LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) from the learner’s perspective

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) is one of the most debated topics in the field of education. The polemic on MOOCs was sparked by the emergence of extension MOOCs (xMOOCs) in late 2011. Highly disputed issues about MOOCs range from their quality to the potential impact of the courses on higher education in both developed and developing countries. This paper discusses, from the learner’s perspective, the quality of MOOCs and their potential contribution to widening participation and improving quality in Rwandan higher education. To gain first-hand experience as a learner, I enrolled in one cMOOC and three xMOOCs. I compared and contrasted the four MOOCs with my previous radio, online and face-to-face courses and learning with institutions across five continents. I conducted a crosscase analysis of the four MOOCs and six categories under which my previous courses fall. Through this analysis, I identified the recurring patterns and organised them into five themes: openness, availability, diversity, delivery and interactivity. I argue that MOOCs are currently among the most open courses and can lead to meaningful learning. Face-to-face and other kinds of online courses provide more interaction with the tutor than MOOCs do. Face-to-face course also provide the campus experience with peers which is absent in online courses. However, MOOCs and other online courses are superior to face-to-face courses in terms of flexible delivery and the 24 hour per day availability. Some MOOCs are also more diverse in terms of participants, activities and assessment. Despite various constraints, xMOOCs can mitigate financial difficulties and the shortage of higher education teachers in Rwanda. They can also trigger the empowerment among Rwandan students and learners. Both xMOOCs and cMOOCs can enable network creation and maintenance, multicultural educational experience and lifelong learning in that country. The paper closes with an argument that MOOCs can contribute to widening access and improving quality in higher education globally, and specifically in Rwanda.
Early bronchodilator action of glycopyrronium versus tiotropium in moderate-to-severe COPD patients: a cross-over blinded randomized study (Symptoms and Pulmonary function in the moRnING)

BACKGROUND
Morning symptoms associated with COPD have a negative impact on patients' quality of life. Long-acting bronchodilators with rapid onset may relieve patients' symptoms. In the Symptoms and Pulmonary function in the moRnING study, we prospectively compared the rapid onset bronchodilator profile of glycopyrronium (GLY) and tiotropium (TIO) during the first few hours after dosing in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD.


METHODS
Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive either once-daily GLY (50 μg) or TIO (18 μg) and corresponding placebos in a cross-over design for 28 days. The primary objective was to demonstrate the superiority of GLY versus TIO in area under the curve from 0 to 4 hours (AUC0-4h) forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) after the first dose. The secondary objective was to compare GLY versus TIO using the patient reported outcomes Morning COPD Symptoms Questionnaire 3 hours post-inhalation.


RESULTS
One-hundred and twenty-six patients were randomized (male 70.2%; mean age 65.7 years) and 108 patients completed the study. On Day 1, GLY resulted in significantly higher FEV1 AUC0-4h after the first dose versus TIO (treatment difference [Δ], 0.030 L, 95% confidence interval 0.004-0.056, P=0.025). Improvements in morning COPD symptoms from baseline at Days 1 and 28 were similar between GLY and TIO. Post hoc analysis of the FEV1 AUC0-4h by time point on Day 1 showed significant improvements in patients receiving GLY versus TIO at 5 minutes (Δ=0.029 L, P=0.015), 15 minutes (Δ=0.033 L, P=0.026), and 1 hour (Δ=0.044 L, P=0.014). Safety results were comparable between both treatments.


CONCLUSION
The SPRING study demonstrates the superiority of GLY versus TIO in terms of superior bronchodilation in the first 4 hours after administration, thus extending the clinical data that support a faster onset of action of GLY versus TIO.
A Survey of Machine Learning Based Approaches for Parkinson Disease Prediction

Parkinson disease (PD) is a universal public health problem of massive measurement. Machine learning based method is used to classify between healthy people and people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). This paper presents a comprehensive review for the prediction of Parkinson disease buy using machine learning based approaches. The brief introduction of various computational intelligence techniques based approaches used for the prediction of Parkinson diseases are presented .This paper also presents the summary of results obtained by various researchers available in literature to predict the Parkinson diseases. Keywords— Parkinson’s disease, classification, random forest, support vector machine, machine learning, signal processing, artificial neural network.
Comparison of Long-term Results of Computer-Assisted Anti-Stigma Education and Reading Anti-Stigma Educational Materials

BACKGROUND
Professionals working with psychiatric patients very often have negative beliefs and attitudes about their clients. We designed our study to investigate the effectiveness of anti-stigma interventions among university students who are trained to provide special education.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of our study was to compare sustainability of the effect of two anti-stigma education programs.


