LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
The Biomechanical Effect of the Sensomotor Insole on a Pediatric Intoeing Gait

Background. The sensomotor insole (SMI) has clinically been shown to be successful in treating an intoeing gait. We investigated the biomechanical effect of SMI on a pediatric intoeing gait by using three-dimensional gait analysis. Methods. Six patients with congenital clubfeet and four patients with idiopathic intoeing gait were included. There were five boys and five girls with the average age at testing of 5.6 years. The torsional profile of the lower limb was assessed clinically. Three-dimensional gait analysis was performed in the same shoes with and without SMI. Results. All clubfeet patients exhibited metatarsal adductus, while excessive femoral anteversion and/or internal tibial torsion was found in patients with idiopathic intoeing gait. SMI showed significant decreased internal rotation of the proximal femur in terminal swing phase and loading response phase. The internal rotation of the tibia was significantly smaller in mid stance phase and terminal stance phase by SMI. In addition, SMI significantly increased the walking speed and the step length. Conclusions. SMI improved abnormal gait patterns of pediatric intoeing gait by decreasing femoral internal rotation through the end of the swing phase and the beginning of the stance phase and by decreasing tibial internal rotation during the stance phase.
Efficacy and safety of combination therapy: repaglinide plus metformin versus nateglinide plus metformin.

OBJECTIVE
An open-label, parallel-group, randomized, multicenter trial was conducted to compare efficacy and safety of repaglinide versus nateglinide, when used in a combination regimen with metformin for treatment of type 2 diabetes.


RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Enrolled patients (n = 192) had HbA(1c) >7% and < or =12% during previous treatment with a sulfonylurea, metformin, or low-dose Glucovance (glyburide < or =2.5 mg, metformin < or =500 mg). After a 4-week metformin run-in therapy period (doses escalated to 1,000 mg b.i.d.), patients were randomized to addition of repaglinide (n = 96) (1 mg/meal, maximum 4 mg/meal) or nateglinide (n = 96) (120 mg/meal, reduced to 60 mg if needed) to the regimen for 16 weeks. Glucose, insulin, and glucagon were assessed after a liquid test meal at baseline and week 16.


RESULTS
Final HbA(1c) values were lower for repaglinide/metformin treatment than for nateglinide/metformin (7.1 vs. 7.5%). Repaglinide/metformin therapy showed significantly greater mean reductions of HbA(1c) (-1.28 vs. -0.67%; P < 0.001) and of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (-39 vs. -21 mg/dl; P = 0.002). Self-monitoring of blood glucose profiles were significantly lower for repaglinide/metformin before breakfast, before lunch, and at 2:00 A.M. Changes in the area under the curve of postprandial glucose, insulin, or glucagon peaks after a test meal were not significantly different for the two treatment groups during this study. Median final doses were 5.0 mg/day for repaglinide and 360 mg/day for nateglinide. Safety assessments were comparable for the two regimens.


CONCLUSIONS
The addition of repaglinide to metformin therapy resulted in reductions of HbA(1c) and FPG values that were significantly greater than the reductions observed for addition of nateglinide.
Cyclosporine A inhibits hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein 2 through cyclophilin A.

UNLABELLED
Numerous anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) drugs targeting either the viral nonstructural 3 (NS3) protease or NS5B polymerase are currently in clinical testing. However, rapid resistance development is a major problem and optimal therapy will clearly require a combination of multiple mechanisms of action. Cyclosporine A (CsA) and its nonimmunosuppressant derivatives are among the more promising drugs under development. Based on work with subgenomic HCV replicons it has been thought that they act as NS5B-inhibitors. In this study we show that CsA inhibits replication of full-length HCV Japanese Fulminant Hepatitis (JFH1) genomes about 10-fold more efficiently than subgenomic replicons. This effect is dependent on the presence of NS2 in the viral polyprotein and mediated through cellular cyclophilin A. NS2 is either an additional target for CsA-dependent inhibition or modulates the antiviral activity against NS3 to NS5B proteins. CsA is thus the first anti-HCV drug shown to act through NS2.


