LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
ADHD in girls and boys – gender differences in co-existing symptoms and executive function measures

BACKGROUND
ADHD is diagnosed and treated more often in males than in females. Research on gender differences suggests that girls may be consistently underidentified and underdiagnosed because of differences in the expression of the disorder among boys and girls. One aim of the present study was to assess in a clinical sample of medication naïve boys and girls with ADHD, whether there were significant gender x diagnosis interactions in co-existing symptom severity and executive function (EF) impairment. The second aim was to delineate specific symptom ratings and measures of EF that were most important in distinguishing ADHD from healthy controls (HC) of the same gender.


METHODS
Thirty-seven females with ADHD, 43 males with ADHD, 18 HC females and 32 HC males between 8 and 17 years were included. Co-existing symptoms were assessed with self-report scales and parent ratings. EF was assessed with parent ratings of executive skills in everyday situations (BRIEF), and neuropsychological tests. The three measurement domains (co-existing symptoms, BRIEF, neuropsychological EF tests) were investigated using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and random forest classification.


RESULTS
ANOVAs revealed only one significant diagnosis x gender interaction, with higher rates of self-reported anxiety symptoms in females with ADHD. Random forest classification indicated that co-existing symptom ratings was substantially better in distinguishing subjects with ADHD from HC in females (93% accuracy) than in males (86% accuracy). The most important distinguishing variable was self-reported anxiety in females, and parent ratings of rule breaking in males. Parent ratings of EF skills were better in distinguishing subjects with ADHD from HC in males (96% accuracy) than in females (92% accuracy). Neuropsychological EF tests had only a modest ability to categorize subjects as ADHD or HC in males (73% accuracy) and females (79% accuracy).


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings emphasize the combination of self-report and parent rating scales for the identification of different comorbid symptom expression in boys and girls already diagnosed with ADHD. Self-report scales may increase awareness of internalizing problems particularly salient in females with ADHD.
Automatic gamma correction based on average of brightness

Preprocessing is essential stage in image processing because of limitation of imaging device or inappropriate environmental light. This paper presents a preprocessing technique for estimating the amount of gamma correction in the absence of any information or knowledge about environmental light and imaging device. The basic approach exploits the amount of gamma correction based on average brightness. The amount of gamma correction is then estimated by a power which transports average of brightness to center of histogram .
Graph Databases

Twitter: @oreillymedia facebook.com/oreilly Discover how graph databases can help you manage and query highly connected data. With this practical book, you’ll learn how to design and implement a graph database that brings the power of graphs to bear on a broad range of problem domains. Whether you want to speed up your response to user queries or build a database that can adapt as your business evolves, this book shows you how to apply the schema-free graph model to real-world problems.
Nonlinear Disturbance Observer Design For Robotic Manipulators

Robotic manipulators are highly nonlinear and coupled systems that are subject to different types of disturbances such as joint frictions, unknown payloads, varying contact points, and unmodeled dynamics. These disturbances, when unaccounted for, adversely affect the performance of the manipulator. Employing a disturbance observer is a common method to reject such disturbances. In addition to disturbance rejection, disturbance observers can be used in force control applications. Recently, research has been done regarding the design of nonlinear disturbance observers (NLDOs) for robotic manipulators. In spite of good results in terms of disturbance tracking, the previously designed nonlinear disturbance observers can merely be used for planar serial manipulators with revolute joints (Chen, W.H., Ballance, D.J., Gawthorp, P.J., O’Reilly, J., 2000. A nonlinear disturbance observer for robotic manipulators. IEEE Trans. Ind. Electron. 47, 932–938), (Nikoobin, A., Haghighi, R., 2009. Lyapunov-based nonlinear disturbance observer for serial n-link manipulators. J. Intell. Robot. Syst. 55, 135–153). In this paper, a general systematic approach is proposed to solve the disturbance observer design problem for robotic manipulators without restrictions on the number of degrees-of-freedom (DOFs), the types of joints, or the manipulator configuration. Moreover, this design method does not need the exact dynamic model of the serial robotic manipulator. This method also ∗Corresponding author, Tel.: +1 (647)978-0140 ∗∗Principal corresponding author, Tel.: +1 (780)492-8935, fax: +1 (780)492-1811 Email addresses: alireza.mohammadi@mail.utoronto.ca (A. Mohammadi), mahdi.tavakoli@ualberta.ca (M. Tavakoli), hmarquez@ualberta.ca (H. J. Marquez), farzad.hashemzadeh@ualberta.ca (F. Hashemzadeh) Preprint submitted to Control Engineering Practice October 22, 2012 unifies the previously proposed linear and nonlinear disturbance observers in a general framework. Simulations are presented for a 4-DOF SCARA manipulator to show the effectiveness of the proposed disturbance observer design method. Experimental results using a PHANToM Omni haptic device further illustrate the effectiveness of the design method.
Comparison of ThermoCool® Surround Flow catheter versus ThermoCool® catheter in achieving persistent electrical isolation of pulmonary veins: a pilot study.