METHODS
We enrolled 91 college students from the School of Special Education at the Herzen Russian State Pedagogic University (St Petersburg, Russia). Of those, 36 read two articles and World Health Organization brochure (reading group, RG) devoted to the problem of psychiatric stigma, and 32 studied an anti-stigma web-based program (program group, PG). Twenty-three students were in a control group (CG) and received no intervention. The second study visit in six months was completed by 65 students. To measure the level of stigma we used the Community Attitudes toward the Mentally Ill (CAMI) questionnaire. The web-based program was based on the Computer-assisted Education system (CO-ED) which we described previously. The CO-ED system provides self-paced interactive education driven by adult learning theories.


RESULTS
At the time of their first visit the age of the study participants was 19.0+/-1.2 years; of them, 99% were females. After the intervention in PG, the level of stigma assessed by CAMI decreased from 24.0+/-5.0 to 15.8+/- 4.6 points (p<0.0001). In RG the level of stigma dropped from 24.1+/-6.1 to 20.3+/-6.4 points (p<0.0001). In six months after the intervention the analysis of CAMI scores showed that the level of stigma in PG was significantly lower than in CG and RG (20.2+/-6.2 in CG, 21.3+/-6.5 in RG, and 18.7+/-4.9 in PG, p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Web-based education or reading anti-stigma materials could be effective in reducing psychiatric stigma among university students. The effect of interactive web-based education based on adult learning theories was more stable as assessed in six months.
[Relapse after rhabdomyosarcoma in childhood and adolescence: Impact of an early detection on survival].

SUBJECT
Prognostic values of an early detection of a relapse after treatment of a localized rhabdomyosarcoma and the interest of performing systematic radiologic assessment after treatment have not yet been evaluated in Europe.


MATERIAL AND METHODS
Modalities of relapse of 99 patients under 20 years of age, after an initially localized rhabdomyosarcoma, treated in 9 French centers ("Société française des cancers de l'enfant" consortium) have been analyzed. Prognostic value of the protocol compliance during the observation period after therapy has been evaluated.


RESULTS
Relapses have been diagnosed in 59 cases by a "symptom" the child was complaining of, in 12 cases because of "physical signs" detected during the clinical examination of a systematic consultation and in 27 cases thanks to "systematic follow-up imaging" (missing data: 1 case). Survival after relapse at 3 years was 47.5 % (IC95 %: 37.1 %-57.1 %). Diagnosis of the relapse is established earlier in the group "systematic imaging" rather than with other methods of detection ("symptom", "physical signs"), (P= 0.025), with detection of smaller tumors (≤ 5 cm ; 100.0 % vs. 60.9 % vs. 77.8 %, P= 0.007) but without possibility of reaching a second remission (70.4 % vs. 50.8 % vs. 50.0 % P= 0.37), nor significant impact on 5-year overall survival (47.1 % vs. 47.1 % vs. 48.6 % P= 0.94).


CONCLUSION
Current methods of systematic surveillance after a first-line treatment of an initially localized rhabdomyosarcoma seem to improve the earliness of the diagnosis, but not the prognosis of the relapse.
Relationship Between Partition Matroid and Rough Set Through k-rank Matroid ⋆

Rough set is a theory of data analysis and a mathematical tool for dealing with vagueness, incompleteness, and granularity. Matroid, as a branch of mathematics, is a structure that generalizes linear independence in vector spaces. In this paper, we establish the relationships between partition matroids and rough sets through k-rank matroids. On the one hand, k-rank matroids are proposed to represent partition matroids. They reveal characteristics of partition matroids, including independence, rank function and closure operator. Through k-rank matroids, the relationship between a partition matroid and its dual matroid is studied. The circuits of partition matroids are connected with the circuits of restrictions of a k-rank matroid family. And we provide an approach to judge whether a matroid is a partition one or not. On the other hand, the lower and upper approximation operators of rough sets are expressed by some characteristics of k-rank matroids. Specially, the upper approximations are compared with the closure operator of partition matroids through k-rank matroids.
Recent Transmission Clustering of HIV-1 C and CRF17_BF Strains Characterized by NNRTI-Related Mutations among Newly Diagnosed Men in Central Italy