CONCLUSION
CsA inhibits replication of JFH1 full-length genomes much more efficiently than subgenomic replicons by targeting cleavage at the NS2/NS3 junction and possibly other nonreplication lifecycle steps.
Comparison of generic versus specific quality-of-life scales for mesh hernia repairs.

BACKGROUND
With the use of mesh shown to considerably reduce recurrence rates for hernia repair and the subsequent improvement in clinical outcomes, focus has now been placed on quality-of-life outcomes in patients undergoing these repairs, specifically, as they relate to the mesh prosthesis. Traditionally, quality of life after hernia surgery, like many other medical conditions, has been tested using the generic SF-36 survey. The SF-36 quality-of-life survey, although well studied and validated, may not be ideal for patients undergoing hernia repairs. We propose a new quality-of-life survey, the Carolinas Comfort Scale (CCS), pertaining specifically to patients undergoing hernia repair with mesh; our goal was to test the validity and reliability of this survey.


STUDY DESIGN
The CCS questionnaire was mailed to 1,048 patients to assess its acceptability, responsiveness, and psychometric properties. The survey sample included patients who were at least 6 months out after hernia repair with mesh. Patients were asked to fill out the CCS and the generic SF-36 questionnaires, four questions comparing the two surveys, and their overall satisfaction relating to their hernia repair and mesh.


RESULTS
The reliability of the CCS was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (0.97). Test-retest validity was supported by the correlation found between two different administrations of the CCS; both Spearman's correlation coefficient and the kappa coefficient were important for each question of the CCS. Assessment of its discriminant validity showed that both the mean and median scores for satisfied patients were considerably lower than those for dissatisfied patients. Concurrent validity was demonstrated by the marked correlations found between the CCS and SF-36 questionnaire scales. When comparing the two surveys, 72% of patients preferred the CCS questionnaire, 80% believed it was easier to understand, 66% thought it was more reflective of their condition, and 69% said they would rather fill it out over the SF-36.


CONCLUSIONS
The CCS better assesses quality of life and satisfaction of patients who have undergone surgical hernia repair than the generic SF-36.
Sustainable supply chain management in emerging economies: Environmental turbulence, institutional voids and sustainability trajectories

During the past two decades, supply chain management has become an important research theme in the business literature. Business leaders, academics, and policy makers recognize that the management of supply chains is crucial in the highly competitive global business environment, and it has become clear that well-managed supply chains provide operational and strategic advantages to organizations, regions, and countries. This growing awareness of the importance of supply chains has generated a robust literature which has examined how supply chains can be integrated (e.g., Lee, 2000, Fawcett and Magnan, 2002) and coordinated (e.g., Simatupang and Sridharan, 2002; Soosay et al., 2008), and how supply chains can facilitate collaboration (e.g., Barratt, 2004;Vachon and Klassen, 2006), sustainability (e.g., Carter and Rogers, 2008; Hall et al.; 2012a), and innovative performance (e.g., Choi and Krause, 2006; Silvestre, 2014). One key research stream, which explores why and how supply chains incorporate and manage sustainability, has generated significant attention within industry, academia, and policy circles. The literature on “green” or “environmental” supply chains (Carter and Dresner, 2001; Matos and Silvestre, 2012) argues that the impact of supply chains on the natural environment must be taken into account when making management decisions. While the environmental implications
Intensive lowering of LDL cholesterol with 80 mg versus 20 mg simvastatin daily in 12 064 survivors of myocardial infarction: a double-blind randomised trial

BACKGROUND
Lowering of LDL cholesterol reduces major vascular events, but whether more intensive therapy safely produces extra benefits is uncertain. We aimed to establish efficacy and safety of more intensive statin treatment in patients at high cardiovascular risk.


