jimnoneill/paper-to-field-training huggingface dataset:
Intellectual Outcome After Reduced-Dose Radiation Therapy Plus Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Medulloblastoma: A Children’s Cancer Group Study

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

PURPOSE: To investigate the intellectual outcomes of children with medulloblastomas/primitive neuroectodermal tumors (MB/PNET) treated with reduced-dose craniospinal radiotherapy (RT) plus adjuvant chemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-three children with average-risk posterior fossa MB/PNETs underwent longitudinal intelligence testing. All had been treated with a reduced-dose craniospinal RT regimen (23.4 Gy to the neuraxis, 32.4-Gy boost to the posterior fossa) and adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS: The estimated rate of change from baseline was significant for Full Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), Verbal IQ (VIQ), and Nonverbal IQ (NVIQ) (P < .001 for all three outcomes). The rate of change was estimated to be −4.3 FSIQ points per year, −4.2 VIQ points per year, and −4.0 NVIQ points per year. Females were more subject to VIQ decline than were males (P = .008), and young children (< 7 years of age) were more negatively affected than were older children, with a significant decline in NVIQ (P = .016). Finally, patients with higher baseline evaluations suffered greater declines in IQ than did those with lower baseline scores. CONCLUSION: This study represents the largest series of patients with average-risk MB/PNETs treated with a combination of reduced-dose RT and adjuvant chemotherapy whose intellectual development has been followed prospectively. Intellectual loss was substantial but suggestive of some degree of intellectual preservation compared with effects associated with conventional RT doses. However, this conclusion remains provisional, pending further research.
A Psychometric Investigation of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire

Field: Psychology (Social Sciences)

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire was administered to 139 females and 123 males. Scale statistics were obtained and hierachial factor analyses were performed. The P scale was found to have low internal consistency reliabilities and to covary with the L scale in the female subsample. Factor analyses showed recovery of E scale items in a secondary factor, Social Extraversion, without an impulsivity primary factor. No P and N dimensions recovered; rather components of each scale interrelated in two meaningful dimensions at the tertiary level.
Breaking the Barrier with a Multi-Domain SER

Field: Computer Science (Physical Sciences)

Voice based interactive system has numerous ap-plications including patient care system, robotics, interactive learning tool etc. Speech Emotion Recognition (SER) is a vital part of any voice based interactive system. Providing an efficient SER framework in multi-lingual domain is highly challenging due to the difficulties in feature extraction from noisy voice signals, language barrier, issues due to gender dependency, domain generalization problem etc. Therefore, all of these challenges have made multi-domain SER interesting to the researchers. In our study, we provide a multi-domain SER framework where popular benchmark corpora have been integrated and used together for training and testing with the goal of removing language barriers and the corpus dependency. Moreover, we have utilized the role of gender on acoustic signal features to improve the performance in multi-domain. We design a hierarchical Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based framework that finds the influence of genders while recognizing emotions in multi-domain cross-corpus system. We have used Unweighted Average Recall (UAR) for measuring performance in the multi-domain corpus to address data imbalance problem. We validate our proposed framework by conducting extensive experiments with benchmark datasets. The results show that using the proposed gender-based SER model with multi-lingual cross-corpus performs better than the conventional SER models. Our novel multi-domain cross-corpus SER will be very helpful for designing different multi-lingual voice- based interactive applications.
Search for neutral Higgs bosons of the minimal supersymmetric standard model in pp collisions at vs=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Field: Physics and Astronomy (Physical Sciences)

A search for the neutral Higgs bosons predicted by the Minimal Supersymmetric Standard Model (MSSM) is reported. The analysis is performed on data from proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of 8 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider. The samples used for this search were collected in 2012 and correspond to integrated luminosities in the range 19.5-20.3 fb-1. The MSSM Higgs bosons are searched for in the tt final state. No significant excess over the expected background is observed, and exclusion limits are derived for the production cross section times branching fraction of a scalar particle as a function of its mass. The results are also interpreted in the MSSM parameter space for various benchmark scenarios.
Surgeon – Therapist Communication: Do All Members See Eye-to-Eye?

