Limited Supervision Research Articles

A Review article on Semi- Supervised Clustering Framework for High Dimensional Data

Cluster analysis methods seek to partition a data set into homogeneous subgroups. It is useful in a wide variety of applications, including document processing and modern genetics. Conventional clustering methods are unsupervised, meaning that there is no outcome variable nor is anything known about the relationship between the observations in the data set. In many situations, however, information about the clusters is available in addition to the values of the features [2]. For example, the cluster labels of some observations may be known, or certain observations may be known to belong to the same cluster. In other cases, one may wish to identify clusters that are associated with a particular outcome variable. This review describes several clustering algorithms (known as �semi-supervised clustering� methods) that can be applied in these situations [3]. The majority of these methods are modifications of the popular k-means clustering method, and several of them will be described in detail. A brief description of some other semi-supervised clustering algorithms is also provided. Cluster formation has three types as supervised clustering, unsupervised clustering and semi supervised. This paper reviews traditional and state-of-the-art methods of clustering [1]. Clustering algorithms are based on active learning, with ensemble clustering-means algorithm, data streams with flock, fuzzy clustering for shape annotations, Incremental semi supervised clustering, Weakly supervised clustering, with minimum labeled data, self-organizing based on neural networks. Incremental semi-supervised clustering ensemble framework (ISSCE) which makes utilization of the advantage of the arbitrary subspace method, the limitation spread approach, the proposed incremental ensemble member choice process, and the normalized cut algorithm to perform high dimensional information clustering [4]. Semi-supervised clustering employs limited supervision in the form of labeled instances or pairwise instance constraints to aid unsupervised clustering and often significantly improves the clustering performance. Despite the vast amount of expert knowledge spent on this problem, most existing work is not designed for handling high-dimensional sparse data.

Factors the Development of Region Promotion Activities Centre (PKWp) in Lebak District Banten Province

Lebak Regency as one of the districts that is still lagging behind in Banten Province, does not rule out the possibility of having the potential to be developed so that it can compete with other districts / cities in Banten Province. PKWp is the center of activities that are promoted later to be designated as Regional Activity Centers. There are two sub-districts included in the PKWp in Lebak Regency, namely Maja and Bayah. The problem that occurs is that it still relies on the agricultural sector so that it needs to be developed in the non-agricultural sector, limited supervision of spatial utilization, not yet supporting infrastructure facilities in the development of PKWp, and regional disparities between districts in Lebak Regency. The purpose of this study was to find out and analyze the development of PKWp in Lebak Regency and analyze the driving or inhibiting factors in developing PKWp in Lebak Regency. This study used qualitative research methods. The results of this study the driving factors in regional development, namely physical (education, health, economy and infrastructure) and investment, while inhibiting factors in regional development, namely social, productive population migration, government policies, trade patterns and trade activities.

High Adherence To Home-Based Exercise Improves Muscle Strength And Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Advanced Prostate Cancer

Exercise is a potential mechanism for mitigating some side effects caused by adrogen deprivation therapy (ADT) for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and home-based interventions may help eliminate barriers to physical activity. PURPOSE: To assess feasibility, adherence, and physiological changes following a home-based exercise intervention in men with mCRPC receiving ADT and androgen receptor targeting agents. METHODS: Men with mCRPC (age=71y ± 10, BMI=29.64 kg/m2 ± 3.4) completed body composition (DXA), muscular strength, physical function, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) before and after a 12-week home-based exercise intervention (with weekly phone contact) using resistance band and wearable technology for tracking walking. Patient reported outcomes were used for the assessment of fatigue (FACIT-Fatigue), quality of life (FACT-P) and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). Feasibility (target: 67%) was determined as the % of patients who completed the intervention. Adherence (target: 75%) to the overall program and specific activities was determined as the number completed relative to prescribed. Physiological changes were assessed using paired samples t-tests and adherence rates with a single sample t-test. RESULTS: Fourteen men completed baseline testing and eight completed the intervention (57%), which was lower than the target value. Adherence was reached but did not statistically exceed the target value of 75% for overall (82.7% ± 9.5; p=0.076), walking (80.7% ± 14.2; p=0.326), or resistance training (85.3% ± 12.5; p=0.072). Core focused exercises had significantly lower adherence (58% ± 35.7; p<0.001). Training significantly increased leg press maximal strength (10.7% ± 6.7, p=0.023) and peak oxygen consumption (9.7% ± 22.4%, p=0.013). No significant difference occurred in any other variable tested. CONCLUSIONS: Feasibility estimates were lower than expected but the high adherence promoted improvements in strength and cardiorespiratory function during mCRPC treatment but did not translate into functional improvements. These preliminary findings suggest home-based interventions are promising, but limited supervision or advanced disease may limit completion of training protocol.