METHODS
We undertook a double-blind randomised trial in 12,064 men and women aged 18-80 years with a history of myocardial infarction. Participants were either currently on or had clear indication for statin therapy, and had a total cholesterol concentration of at least 3·5 mmol/L if already on a statin or 4·5 mmol/L if not. Randomisation to either 80 mg or 20 mg simvastatin daily was done centrally using a minimisation algorithm. Participants were assessed at 2, 4, 8, and 12 months after randomisation and then every 6 months until final follow-up. The primary endpoint was major vascular events, defined as coronary death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or arterial revascularisation. Analysis was by intention to treat. This study is registered, number ISRCTN74348595.


FINDINGS
6031 participants were allocated 80 mg simvastatin daily, and 6033 allocated 20 mg simvastatin daily. During a mean follow-up of 6·7 (SD 1·5) years, allocation to 80 mg simvastatin produced an average 0·35 (SE 0·01) mmol/L greater reduction in LDL cholesterol compared with allocation to 20 mg. Major vascular events occurred in 1477 (24·5%) participants allocated 80 mg simvastatin versus 1553 (25·7%) of those allocated 20 mg, corresponding to a 6% proportional reduction (risk ratio 0·94, 95% CI 0·88-1·01; p=0·10). There were no apparent differences in numbers of haemorrhagic strokes (24 [0·4%] vs 25 [0·4%]) or deaths attributed to vascular (565 [9·4%] vs 572 [9·5%]) or non-vascular (399 [6·6%] vs 398 [6·6%]) causes. Compared with two (0·03%) cases of myopathy in patients taking 20 mg simvastatin daily, there were 53 (0·9%) cases in the 80 mg group.


INTERPRETATION
The 6% (SE 3·5%) reduction in major vascular events with a further 0·35 mmol/L reduction in LDL cholesterol in our trial is consistent with previous trials. Myopathy was increased with 80 mg simvastatin daily, but intensive lowering of LDL cholesterol can be achieved safely with other regimens.


FUNDING
Merck; The Clinical Trial Service Unit also receives funding from the UK Medical Research Council and the British Heart Foundation.
Trimpin: An Interview

Trimpin (born Gerhard Trimpin, 1951, in Istein, Germany—now part of Efringen-Kirchen) has been creating engaging sound sculptures and musical instruments for almost 40 years. His pieces combine unique explorations of physical elements such as fire, water, and glass with a ubiquitous sense of play and wonder. In addition to engaging with the physical world of acoustic resonators, Trimpin (see Figure 1) has been actively involved in computers, microcontrollers, and MIDI for most of his career. [Editor’s note: The original transcript was heavily edited, with the interviewee’s approval.] Classically trained on flugelhorn, Trimpin developed an allergy to metal. This condition sent him on a journey that began with learning most of the brass and woodwind orchestral instruments and culminated in turning his attention to mechanical musical machines. His creative work spans the spectrum of sound sculpture and musical instrument design. His work often blurs the lines between the two so heavily, and is so imbued with excellent craftsmanship and engineering, that people find it difficult to classify his work. Trimpin possesses an ability to take seemingly simple physical properties and control them with an astonishing level of accuracy and inventiveness. Klompen (1986; see Figure 2), is assembled from more than one hundred Dutch clogs (wooden shoes) instrumented with solenoid-controlled wooden mallets and suspended from the ceiling. Contraption IPP 71512 (see Figure 3) is a MIDI-controlled prepared piano device that can blow on, bang on, and pluck the strings of a grand piano. Liquid Percussion (1991; see Figure 4) is a water instrument created with juice dispensers that have been adjusted to precisely release a single droplet of water into various hand-blown glass vessels. Fire Organ (1994; see Figure 5) is a series of tuned pipes, where a
Reengineering Public Administration through Semantic Technologies and a Reference Domain Ontology

In this paper, we summarize our work in the field of eGovernment. First, we identify a critical dual integration deficit in contemporary public administration. A new modus operandi is proposed to overcome the consequent problems. We try to implement and exploit these new business models using semantic technologies as the enabling technology infrastructure. For supporting this effort, we have conducted in depth domain analysis and modeling to create the necessary top-level reusable models for the overall eGovernment domain. We call this set of models Governance Enterprise Architecture (GEA). GEA provides the knots for a reference eGovernment domain ontology.
A Phase I Trial of High-Dose Chemotherapy Combining Topotecan plus Cyclophosphamide with Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Ovarian Cancer: The ITOV 01bis Study.

