LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
An investigation of medication adherence to 5-aminosalicylic acid therapy in patients with ulcerative colitis, using self-report and urinary drug excretion measurements.

BACKGROUND
Non-adherence to 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) medication can limit the established benefits of this therapy in ulcerative colitis (UC).


AIM
To determine rates and predictors of non-adherence to 5-ASA therapy in UC patients.


METHODS
Medication adherence was assessed using self-report data and urinary drug excretion measurements. Participants completed a study-specific questionnaire and two validated questionnaires: Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire (BMQ)-Specific and Satisfaction with Information about Medicines Scale.


RESULTS
A total of 169 participants provided self-report adherence data; 151 also provided urine samples. Adherence rates were 111/151 (68%) according to self-report and 90/151 (60%) according to urine analysis, but the two measures were not correlated (chi(2) = 0.12, P = 0.725). Logistic regression identified a significant association between self-reported non-adherence and younger age [odds ratio (OR) for increased age 0.954, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.932-0.976] and also doubts about personal need for medication (OR for BMQ - Specific Necessity scores 0.578, 95% CI 0.366-0.913). For non-adherence based on urine analysis, only South Asian ethnicity was independently associated with non-adherence (OR 2.940, 95% CI 1.303-6.638).


CONCLUSIONS
Our observations confirm the difficulty of accurately assessing medication adherence. Nonmodifiable (younger age, South Asian ethnicity) and potentially modifiable (medication beliefs) predictors of non-adherence were identified.
Efficiency Degradation in Wideband Power Amplifiers

This paper addresses the efficiency degradation observed in wideband power amplifiers. It starts by presenting a detailed explanation that relates this observed performance degradation with the terminations at baseband. Then, a comparison between two implemented power amplifiers with the same fundamental and harmonic terminations, but with different baseband networks is presented, showing that an optimized bias network design can improve the observed efficiency degradation.
The Effect of Employee Turnover on Hotel Profits: A Test Across Multiple Hotels

Employee turnover is generally recognized as a costly phenomenon, and hotel companies consequently have initiated various turnover-reduction programs. Despite many studies, however, it remains difficult to assess exactly what effect turnover has on operating profits—and thus to assess the return on investment for initiatives designed to reduce turnover. An analysis of gross operating profits and employee turnover rates at 98 full-service hotels at one hotel company yields an estimate of the actual dollar costs of employee turnover. In general, the cost of turnover increases with ADR. That is, the cost of a 1-point increase in turnover is greater for a hotel with a high ADR than for an economy-tier property. On average for this sample, the cost in GOP of a 1-point increase in turnover rose $525 with every dollar increase in ADR. Thus, for a hotel with a $125 ADR, each point increase in turnover cost another $32,750 per year in GOP. On the other hand, a hotel with an ADR of $65 would be losing just $1,250 for every additional point increase in turnover.
Genomic alterations in breast cancer patients from Northeast India using 10K SNP arrays

Background North-east India has always been a ‘hotspot’ for population geneticists because of its unique, strategic geographic location and the presence of linguistically, culturally and demographically diverse populations practicing various tobacco habits. This region reports a high incidence of breast cancer in females with a history of extensive exposure to tobacco. Therefore, this population is constantly exposed to a high level of genotoxic stress. Accumulation of multiple and discrete genetic events during tobacco exposure can combine to drive breast cancer pathogenesis. Direct analysis of the tumor genome can reveal the genomic events accumulated during tumor progression. Hence, we investigated genomic alterations in breast cancer patients with tobacco exposure.
Markov chain applications in the slot machine industry

One of the important sectors within gambling is that of gaming machines. This industry used to favour approaches based on long-run simulations or complete enumerations of all possible outcomes but has now adopted mathematical modelling as the preferred method for calculating the probability distribution of the prizes and deriving the percentage return of the games. The latter is the percentage of the collected money the game will return to the players in the long term. In this context Markov chains are a very important tool for this industry. This paper analyses the different types of slot features modelled as Markov chains, discusses their particular characteristics, illustrates the type of problems that one might encounter in practice and provides suggestions for developing implementations of the models. The cases studied are games that have already been released and are commercially available.
Text mining and visualization using VOSviewer

VOSviewer is a computer program for creating, visualizing, and exploring bibliometric maps of science. In this report, the new text mining functionality of VOSviewer is presented. A number of examples are given of applications in which VOSviewer is used for analyzing large amounts of text data.
The Prediction of Students' Academic Performance Using Classification Data Mining Techniques

