On the extraction, ordering, and usage of landmarks in planning

Many known planning tasks have inherent constraints concerning the best order in which to achieve the goals. A number of research efforts have been made to detect such constraints and use them for guiding search, in the hope to speed up the planning process. We go beyond the previous approaches by dening ordering constraints not only over the (top level) goals, but also over the sub-goals that will arise during planning. Landmarks are facts that must be true at some point in every valid solution plan. We show how such landmarks can be found, how their inherent ordering constraints can be approximated, and how this information can be used to decompose a given planning task into severa smaller sub-tasks. Our methodology is completely domain- and planner-independent. The implementation demonstrates that the approach can yield significant performance improvements in both heuristic forward search and GRAPHPLAN-style planning

The impact of artificial intelligence on the nature and quality of jobs. Bruegel WORKING PAPER | ISSUE 14/2022 | 27 JULY 2022.

Artificial intelligence (AI), like any workplace technology, changes the division of labour in an organisation and the resulting design of jobs. When used as an automation technology, AI changes the bundle of tasks that make up an occupation. In this case, implications for job quality depend on the (re)composition of those tasks. When AI automates management tasks, known as algorithmic management, the consequences extend into workers’ control over their work, with impacts on their autonomy, skill use and workload. We identify four use cases of algorithmic management that impact the design and quality of jobs: algorithmic work-method instructions; algorithmic scheduling of shifts and tasks; algorithmic surveillance, evaluation and discipline; and algorithmic coordination across tasks. Reviewing the existing empirical evidence on automation and algorithmic management shows significant impact on job quality across a wide range of jobs and employment settings. While each AI use case has its own particular effects on job demands and resources, the effects tend to be more negative for the more prescriptive (as opposed to supportive) use cases. These changes in job design demonstrably affect the social and physical environment of work and put pressure on contractual employment conditions as well. As technology development is a product of power in organisations, it replicates existing power dynamics in society. Consequently, disadvantaged groups suffer more of the negative consequences of AI, risking further job-quality polarisation across socioeconomic groups. Meaningful worker participation in the adoption of workplace AI is critical to mitigate the potentially negative effects of AI adoption on workers, and can help achieve fair and transparent AI systems with human oversight. Policymakers should strengthen the role of social partners in the adoption of AI technology to protect workers’ bargaining power

Another case of acute cardiopulmonary toxicity with cord blood infusion: is dextran the culprit?

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/89502/1/j.1537-2995.2011.03424.x.pd

What a pity, Pepper! How warmth in robot's language impacts reactions to errors during a collaborative task

Hoffmann L, Derksen M, Kopp S. What a pity, Pepper! How warmth in robot's language impacts reactions to errors during a collaborative task. In: HRI '20 Companion. ACM; 2020

Psychometric Properties of the Adult Self-Report: Data from over 11,000 American Adults

The first purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure of the Adult Self-Report (ASR) via traditional confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and contemporary exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM). The second purpose was to examine the measurement invariance of the ASR subscales across age groups. We used baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. ASR data from 11,773 participants were used to conduct the CFA and ESEM analyses and data from 11,678 participants were used to conduct measurement invariance testing. Fit indices supported both the CFA and ESEM solutions, with the ESEM solution yielding better fit indices. However, several items in the ESEM solution did not sufficiently load on their intended factors and/or cross-loaded on unintended factors. Results from the measurement invariance analysis suggested that the ASR subscales are robust and fully invariant across subgroups of adults formed on the basis of age (18–35 years vs. 36–59 years). Future research should seek to both CFA and ESEM to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the ASR

Using audit and feedback to increase clinician adherence to clinical practice guidelines in brain injury rehabilitation: v

ObjectiveThis study evaluated whether frequent (fortnightly) audit and feedback cycles over a sustained period of time (>12 months) increased clinician adherence to recommended guidelines in acquired brain injury rehabilitation.DesignA before and after study design.SettingA metropolitan inpatient brain injury rehabilitation unit.ParticipantsClinicians; medical, nursing and allied health staff.InterventionsFortnightly cycles of audit and feedback for 14 months. Each fortnight, medical file and observational audits were completed against 114 clinical indicators.Main outcome measureAdherence to guideline indicators before and after intervention, calculated by proportions, Mann-Whitney U and Chi square analysis.ResultsClinical and statistical significant improvements in median clinical indicator adherence were found immediately following the audit and feedback program from 38.8% (95% CI 34.3 to 44.4) to 83.6% (95% CI 81.8 to 88.5). Three months after cessation of the intervention, median adherence had decreased from 82.3% to 76.6% (95% CI 72.7 to 83.3, pConclusionA fortnightly audit and feedback program increased clinicians’ adherence to guideline recommendations in an inpatient acquired brain injury rehabilitation setting. We propose future studies build on the evidence-based method used in the present study to determine effectiveness and develop an implementation toolkit for scale-up.</div