BACKGROUND
Dose-intensive chemotherapy with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been evaluated as a salvage treatment for recurrent ovarian cancer, but its benefit has not yet been demonstrated. In a previous phase I trial, we reported the feasibility of administering topotecan as a salvage regimen.


METHODS
Twenty-one patients were treated with escalating doses of topotecan associated with a fixed dose of cyclophosphamide.


RESULTS
The maximum tolerated dose was established at 9.0 mg/m2 on a 5-day regimen, analogously to what was reported for topotecan monotherapy. One toxic death from septic shock and multiorgan failure occurred. Although hematopoietic toxicities were overcome by peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, superior nonhematological toxicities were observed as compared to the initial trial.


CONCLUSION
Response rates were generally short and survival rates were poor. Results of the ITOV 01bis study demonstrate that, in the setting of recurrent ovarian cancer, intensive chemotherapy based on topotecan-cyclophosphamide association is not currently clinically indicated.
Fatty acid analysis of blood serum, seminal plasma, and spermatozoa of normozoospermic vs. Asthernozoospermic males

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22∶6n−3) is found in extremely high levels in human ejaculate with the majority occurring in the spermatozoa. However, the relative concentration of DHA and other fatty acids, in blood serum, seminal plasma, and spermatozoa of asthenozoospermic vs. normozoospermic individuals is not known. We analyzed the phospholipid fatty acid composition of blood serum, seminal plasma, and spermatozoa of normozoospermic men and asthenozoospermic men in order to determine if DHA levels, as well as the levels of other fatty acids, differed. The serum phospholipid DHA levels were similar in the two groups, suggesting similar intakes of dietary DHA. On the other hand, seminal plasma levels of DHA (3.0 vs. 3.7%) and total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (11.8 vs. 13.5%) were significantly lower in asthenozoospermic vs. normozoospermic men, respectively, while 18∶1 (19.0 vs. 16.8%) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (24.2 vs. 21.7%) were significantly higher in the asthenozoospermic vs. the normozoospermic men. Spermatozoa from asthenozoospermic men had higher levels of 18∶1, 20∶0, 22∶0, 22∶1, and 24∶0 than sperm from normozoospermic men, and lower levels of 18∶0 and DHA (8.2 vs. 13.8%). Furthermore, total MUFA (19.3 vs. 16.5%) was higher and total PUFA (19.0 vs. 24.0%), n−3 fatty acids (9.3 vs. 14.6%), and the ratio of n−3 to n−6 fatty acids (1.0 vs. 1.6) were lower in the asthenozoospermic men. Therefore, in asthenozoospermic individuals, lower levels of DHA in the seminal plasma, but not in the blood serum, mimic the decreased concentrations of DHA in the spermatozoa. This suggests that the lower concentrations of spermatozoon DHA in these individuals are due not to dietary differences but to some type of metabolic difference in the asthenozoopermic men.
Phase Transitions in Finite Systems

This paper examines the apparent paradox in the fact that all successful theoretical treatments of phase transitions require an infinite system, yet they are clearly seen to occur in finite systems in the real world. A simple resolution is offered, and the paper ends with a consideration of analogies that can be taken in interpretations of quantum theory.
A comparative study on efficacy of high and low fluence Q-switched Nd:YAG laser and glycolic acid peel in melasma.

BACKGROUND
Melasma is acquired symmetric hypermelanosis characterized by light-to-deep brown pigmentation over cheeks, forehead, upper lip, and nose. Treatment of this condition is difficult and associated with high recurrence rates. With the advent of newer therapies, there is interest in the use of glycolic acid peels and Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (QSNYL) in high and low fluence for this disorder.


AIMS
To compare the therapeutic efficacy of low fluence QSNYL, high fluence QSNYL, and glycolic acid peel in melasma in three study groups of 25 patients each.