Field: Health Professions (Health Sciences)

Background. Poor interprofessional collaboration has been shown to negatively affect patient care within many fields of medicine. Growing evidence is suggesting that improved interprofessional collaboration can positively affect patient care. Postoperative rehabilitation of many orthopedic conditions necessitates the combined efforts of surgeons, and therapists. There is a paucity of literature examining collaboration among orthopedic surgeons and therapists regarding postoperative rehabilitation. Objectives. The following study examines the perceived quality of communications between orthopedic surgeons and therapists employing an online survey. We hypothesized that collaborative practice patterns result in improved perceptions of communication. Methods. Ethics board approval was obtained. Subjects consisted of orthopedic surgeons, licensed physiotherapists and certified athletic therapists. The online survey was distributed through the Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA), the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) and the Canadian Athletic Therapists Association (CATA). Data analysis was performed using Stata/IC 12.1 (Stata Corp, College Station, TX, USA). Descriptive statistics were calculated to determine the median responses and ranges. Median responses were compared using the Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance. Qualitative analysis regarding text responses was performed by three reviewers. Results. Reponses were received from all specialties (COA 164, CPA 524, CATA 163). There were significant differences in the perceived quality of communication by quantitative and qualitative analysis (p < 0.001). Analysis of communication within practice patterns of stand-alone versus collaborative revealed improved perception of communication quality with increased contact. 65.6% of responders that practiced as stand-alone had a negative view of interprofessional communication. 48.4% of responders in a collaborative practice had a positive view of interprofessional communication. Analysis of the preferred form of communication found that orthopedic surgeons felt the most useful referral information was a pre-printed consult sheet (odds ratio [OR] = 1.56, p < 0.001), whereas therapists were more likely to rank consult notes (OR = 1.27, p < 0.042) and operative reports (OR = 1.20, p < 0.092) as a more useful form of communication. Conclusions. Collaborative practice shows improved perceptions of communication between specialties. Orthopedic surgeons perceive a higher quality of communication than therapists. Therapists and orthopedic surgeons also do not agree on the information that should be relayed between the specialties regarding postoperative rehabilitation.
Strategies among young Jehovah's Witnesses in secondary school in Sweden

Field: Social Sciences (Social Sciences)

Sweden is among the most secular countries in the world and Jehovah’s Witness is a fundamentalist Christian organization with an ambition to present its interpretation of the Bible as truth. Emerging adults in Jehovah’s Witness are expected to behave and believe according to rules and a view of life which distinguish them from the values and teachings of the Swedish school. The aim of the paper is to present strategies and reflections among Jehovah’s Witnesses in Swedish secondary school to meet the expectations of the religious community, when these are in conflict with the values and teachings of the school. Interviews with eleven former Jehovah’s Witnesses, now adults, have been conducted in the tradition of grounded theory. Strategies found where; 1) to stand up for their belief; 2) double standard and 3) flight. The reflections concern what it is to be an authentic person and the social context.
Experimental Analysis of 600V 4H-SiC Vertical and Lateral MOSFETs Fabricated on the same 6-Inch Substrate Using a Single Process

Field: Materials Science (Physical Sciences)

This paper aims to provide detailed experimental results of 4H-SiC vertical and lateral MOSFETs fabricated on the same 6-inch substrate using a single process flow. The cell optimization and fabrication scheme of both vertical and lateral MOSFETs are described in this paper. The measured electrical characteristics from both structures such as on-resistance, transconductance, threshold voltage, breakdown voltage, and capacitances are discussed. Resistance distribution and figure-of-merits of [R on ×C iss ], [R on ×C oss ], and [R on ×C rss ] for vertical and lateral MOSFETs are compared to further improve the characteristic of the lateral MOSFET.
PTH-054 Ercp in Patients with Mildly Raised Alkaline Phosphatase and Normal Biliary Imaging