INTRODUCTION
Aim of this study was to compare efficacy and safety of the new ThermoCool Surround Flow® catheter (SFc) versus the ThermoCool® (TCc) in achieving persistent circumferential electrical isolation of the pulmonary veins (PVs) in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).


METHODS AND RESULTS
This multicenter, randomized, controlled study enrolled patients suffering from paroxysmal AF. Randomization was run in a one-to-one fashion between radiofrequency ablation by TCc or SFc. Aim of PVs ablation was documentation of electrical isolation with exit/entrance block recorded on a circular catheter. Among the 106 enrolled patients, 52 (49.0%) were randomized to TCc and 54 (51.0%) to SFc. Total volume of infused saline solution during the procedure was lower in the SFc than in TCc group (752.7 ± 268.6 mL vs 1,165.9 ± 436.2 mL, P < 0.0001). Number of identified and isolated PVs was similar in the 2 groups. Number of PVs remaining isolated 30 minutes after ablation was higher in the SFc than in TCc group (95.2% vs 90.5%, P < 0.03), mainly driven by acute ablation result in the left PVs (96.1% vs 89.7%, P < 0.04). Complications were seldom and observed only in the TCc group (0% vs 3.84%, P < 0.03). At 6-month follow-up SFc patients reported a trend toward less AF recurrences compared to those in the TCc group (22.9% vs 27.0%, P = 0.69).


CONCLUSION
PV isolation by SFc lowered the rate of left PV early reconnections and reduced the volume of infused saline solution while maintaining the safety profile of AF ablation.
Endoscopic approach to the orbital apex and periorbital skull base.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS
To review cases of endoscopic orbital apex and periorbital skull base surgery and stratify the pathology and lesion location. Variations in surgical technique and the outcomes are reviewed. We report the results of all cases of endoscopic orbital apex surgery over a 40-month period. Eighteen cases with a variety of pathology, location in the orbital apex, and surgical technique are reviewed.


STUDY DESIGN
Retrospective chart review.


METHODS
All cases of endoscopic orbital apex and periorbital skull base surgery over a 40-month period were reviewed. Lesion location, surgical approach, pathology, and postoperative complications are summarized. The details of the technique as well as limitations and advantages of this approach are summarized.


RESULTS
Eighteen patients who underwent endoscopic orbital apex surgery were identified. Eleven (61%) of the patients were men, and the average age was 51 years. The majority of lesions, 12 (67%), were located in the medial orbit and/or optic canal, two (11%) in the cavernous sinus and/or superior orbital fissure, and four (22%) in the inferior orbit and/or pterygopalatine fossa. The etiologies were diverse, including benign (44%), malignant (28%), infectious (11%), and inflammatory (17%). The majority of cases, 67%, were approached by the transnasal endoscopic technique followed by 28% with a combined transnasal and transcaruncular approach, and 6% by the sublabial approach. Complications occurred in 22% of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Conventional orbitotomy techniques and craniotomy are frequently used to access lesions in the orbital apex. The more recently described endoscopic technique with intraoperative image guidance can provide access to a subset orbital apical and periorbital skull base lesions. In carefully selected cases, this technique provides excellent visualization and access to the orbital apex and avoids larger craniofacial surgeries.
Turn taking vs . Discourse Structure : How Best to Model Multimodal Conversation