Exploring the audit capabilities expectation-performance gap of newly employed first-year trainee accountants in Gauteng: Audit managers at large firms’ perceptions

The objective of this paper is to determine the relative size of the expectation-performance gap of technical auditing and assurance knowledge of newly employed first-year trainee accountants. In a study dealing with the expectation-performance gap in accounting education it was reported that according to practitioners, graduates were not able to demonstrate the expected practical accounting knowledge. This gives rise to the question: is the gap really as big as practitioners would like academic institutions to believe? As the relative extent of the gap will be determined in this study, the findings could assist audit and assurance academics in understanding accounting practitioners’ expectations of and concerns about newly employed first-year trainee accountants, which as a result could be addressed in their education practices. In addition, training at training offices at audit firms could be customised to focus on the areas in which the newly employed first-year trainee accountants are lacking.A questionnaire was used to determine audit managers’ perceptions regarding their expectations and their perceptions regarding the actual levels of capability demonstrated by newly employed first-year trainee accountants when performing technical audit and assurance tasks, after which the relative size of the expectation-performance gap was determined. The findings indicate that audit managers do not expect newly employed first-year trainee accountants to be capable of performing any of the identified technical audit and assurance tasks without, or with only limited supervision. However, despite this rather low expectation, it was evident that newly employed first-year trainee accountants do not meet audit managers’ expectations. The technical audit and assurance task with the largest expectation-performance gap was the ability of newly employed first-year trainee accountants to consider and document the need to use computer-assisted audit techniques to gather audit evidence, with an expectation-performance gap of 28.9%.

Examining professional competencies for emerging and novice social workers in health care

ABSTRACT This participatory project identified competencies of social workers in health care, with a focus on entry to the field. Findings reflected discussion groups with n = 24 social workers in health care settings. Identified core competencies were: (a) a core base of knowledge specific to social work in health care, (b) understanding of the health care system and implications for practice, (c) a strong work ethic and confidence working with limited supervision, (d) interpersonal skills for multi-disciplinary teamwork, (e) understanding about complex role and power dynamics, (f) accountability for one’s own work/practice and commitment to professional development, (g) reflectiveness on practice, and (h) an organizational commitment to capacity building.

Quality Study and Improvement of Logistic Processes on the Example of a Chosen Enterprise

Abstract This article presents the issues of quality research and improvement of logistics processes in the area of distribution of one of selected industrial enterprises. The case described concerns the producer of raw chemical materials, who acts as a supplier for industrial customers. The studied company, due to dynamic changes in product demand, very often outsources the distribution of raw materials to external transport companies. This solution results in limited supervision over commissioned processes, which may lead to increased probability of customer dissatisfaction. The article presents the results of the study of the quality of logistic processes implemented or commissioned in the examined enterprise. The assessment was based on the results of the customer satisfaction survey and the results of the analysis of received complaints regarding deliveries. Analysis of the causes of complaints allowed to identify the actions necessary to improve the quality of logistics processes. This article contains, among others, the criteria for the assessment of transport service providers and a set of recommendations to reduce the risks associated with logistics processes of deliveries.

Novel synthesis of superparamagnetic plasmonic core-shell iron oxide-gold nanoparticles

Magnetically removable plasmonic nanoparticles are of great interest for biomedical and catalytical applications. A novel and straightforward method to prepare a core-shell structure consisting of a superparamagnetic Fe3O4 core coated with a plasmonic gold shell is described. The synthesis combines ease of functionalization, limited supervision and high reproducibility while being environmentally friendly. A gold shell with a tunable thickness of 30–70 nm was grown on a Fe3O4 core 20 nm in diameter through reduction of gold salt in an ultrasonic bath. The thickness of the gold shell could be tuned by varying the amount of gold salt added. It was possible to prepare core-shell nanoparticles of sizes between 80 and 160 nm. The magnetic and plasmonic behavior of the core-shell nanoparticles is studied. To demonstrate potential use in biomedical applications, a functionalization with polyethylene glycol (PEG) is performed.

