Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A randomized controlled trial of the effect of supervised progressive crosscontinuum strength training in older medical patients: the STAND-Cph trial

Background: During hospitalization, older adults (+65) are inactive, which puts them at risk of functional decline and loss of independence. Systematic strength training can prevent loss of functional performance. However, we lack knowledge about the effect of strength training commenced during hospitalization and continued after discharge in older medical patients. This assessor-blinded, randomized study investigated the effect of a simple, supervised strength training program for the lower extremities, combined with post-training protein supplementation during hospitalization and 4 weeks at home after discharge on change in mobility in older medical patients. Methods: Older medical patients (≥65 yrs) admitted acutely from their home to the Emergency Department were randomized to either standard care or supervised progressive strength training and an oral protein supplement during hospitalization and at home 3 days/week for 4 weeks after discharge. The primary outcome was between-group difference in change in mobility from baseline to 4 weeks after discharge assessed by the De Morton Mobility Index. Secondary outcomes were 24-hour mobility, lower extremity strength, gait speed, grip strength and Activities of Daily Living. Results: Eighty-five patients were randomized to the intervention (N=43) or control group (N=42). In the intervention group, 43% were highly compliant with the intervention. Our intention to treat analysis revealed no between-group difference in mobility (difference baseline to 4 weeks: -4.17 (IQR -11.09;2.74; p=0.24) nor in any of the secondary outcomes. The per protocol analysis showed that the intervention group increased significantly more in the daily number of steps taken compared to the control group (difference in change from baseline to 4 weeks: 1024.7 steps (IQR 0.7;2048.6); p<0.05; adjusted for mobility at baseline). Conclusions: Simple supervised strength training for the lower extremities, combined with protein supplementation initiated during hospitalization and continued at home for 4 weeks after discharge was not superior to usual care on change in mobility at 4 weeks in older medical patients. For the secondary outcome, daily number of steps, high compliance with the intervention resulted in a higher daily number of steps. Less than half of the patients were compliant with the intervention indicating that a simpler intervention might be needed. Trial registration: NCT01964482, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01964482, registration date: October 14, 2013, trial protocol: PubMed ID (PMID): 27039381.
The Transport Sector, New Economic Geography and Economic Development in Peripheral Regions

There is a renewed interest in peripherality in Europe. The completion of a Single market, pressures towards Economic and Monetary Union and the threat of competition between the southern and eastern peripheries have all raised important policy dimensions. There is an increasing questioning of the traditional reliance on the use of infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, as a policy instrument. The traditional approach to peripherality has been through the use of conventional measure of accessibility and economic potential, broad macromeasures, which make important, but largely implicit, assumptions about economic structure, production and markets. This paper aims to bring together two strands from recent work which cast the peripherality problem in a new light. On the one hand there have been advances in the definition of accessibility which take a more disaggregated approach, concentrating on accessibility which take a more disaggregated approach, concentrating on accessibility within regions and to networks. On the other hand models in the New Economic Geography tradition concentrate on the interplay between production characteristics, imperfectly competitive markets and transport costs to demonstrate the potential ambiguity of convergent and divergent forces in the economic integration process. This paper aims to add a third strand, which is typically absent from both approaches, a more detailed consideration of the transport sector itself. Accessibility measures concentrate on objective measure of impedance, distance, time and cost, but do not usually allow explicitly for the role of market structure in the transport sector. Similarly, New Economic Geography models rely too heavily on the simple representation of transport costs as iceberg formulation. This makes for a more tractable model, but misses on the key dimensions which is of particular relevance to peripheral regions. This paper will discuss a largely theoretical approach to these issues, but will be illustrated with some specific examples which look at the impact of new transport infrastructure on changes in traffic flows, location and logistics.
IS PASSENGER PRESENCE ASSOCIATED WITH MORE OR LESS RISK TAKING

In an analysis of accident involvement, the study is concerned with driver speed selection, driver age, sex and presence of peer passengers. The paper attempts to clarify the role played by peer passengers as there are said to be contradictory conclusions from previous studies. The results of the observational study are considered to both support and contradict previous research on the role of passengers on driver's speed choice. The fact that there are several variables in speed choice is thought to require care being needed when drawing conclusions about speed choice. For the covering abstract see ITRD E111043.
Alba Emoting: A Safe, Effective, and Versatile Technique for Generating Emotions in Acting Performance