That Robot Touch that Means so Much: On the Psychological Effects of Human-Robot Touch

Robots are unique compared to other forms of artificial intelligence because they own a physical body that allows them to get into physical contact with humans. There is a huge amount of literature and empirical work that demonstrates the importance of touch for the development of man as well as other species as monkeys. Especially, the positive impact of interpersonal touch on health, bonding and attachment has been frequently observed. Furthermore, positive evaluative consequences of interpersonal touch on the toucher, i.e., the initiator of touch, and the surroundings has been revealed, as well as an influence on compliance and helping. Taken together it seems as if touch is a powerful way of nonverbal communication that is capable to increase the well-being of the receiver, and the initiator of touch, too. Against the background of earlier work in the realm of human-computer interaction that demonstrated that people equate interactions with interactive media as computers or robots with interpersonal interactions (media equation: Nass & Moon, 2000; Reeves & Nass, 1996; see also Krämer & Hoffmann, 2016, for an updated overview), it is assumed that touch from a robot can result in comparable positive impacts on human well- being. As a prerequisite for the examination of the physiological and psychological effects of human-robot touch, basic research was first necessary to structure the field of human- robot touch in comparison to interpersonal touch. For that purpose, four empirical studies were conducted that untangled the perception of human-robot touch referring to research on interpersonal touch, to test whether the media equation also applies to a fundamental interpersonal phenomenon such as touch. Therefore, the perception of different forms of human-robot touch with different robots (Study 1 & 2) in different interaction contexts (Study 3) were first considered in the most controllable way by means of the observation and evaluation of photographs. In addition, the underlying appraisal process that decides upon the final reaction to robot touch was theoretically and practically considered based on expectancy violations theory (Burgoon, 1983; Burgoon & Hale, 1988) that originates from the field of interpersonal communication. Finally, actual touch initiated by a robot to participants in a laboratory experiment were regarded and analyzed with respect to the impact of robot touch on participants’ subjective evaluation, as well as on observable reactions as laughing, compliance and helping (Study 4). In conclusion, influencing variables that determine the desirability of human-robot touch were revealed, namely characteristics of the robot (morphology and size), characteristics of the person (e.g., attitudes towards touch, attitudes towards robots, touch expectancies), the intimacy and direction of touch, i.e., who touches whom, and the meaning assigned to human-robot touch regarding relational interpretations of closeness and affection. Finally, positive emotional reactions to actual robot-initiated touch, and heightened compliance have been observed in a laboratory experiment.Roboter sind im Vergleich zu anderen Formen der künstlichen Entitäten einzigartig, da sie über einen physischen Körper verfügen, der ihnen erlaubt, in Berührung mit Menschen zu gelangen. Eine Vielzahl an