Nonparametric Terrain Estimation for Planetary Rovers Based on Noncontact Rut Measurement

AbstractThe estimation of terrain mechanical properties is an important mission of planetary exploration rovers. Since only limited resources and human supervision are available, efficient and accu...

Factors contributing to motivation of volunteer community health workers in Ethiopia: the case of four woredas (districts) in Oromia and Tigray regions

BackgroundThe use of community health workers (CHWs) has been considered as one of the strategies to address the growing shortage of health workers, predominantly in low-income countries. They are playing a pivotal role in lessening health disparities through improving health outcomes for underserved populations. Yet, little is known about what factors motivate and drive them to continue working as CHWs. In this study, we aimed to examine factors contributing to the motivation of volunteer CHWs (vCHWs) in Ethiopia currently known as one-to-five network leaders (1to5NLs) and explore variations between attributes of social and work-related determinants.MethodWe conducted a cross-sectional study in four selected woredas (the second lowest administrative structure in Ethiopia, and similar to a district) of Oromia and Tigray regions and interviewed 786 1to5NLs. The effects of each motivational factor were explored using percentage of respondents who agreed and strongly agreed to each of them and Mann-Whitney U test.ResultsIndividual, community, and health system factors contributed to the motivation of 1to5NLs in this study. Intrinsic desire to have a good status in the community as a result of their volunteer service (81.86%) followed by a commitment to serve the community (81.61%) and to gain satisfaction by accomplishing something worthwhile to the community (81.61%) were some of the factors motivating 1to5NLs in our study. Despite these motivational items, factors such as lack of career development (51.47%), unclear health development army guideline (59.26%), limited supervision and support (62.32%), and lack of recognition and appreciation of accomplishments (63.22%) were the factors negatively affecting motivation of 1to5NLs. Lack of career development, limited supervision and support, and lack of recognition and appreciation of accomplishments were significantly varied between attributes of educational level, marital status, service year as 1to5NLs, and previous volunteer engagement (at P < 0.05).ConclusionFindings of our study indicated that non-financial incentives such as the creation of career development models is the key to motivating and retaining CHWs where they are not receiving stipends. Sustainability of CHW program should consider exploring enhanced innovations to strengthen supportive supervision, development of better mechanisms to publicize the role of CHWs, and improvement of recognition and appreciation schemes for CHWs’ efforts and accomplishments.

A multi-sensor robotic platform for ground mapping and estimation beyond the visible spectrum

Accurate soil mapping is critical for a highly-automated agricultural vehicle to successfully accomplish important tasks including seeding, ploughing, fertilising and controlled traffic, with limited human supervision, ensuring at the same time high safety standards. In this research, a multi-sensor ground mapping and characterisation approach is proposed, whereby data coming from heterogeneous but complementary sensors, mounted on-board an unmanned rover, are combined to generate a multi-layer map of the environment and specifically of the supporting ground. The sensor suite comprises both exteroceptive and proprioceptive devices. Exteroceptive sensors include a stereo camera, a visible and near infrared camera and a thermal imager. Proprioceptive data consist of the vertical acceleration of the vehicle sprung mass as acquired by an inertial measurement unit. The paper details the steps for the integration of the different sensor data into a unique multi-layer map and discusses a set of exteroceptive and proprioceptive features for soil characterisation and change detection. Experimental results obtained with an all-terrain vehicle operating on different ground surfaces are presented. It is shown that the proposed technologies could be potentially used to develop all-terrain self-driving systems in agriculture. In addition, multi-modal soil maps could be useful to feed farm management systems that would present to the user various soil layers incorporating colour, geometric, spectral and mechanical properties.