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

Introduction Serum alkaline phosphatase levels in adults range between 20 and 120 U/L. When bone disease is excluded, an elevation suggests biliary obstruction, injury to the bile duct epithelium, or cholestasis. The mechanism for an elevated alkaline phosphatase has been related to enhanced synthesis and to release from cell membranes by the detergent action of retained bile salts. When there is partial biliary obstruction, the alkaline phosphatase will be elevated but the patient may not itch and the serum bilirubin will be normal. In high-grade total biliary obstruction, jaundice and itching will also be present. However, the significance of an isolated mild elevation of alkaline phosphatase (less than 1.5 to 2 times the upper limits of normal) has undergone only limited investigation. Only a few studies have investigated the significance of a mild, isolated elevation of alkaline phosphatase. Because 1% to 9% of people without symptoms have elevated liver enzymes, extensive evaluation of all abnormal test results would expose many patients to undue risks and expenses. On the other hand, failure to evaluate minor liver enzyme elevations could mean missing the early diagnosis of potentially treatable disorders.keeping this in mind we decided to look at the ERCP findings in patients with raised alkaline phosphatase levels in patients with cholelithiasis but with normal CBD status on imaging. Methods A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at Surgical Unit 4 of Civil Hospital Karachi, over a period of 5 yrs, from August 2006 to July 2012. Sixty five patients with altered LFT’s in terms of raised alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin and normal biliary tract on imaging were included in the study. Informed consent was taken from all patients and permission from hospital ethical committee was sought. All patients underwent standard ERCPs. And the findings and clinical data were entered on the special ercp database. Results were analysed using spss version 19 Results A total of 65 patients were included in the study. Mean age of study population was: 42.75+13.84 (20–75 yrs). Mean bilirubin level was :1.04 + 1.03 (00.0–4.59). Mean alkaline phosphatase : 168.98+ 73.259 (110–714) Ercp findings: Normal 50 pts (76.9%) Stones 10 pts (15.4%) Stricture 1 pt (1.5%) Failed ercps: 4 pts (6.2%) subsequently lost to followup Successful duct clearance was achieved in 9 pts (13.8%) stents were placed in 2 pts (3.1%) Conclusion A minimally raised alkaline phosphatase may be associated with biliary obstruction as 15.4% patients in this study had choledocholithiasis. Disclosure of Interest None Declared.
Stereo matching with occlusion detection using cost relaxation

Field: Computer Science (Physical Sciences)

This paper presents a new stereo algorithm for computing dense disparity maps from stereo image pairs by a global cost relaxation, realized as an optimization problem, where the disparity map is the momentary state of a dynamic process. Following the natural role model of the human visual system, we assign a set of possible disparities to each image pixel described by cooperating probability variables. In the first step a correlation-based similarity measure is performed to initialize the relaxation process. The relaxation itself is formulated as an optimization of a global cost function taking into account both the stereoscopic continuity constraint and considerations of the pixel similarity. A special formulation guarantees the existence of a unique cost minimum which can be easily and rapidly found by standard numerical procedures. In a post-processing step, occluded areas are detected and a sub-pixel precise disparity map is computed.
Experimental behaviour of very high-strength concrete-encased steel composite column subjected to axial compression and end moment

Field: Engineering (Physical Sciences)