Data Mining provides powerful techniques for various fields including education. The research in the educational field is rapidly increasing due to the massive amount of students’ data which can be used to discover valuable pattern pertaining students’ learning behaviour. This paper proposes a framework for predicting students’ academic performance of first year bachelor students in Computer Science course. The data were collected from 8 year period intakes from July 2006/2007 until July 2013/2014 that contains the students’ demographics, previous academic records, and family background information. Decision Tree, Naïve Bayes, and Rule Based classification techniques are applied to the students’ data in order to produce the best students’ academic performance prediction model. The experiment result shows the Rule Based is a best model among the other techniques by receiving the highest accuracy value of 71.3%. The extracted knowledge from prediction model will be used to identify and profile the student to determine the students’ level of success in the first semester.
The management of tooth wear with crowns and indirect restorations

This manuscript summarises the reasons behind choosing indirect restorations in the treatment of tooth wear. The purpose of this article is to discuss the use of crowns as a restorative treatment option for tooth wear. There are also challenges with the use of composites as they can repeatedly fail and in these situations the indications for crowns for treatment of tooth wear is worthy of consideration. This article is part of a themed issue discussing the management of tooth wear.
Temporal operators viewed as predicate transformers

In this paper we present a calculus of temporal operators that is intended as an alternative to temporal logic in program verification. Temporal logic is a form of modal logic, designed for the description of time-dependent phenomena. Several different kinds of temporal logic have been proposed, but in the present paper only the linear time version [13] is treated. A common characteristic of all kinds of temporal logic is that they require a large number of irregularly-shaped axioms; as a result, proofs within such a system tend to be tortuous and mystifying. The cause of this problem is that these logics were designed to satisfy theoretical demands such as completeness, not to optimize ease of manipulation. It is our contention that the calculus proposed below, while equivalent in its descriptive power, places less of a burden on the user. Our approach was inspired by work of Boute [3] and Hehner [8], but diverges from these in that we refrain from explicit mention of time coordinates. In [5], E.W. Dijkstra and C.S. Scholten presented a version of predicate calculus based on equational reasoning rather than natural deduction. Their work, whose style owes more to algebra than to logic, leads to very smooth calculational proofs. We emphasize that their calculus, although quite rigorous in a mathematical sense, is not a formal system: for instance, it allows every theorem from mathematics to be used in proofs without the addition of anything like ‘domain axioms’. This may be a disadvantage if one is interested in proving properties of the calculus itself, but it is a great advantage when the calculus is being used as a tool in proving properties of actual programs [4]. When the same principles are applied to program semantics, the axioms and inference rules of Floyd-Hoare logic are replaced with the definition of a class of predicate transformers called weakest preconditions. In the present paper, we shall follow a similar path and enrich the calculus of Dijkstra and Scholten with the definition of a class of predicate transformers called shift operators, to be used as a replacement for the axioms and inference rules of temporal logic. The organization of the paper is as follows. In section 2 we define the concept of a shift operator, and in section 3 we show how a shift operator can be used to construct a predicatetransformer model for the axioms of temporal logic. In section 4 we prove that, in fact, every such model can be obtained from a shift operator, which establishes the equivalence of both approaches. Finally, in section 5, examples demonstrate that reasoning with shift operators
Bronchial thermoplasty: Long-term safety and effectiveness in patients with severe persistent asthma.

BACKGROUND
Bronchial thermoplasty (BT) has previously been shown to improve asthma control out to 2 years in patients with severe persistent asthma.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to assess the effectiveness and safety of BT in asthmatic patients 5 years after therapy.


METHODS
BT-treated subjects from the Asthma Intervention Research 2 trial (ClinicalTrials.govNCT01350414) were evaluated annually for 5 years to assess the long-term safety of BT and the durability of its treatment effect. Outcomes assessed after BT included severe exacerbations, adverse events, health care use, spirometric data, and high-resolution computed tomographic scans.


RESULTS
One hundred sixty-two (85.3%) of 190 BT-treated subjects from the Asthma Intervention Research 2 trial completed 5 years of follow-up. The proportion of subjects experiencing severe exacerbations and emergency department (ED) visits and the rates of events in each of years 1 to 5 remained low and were less than those observed in the 12 months before BT treatment (average 5-year reduction in proportions: 44% for exacerbations and 78% for ED visits). Respiratory adverse events and respiratory-related hospitalizations remained unchanged in years 2 through 5 compared with the first year after BT. Prebronchodilator FEV₁ values remained stable between years 1 and 5 after BT, despite a 18% reduction in average daily inhaled corticosteroid dose. High-resolution computed tomographic scans from baseline to 5 years after BT showed no structural abnormalities that could be attributed to BT.