Preliminary Evaluation of an Innovative, Brief Parenting Program Designed to Promote Self-Regulation in Parents and Children

Children growing up in low-income households tend to be less academically, socially, and emotionally ready at school entry. Self-regulation has been identified as a key factor underlying children’s academic achievement and social–emotional competence and may be promoted through effective parenting. However, few existing parenting programs that teach behavioral parenting skills simultaneously address parents’ self-regulation skills or promote strategies for coping with income-related stress and adversity. Systematic evaluation of the added benefit of incorporating these practices into parenting programs is needed. We conducted preliminary evaluation of a brief parenting program that aims to promote young children’s self-regulation, social–emotional competence, and academic readiness by enhancing parent mindfulness, self-regulation, and evidence-based parenting practices. Evaluations were conducted in two early learning programs serving low-income families. Staff at the sites received limited training and supervision to deliver the program, to test the feasibility of implementing a program with lower resource demands. Observed and self-reported changes in parenting (increased scaffolding and consistency, decreased rejection and negativity), self-reported changes in parent self-regulation, and observed and mother-reported changes in child adjustment (decreased negative affect, increased social competence and academic readiness) were demonstrated. This pilot yielded promising initial evidence for a two-generation approach to increase both parent and child self-regulation in at-risk families.

A new Semi-Supervised Intuitionistic Fuzzy C-means Clustering

Semi-supervised clustering algorithms aim to increase the accuracy of unsupervised clustering process by effectively exploring the limited supervision available in the form of labelled data. Also the intuitionistic fuzzy sets, a generalization of fuzzy sets, have been proven to deal better with the problem of uncertainty present in the data. In this paper, we have proposed to embed the concept of intuitionistic fuzzy set theory with semi-supervised approach to further improve the clustering process. We evaluated the performance of the proposed methodology on several benchmark real data sets based on several internal and external indices. The proposed Semi-Supervised Intuitionistic Fuzzy C-means clustering is compared with several state of the art clustering/classification algorithms. Experimental results show that our proposed algorithm is a better alternative to these competing approaches.

Violations of workers\u2019 rights and exposure to work-related abuse of live-in migrant and live-out local home care workers \u2013 a preliminary study: implications for health policy and practice

BackgroundHome care workers work in an isolated environment, with limited supervision and guidance which makes them more prone to abuse and exploitation. While past research focused mostly on the well-being of care recipients, this study aimed to shed light on the care workers’ daily reality and explore if and how boundaries of professional care work are blurred. Our primary aim was to assess the working conditions and the prevalence of abuse and exploitation among live-in migrant home care workers and live-out local home care workers.MethodsA random stratified sample of Israeli older adults aged over 70, who are entitled by law to home care services was used to recruit 338 migrant live-in home care workers and 185 local live-out home care workers to a face-to-face survey. The participants were asked about their relationship with the care recipient and their exposure to violations of workers’ rights and work-related abuse.ResultsAlmost all the participants reported exposure to certain workers’ rights violations. Among the migrant live-in care workers, it was found that 58% of them did not receive any vacation days besides the weekly day-off, about 30% reported not get even a weekly day-off on a regular basis, and 79% did not get paid sick days. Local live-out care workers also suffered from a high prevalence of exploitation - 58% did not get any vacation days besides the weekly day-off, and 66% did not get paid sick leave. 20% of the local live-out care workers, and 15% of the migrant live-in care workers did not receive a signed contract. A smaller portion (7.4% among migrant care workers, 2.5% among local care workers) reported work-related abuse. When compared to local workers, migrant home care workers were more vulnerable to some worker’s rights violations, as well as emotional abuse.ConclusionThese findings are disturbing, as work-related abuse and exploitation affect not only the well-being of the care worker but also the health of the care recipients, as the quality of care provided deteriorates. At the public policy level, more significant attention and regulation of the home care industry is needed. The frequency and the nature of home visits made by home care agencies must be changed. Also, home care workers should be offered emotional support.

Understanding Design Vulnerabilities in the Physical Environment Relating to Patient Fall Patterns in a Psychiatric Hospital: Seven Years of Sentinel Events.

