pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Blinded versus unblinded estimation of a correlation coefficient to inform interim design adaptations

Regulatory authorities require that the sample size of a confirmatory trial is calculated prior to the start of the trial. However, the sample size quite often depends on parameters which might not be known in advance of the study. Misspecification of these parameters can lead to under- or overestimation of the sample size. Both situations are unfavourable as the first one decreases the power and the latter one leads to a waste of resources. Hence, designs have been suggested that allow a re-assessment of the sample size in an ongoing trial. These methods usually focus on estimating the variance. However, for some methods the performance depends not only on the variance but also on the correlation between measurements. We develop and compare different methods for blinded estimation of the correlation coefficient which are less likely to introduce operational bias when the blinding is maintained. Their performance with respect to bias and standard error is compared to the unblinded estimator. We simulated two different settings: one assuming that all group means are the same and one assuming that different groups have different means. Simulation results show that the naïve (onesample) estimator is only slightly biased and has a standard error comparable to that of the unblinded estimator. However, if the group means differ, other estimators have better performance depending on the sample size per group and the number of groups
Giant thermal expansion in 2D and 3D cellular materials

When temperature increases, the volume of an object changes. This property was quantified as the coefficient of thermal expansion only a few hundred years ago. Part of the reason is that the change of volume due to the variation of temperature is in general extremely small and imperceptible. Here, abnormal giant linear thermal expansions in different types of two‐ingredient microstructured hierarchical and self‐similar cellular materials are reported. The cellular materials can be 2D or 3D, and isotropic or anisotropic, with a positive or negative thermal expansion due to the convex or/and concave shape in their representative volume elements respectively. The magnitude of the thermal expansion coefficient can be several times larger than the highest value reported in the literature. This study suggests an innovative approach to develop temperature‐sensitive functional materials and devices
Immunoreactive pattern of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilm against human whole saliva

Saliva is essential to interact with microorganisms in the oral cavity. Therefore, the interest
in saliva antimicrobial properties is on the rise. Here, we used an immunoproteomic
approach, based on protein separation of Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms by 2DE, followed
by Western-blotting, to compare human serum and saliva reactivity profile. A total
of 17 proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF. Serum and saliva presented a distinct
pattern of immunoreactive proteins. Our results suggest that saliva seems to have higher
propensity to react against S. epidermidis proteins with oxidoreductase activity and proteins
involved with L-serine metabolic processes. We show that saliva was a powerful tool for
the identification of potential S. epidermidis biofilms proteins.V.C. had an individual FCT fellowship (SFRH/BD/78235/2011). N.C. is an Investigator FCT. This work was funded by Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT) and COMPETE grants PTDC/BIA-MIC/113450/2009, FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-014309, QOPNA research unit (project PEst-C/QUI/UI0062/2013), RNEM (National Mass Spetrometry Network), and CENTRO-07-ST24-FEDER-002034. The authors also thank the FCT Strategic Project PEst-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013 and the Project "BioHealth - Biotechnology and Bioengineering approaches to improve health quality", Ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000027, co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 - O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER. The authors also acknowledge the project "Consolidating Research Expertise and Resources on Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology at CEB/IBB", Ref. FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462
Multianalytical provenance analysis of Eastern Ross Sea LGM till sediments (Antarctica): Petrography, geochronology, and thermochronology detrital data

In order to reveal provenance of detrital sediments supplied by West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS), 19 glaciomarine cores of Last Glacial Maximum age were analyzed from Eastern Ross Sea and Sulzberger Bay. Analytical techniques included petrographic analysis of gravel-sized clasts, geochronology (zircon U-Pb: Zrn-UPb) and thermochronology (apatite fission track: AFT) of sand-sized fractions. Petrographic analysis revealed a similarity with the lithologies presently exposed in western Marie Byrd Land (MBL), with major roles played by low-grade metamorphic rocks and granitoids. Furthermore Zrn-UPb and AFT data allowed to identify the ages of formation and cooling of sedimentary source area, consisting of Cambrian-Precambrian basement (i.e., Swanson Formation in western MBL) which underwent at least two episodes of magma intrusion, migmatization and cooling during Devonian-Carboniferous and Cretaceous-Paleocene times. Scarcity of volcanic clasts in the region of Ross Sea along the front of West Antarctica Ice Streams in association with the occurrence of AFT Oligocene-Pliocene dates suggests a localized tectonic exhumation of portions of MBL, as already documented for the opposite side of West Antarctic Rift System in the Transantarctic Mountains. Furthermore, a Zrn-UPb and AFT population of Late Triassic-Jurassic age indicates the presence of unexposed rocks that formed or metamorphosed at that time in the sedimentary source area, which could be identified in McAyeal Ice Stream and Bindschadler Ice Stream catchment areas
A computer-aided methodology for the optimization of electrostatic separation processes in recycling