A type of cost-effective and very high strength concrete (VHSC) with 28-day compressive strength of 100-150 MPa is developed for applications in concrete-encased steel composite column constructions. This paper experimentally investigates the structural behaviour of VHSC encased steel composite columns based on a series of pure compression and eccentric compression tests. It is found that such high-strength composite column exhibits brittle post peak behaviour and low ductility but with acceptable compressive resistance. Throughout the tests, the main failure of VHSC encased column under compressive load is brittle spalling of concrete followed by local buckling of the reinforcement bars. The splitting and slippage may occur between concrete and steel section due to bending downward action. The confinement effect by the shear stirrups designed based on normal reinforced concrete codes may not be sufficient. Composite column subjected to initial flexural cracking due to end moment load with large eccentricity may experience degradation in the stiffness and ultimate resistance so that plastic design resistance may not be achieved. Analytical studies show that the N-M interaction model based on current design codes may over-predict the combined resistance of the composite columns. Therefore, a modified elastic-plastic design approach based on strain compatibility is developed to evaluate the compressive resistance of concrete encased composite columns. The validation against the test data shows a reasonable and conservative estimation on the combined resistance of VHSC encased composite columns.
Suitability of Real-Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for cry9C Detection in Mexican Corn Tortillas: Fate of DNA and Protein After Alkaline Cooking

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences (Life Sciences)

Abstract Alkaline-cooked corn, called nixtamal, is the basis for many traditional corn products such as tortillas, chips, and taco shells that are used widely in Mexico and Central America and in the preparation of snack foods that are consumed globally. To assess the effects of alkaline and thermal treatments on the detectability of DNA and protein for the presence of genetically modified sequences, various nixtamalized products were prepared from blends of conventional white corn containing 0.1, 1.0, and 10% transgenic corn (event CBH 351, StarLink™). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reactions (RTQ–PCR) and immunoassays were used to determine the cry9C gene and protein, respectively, in unprocessed corn kernels, freshly prepared alkaline-cooked and ground corn (masa), masa flour, tortillas prepared from masa by heat treatment, chips prepared from damp masa dough by deep frying, and from tortillas processed at high (200°C) and low temperatures (70°C). In spite of progressive degradation of genomic DNA during processing, RTQ–PCR genetic analysis allowed detection and quantification of the cry9C gene in all products prepared from 10, 1, and 0.1% StarLink corn, except deep-fried chips containing 0.1% StarLink. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays readily detected &lt;1ppm cry9C protein in all blends of unprocessed corn (10, 1, and 0.1% StarLink) as well as in nonfried tortilla and masa products. This technique was not suitable for thermally treated nixtamalized products containing &lt;1% transgenic corn.
Mobile Cloud Computing Paradigm: A Survey of Operational Concerns, Challenges and Open Issues

Field: Computer Science (Physical Sciences)

ABSTRACT The Mobile Cloud Computing paradigm has revolutionized the concepts of mobile computing and the Internet of Things (IoT). This paradigm allows outsourcing the workload of mobile devices, or other connected “things,” to be computed in the Cloud. Currently, outsourcing possibilities have been widely developed making available computing platforms at different network layers. In a consequence of that, a virtual increasing of the performance and a homogenization of the computing capabilities of the devices are produced. The research described in this work presents a review of the state of the art about recent works, the main operational concerns, challenges, and open issues of this paradigm in order to update the border of knowledge on this topic. As a result, a critical analysis is conducted, and new research directions are discussed. The findings provide value‐added to the scientific community and, therefore it could be helpful for other researches in these topics, especially given the rising popularity of IoT platforms.
English at the University of Iceland

Field: Social Sciences (Social Sciences)

The Nordic countries have recently experienced increased pressure to adopt English as a language of science, higher education and business, and Iceland is no exception. Although the majority of courses at Icelandic universities are still taught in Icelandic, over 90 percent of all course material is now in English and there is extreme overt pressure on academic staff to publish in English. We report studies that show that at the tertiary level there exists a clear, although largely unacknowledged, discrepancy between the prevailing ideology, policies and language practice. Additionally, schools may not prepare students adequately to meet the demands of tertiary level studies. The findings of our studies support a view that a new linguistic environment has emerged in Iceland which has implications for the National Curriculum in English and for teacher education, if Icelandic youth is to be prepared for the use of English parallel to Icelandic in academia.
Exercise technetium-99m sestamibi tomography for cardiac risk stratification of patients with stable chest pain.