The influence of the physical environment on patient falls has not been fully explored in psychiatric units, despite this patient population's vulnerability and the critical role of the physical environment in patient safety. The research objective is to describe the spatial and temporal pattern of falls occurrences and their location in relation to the levels of safety continuum model. This article presents an exploratory case study design. Seven years of retrospective data on patient falls, yielding 818 sentinel events, in an 81-bed psychiatric hospital in the United States were collected and analyzed. Data focused on extrinsic factors for falls, emphasizing the physical environment. Through a content analysis of the sentinel event narratives, recorded by the hospital staff, this study explored patient falls related to location and elements of the physical environment. The analysis revealed that 15% of recorded falls were attributed to some aspect of or element within the physical environment. The most typical locations of falls were patient rooms (39%), patient bathrooms (22%), and dayrooms (20%). Also, the results identified patterns of environmental factors that appeared linked to increasing patients' susceptibility to falls. Risk factors included poor nighttime lighting, flooring surfaces that were uneven, and spaces that inadvertently limited visual access and supervision. The physical environment plays an often-unexamined role in fall events and specific locations. These results are deserving of further research on design strategies and applications to reduce patient falls in psychiatric hospital settings.

Output Fisher embedding regression

We investigate the use of Fisher vector representations in the output space in the context of structured and multiple output prediction. A novel, general and versatile method called output Fisher embedding regression is introduced. Based on a probabilistic modeling of training output data and the minimization of a Fisher loss, it requires to solve a pre-image problem in the prediction phase. For Gaussian Mixture Models and State-Space Models, we show that the pre-image problem enjoys a closed-form solution with an appropriate choice of the embedding. Numerical experiments on a wide variety of tasks (time series prediction, multi-output regression and multi-class classification) highlight the relevance of the approach for learning under limited supervision like learning with a handful of data per label and weakly supervised learning.

'How do they want to know?' Doctors' perspectives on making and communicating a diagnosis of dementia.

Recent drives to facilitate earlier identification of dementia have led to increased memory clinic referrals and diagnoses. This study explored the perspectives of memory clinic doctors on making and delivering diagnoses. Four focus groups were conducted with 13 psychiatrists and two geriatricians in the UK. Transcripts were coded line by line using NVIVO. Thematic analysis identified 39 categories, 18 sub-themes and eight overarching themes. Inter-rater reliability on 31% of the data was 0.89. Increased public awareness of dementia was viewed positively in facilitating access to diagnosis and treatment. Doctors viewed diagnosis as a process and expressed concerns about limited pre-diagnostic counselling and post-diagnostic support. In diagnostic delivery doctors sought to develop a narrative drawing on the patient’s report of symptoms and adjust explanations to patient preferences and awareness. However, tailoring the delivery to the individual patient was challenging when meeting for the first time. These consultations often involved three participants (doctor, patient and relative), who were felt to have differing needs and expectations. Doctors emphasized that delicacy was required in deciding in what could be discussed in front of both parties, however also stressed the importance of explicitly naming ‘dementia’. Efforts were made to balance honesty and hope when discussing prognosis and medication. The work was sometimes emotionally distressing, with limited supervision. Existing communication training was felt to be inadequate for consultations involving triads or people with cognitive impairment. Delivering a dementia diagnosis is a nuanced and challenging task. Negotiating honest descriptions of a life-limiting condition whilst instilling hope is further complicated when cognitive impairment affects comprehension. Misunderstandings at the time of feedback may limit patient opportunities for informed future planning afforded by early diagnosis. Doctors in memory clinics would benefit from evidence based training and supervision to prepare them for these emotionally challenging and complex consultations.

Design and simulation of bionic glove for rehabilitation of the paralytics

Repetitive therapy can improve dexterity and hand movement among the paralyzed and stroke affected patients. The assistance of simple robotic technology may enhance the recovery rate of such patients. The study aims at developing a low cost bionic glove rehabilitation device which aids in providing effective finger exercises for physiotherapy by the use of a potentiometer. The prototype is designed in the form of a wearable glove for easy use. It includes an ATMEGA-328 microcontroller that is programmed using Arduino software for controlling the device. The motion of the fingers during therapy is achieved using a metal gear servo motor while the linear potentiometer controls the angle. This device can be used in rehabilitation to provide repetitive therapy for fingers at home with limited supervision by the physiotherapist for the paralytics. The performance of the device is simulated and evaluated using the Proteus Intelligent Schematic Input System (ISIS) software. The results obtained from the simulation can be used to improve the features of the device for effective practical implementation.