METHODS
Seventy-five Indian patients diagnosed as melasma were included. These patients were randomly divided in three groups (Group A = 25 patients of melasma treated with low-fluence QSNYL at weekly intervals, Group B = 25 patients of melasma treated with glycolic acid peel at 2 weeks intervals, Group C = 25 patients of melasma treated with high-fluence QSNYL at 2 weeks intervals). Study period and follow-up period was of 12 weeks each. Out of the 75 patients included, 21 patients in Group A, 19 patients in Group B, and 20 patients in Group C completed the study. Response to treatment was assessed using melasma area and severity index score.


RESULTS
Significant improvement was recorded in all the three groups. The improvement was statistically highly significant in Group A as compared to Group C (P<0.005), significant in Group A as compared to Group B (P<0.05), and also in Group B when compared to Group C (P<0.05). Low-fluence QSNYL was associated with least side effects.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows the efficacy of low-fluence QSNYL and glycolic acid peel in melasma. These could be an effective treatment options compared to conventional methods for the treatment of melasma.
On-Board Calibration Methods for Mechanical Distortions of Satellite Phased Array Antennas

In satellite phased-array antennas, mechanical distortions, which may be due to vibrations caused when launching the satellite into the orbit or thermal variations in the orbit, result in significant degradation of electrical performance. In this paper, two on-board calibration methods are proposed for such mechanical distortions: One compensates for the element phase differences resulting from mechanical distortions, and the other is used to set the best-fit phase distribution obtained from the measured phases. The latter method is effective even at a low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The proposed methods have been validated by experiments, through which the theoretically predicted calibration accuracy of the methods has been successfully reproduced.
Multi-Agent Programming: Languages, Platforms and Applications

This chapter describes Jason, an interpreter written in Java for an extended version of AgentSpeak, a logic-based agent-oriented programming language that is suitable for the implementation of reactive planning systems according to the BDI architecture. We describe both the language and the various features and tools available in the platform.
Advanced Modeling of Micromirror Devices

The Flexure-Beam Micromirror Device (FBMD) is a phaseonly piston style spatial light modulator demonstrating properties which can be used for phase adaptive-corrective optics. This paper presents a complete study of a square FBMD, from advanced model development through final device testing and model verification. The model relates the electrical and mechanical properties of the device by equating the electrostatic force of a parallel-plate capacitor with the counteracting spring force of the device's support flexures. The capacitor solution is derived via the Schwartz-Christoffel transformation such that the final solution accounts for non-ideal electric fields. This complete model describes the behavior of any piston-style device, given its design geometry and material properties. It includes operational parameters such as drive frequency and temperature, as well as fringing effects, mirror surface deformations, and cross-talk from neighboring devices. The steps taken to develop this model can be applied to other micromirrors, such as the Cantilever and TorsionBeam designs, to produce an advanced model for any given device. The micromirror devices studied in this paper were commercially fabricated in a surface micromachining process. A microscope-based laser interferometer is used to test the device in which a beam reflected from the device modulates a fixed reference beam. The mirror displacement is determined from the relative phase which generates a continuous set of data for each selected position on the mirror surface. Plots of this data describe the localized deflection as a function of drive voltage.
Constraint-Based Mining of Fault-Tolerant Patterns from Boolean Data

Thanks to an important research effort during the last few years, inductive queries on local patterns (e.g., set patterns) and their associated complete solvers have been proved extremely useful to support knowledge discovery. The more we use such queries on real-life data, e.g., biological data, the more we are convinced that inductive queries should return fault-tolerant patterns. This is obviously the case when considering formal concept discovery from noisy datasets. Therefore, we study various extensions of this kind of bi-set towards fault-tolerance. We compare three declarative specifications of fault-tolerant bi-sets by means of a constraint-based mining approach. Our framework enables a better understanding of the needed trade-off between extraction feasibility, completeness, relevance, and ease of interpretation of these fault-tolerant patterns. An original empirical evaluation on both synthetic and real-life medical data is given. It enables a comparison of the various proposals and it motivates further directions of research.