Field: Medicine (Health Sciences)

BACKGROUND This study was designed to evaluate the prognostic value of symptom-limited maximal exercise treadmill testing with tomographic technetium-99m sestamibi (MIBI) myocardial imaging in patients referred for evaluation of stable angina. Exercise stress thallium-201 myocardial imaging provides prognostic information in coronary artery disease subsets including patients with stable chest pain. The prognostic value of exercise technetium-99m MIBI myocardial tomography has not been established. METHODS AND RESULTS Of 548 consecutive patients with stable angina pectoris who underwent maximal exercise treadmill stress testing in combination with a same-day "rest-stress" tomographic technetium-99m MIBI myocardial imaging protocol, 521 patients were followed for 13 +/- 5 months to determine the univariate and multivariate variables associated with cardiac events and to define their cardiac event-free survival. Ten patients were lost to follow-up (98% complete), and 17 who had coronary revascularization within 6 months of testing were excluded. Major cardiac events occurred in 24 patients (9%)--nonfatal myocardial infarction in 11 and cardiac death in 13. Univariate Cox survival analysis demonstrated significant relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for exercise ST segment depression (RR = 2.3; 95% CI, 1.0 to 5.3), an abnormal MIBI scan (RR = 13.8; 95% CI, 1.9 to 102.3), and a reversible MIBI perfusion defect (RR = 3.2; 95% CI, 1.4 to 7.5). Multivariate models demonstrated that both exercise MIBI perfusion abnormalities (RR = 11.9; 95% CI, 1.6 to 89.4) and reversible MIBI perfusion defects (RR = 2.9; 95% CI, 1.2 to 7.0) had independent predictive value. During 1 year of follow-up, cardiac events occurred in only 0.5% of patients with normal MIBI scans compared with 7% of those with abnormal MIBI scans (P < .001). One-year, cardiac event-free survival was 92% in patients with reversible MIBI perfusion defects (P < .01 versus normal), 96% in patients with fixed defects (P < .01), and 93% in patients with combined reversible and fixed MIBI myocardial perfusion abnormalities (P < .02). CONCLUSIONS As with exercise thallium-201 myocardial imaging, exercise stress technetium-99m MIBI myocardial tomography provides significant independent information concerning the subsequent risk of serious cardiac events (death, myocardial infarction) in patients with stable angina pectoris. The identification of MIBI perfusion abnormalities, in particular, the presence of reversible MIBI defects, was associated with reduced 1-year, event-free survival. The recognized imaging and radiotracer biokinetic differences between thallium-201 and MIBI do not appear to modulate the prognostic value associated with scintigraphic evidence of ischemic myocardial jeopardy in the stable angina population.
Spotting sheep in Yorkshire: using eye-tracking for studying situation awareness in a driving simulator

Field: Psychology (Social Sciences)

The paper describes an experiment designed for the EASY (Effects of Automated Systems on safetY) project, in which the effect of highly automated driving on driver situation awareness was studied. Driving was either manual, with all manoeuvres controlled by the driver, or highly automated, where lateral or longitudinal control of the car was maintained by an ‗automated system‘. In both cases, drivers were requested to complete a number of secondary tasks during driving, such as answering questions over a mobile telephone or watching a video. Drivers‘ eye movements towards the sudden appearance of objects (sheep, police cars) at the side of the road were recorded, and used to infer situation awareness. This methodology was favoured over freeze frame techniques which interrupt the driving task. Whilst eye tracking is a well established technique, its use for interpreting visual attention in dynamic scenes is more problematic. This paper discusses the different analysis techniques used to investigate visual attention to events in a dynamic driving simulator environment, comparing frame by frame playback of video scenes with summary charts based on predefined areas of interest. Lessons learnt from each technique are outlined.