This paper addresses the problem of designing conversational agents that exhibit appropriate gaze behavior during dialogues with human users. Previous research on gaze behavior has concentrated on its relationship to turn-taking phenomena [4,5,6]. Recent work has incorporated some of these findings into the design of autonomous human-like conversational agents and interactive communicative humanoids [1,14]. However, none of this research has examined the relationship between information structure and gaze behavior. In this paper we discuss why turntaking is not an adequate explanation for gaze behavior in conversation and why information structure should be integrated with turn-taking as an explanation for this behavior. We then examine the relationship of gaze behavior to information structure and turn-taking through an empirical analysis of discourse transcripts for several dyadic conversations. A simple algorithm for assigning gaze behavior is proposed on the basis of the findings of this empirical analysis. We describe work in progress on implementing this algorithm in an autonomous conversational humanoid agent with the goal of producing more natural gaze behavior related to propositional content in humancomputer conversations.
Optimizing cardiology capacity to reduce emergency department boarding: a systems engineering approach.

BACKGROUND
Patient safety and emergency department (ED) functionality are compromised when inefficient coordination between hospital departments impedes ED patients' access to inpatient cardiac care. The objective of this study was to determine how bed demand from competing cardiology admission sources affects ED patients' access to inpatient cardiac care.


METHODS
A stochastic discrete event simulation of hospital patient flow predicted ED patient boarding time, defined as the time interval between cardiology admission request to inpatient bed placement, as the primary outcome measure. The simulation was built and tested from 1 year of patient flow data and was used to examine prospective strategies to reduce cardiology patient boarding time.


RESULTS
Boarding time for the 1,591 ED patients who were admitted to the cardiac telemetry unit averaged 5.3 hours (median 3.1, interquartile range 1.5-6.9). Demographic and clinical patient characteristics were not significant predictors of boarding time. Measurements of bed demand from competing admission sources significantly predicted boarding time, with catheterization laboratory demand levels being the most influential. Hospital policy required that a telemetry bed be held for each electively scheduled catheterization patient, yet the analysis revealed that 70.4% (95% CI 51.2-92.5) of these patients did not transfer to a telemetry bed and were discharged home each day. Results of simulation-based analyses showed that moving one afternoon scheduled elective catheterization case to before noon resulted in a 20-minute reduction in average boarding time compared to a 9-minute reduction achieved by increasing capacity by one additional telemetry bed.


CONCLUSIONS
Scheduling and bed management practices based on measured patient transfer patterns can reduce inpatient bed blocking, optimize hospital capacity, and improve ED patient access.
Differences Between HIV-Infected Men and Women in Antiretroviral Therapy Outcomes — Six African Countries, 2004–2012

Evaluation of differences between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected men and women in antiretroviral therapy (ART) enrollment characteristics and outcomes might identify opportunities to improve ART program patient outcomes and prevention impact. During September 2008-February 2012, retrospective cohort studies to estimate attrition of enrollees (i.e., from death, stopping ART, or loss to follow-up) at 6-month intervals after ART initiation were completed among samples of adult men and women (defined as aged ≥15 years or aged ≥18 years) who initiated ART during 2004-2010 in six African countries: Côte d'Ivoire in western Africa; Swaziland, Mozambique, and Zambia in southern Africa; and Uganda and Tanzania in eastern Africa. Records for 13,175 ART enrollees were analyzed; sample sizes among the six countries ranged from 1,457 to 3,682. In each country, women comprised 61%-67% of ART enrollees. Median CD4 count range was 119-141 cells/µL for men and 137-161 cells/µL for women. Compared with women, a greater percentage of men initiated ART who had World Health Organization (WHO) HIV stage IV disease. In cohorts from western Africa and southern Africa, the risk for attrition was 15%-26% lower among women compared with men in multivariable analysis. However, in eastern Africa, differences between men and women in risk for attrition were not statistically significant. Research to identify country-specific causes for increased attrition and delayed initiation of care among men could identify strategies to improve ART program outcomes among men, which might contribute to prevention of new HIV infections in female partners.
Oil and nuclear power: Past, present, and future ☆