ALBA EMOTING: A SAFE, EFFECTIVE, AND VERSATILE TECHNIQUE FOR GENERATING EMOTIONS IN ACTING PERFORMANCE Angela Katherine Baker Department of Theatre and Media Arts Master of Arts This thesis proposes that Alba EmotingTM is a safe, effective, and versatile technique of generating emotions for acting performance. Alba Emoting is safe because it resolves four major problems some actors experience while generating emotions for acting performance. These problems include, “emotional hijacking,” “emotional hangover,” “emotional blockage,” and using emotional memories which are faded, incomplete, inconsistent, or full of mixed emotions. Alba Emoting solves these four problems through the help of certified trainers, the step-out procedure, and the emotional effector patterns, which allow actors consistent access to a large range of emotions. Alba Emoting is effective because it enables actors to control emotional inspiration through technique to create emotions that are felt by the actor and audience. It is versatile because it can be integrated with various rehearsal and emotional exploration techniques. This thesis demonstrates how Alba Emoting may be used with aspects of Stanislavski’s System of Acting and Jeremy Whelan’s Mosaic Acting System. It also demonstrates how Alba Emoting is used by Hyrum Conrad to create his ArcWork. The purpose of this thesis is to convince universities, conservatories, and other acting training programs to teach Alba Emoting as a technique for generating emotion in acting performance. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge the many people who made this thesis possible. First, I would like to thank my committee members for their comments, encouragement, and input through out this thesis writing process. I would like to thank all my friends and family who have given me love and support in accomplishing this goal. Thanks especially to the friends and family who offered free babysitting. I would especially like to thank my daughter Anela for taking great naps while I wrote the majority of my thesis and my husband Justin, who acted as my editor, my life support, and my constant motivator when things got overwhelming or frustrating. I love both of you so much. You are the most important people in my life.
Independent media under pressure: evidence from Russia

ABSTRACT Existing literature recognizes growing threats to press freedom around the world and documents changes in the tools used to stifle the independent press. However, few studies investigate how independent media respond to state pressure in an autocracy, documenting the impact of tactics that stop short of shuttering alternatives to state media. Do independent outlets re-orient coverage to favor regime interests? Or does repression encourage more negative coverage of the regime instead? To shed light on these questions, we investigate how the abrupt removal of independent outlet TV Rain from Russian television providers influenced its coverage. We find that shortly after providers dropped TV Rain, the tone of its political coverage became more positive and its similarity with state-controlled Channel 1 increased. However, these effects were short-lived. Additional evidence suggests that subscription revenue contributed to the station’s resilience. These findings add to our understanding of media manipulation and authoritarian endurance.
ENERGY: THE CHANGING CLIMATE. 22ND REPORT OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

This report considers causes and effects of climate change, possible preventive measures, prospects for an effective global response, the UK present situation and policies, reducing energy use, in manufacturing industry, commercial and public services, households, and transport, the alternatives to fossil fuels, patterns of energy supply and use, possible UK energy balances in 2050, and adoption of a long term strategy. One of the recommendations made in the report is the setting up of a sustainable energy agency to provide impetus for the improvements in energy efficiency required and the necessary development and expansion of renewable energy resources. In the report the Commission illustrate ways in which the UK could cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050.
Car Head Restraint Geometry

Whiplash injuries in low-speed car crashes have been identified as resulting in high associated costs to insurers and to society as a whole. For example, these injuries were recently estimated to cost the UK insurance industry over £1 billion annually. Long-term whiplash injury in frontal and rear impact car crashes in the UK was also estimated to cost £3 billion per annum using the Department for Transports willingness to pay cost model. In an effort to reduce these costs, there has been considerable effort invested to introduce consumer information rating schemes and regulatory rear impact seat tests. These tests have been designed to encourage development and deployment in the fleet of seats that reduce the risk of whiplash injury in a low-speed rear impact. As part of this effort, good head restraint geometry has been identified as a basic requirement for seats that are designed to reduce the risk of whiplash injury, and a number of methods for measuring head restraint geometry have been developed for consumer information and regulatory testing. These methods assess geometry either statically or dynamically, depending on the test method. This Insight Report summarises research conducted at TRL and elsewhere to provide a reference document and critical review of the various methods of measuring head restraint geometry that are in use or have been proposed. (A)
Lymphedema Assessment –Development of a Diagnostic Tool

En ny produkt, som utvecklats for att underlatta de manga diagnoser och bedomningar avsjukdomen lymfodem, utvarderades och vidareutvecklades i denna studie. Tidiga matningar avpatienter i riskzonen .
Incentives in Location-Aware Peer-to-Peer Networks: A Game-Theoretical View