The rapid growth of technological products has led to an increasing volume of waste electrical and electronic equipments (WEEE), which could represent a valuable source of critical raw materials. However, current mechanical separation processes for recycling are typically poorly operated, making it impossible to modify the process parameters as a function of the materials under treatment, thus resulting in untapped separation potentials. Corona electrostatic separation (CES) is one of the most popular processes for separating fine metal and nonmetal particles derived from WEEE. In order to optimize the process operating conditions (i.e., variables) for a given multi-material mixture under treatment, several technological and economical criteria should be jointly considered. This translates into a complex optimization problem that can be hardly solved by a purely experimental approach. As a result, practitioners tend to assign process parameters by few experiments based on a small material sample and to keep these parameters fixed during the process life-cycle. The use of computer experiments for parameter optimization is a mostly unexplored area in this field. In this work, a computer-aided approach is proposed to the problem of optimizing the operational parameters in CES processes. Three metamodels, developed starting from a multi-body simulation model of the process physics, are presented and compared by means of a numerical and simulation study. Our approach proves to be an effective framework to optimize the CES process performance. Furthermore, by comparing the predicted response surfaces of the metamodels, additional insight into the process behavior over the operating region is obtained
Acupuncture in shoulder pain and functional impairment after neck dissection: A prospective randomized pilot study

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS:\ud
\ud
The efficacy of conventional physiotherapy and antiinflammatory/analgesic drugs in the management of shoulder pain and functional disability following neck dissection is often disappointing. Acupuncture is a safe and well-tolerated method. We report the results regarding our pilot trial of acupuncture versus conventional care in the management of postoperative shoulder pain and dysfunction after neck dissection.\ud
STUDY DESIGN:\ud
\ud
Pilot study.\ud
METHODS:\ud
\ud
Patients at a tertiary university center with chronic pain or dysfunction attributed to neck dissection were randomly assigned to either weekly acupuncture or usual care (eg., physical therapy, analgesia, and/or antiinflammatory drugs) for 5 consecutive weeks. The Constant-Murley score, a composite measure of pain, function, and activities of daily living, was the primary outcome measure. As secondary end point, The Neck Dissection Impairment Index (NDII) was used to quantify site-specific, self-reported quality of life (QOL).\ud
RESULTS:\ud
\ud
After randomization, 48 patients completed the study (23 and 25 patients on acupuncture and control arms, respectively). Constant-Murley scores improved more in the acupuncture group (gain difference between groups 13.6, P < 0.01), a statistically significant improvement in site-specific QOL was also recorded at NDII (gain difference between groups 11.5, P < 0.01).\ud
CONCLUSION:\ud
\ud
Acupuncture is safe and effective; it should be introduced and offered to patients suffering from neck pain and dysfunction related to neck dissection
Biomarkers for Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease

Version of record online: 19 May 2016Cognitive decline is one of the most frequent and disabling nonmotor features of Parkinson's disease. Around 30% of patients with Parkinson's disease experience mild cognitive impairment, a well-established risk factor for the development of dementia. However, mild cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease is a heterogeneous entity that involves different types and extents of cognitive deficits. Because it is not currently known which type of mild cognitive impairment confers a higher risk of progression to dementia, it would be useful to define biomarkers that could identify these patients to better study disease progression and possible interventions. In this sense, the identification among patients with Parkinson's disease and mild cognitive impairment of biomarkers associated with dementia would allow the early detection of this process. This review summarizes studies from the past 25 years that have assessed the potential biomarkers of dementia and mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease patients. Despite the potential importance, no biomarker has as yet been validated. However, features such as low levels of epidermal and insulin-like growth factors or uric acid in plasma/serum and of Aß in CSF, reduction of cerebral cholinergic innervation and metabolism measured by PET mainly in posterior areas, and hippocampal atrophy in MRI might be indicative of distinct deficits with a distinct risk of dementia in subgroups of patients. Longitudinal studies combining the existing techniques and new approaches are needed to identify patients at higher risk of dementia.Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), grants PI08/1539
and PI14/00763; Government of the Basque Country, grants
2011111074 and SAIO12-PE12BN012; and CIBERNED. M.D.-A. is
funded by a Basque Country Ph.D. studentship and a Jes us de Gangoiti
Barrera Foundation grant
Time on timing: dissociating premature responding from interval sensitivity in Parkinson's disease