BACKGROUND
Increased evidence of relevant HIV-1 epidemic transmission in European countries is being reported, with an increased circulation of non-B-subtypes. Here, we present two recent HIV-1 non-B transmission clusters characterized by NNRTI-related amino-acidic mutations among newly diagnosed HIV-1 infected men, living in Rome (Central-Italy).


METHODS
Pol and V3 sequences were available at the time of diagnosis for all individuals. Maximum-Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic-trees with bootstrap and Bayesian-probability supports defined transmission-clusters. HIV-1 drug-resistance and V3-tropism were also evaluated.


RESULTS
Among 534 new HIV-1 non-B cases, diagnosed from 2011 to 2014, in Central-Italy, 35 carried virus gathering in two distinct clusters, including 27 HIV-1 C and 8 CRF17_BF subtypes, respectively. Both clusters were centralized in Rome, and their origin was estimated to have been after 2007. All individuals within both clusters were males and 37.1% of them had been recently-infected. While C-cluster was entirely composed by Italian men-who-have-sex-with-men, with a median-age of 34 years (IQR:30-39), individuals in CRF17_BF-cluster were older, with a median-age of 51 years (IQR:48-59) and almost all reported sexual-contacts with men and women. All carried R5-tropic viruses, with evidence of atypical or resistance amino-acidic mutations related to NNRTI-drugs (K103Q in C-cluster, and K101E+E138K in CRF17_BF-cluster).


CONCLUSIONS
These two epidemiological clusters provided evidence of a strong and recent circulation of C and CRF17_BF strains in central Italy, characterized by NNRTI-related mutations among men engaging in high-risk behaviours. These findings underline the role of molecular epidemiology in identifying groups at increased risk of HIV-1 transmission, and in enhancing additional prevention efforts.
Editorial: Placing religion and spirituality in geography

As Foucault’s work demonstrates, a culture cannot understand itself without rst understanding its implicit connection and development within the constructs of religious belief and practice. Contemporary culture is born out of religious traditions and the conditions of our knowledge are therefore embedded in religious discourse. The so-called secular space is itself a hybrid of past religious traditions, and in order to understand contemporary culture Foucault recognised (and was fascinated by) the religious inuences upon thought and practice. (Carrette 1999: 33)
Nonstereoselective inhibition of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by ketamine isomers.

UNLABELLED
We have found that racemic ketamine strongly inhibits the current mediated through neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAchRs) in PC12 cells, a rat pheochromocytoma cell line. Ketamine stereoisomers have different potencies for the anesthetic action, with the S-enantiomer being about 3 times as potent as the R-enantiomer. The purpose of this study was to clarify if the inhibitory effects of ketamine on neuronal nAchRs contribute to their anesthetic effect. We compared potencies of ketamine enantiomers for neuronal nAchR inhibition with those for the anesthetic action. S(+) and R(-) ketamine inhibited the nicotine-induced whole-cell current in a dose-dependent manner at the membrane potential of -60 mV. They accelerated the current decay, resulting in the larger effects on the nondesensitized current than on the peak current. There was no significant difference in the concentrations for 50% inhibition between the stereoisomers. The ketamine isomers exerted the same effects on single-channel properties estimated from analysis of the nicotine-induced current noise. These results indicate that the inhibitory action of ketamine isomers on neuronal nAchRs is not stereoselective. Although our findings do not deny possible involvement of these receptors in ketamine anesthesia, they suggest that inhibition of neuronal nAchRs is not primarily responsible for the anesthetic action of this anesthetic.