Recently the world wide popularity and utilization of Peer-to-peer (P2P) appli- cations, such as BitTorrent, have experienced a tremendous growth. In addition, studies show that its related traffic accounts for a significant portion of the overall Internet traffic volume. Moreover, the inherently distributed design of P2P net- works in combination with arbitrary peer selection have been shown to introduce traffic control problems for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) as well as causing sig- nificant increases in costly inter-ISP traffic. In order to solve the P2P challenges, a variety of location-aware P2P mechanisms have been published and implemented with varying degrees of success. Although the technical aspects of these mechanisms have been studied quite thoroughly, their adaption and success can arguably only be determined by the entities in power, namely ISPs and its P2P traffic generating customers. In this thesis a game-theoretic approach is pursued in order to capture the economical interactions of both ISPs and its users when presented with a decision of adapting location-aware P2P mechanisms. Specifically, a game-theoretic model is developed, encompassing the variety of ISP and consumer aspects from traffic do- main related costs and P2P performance to Internet access pricing. The model perspective is limited to the decision making between one ISP and its users and it is studied in two steps. First an analytical equilibrium analysis is performed in order to develop general expressions regarding incentivizing actions between the ISP and its users. Finally a numerical analysis is performed, using relevant data found in literature and estimates, in order to identify which strategies that could provide incentives for both ISPs and its users to adapt location-aware P2P mechanisms.
Interfaces avanzados aplicados a la interacción musical

The latest advances in human-computer interaction technologies have brought forth changes in the way we interact with computing devices of any kind, from the standard desktop computer to the more recent smartphones. The development of these technologies has thus introduced new interaction metaphors that provide more enriching experiences for a wide range of different applications. Music is one of most ancient forms of art and entertainment that can be found in our legacy, and conforms a strong interactive experience on itself. The application of new technologies to enhance music computer-based interaction paradigms can potentially provide all sorts of improvements: providing low-cost access to music rehearsal, lowering knowledge barriers in regard to music learning, virtual instrument simulation, etc. Yet, surprisingly, there has been rather limited research on the application of new interaction models and technologies to the specific field of music interaction in regard to other areas. This thesis aims to address the aforementioned need by presenting a set of studies which cover the use of innovative interaction models for music-based applications, from interaction paradigms for music learning to more entertainment-oriented interaction interfaces, such as virtual musical instruments, ensemble conductor simulation, etc. The main contributions of this thesis are: · It is shown that the use of signal processing techniques on the music signal and music information retrieval techniques can create enticing interfaces for music learning. Concretely, the research conducted includes the implementation and experimental evaluation of a set of different learning-oriented applications which make use of these techniques to implement inexpensive, easy-to-use human-computer interfaces, which serve as support tools in music learning processes. · This thesis explores the use of tracking systems and machine learning techniques to achieve more sophisticated interfaces for innovative music interaction paradigms. Concretely, the studies conducted have shown that it is indeed feasible to emulate the functionally of musical instruments such as the drumkit or the theremin. In a similar way, it is shown that more complex musical roles can also be recreated through the use of new interaction models, such as the case of the ensemble conductor or a step-aerobics application. · The benefits in using advanced human-computer interfaces in musical experiences are review and assessed through experimental evaluation. It is shown that the addition of these interfaces contributes positively to user perception, providing more satisfying and enriching experiences overall. · The thesis also illustrates that the use of machine learning algoriths and signal processing along with new interaction devices provides an effective framework for human gesture recognition and prediction, and even mood estimation.
BOILING THE FROGS SLOWLY : ACQUISITION INTEGRATION AT GEHC

The purpose of this paper is to investigate what cultural changes can be observed in an acquired company’s corporate culture in one unit that is integrated in the acquiring company’s routines - but not physically integrated. This research aims to contribute to the understanding of post-acquisition situations in the long-term. To fulfill this purpose, the following questions were to be answered: how do the employees at the acquired (but not physically integrated) company unit experience the corporate culture seven years after the acquisition, and how do they feel knowing their unit will be transferred to the same location as the acquirer company? Answering these questions, an exploratory qualitative case study of GEHC in Uppsala was implemented with fourteen employees interviewed at GEHC Bolanderna and the unit in Fyrislund. The results revealed that the culture at the acquired unit today is partly changed and the core values are no longer prominent to the same extent, despite being deliberately maintained by the employees. There is also a partly negative attitude towards the physical integration, as the last parts of the acquired company´s culture will entirely disappear as the employees will be divided into different departments once they move to Bolanderna.
Electrical characterization and application of pulsed DC magnetron sputtered zirconium oxide

