication conditions.


RESULTS
Children with ADHD reinforced the deviant behavior of their peers at a significantly higher rate than control children in the absence of either intervention. However, that difference largely disappeared in the presence of both behavior modification and medication. Both low and high-intensity behavior modification, as well as medium (0.30 mg/kg) and high (0.60 mg/kg) doses of methylphenidate, significantly reduced the rate of ADHD children's RDPB to levels similar to the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Results indicate that although untreated children with ADHD do engage in RDPB at a greater rate than their non-ADHD peers, existing evidence-based interventions can substantially decrease the presence of RDPB, thereby limiting potential iatrogenic effects in group-based treatment settings.
Scientific documents ontologies for semantic representation of digital libraries

We present a system of services for the automatic processing of collections of scientific documents that are part of digital libraries. These services are based on ontologies for scientific documents representation, as well as on methods for semantic analysis of mathematical documents. The developed tools automatically check validity of documents for compliance with manuscript guidelines, convert these documents into required formats and generate their metadata.
A New Look at Nonlinear Time Series Prediction with NARX Recurrent Neural Network

The NARX network is a recurrent neural architecture commonly used for input-output modeling of nonlinear systems. The input of the NARX network is formed by two tapped-delay lines, one sliding over the input signal and the other one over the output signal. Currently, when applied to chaotic time series prediction, the NARX architecture is designed as a plain Focused Time Delay Neural Network (FTDNN); thus, limiting its predictive abilities. In this paper, we propose a strategy that allows the original architecture of the NARX network to fully explore its computational power to improve prediction performance. We use the well-known chaotic laser time series to evaluate the proposed approach in multi-step-ahead prediction tasks. The results show that the proposed approach consistently outperforms standard neural network based predictors, such as the FTDNN and Elman architectures.
Intravenous drug administration during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a randomized trial.

CONTEXT
Intravenous access and drug administration are included in advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) guidelines despite a lack of evidence for improved outcomes. Epinephrine was an independent predictor of poor outcome in a large epidemiological study, possibly due to toxicity of the drug or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) interruptions secondary to establishing an intravenous line and drug administration.


OBJECTIVE
To determine whether removing intravenous drug administration from an ACLS protocol would improve survival to hospital discharge after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.


DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS
Prospective, randomized controlled trial of consecutive adult patients with out-of-hospital nontraumatic cardiac arrest treated within the emergency medical service system in Oslo, Norway, between May 1, 2003, and April 28, 2008.


INTERVENTIONS
Advanced cardiac life support with intravenous drug administration or ACLS without access to intravenous drug administration.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The primary outcome was survival to hospital discharge. The secondary outcomes were 1-year survival, survival with favorable neurological outcome, hospital admission with return of spontaneous circulation, and quality of CPR (chest compression rate, pauses, and ventilation rate).


RESULTS
Of 1183 patients for whom resuscitation was attempted, 851 were included; 418 patients were in the ACLS with intravenous drug administration group and 433 were in the ACLS with no access to intravenous drug administration group. The rate of survival to hospital discharge was 10.5% for the intravenous drug administration group and 9.2% for the no intravenous drug administration group (P = .61), 32% vs 21%, respectively, (P<.001) for hospital admission with return of spontaneous circulation, 9.8% vs 8.1% (P = .45) for survival with favorable neurological outcome, and 10% vs 8% (P = .53) for survival at 1 year. The quality of CPR was comparable and within guideline recommendations for both groups. After adjustment for ventricular fibrillation, response interval, witnessed arrest, or arrest in a public location, there was no significant difference in survival to hospital discharge for the intravenous group vs the no intravenous group (adjusted odds ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.69-1.91).


CONCLUSION
Compared with patients who received ACLS without intravenous drug administration following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, patients with intravenous access and drug administration had higher rates of short-term survival with no statistically significant improvement in survival to hospital discharge, quality of CPR, or long-term survival.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00121524.
Large positive effect of lithium on prefrontal cortex N-acetylaspartate in patients with bipolar disorder: 2-centre study.

BACKGROUND
Neuroprotective effects of lithium (Li) have been well documented in tissue cultures and animal models, whereas human data continue to be limited. Previous studies investigating the association between Li treatment and brain N-acetylaspartate (NAA), a putative neuronal marker, showed mixed results because of methodological heterogeneity.


METHODS
To investigate the effects of Li on prefrontal cortex NAA levels, we compared patients with bipolar disorder from specialized Li clinics in Berlin and Halifax with at least 2 years of ongoing Li treatment (Li group), patients with lifetime Li exposure of less than 3 months more than 2 years ago (non-Li group) and healthy controls. Participants in both patient groups had at least 10 years of illness and 5 episodes. We measured left prefrontal NAA levels using 1.5-T magnetic resonance spectroscopy.


RESULTS
We enrolled 27 participants in the Li, 16 in the non-Li and 21 in the healthy control groups. The non-Li group had lower prefrontal NAA levels than the Li group (t41 = -3.44, corrected p < 0.01) or control participants (t35 = -2.91, corrected p < 0.05), who did not differ from the Li group (t46 = -0.14, p = 0.89). The same pattern of prefrontal NAA differences was replicated in both sites. In addition, there was a negative correlation between prefrontal NAA and duration of illness in the non-Li group (r = -0.60, p = 0.019) but not in the Li group (r = 0.07, p = 0.74).


LIMITATIONS
Study limitations include the crosssectional design and exposure to other medications.


CONCLUSION
Whereas patients with bipolar disorder, substantial illness burden and limited lifetime Li exposure had significantly lower prefrontal NAA levels than controls, Li-treated patients with similar illness burden showed prefrontal NAA levels comparable to those of healthy controls. These findings provide indirect support for neuroprotective effects of Li and for negative effects of illness burden on prefrontal NAA levels in patients with bipolar disorder.
Access to land by the urban poor in Tanzania: Some findings from Dar es Salaam

This paper considers how low-income households and communities in Dar es Salaam have obtained access to land. The paper begins with an analysis of urban land policy in Tanzania, drawing the distinction between planned and unplanned areas. After a consideration of poverty in Tanzania and a brief historical review of urban land allocation, the paper reports on a study carried out in Dar es Salaam in 1993 to better understand the relationship between poverty, housing and access to land.
On the Dynamics of Elastic Strips

The dynamics of elastic strips, i.e. long thin rods with non-circular cross-section, is analyzed by studying the solutions of the appropriate Kirchhoff equations. First, it is shown that if a naturally straight strip is deformed into a helix, the only equilibrium helical configurations are those with no internal twist and whose principal bending direction is either along the normal or the binormal. Second, the linear stability of a straight twisted strip under tension is analyzed showing the possibility of both pitchfork and Hopf bifurcations depending on the external and geometric constraints. Third, nonlinear amplitude equations are derived describing the dynamics close to the different bifurcation regimes. Finally, special analytical solutions to these equations are used to describe the buckling of strips. In particular, finite-length solutions with a variety of boundary conditions are considered.