empirischen Studien konnte bereits zeigen, dass die Bedeutung eine fundamentale Rolle in der Entwicklung von Menschen wie auch anderen Arten wie zum Beispiel Affen spielt. Allem voran wurde die positive Wirkung der zwischenmenschlichen Berührung auf die individuelle Gesundheit wie auch die zwischenmenschliche Bindung häufig belegt. Darüber hinaus wurden positive Konsequenzen der zwischenmenschlichen Berührung auf die Evaluation des Berührers, d. h. des Initiators der Berührung, und der Umgebung aufgedeckt, sowie ein Einfluss auf die Bereitschaft einer Bitte nachzukommen und Hilfeleistung zu zeigen. Zusammengenommen scheint Berührung eine einflussreiche Form nonverbaler Kommunikation zu sein, die in der Lage ist, das Wohlbefinden des Empfängers wie auch Initiators zu erhöhen. Vor dem Hintergrund früherer Arbeiten auf dem Gebiet der Mensch-Computer Interaktion, die zeigen, dass Menschen dazu neigen Interaktionen mit interaktiven Medien wie Computern oder Robotern mit der zwischenmenschlichen Kommunikation gleichsetzen (media equation: Nass & Moon, 2000; Reeves & Nass, 1996; see also Krämer & Hoffmann, 2016, für einen aktuellen Überblick), wird davon ausgegangen, dass eine Berührung durch einen Roboter vergleichbare positive Auswirkungen auf das menschliche Wohlbefinden haben kann. Als Voraussetzung für die Untersuchung der physiologischen und psychologischen Auswirkungen von Mensch-Roboter Berührung war zunächst grundlegende Forschung notwendig, um das Gebiet der Mensch-Roboter Berührung im Vergleich zur zwischenmenschlichen Berührung zu strukturieren. Zu diesem Zweck wurden vier empirische Studien durchgeführt, die dazu dienten die Wahrnehmung und Beurteilung von Mensch-Roboter Berührung mit der der Wahrnehmung und Beurteilung zwischenmenschlicher Berührung zu vergleichen, um anschließend theoretische und empirische Befunde aus dem zwischenmenschlichem Kontext auf den Bereich der Mensch-Roboter Interaktion übertragen zu können. Dazu wurde die Wahrnehmung verschiedener Formen von Mensch-Roboter Berührung mit verschiedenen Robotern (Studie 1 & 2) in verschiedenen Interaktionskontexten (Studie 3) zunächst durch die kontrollierte Beobachtung und Bewertung von Fotos untersucht. Darüber hinaus wurde der zugrundeliegende Beurteilungsprozess, der von der ersten Wahrnehmung von Mensch-Roboter Berührung über die Interpretation und Beurteilung schließlich für die finale Reaktion auf Berührung verantwortlich ist, auf Basis der Expectancy Violations Theory (Burgoon, 1983; Burgoon & Hale, 1988) betrachtet. Abschließend wurde im Rahmen eines Laborexperimentes, der Effekt tatsächlicher Berührung durch einen humanoiden Roboter auf das subjektive Empfinden und beobachtbare Reaktionen wie Lachen, Einwilligungsbreitschaft und Hilfeverhalten untersucht (Studie 4). Zusammenfassend lässt sich feststellen, dass Eigenschaften des Roboters (Morphologie und Größe), Merkmale der Person (z.B. Einstellungen gegenüber zwischenmenschlicher Berührung, Einstellung gegenüber Robotern, Berührungserwartungen), die Intimität und Richtung der Berührung, d.h. wer berührt wen, und die zugeschriebene Bedeutung der Berührung einen Einfluss auf die Wahrnehmung und Akzeptanz on Mensch-Roboter Berührung nehmen. Schlussendlich konnte im Rahmen eines Laborexperimentes gezeigt werden, dass positive emotionale Konsequenzen und eine erhöhte Einwilligungsbereitschaft auf die echte Berührung durch einen Roboter folgten