IMPLICATIONS
We found that inhibition of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by ketamine is not stereoselective in PC12 cells. The result suggests that this effect does not directly correlate with the anesthetic action of ketamine.
DESIGN AND SIMULATIONS OF IDC SENSOR USING COMSOL MULTYPHYSICS AND DIELECTRIC SPECTROSCOPY OF LTCC MATERIALS

In this paper are shown relative permittivity εr and loss tangent tan δ, of LTCC ceramics manufactured by Heraeus Circuit Materials Division, which are tested for frequencies at range 10 MHz to 1 GHz at room temperature. The measurements system for dielectric spectroscopy and characterization of LTCC materials were conducted on the impedance analyzer Agilent 4191. Obtained results due dielectric characterization were used in 3D modeling and simulations of IDC sensor for environmental monitoring. Index Terms — Dielectric Properties; Dielectric spectroscopy; LTCC; Sensors; IDC; Permittivity; COMSOL; Simulations; Buletinul AGIR nr. 3/2013 ● iulie-septembrie _____________________________________________________________________________________ 63 DESIGN AND SIMULATIONS OF IDC SENSOR USING COMSOL MULTIPHYSICS AND DIELECTRIC SPECTROSCOPY OF LTCC MATERIALS Buletinul AGIR nr. 4/2012 ● octombrie-decembrie 2 2 can provide scientists and engineers with valuable information to properly incorporate the material into Figure 1. Principles of parallel plate capacitor. its intended application for more solid designs or to monitor a manufacturing process for improved quality control. A material is classified as “dielectric” if it has the ability to store energy when an external electric field is applied. The dielectric material increases the storage capacity of the parallel plate capacitor by neutralizing charges at the electrodes, which ordinarily would contribute to the external field. If an AC sinusoidal voltage source V is placed across the same capacitor (Fig. 1), the resulting current I (1) will be made up of a charging current I c and a loss current I l that is related to the dielectric constant. The losses in the material can be represented as a conductance (G) in parallel with a capacitor (C).
Interaction paradigms in technology-enhanced social spaces: a case study in museums

This paper investigates, through a case study, the interaction paradigms that can be adopted in a museum exhibition involving hybrid interactive artifacts, i.e., installations that support visitors manipulating and interacting with physical and digital exhibits [6], [1]. We discuss the design principles and solutions we adopted in a temporary exhibition titled "The Fire and The Mountain", where we integrated technological and physical artifacts within a multi-sensory exhibition space to foster enjoyment, engagement, and, ultimately, learning, and to promote a variety of social behaviors among visitors interacting together and with hybrid exhibits. We also discuss a field study we carried on to evaluate the user experience in "The Fire and the Mountain", and the lessons we learnt.
Kernels, in a nutshell

Abstract A classical result in algebraic specification states that a total function defined on an initial algebra is a homomorphism if and only if the kernel of that function is a congruence. We expand on the discussion of that result from an earlier paper: extending it from total to partial functions , simplifying the proofs using relational calculus , and generalising the setting to regular categories .
Using Visual Analytics to Interpret Predictive Machine Learning Models

It is commonly believed that increasing the interpretability of a machine learning model may decrease its predictive power. However, inspecting input-output relationships of those models using visual analytics, while treating them as blackbox, can help to understand the reasoning behind outcomes without sacrificing predictive quality. We identify a space of possible solutions and provide two examples of where such techniques have been successfully used in practice.
Herd- and animal-level risk factors for bovine leptospirosis in Tanga region of Tanzania

Leptospirosis is the zoonosis of worldwide distribution and common cause of economic loss and ill health among animals and human populations. A cross-sectional seroprevalence study, using a microscopic agglutination test (MAT) with a threshold titre of ≥1:160, to elucidate disease magnitude, distribution and associated risk factors in cattle in Tanga, Tanzania was conducted from May 2003 to January 2004. Serum (n = 655) samples collected from randomly selected herds (n = 130) were tested for antibodies against four different Leptospira interrogans serovars (Bataviae, Tarassovi, Hardjo and Pomona) used in the agglutination test. Positive titres were detected in 30.3% [95% confidence intervals (CI) = 26.7–33.9] of cattle and 58.5% (95% CI = 49.5–67.1) of herds, respectively. Of the 198 MAT positive serum samples, 98 (49.5%) were positive against serovar Hardjo, 80 (40.4%) were positive against serovar Tarassovi, 12 (6.1%) was positive against serovar Bataviae and eight (4%) were positive against serovar Pomona. Associations found to be statistically significant in univariate analyses (at P < 0.1) were assessed by multivariable logistic regression to control for confounding factors. The results showed that risk factors for cattle were pasture grazing [odd ratio (OR) = 2.83, 95% CI = 1.57–5.12, P = 0.001], presence of goats/sheep on the farm (OR = 1.73, 95% CI = 1.17–2.56, P = 0.001) and age of the animal (OR = 2.05, 95% CI = 1.42–2.96, P = 0.001), while concrete floor housing was protective (OR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.30–0.74, P = 0.001). Herds managed under pasture grazing system were more likely to be sero-positive than those managed under zero grazed practices (OR = 9.31; 95% CI = 3.67–23.64 for grazing herd). We concluded that bovine leptospirosis is an endemic and locally widespread disease in Tanga and suggest that it may play a role in zoonotic transmission to humans.
Effects of recombinant interleukin-2 and revaccination for hepatitis B in previously vaccinated, non-responder, chronic uraemic patients. Collaborative Group of Girona.