The relationship between oil and nuclear energy in the global energy scene over the past 50 years is analysed. The former nuclear–oil product competition in power generation and various end-use markets is found to have transformed into a complementary relationship. Current concerns associated with both energy sources and related technologies, including price volatility, supply security, geopolitical sensitivity, depletion alarms, and environmental pollution issues for oil, economic performance, operational safety, proliferation, terrorism, radioactive waste disposal, and the resulting public acceptance for nuclear are examined as determinants of their future roles in the world energy balance. An assessment of the long-term prospects for oil and nuclear energy is presented at the scale of a century to support further economic and energy policy analyses. It is the first in-depth study of global energy projections based on a comparative examination of longterm socio-economic scenarios and their coordinated quantifications by a set of integrated energy–
Final report of a phase II study of imatinib mesylate with hyper-CVAD for the front-line treatment of adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

We have previously reported on the efficacy and tolerability of hyper-CVAD regimen (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, Adriamycin, and dexamethasone) and imatinib followed by imatinib-based consolidation/maintenance therapy in 20 patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Here, we present the 13-year follow up of our study. Fifty-four patients with newly diagnosed Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia were enrolled: 39 (72%) with de novo disease, 6 (11%) whose disease was primary refractory after induction (without a tyrosine kinase inhibitor), and 9 (17%) in complete remission after one course of induction therapy (without tyrosine kinase inhibitor). Forty-two (93%) of the 45 patients treated for active disease achieved complete remission, one achieved complete remission with incomplete recovery of platelets, one achieved partial remission and one died during induction. Nineteen (35%) patients are alive and 18 are in complete remission. The 5-year overall survival rate for all patients was 43%. Significant negative predictors of overall survival were age over 60 years, p190 molecular transcript, and active disease at enrollment. Sixteen (30%) patients underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Median overall survival was not significantly greater for patients who underwent transplant. Patients with residual molecular disease at three months had improved complete remission duration with transplant. The median time to hematologic recovery and severe toxicities with combination were not significantly different from those observed with conventional chemotherapy. Only one patient discontinued therapy due to toxicity. HyperCVAD chemotherapy and imatinib is an effective regimen for Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Transplant may not be indicated in all patients with Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00038610).
Color-capable sub-pixel resolving optofluidic microscope for on-chip cell imaging

We report on the implementation of a color-capable sub-pixel resolving optofluidic microscope based on the pixel super-resolution algorithm and sequential RGB illumination, for low-cost on-chip color imaging of biological samples with sub-cellular resolution.
Decision support by telephone: randomized controlled trial in a rural community setting.

OBJECTIVE
Our community-based participatory research partnership previously evaluated Consultation Planning (CP), a question-listing intervention delivered in-person. We now report on effectiveness, cost, and value of delivering CP by telephone (Tele-CP).


METHODS
Between 2007 and 2010, we randomly assigned rural women with a diagnosis of breast cancer to receive Tele-CP or In-Person CP. We compared ratings of decision self-efficacy (0 minimum to 4 maximum) with a pre-specified non-inferiority margin of 15%. We also explored psychosocial and economic outcomes.


RESULTS
Tele-CP (n=35) recipients reported mean decision self-efficacy ratings of 3.53 versus 3.44 for in-person (n=32). Under intent-to-treat analysis, we rejected the null hypothesis of greater than 0.52 inferiority for Tele-CP (95% CI for difference: -0.44 to 0.13, p=0.006). The intervention costs averaged $48 for Tele-CP versus $78 in-person (95% CI for difference: -$63 to $2). Mean willingness-to-pay was $154 for Tele-CP and $144 for in-person (95% CI for difference: -$88 to $108).