BACKGROUND:\ud
Parkinson's disease (PD) can cause impulsivity with premature responses, but there are several potential mechanisms. We proposed a distinction between poor decision-making and the distortion of temporal perception. Both effects may be present and interact, but with different clinical and pharmacological correlates.\ud
OBJECTIVES:\ud
This study assessed premature responding during time perception in PD.\ud
METHODS:\ud
In this study, 18 PD patients and 19 age-matched controls completed 2 temporal discrimination tasks (bisection and trisection) and a baseline reaction-time task. Timing sensitivity and decision-making processes were quantified by response and response time. An extended version of the modified difference model was used to examine the precision of time representation and the modulation of response time by stimulus ambiguity.\ud
RESULTS:\ud
In the bisection task, patients had a lower bisection point (P < .05) and reduced timing sensitivity when compared with controls (P < .001). In the trisection task, patients showed lower sensitivity in discriminating between short and medium standards (P < .05). The impairment in timing sensitivity correlated positively with patients' levodopa dose equivalent (P < .05). Critically, patients had disproportionately faster response times when compared with controls in more ambiguous conditions, and the degree of acceleration of response time increased with disease severity (P < .05). Computational modeling indicated that patients had poorer precision in time representation and stronger modulation of response time by task ambiguity, leading to smaller scaling of the decision latency (P < .05).\ud
CONCLUSIONS:\ud
These findings suggest that timing deficits in PD cannot be solely attributed to perceptual distortions, but are also associated with impulsive decision strategies that bias patients toward premature responses
Speeding up simulation applications using WinGrid.

Post-print version. Final version published by Wiley; available online at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/The vision of grid computing is to make computational power, storage capacity, data and applications available to users as readily as electricity and other utilities. Grid infrastructures and applications have traditionally been geared towards dedicated, centralized, high performance clusters running on UNIX “flavour” operating systems (commonly referred to as cluster-based grid computing). This can be contrasted with desktop-based grid computing which refers to the aggregation of non-dedicated, de-centralized, commodity PCs connected through a network and running (mostly) the Microsoft Windows operating system. Large scale adoption of such Windows-based grid infrastructure may be facilitated via grid-enabling existing Windows applications. This paper presents the WinGrid approach to grid enabling existing Windows-based Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) simulation packages (CSPs). Through the use of two case studies developed in conjunction with a major automotive company and a leading investment bank respectively, the contribution of this paper is the demonstration of how experimentation with the CSP Witness (Lanner Group) and the CSP Analytics (SunGard Corporation) can achieve speedup when using WinGrid middleware on both dedicated and non-dedicated grid nodes. It is hoped that this research would facilitate wider acceptance of desktop grid computing among enterprises interested in a low-intervention technological solution to speeding up their existing simulations
Deriving query suggestions for site search

Modern search engines have been moving away from very simplistic interfaces that aimed at satisfying a user’s need with a single-shot query. Interactive features such as query suggestions and faceted search are now integral parts of Web search engines. Gener- ating good query modification suggestions or alternative queries to assist a searcher remains however a challenging issue. Query log analysis is one of the major strands of work in this direction. While much research has been performed on query logs collected on the Web as a whole, query log analysis to enhance search on smaller and more focused collections has attracted less attention, despite its increasing practical importance. In this paper, we re- port on a systematic study on different query modification methods applied to a substantial query log collected on a local Web site that already employs an interactive search engine. The purpose of the analysis is to explore different methods for exploiting the query logs to derive new query modification suggestions. We conducted experiments in which we asked users to assess the relevance of potential query modification suggestions that have been constructed using a range of log analysis methods as well as different baseline approaches. The experimental results demonstrate the usefulness of log analysis to extract query mod- ification suggestions. Furthermore, our experiments demonstrate that a more fine-grained approach than grouping search requests into sessions allows to extract better refinement terms from query log files. Finally, locally collected log files are shown to be potentially useful for extracting term relations that are relevant beyond the domain on which they were collected
Rejection, Humiliation, and Parole: A Study of Parolees’ Perspectives

Research on status rejection has developed considerably over the past two decades and is applied in a number of different settings to better understand criminal and deviant behavior. Our research contributes to that body of work by examining the ways in which status rejection may create a potentially humiliating dynamic for individuals on parole. Specifically, we use in-depth interviews with parolees to illustrate how the parolee identity can promote the experience of status rejection and simultaneously foster conditions for humiliation — an emotional state that may impede one’s ability to both (re) construct a conventional identity and reintegrate back into one’s community
Revision Of The Biological Monitoring Working Party (Bmwp) Score System: Derivation Of Present-Only And Abundance-Related Scores From Field Data