CONCLUSIONS
These data demonstrate the 5-year durability of the benefits of BT with regard to both asthma control (based on maintained reduction in severe exacerbations and ED visits for respiratory symptoms) and safety. BT has become an important addition to our treatment armamentarium and should be considered for patients with severe persistent asthma who remain symptomatic despite taking inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting β₂-agonists.
The E-Interview

This paper builds on the authors' recent experience of interviewing by e-mail. It describes the principal characteristics of the "e-interview", as we term it, outlining the principal ways in which the e-interview differs from the more familiar method of face-to-face interviewing. Paying particular attention to issues relating to time, space and technology, the paper identifies the possible strengths and weaknesses of the e-interview. It discusses the potential of the e-interview as a research tool, perhaps as a complement to more established methods, and it aims to provide useful practical insights for researchers who might consider conducting e-interviews in the future.
Heart sound analysis for symptom detection and computer-aided diagnosis

Heart auscultation (the interpretation by a physician of heart sounds) is a fundamental component of cardiac diagnosis. It is, however, a difficult skill to acquire. In this work, we develop a simple model for the production of heart sounds, and demonstrate its utility in identifying features useful in diagnosis. We then present a prototype system intended to aid in heart sound analysis. Based on a wavelet decomposition of the sounds and a neural network-based classifier, heart sounds are associated with likely underlying pathologies. Preliminary results promise a system that is both accurate and robust, while remaining simple enough to be implemented at low cost. 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Analysis of rain clutter detections in commercial 77 GHz automotive radar

This paper investigates the impact of rain on performance of 77 GHz radar. The experiments performed in a rain-fog tunnel show radar detections, attributed to rain, at very short ranges for high rain intensities. The theoretical analysis of rain clutter demonstrates a possibility of rain detection by a radar with narrow beam at short ranges.
Taking stock of the bazaar: the third workshop on open source software engineering

Background The first workshop on open source software (OSS) engineering – Making Sense of the Bazaar – demonstrated the existence of a lively and motivated community of software engineering practitioners and researchers interested in OSS. The goal of the second workshop in the series – Meeting Challenges and Surviving Success – was to nurture this community, and to focus the discussion on both the short and long term sustainability of the OSS phenomenon. The participants at both of these workshops argued that despite the emergence of a substantial and diverse research literature on OSS our knowledge of the OSS family of software engineering processes, methods and tools remained far from complete.
Social sharing through interpersonal media: Patterns and effects on emotional well-being

Social sharing is the act of discussing significant emotional events with others. Using a daily diary methodology, this study investigated (1) patterns of media use for social sharing; and (2) effects of mediated social sharing on sharers’ emotions. Results show that easily accessible and non-intrusive media (i.e., texting, Twitter) were more likely to be used for sharing positive than negative events, and intrusive and rich media (i.e., phone calling) were more likely to be used for sharing negative than positive events. Highly intense positive events were more likely to be shared via Twitter than low-intensity positive events, and highly intense negative events were more likely to be shared face-to-face than low-intensity negative events. Regardless of the medium used, people experienced increased positive affect after sharing positive events, and increased negative affect after sharing negative events. The results extend the social sharing framework, and advance the media use and effects literature. 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Three months of moderate-intensity exercise reduced plasma 3-nitrotyrosine in rheumatoid arthritis patients

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients display high levels of oxidative stress. Transient exercise-induced increases in oxidative stress are thought to be adaptive in healthy populations. This study investigated the effect of exercise on markers of oxidative stress in RA, following acute exercise and a period of exercise training. Acute exercise study: RA patients (N = 12, age: 56 ± 11) undertook a bout of exercise (30–40 min, 70 % VO2MAX), and blood samples were taken before and after exercise to assess markers of oxidative stress. Training study: RA patients (N = 19, age: 56 ± 10) were randomised into either a control or exercise group, who undertook 3 exercise sessions per week (30–40 min @70 % VO2MAX) for 3 months. Plasma markers of oxidative stress (protein carbonyls (PC), lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH), 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and catalase (CAT) activity), inflammation (interleukin-8 (IL-8) and C-reactive protein (CRP)) and nitric oxide metabolites (NOx) were assessed before and after training. Acute exercise study: Protein carbonyls (PC) (+18 %) and NOx (+27 %) were significantly increased following exercise. Training study: 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) decreased (2.18 ± 1.78 to 1.10 ± 0.93 μM) in the exercise group only, alongside increases in aerobic fitness (24.45 ± 4.98 to 27.10 ± 4.51 ml/kg/min−1) and reductions in disease activity score (DAS: 3.47 ± 1.17 to 2.88 ± 0.76). PC, LOOH, TAC, IL-8, CRP and NOx concentrations, and CAT activity were unchanged in both groups. Aerobic exercise training did not increase markers of oxidative stress in RA patients. 3-Nitrotyrosine and disease activity were decreased following exercise training.
Cross-sectional study of 168 patients with hepatorenal tyrosinaemia and implications for clinical practice

BACKGROUND
Hepatorenal tyrosinaemia (Tyr 1) is a rare inborn error of tyrosine metabolism. Without treatment, patients are at high risk of developing acute liver failure, renal dysfunction and in the long run hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of our study was to collect cross-sectional data.