CONCLUSION
Tele-CP was non-inferior to In-Person CP, cost no more, and was equally valued by patients.


PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
Telephone delivery of Consultation Planning can achieve comparable quality, cost, and value as in-person. Organizations offering Consultation Planning or similar question-listing interventions should consider adopting telephone delivery.
Assessment of the DIXTAL DX-2710 automated oscillometric device for blood pressure measurement with the validation protocols of the British Hypertension Society (BHS) and the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI).

OBJECTIVE
To assess the Dixtal DX2710 automated oscillometric device used for blood pressure measurement according to the protocols of the BHS and the AAMI.


METHODS
Three blood pressure measurements were taken in 94 patients (53 females 15 to 80 years). The measurements were taken randomly by 2 observers trained to measure blood pressure with a mercury column device connected with an automated device. The device was classified according to the protocols of the BHS and AAMI.


RESULT
The mean of blood pressure levels obtained by the observers was 148+/-38/93+/-25 mmHg and that obtained with the device was 148+/-37/89+/-26 mmHg. Considering the differences between the measurements obtained by the observer and those obtained with the automated device according to the criteria of the BHS, the following classification was adopted: "A" for systolic pressure (69% of the differences < 5; 90% < 10; and 97% < 15 mmHg); and "B" for diastolic pressure (63% of the differences < 5; 83% < 10; and 93% < 15 mmHg). The mean and standard deviation of the differences were 0+/-6.27 mmHg for systolic pressure and 3.82+/-6.21 mmHg for diastolic pressure.


CONCLUSION
The Dixtal DX2710 device was approved according to the international recommendations.
On broadening the cognitive, motivational, and sociostructural scope of theorizing about gender development and functioning: comment on Martin, Ruble, and Szkrybalo (2002).

In their article on gender development, C. L. Martin, D. N. Ruble, and J. Szkrybalo (see record 2002-18663-003) contrasted their conception of gender development with that of social cognitive theory. The authors of this commentary correct misrepresentations of social cognitive theory and analyze the conceptual and empirical status of Martin et al.'s (2002) theory that gender stereotype matching is the main motivating force of gender development. Martin et al. (2002) based their claim for the causal primacy of gender self-categorization on construal of gender discrimination as rudimentary self-identity, equivocal empirical evidence, and dismissal of discordant evidence because of methodological deficiencies. The repeated finding that gendered preferences and behavior precede emergence of a sense of self is discordant with their theory. Different lines of evidence confirm that gender development and functioning are socially situated, richly contextualized, and conditionally manifested rather than governed mainly by an intrinsic drive to match stereotypic gender self-conception.
Fear of stigmatization as barrier to voluntary HIV counselling and testing in South Africa.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this qualitative study was to identify psychosocial correlates of HIV voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), with an emphasis on the association between fear of AIDS-related stigma and willingness to have an HIV test.


METHODS
The study was executed in Limpopo Province at University of Limpopo, Polokwane, South Africa. Focus group interviews were held among 72 students, divided over 10 groups.


RESULTS
Results showed that participants had different levels of knowledge about HIV/AIDS and VCT, and that AIDS was still strongly associated with 'death'. Results further demonstrate that HIV/AIDS related stigma is still a very serious problem in South Africa. Lack of HIV/AIDS related knowledge, blaming persons with HIV/AIDS for their infection, and the life-threatening character of the disease were seen as the most important determinants of AIDS-related stigma. The main benefit to go for VCT was 'knowing your HIV status', whereas main barriers for testing were 'fear of being stigmatised' and 'fear of knowing your HIV positive status'.


CONCLUSION
Fear of stigmatization is an important barrier to HIV testing and has negative consequences for AIDS prevention and treatment. Interventions to reduce HIV-related stigma are needed in order to foster voluntary HIV counselling and testing in South Africa