As aggressive scaling ofCMOS circuits continues, gate oxide thickness is reduced in order to maintain control of ever shrinking channel lengths. Current cutting edge transistors are using a gate oxide thickness below 20A, approaching a regime where direct, or quantum, tunneling is the primary leakage mechanism. Below ~16A, leakage becomes too great for use in MOS transistors. There are short-term fixes in place, however the industry road map indicates the need for an alternative to Si02 within five years. Among the leading candidates is Zirconium Oxide (Z1O2). Z1O2 was investigated as a possible replacement for Si02 in MOS devices. A statistically designed experiment was utilized to optimize processing parameters. MOS capacitors were used as a test vehicle. Leakage less than 200pA, breakdown strength greater than 8MV/cm, and relative permittivity greater than 7, have been demonstrated. Zr02 gate dielectric, PMOS transistors have been fabricated with l-V characteristics comparable to transistors with a Si02 gate dielectric, as shown in the l-V plot below. An initial investigation into a damascene Copper/Titanium gate stack, utilizing Zr02 as a gate dielectric, was also been performed. Capacitors fabricated in this manner exhibited similar reliability results as capacitors fabricated using conventional processes.
Computerised Methods and Device for Intuitive Use of the Human Hand for Touching and Re-shaping of Three-Dimensional Virtual Objects

Today, the use of the mouse and keyboard input devices to interface with the computer is common almost regardless for what end the computer is used. This is no less true for users who daily work in three-dimensional modelling. Because of this, there is a signicant threshold for individuals beginning three-dimensional modelling before being able to form even the most rudimentary of objects. A possible approach to lowering this thresh- old is to bridge the gap between traditional sculpting and virtual sculpting by utilizing the full range of human hand motion when interfacing with the computer. This work review the status of Human-Computer Interaction devices and methods, and set out to design and implement a low-cost data glove prototype. A polygon mesh deformation method is developed which demonstrates the functionality of the glove and system design. The work constitutes a useful platform for further academic work in this eld.
Product aesthetics: representing designer intent and consumer response

This thesis reports on the development of a conceptual framework for product aesthetics. By adopting the theoretical perspective that products are a medium of communication between designers and consumers, the nature of consumer response and designer intent is explored. By integrating a range of disparate literature within a single coherent framework, the varieties of consumer response to product visual form are illustrated. To investigate the ways in which designers intend to evoke these responses, a qualitative research study was undertaken. This primarily involved interviews with industrial designers and consumer investigators. Analysis of these interviews led to the development of a conceptual framework for designer intent which both mirrors, and integrates with, that produced for consumer response. By representing processes beyond design that are influential in determining product form, a broader contextual framework is presented within which product aesthetics is situated. In concluding the thesis, applications for this framework are discussed and future research directions are proposed.
PACT:An initiative to introduce computational thinkingto second-level education in Ireland

PACT (Programming ∧ Algorithms ⇒ Computational Thinking) is a partnership between researchers in the Department of Computer Science at Maynooth University and teachers at selected post-primary schools around Ireland. Starting in September 2013, seven Irish secondary schools took part in a pilot study, delivering material prepared by the PACT team to Transition Year students. Three areas of Computer Science were identified as being key to delivering a successful course in computational thinking, namely, programming, algorithms and computability. An overview of the PACT module is provided, as well as analysis of the feedback obtained from students and teachers involved in delivering the initial pilot.
A high reliability copper dual-damascene interconnection with direct-contact via structure

Direct-contact via (DCV) structure in which a Cu via-plug is directly contacted to an interconnect is proposed for a high reliability and high performance Cu dual-damascene (DD) interconnection. Distribution of electromigration (EM) lifetime is dramatically reduced to 0.1 by eliminating void formation at the via-bottom. The developed technology improves the lifetime of the early failure by 5 times. It leads to 1.7 times higher clock frequency due to the higher current density.
Female Interactions on Film - Beyond the Bechdel test: A quantitative content analysis of same-sex-interactions of top 20 box office films

The purpose of this study is to research how much women interact with each other on screen and what type of interactions occur. The Bechdel Test criticises the lack of female interactions and the content of those discussions. This thesis asks how much women interact with women in film compared to how much men interact with men. It’s an aspect of female representation in film that has previously not been researched. The study also takes a closer look at female interactions and asks in what context women are placed when they interact with each other.The study explores the global top 20 box office films and focuses on investigating same-sex interactions in order to see the prevalence of female-to-female interactions (FI) compared to male-to-male interactions (MI). This study applies a quantitative research method on the 20 highest grossing films at the worldwide box office of all time.Findings of the study show that film portrays men interacting with men to a substantially higher extent than women interacting with women. Women are often presented in family situations and rarely are they seen interacting with female work colleagues.The paper proposes a gender equality test, the (im)balance test to understand the relationship between FI and MI, and encourages the test to be applied to films in order to measure their gender balance.