BACKGROUND
Growing evidence suggests that it is possible to seroconvert chronic renal failure patients who are absolute non-responders to hepatitis B vaccine by means of either additional booster vaccine doses or associated IL-2 administration or both. We have studied the possibilities of hepatitis B seroconversion by revaccination and its dependence on vaccine dose, and the effects of a concurrent low-dose rHuIL-2 regime.


METHODS
Forty known absolute non-responders with chronic renal failure were entered into a complete revaccination protocol. Patients were randomly assigned to two dosage groups of either 20 or 40 micrograms hepatitis B vaccine administered at 0, 1, 2 and 6 months. Further randomly selected patients from each dosage group were given 500,000 U of rHuIL-2 in the same deltoid area 4 h after vaccine administration.


RESULTS
Sixty-seven per cent of patients revaccinated with 40 micrograms attained antibody protecting levels compared to only 20% of those receiving doses of 20 micrograms (P < 0.025). When compared with initial values, the ThCD4/CD25 cell count was significantly reduced immediately after HuR-IL2 administration (P < 0.003) and significantly increased 1 month after the last dose was given (P < 0.0003). A definite rHuIL-2 effect on HBV antibody synthesis could not be demonstrated, nor was erythropoietin found to enhance seroconversion.


CONCLUSIONS
From these results we suggest that more intense and frequent antigenic stimulation as obtained by revaccination using four doses of 40 micrograms may effectively reduce the pool of hepatitis B vaccine nonresponders in chronic renal failure patients.
Running the border gauntlet : the Mexican migrant controversy

This concise and cogent history of the Mexico/U.S. border conflict analyzes the acts that led to the current U.S. policy and its effects on immigration. * Primary source documents include presidential papers, treaties, UN reports, and more * Presents a chronology of major events in both the United States and Mexico over time * Provides three maps of Texas prior to the creation of the Texas Republic * Includes a comprehensive bibliography across academic disciplines
Povidone-iodine induced post-surgical irritant contact dermatitis localized outside of the surgical incision area. Report of 27 cases and a literature review.

BACKGROUND
Povidone-iodine solution is an antiseptic that is used worldwide as surgical paint and is considered to have a low irritant potential. Post-surgical severe irritant dermatitis has been described after the misuse of this antiseptic in the surgical setting.


METHODS
Between January 2011 and June 2013, 27 consecutive patients with post-surgical contact dermatitis localized outside of the surgical incision area were evaluated. Thirteen patients were also available for patch testing.


RESULTS
All patients developed dermatitis the day after the surgical procedure. Povidone-iodine solution was the only liquid in contact with the skin of our patients. Most typical lesions were distributed in a double lumbar parallel pattern, but they were also found in a random pattern or in areas where a protective pad or an occlusive medical device was glued to the skin. The patch test results with povidone-iodine were negative.


CONCLUSIONS
Povidone-iodine-induced post-surgical dermatitis may be a severe complication after prolonged surgical procedures. As stated in the literature and based on the observation that povidone-iodine-induced contact irritant dermatitis occurred in areas of pooling or occlusion, we speculate that povidone-iodine together with occlusion were the causes of the dermatitis epidemic that occurred in our surgical setting. Povidone-iodine dermatitis is a problem that is easily preventable through the implementation of minimal routine changes to adequately dry the solution in contact with the skin.