The Biological Monitoring Working Party (BMWP) score system was introduced in 1980 to provide an index of river water quality for England and Wales based on aquatic macro-invertebrates.  The score allocated to each taxon was set by a group of expert river biologists based upon their collective experience of the taxon’s sensitivity to organic pollution (Hawkes, 1997).  This paper describes an objective reappraisal of these subjectively-derived scores through the statistical analysis of a large and comprehensive database of field samples.  Using the analytical approach of Walley & Hawkes (1996, 1997) two different methods of using biological and environmental data were evaluated as a basis for revising BMWP scores, both of which accounted for variations in site type. One method, MNWH (Modified New Walley Hawkes), used MASPT (a Modified Average Score Per Taxon) as its ranking metric and required analyses performed on separated data sets divided into three sites types.  The other method already accounted for type effects and was based on EQIMASPT, which used the EQI (Environmental Quality Index) based on MASPT to provide its ranking metric. Both of these methods involved the use of modified BMWP scores for Oligochaeta and Chironomidae for reasons that are explained and justified. Following evaluation the investigation proceeded using the MNWH methodology to derive present-only (PO) and abundance-related (AR) scores for the BMWP taxa (and 19 additional taxa mostly from the order Diptera plus 16 extra taxa resulting from the splitting of eight BMWP composite taxa). The MNWH scores are shown to be generally in keeping with Walley & Hawkes (WH) scores, except for a few rare taxa that were represented by very small samples in the Walley & Hawkes study. \ud
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Online First articl
Stakeholder prioritization, strategic corporate social responsibility and company performance: further evidence.

ArticleThis is the accepted version of the following article: Stakeholder Prioritization, Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility and Company Performance: Further Evidence. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 2014, which has been published in final form at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/csr.1356/abstractUsing KLD data on more than 900 company's performance over a nine-year period in seven areas of corporate social responsibility (environment, community, corporate governance, diversity, employee relations, human rights, and product quality), this research note re-tests Michelon et al. proxies for prioritization and strategic approaches to CSR. The results show that, when a company pursues CSR initiatives that are linked to stakeholder preferences and allocates resources to these initiatives in a strategic way, the positive effect of its CSR initiatives on financial corporate performance (CP) strengthen. The analysis of KLD's variance and top tiers is thus proposed as a parsimonious way to measure when companies link their CSR initiatives to salient stakeholder preferences and undertake the corporate social actions that are ultimately relevant to the company's strategy and financials
Determination of catalase activity and its inhibition by a simple manometric method

[Excerpt] Introduction: There has been a considerable amount of controversy about the use of manometric methods to measure catalase activity. As Maehly and Chance point out in their excellent review] the advantages of these methods is "... that they can be used for any kind of biological material, and purification of the enzyme is not required. The assay is independent of small amounts of peroxidase activity. It is fairly simple to perform, it is rapid and it can be adapted to continuous reading of the reaction". A variety of drawbacks are also listed by the same authors, viz, the inactivation of the enzyme under the experimental conditions and the time lag before a constant rate of oxygen evolution is reached. [...
Improving solar wind persistence forecasts : removing transient space weather events, and using observations away from the Sun-Earth line

This study demonstrates two significant ways of improving persistence forecasts of the solar wind, which exploit the relatively unchanging nature of the ambient solar wind to provide 27 day forecasts, when using data from the Lagrangian L1 point. Such forecasts are useful both as a prediction tool for the ambient wind, but also for benchmarking of solar wind models. We show solar wind persistence forecasts can be improved by removing transient solar wind features such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Using CME indicators to automatically identify CME-contaminated periods in ACE data from 1998-2011, and replacing these with solar wind from a previous synodic rotation, persistence forecasts improve (relative to a baseline): skill scores for the southward IMF component Bz, a crucial parameter for determining solar wind geoeffectiveness, improve by 7.7 percentage points when using a commonly-available indicator, based on the proton temperature. We also show persistence forecasts can be improved by using measurements away from L1, to reduce the requirement on coronal stability for an entire synodic period, at the cost of reduced lead time. Using STEREO-B data from 2007-2013 to create such a reduced lead time persistence forecast, we show Bz skill scores improve by 17.1 percentage points relative to ACE. Finally, we report on implications for persistence forecasts from any future missions to the L5 Lagrangian point, and on the successful operational implementation of the normal (ACE-based) and reduced lead time (STEREO-based) persistence forecasts in the Met Office’s Space Weather Operations Centre (MOSWOC), where they have been routinely used by forecasters since spring 2015, as well as plans for future improvements