Lessons Learned from Teaching Data Analytics in a Fully Online Mode at Postgraduate Level

This paper reports on the experiences of developing and delivering the online MSc. in Business Intelligence and Data Mining between 2010 and 2013. We outline our rationale for the selection of Adobe Connect as a synchronous classroom tool and discuss our use of the moodle virtual learning environment to support asynchronous learning and communication. We also discuss some of the key changes in approaches to teaching and assessment and the challenges that were faced by academics in adapting classroom based courses to an online distance education environment. We conclude by examining student interactions with the synchronous and asynchronous delivery technologies and reflect on feedback provided by staff and students throughout the delivery of the course

eine retrospektive Studie zu Saisonalität, Umweltfaktoren und Prognose

Hintergrund Ziel der Studie war es, eine mögliche saisonale Variation in der Inzidenz von Kopf-Hals-Tumoren unter Berücksichtigung der Tumorstadien und Risikofaktoren zu untersuchen. Die Patientencharakteristika sowie ihr onkologisches Outcome galt es mit der Literatur zu vergleichen. Gleichzeitig sollten prognosebestimmende Faktoren (Tumorcharakteristika, Therapie, Lymphknotenvariablen) identifiziert und kritisch hinterfragt werden. Methodik In der retrospektiven Studie wurden 2333 Patienten mit Plattenepithelkarzinom des oberen Aerodigestivtrakts eingeschlossen, die im Zeitraum zwischen 01.01.2012 und 31.12.2016 an der Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin behandelt wurden. Es wurden soziodemographische Faktoren, tumorbezogene Daten (TNM-Klassifikation, Histologie, Lokalisation), die Behandlung und Risikofaktoren (Tabak- und Alkoholkonsum, p16INK4a-Status) durch das klinische Krebsregister erfasst. Die statistische Auswertung der Daten erfolgte anonymisiert mit Hilfe des Statistikprogrammes SPSS 25. Zur Analyse der Häufigkeitsverteilung von kategorialen Variablen fand der Chi-Quadrat-Test Anwendung. Anhand der Kaplan-Meier-Methode wurden Überlebenszeitdaten wie das Gesamtüberleben und das krankheitsfreie Überleben für verschiedene patienten- und tumorbezogene Variablen berechnet. Mit Hilfe von Cox-Regressions-Modellen wurden multivariate Überlebenszeitanalysen durchgeführt und unabhängige prognosebestimmende Faktoren identifiziert. Ergebnisse Im Patientenkollektiv befand sich ein hoher Anteil von Rauchern (64,7%) und Alkoholabhängigen (7,2%). 12% der Patienten mit Oropharynxkarzinom hatten einen positiven p16INK4a-Status. Eine signifikante Saisonalität der Inzidenz lag weder im Gesamtkollektiv noch in der Subgruppenanalyse vor. Das Fünf-Jahres-Gesamtüberleben betrug 47% und das krankheitsfreie Fünf-Jahres-Überleben 64%. In der multivariaten Analyse zeigten sich die Lymphknotenrate (p<0,001) sowie die Anzahl befallener Lymphknoten (p<0,001) als hochsignifikante Prognosefaktoren, wohingegen das pN-Stadium keinen signifikanten Einfluss hatte. Ebenso erwiesen sich das Alter (p<0,001), das T-Stadium (p<0,001), das M-Stadium (p<0,0001) und das extrakapsuläre Wachstum (p=0,023) als prognosebestimmend. Schlussfolgerung Anerkannte Risikofaktoren wie Tabak- und Alkoholabusus sowie ein positiver p16INK4a-Status zeigten im Patientenkollektiv eine hohe Prävalenz. Eine saisonale Variation in der Inzidenz, die für andere Tumorentitäten beschrieben wurde, ließ sich für Kopf-Hals-Malignome in der retrospektiven Analyse nicht bestätigen. Aufgrund der hohen Fallzahl der Studie, der epidemiologischen Repräsentativität des Patientenkollektivs und der ganzjährigen Patientenbetreuung an der Universitätsklinik kann hierbei von einem verlässlichen Ergebnis ausgegangen werden. Das onkologische Outcome des Patientenkollektivs gestaltete sich im nationalen Vergleich als gleichwertig. Bei chirurgischer Therapie stellten sich die Variablen Lymphknotenrate und Anzahl befallener Lymphknoten als bessere Prognoseparameter als das pN-Stadium dar. Die Erfassung jener Lymphknotenvariablen zur Risikostratifizierung neben der TNM-Klassifikation ist daher empfehlenswert. The aim of this study was to investigate a possible seasonal variation in the incidence of head and neck cancer considering tumor stages and risk factors. Furthermore, it is to examine the patients’ characteristics and their oncologic results and compare them to the literature. This study also claims to identify and question predictors of survival (for example tumor characteristics, therapy, lymph node variables). Methods The records of 2333 patients suffering from squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and treated at the university hospital Charité Berlin between 1st January 2012 and 31st December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Therefore, the Charité Comprehensive Cancer Center registered socio-demographic data, tumor-related data, treatment and risk factors. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS 25. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to estimate survival function including overall survival and disease-free survival depending on various patient- and tumor-related values. Cox regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of survival. Results The study population was composed by a high percentage of smokers (64,7%) and alcohol addicts (7,2%). 12% of patients suffering from oropharyngeal cancer were p16INK4a positive. There was no significant seasonality of incidence in the overall collective or subgroup analysis. The overall five-year survival rate was 47% and the five-year disease-free survival rate was 64%. In the multivariate analysis, lymph node ratio (p<0,001) and the number of positive lymph nodes (p<0,001) were highly significant prognostic factors, whereas N classification was not a significant predictor of survival. Likewise, variables independently prognostic were age (p<0,001), T classification (p<0,001), M classification (p<0,0001) and extranodal extension (p=0,023. Conclusion Well-established risk factors such as tobacco and alcohol consumption as well as a positive p16INK4a status showed a high prevalence in the patient collective. A seasonal influence on the development of head and neck malignancies as it is described for other tumor entities could not be confirmed in the retrospective analysis. Due to the high number of cases in the study, the epidemiological representativeness of the patient collective and the year-round patient care at the university hospital, a reliable result can be assumed. The oncological outcome of the patient collective turned out to be equivalent in a national comparison. In surgical therapy, the variables lymph node ratio and number of affected lymph nodes were better prognosis parameters than the pN stage. Therefore, the collection of those lymph node variables for risk stratification in addition to the TNM classification is recommended