Exploring Barriers to Medication Safety in an Ethiopian Hospital Emergency Department: A Human Factors Engineering Approach

Objective: To describe challenges associated with the medication use process and potential medication safety hazards in an Ethiopian hospital emergency department using a human factors approach.&#x0D; Methods: We conducted a qualitative study employing observations and semi-structured interviews guided by the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety model of work system as an analytical framework. The study was conducted in the emergency department of a teaching hospital in Ethiopia. Study participants included resident doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. We performed content analysis of the qualitative data using accepted procedures.&#x0D; Results: Organizational barriers included communication failures, limited supervision and support for junior staff contributing to role ambiguity and conflict. Compliance with documentation policy was minimal. Task related barriers included frequent interruptions and work-related stress resulting from job requirements to continuously prioritize the needs of large numbers of patients and family members. Person related barriers included limited training and work experience. Work-related fatigue due to long working hours interfered with staff’s ability to document and review medication orders. Equipment breakdowns were common as were non-calibrated or poorly maintained medical devices contributing to erroneous readings. Key environment related barriers included overcrowding and frequent interruption of staff’s work. Cluttering of the work space compounded the problem by impeding efforts to locate medications, medical supplies or medical charts.&#x0D; Conclusions: Applying a systems based approach allows a context specific understanding of medication safety hazards in EDs from low-income countries. When developing interventions to improve medication and overall patient safety, health leaders should consider the interactions of the different factors.&#x0D; Conflict of Interest We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received), employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties".&#x0D; Treatment of Human Subjects: IRB review/approval required and obtained&#x0D; &#x0D; Type: Original Research

Hand health for all: Do undergraduate occupational therapy hand curricula respond to the call?

The call for higher education curricula to be responsive to the South African context is growing louder. Injuries to the hand are common in South Africa and intervention is often provided by novice occupational therapists who may work in complex practice contexts with limited supervision. Comprehensive hand health practice addresses both the biomedical and occupational dimensions of the human hand. Undergraduate education programmes should be responsive to this reality in preparing graduates adequately for hand practice. This article describes the content of hand curricula within occupational therapy undergraduate programmes in South Africa with the purpose of considering how they prepare graduates for the practice realities they may face during community service. A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used with an online questionnaire aimed at determining the nature and extent of hand curricula presented in South African undergraduate occupational therapy programmes (n=8). Data were analysed using Stata 12. Time allocated to hand impairments varied considerably across universities. While assessment of biomedical performance components were taught by all universities, the occupational perspective was limited. The range and number of hand conditions and treatment modalities that were taught also varied. Findings are discussed against the contextual realities of practice in South Africa, primary health care policy, and national and international minimum standards for the education of occupational therapists. Core aspects of a hand curriculum are proposed as a means to enhance comprehensive hand health practice. Key words: Hand practice, occupational therapy education, hand health

Fraud in Healthcare Service

In Indonesia, the fraud of healthcare service implementation occurs widely in hospitals, thereby harming the participants of social insurance. The objectives of research were to find out, to analyze, and to give solution to the fraud in the healthcare service. This research was taken place in several hospitals in Central Java Indonesia using non-doctrinal or empirical method on stakeholders related to national health insurance. The result of research showed that the substance of the ratification of Health Minister’s Regulation Number 36 of 2015 about Fraud Prevention in National Health Insurance in National Social Insurance System becomes the government’s attempt in suppressing fraud in healthcare service. In its structure, healthcare service occurs due to the pressure of enacted costing system, limited supervision, and justification in committing fraud and the imbalance between health service system and burden among clinicians, service provider not giving adequate incentive, inadequate medical equipment supply, system inefficiency, less transparency in health facilities, and cultural factor. Those who are responsible for the attempt of eradicating fraud such as Health Ministry, Regency/City Health Service, Hospital’s Board of Directors, Hospital Supervision Agency and Council, Social Insurance Administration Organization, professional organization, and Social Insurance participants should walk in the cycle starting from building awareness, reporting, detecting, investigating, sanction imposing, to building awareness.