METHODS
Via questionnaires we collected retrospective data of 168 patients with Tyr 1 from 21 centres (Europe, Turkey and Israel) about diagnosis, treatment, monitoring and outcome. In a subsequent consensus workshop, we discussed data and clinical implications.


RESULTS
Early treatment by NTBC accompanied by diet is essential to prevent serious complications such as liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma and renal disease. As patients may remain initially asymptomatic or develop uncharacteristic clinical symptoms in the first months of life newborn mass screening using succinylacetone (SA) as a screening parameter in dried blood is mandatory for early diagnosis. NTBC-treatment has to be combined with natural protein restriction supplemented with essential amino acids. NTBC dosage should be reduced to the minimal dose allowing metabolic control, once daily dosing may be an option in older children and adults in order to increase compliance. Metabolic control is judged by SA (below detection limit) in dried blood or urine, plasma tyrosine (<400 μM) and NTBC-levels in the therapeutic range (20-40 μM). Side effects of NTBC are mild and often transient. Indications for liver transplantation are hepatocellular carcinoma or failure to respond to NTBC. Follow-up procedures should include liver and kidney function tests, tumor markers and imaging, ophthalmological examination, blood count, psychomotor and intelligence testing as well as therapeutic monitoring (SA, tyrosine, NTBC in blood).


CONCLUSION
Based on the data from 21 centres treating 168 patients we were able to characterize current practice and clinical experience in Tyr 1. This information could form the basis for clinical practice recommendations, however further prospective data are required to underpin some of the recommendations.
The Starr County Diabetes Education Study: development of the Spanish-language diabetes knowledge questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE
This study reports the psychometric properties of the 24-item version of the Diabetes Knowledge Questionnaire (DKQ).


RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
The original 60-item DKQ was administered to 502 adult Mexican-Americans with type 2 diabetes who are part of the Starr County Diabetes Education Study. The sample was composed of 252 participants and 250 support partners. The subjects were randomly assigned to the educational and social support intervention (n = 250) or to the wait-listed control group (n = 252). A shortened 24-item version of the DKQ was derived from the original instrument after data collection was completed. Reliability was assessed by means of Cronbach's coefficient alpha. To determine validity, differentiation between the experimental and control groups was conducted at baseline and after the educational portion of the intervention.


RESULTS
The 24-item version of the DKQ (DKQ-24) attained a reliability coefficient of 0.78, indicating internal consistency, and showed sensitivity to the intervention, suggesting construct validation.


CONCLUSIONS
The DKQ-24 is a reliable and valid measure of diabetes-related knowledge that is relatively easy to administer to either English or Spanish speakers.
Realistic Evaluation: An Overview

Thank you very much for inviting me to speak at the Inaugural Conference of the Danish Evaluation Society. I hope that your Society thrives and that you spend some time working out ways in which evaluation can best serve the needs of your communities. There is a risk that Societies become self serving promoters of activity rather than forums for critical discussion about what can best meet community needs. In the following discussion what I’m going to do is to spell out what I think evaluation can usefully contribute to social policy development.
Optimal treatment for Spinal Cord Injury associated with cervical canal Stenosis (OSCIS): a study protocol for a randomized controlled trial comparing early versus delayed surgery

BACKGROUND
The optimal management of acute cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) associated with preexisting canal stenosis remains to be established. The objective of this study is to examine whether early surgical decompression (within 24 hours after admission) would result in greater improvement in motor function compared with delayed surgery (later than two weeks) in cervical SCI patients presenting with canal stenosis, but without bony injury.


METHODS/DESIGN
OSCIS is a randomized, controlled, parallel-group, assessor-blinded, multicenter trial. We will recruit 100 cervical SCI patients who are admitted within 48 hours of injury (aged 20 to 79 years; without fractures or dislocations; American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) grade C; preexisting spinal canal stenosis). Patients will be enrolled from 36 participating hospitals across Japan and randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either early surgical decompression (within 24 hours after admission) or delayed surgery following at least two weeks of conservative treatment. The primary outcomes include: 1) the change from baseline to one year in the ASIA motor score; 2) the total score of the Spinal Cord Independence Measure and 3) the proportion of patients who are able to walk without human assistance. The secondary outcomes are: 1) the health-related quality of life as measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 and the EuroQol 5 Dimension; 2) the Neuropathic Pain Symptom Inventory and 3) the walking status as evaluated with the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury II. The analysis will be on an intention-to-treat basis. The primary analysis will be a comparison of the primary and secondary outcomes one year after the injury.


DISCUSSION
The results of this study will provide evidence of the potential benefit of early surgical decompression compared to the current 'watch and wait' strategy.