LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Strong association between malnutrition, inflammation, and atherosclerosis in chronic renal failure.

BACKGROUND
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and malnutrition are widely recognized as leading causes of the increased morbidity and mortality observed in uremic patients. C-reactive protein (CRP), an acute-phase protein, is a predictor of cardiovascular mortality in nonrenal patient populations. In chronic renal failure (CRF), the prevalence of an acute-phase response has been associated with an increased mortality.


METHODS
One hundred and nine predialysis patients (age 52 +/- 1 years) with terminal CRF (glomerular filtration rate 7 +/- 1 ml/min) were studied. By using noninvasive B-mode ultrasonography, the cross-sectional carotid intima-media area was calculated, and the presence or absence of carotid plaques was determined. Nutritional status was assessed by subjective global assessment (SGA), dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), serum albumin, serum creatinine, serum urea, and 24-hour urine urea excretion. The presence of an inflammatory reaction was assessed by CRP, fibrinogen (N = 46), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha; N = 87). Lipid parameters, including Lp(a) and apo(a)-isoforms, as well as markers of oxidative stress (autoantibodies against oxidized low-density lipoprotein and vitamin E), were also determined.


RESULTS
Compared with healthy controls, CRF patients had an increased mean carotid intima-media area (18.3 +/- 0.6 vs. 13.2 +/- 0.7 mm2, P < 0.0001) and a higher prevalence of carotid plaques (72 vs. 32%, P = 0.001). The prevalence of malnutrition (SGA 2 to 4) was 44%, and 32% of all patients had an acute-phase response (CRP > or = 10 mg/liter). Malnourished patients had higher CRP levels (23 +/- 3 vs. 13 +/- 2 mg/liter, P < 0.01), elevated calculated intima-media area (20.2 +/- 0.8 vs. 16.9 +/- 0.7 mm2, P < 0.01) and a higher prevalence of carotid plaques (90 vs. 60%, P < 0.0001) compared with well-nourished patients. During stepwise multivariate analysis adjusting for age and gender, vitamin E (P < 0.05) and CRP (P < 0.05) remained associated with an increased intima-media area. The presence of carotid plaques was significantly associated with age (P < 0.001), log oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL; P < 0.01), and small apo(a) isoform size (P < 0.05) in a multivariate logistic regression model.


CONCLUSION
These results indicate that the rapidly developing atherosclerosis in advanced CRF appears to be caused by a synergism of different mechanisms, such as malnutrition, inflammation, oxidative stress, and genetic components. Apart from classic risk factors, low vitamin E levels and elevated CRP levels are associated with an increased intima-media area, whereas small molecular weight apo(a) isoforms and increased levels of oxLDL are associated with the presence of carotid plaques.
Navitime: Supporting Pedestrian Navigation in the Real World

Almost 2 million Japanese citizens use Navitime, a mobile phone-based navigation service that incorporates various modes of transportation. User experiences reveal implications for designing urban-computing services. Location-based services are a key pervasive computing application that could deeply influence urban spaces and their inhabitants. Recent advances in mobile phones, GPS, and wireless networking infrastructures are making it possible to implement and operate large-scale location- based services in the real world.
Initial combination of empagliflozin and linagliptin in subjects with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of empagliflozin/linagliptin in subjects with type 2 diabetes.


RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Subjects not receiving antidiabetes therapy for ≥12 weeks were randomized to empagliflozin 25 mg/linagliptin 5 mg (n = 137), empagliflozin 10 mg/linagliptin 5 mg (n = 136), empagliflozin 25 mg (n = 135), empagliflozin 10 mg (n = 134), or linagliptin 5 mg (n = 135) for 52 weeks. The primary end point was change from baseline in HbA1c at week 24.


RESULTS
Mean HbA1c at baseline was 7.99-8.05% (64 mmol/mol). At week 24, adjusted mean (SE) changes from baseline in HbA1c with empagliflozin 25 mg/linagliptin 5 mg, empagliflozin 10 mg/linagliptin 5 mg, empagliflozin 25 mg, empagliflozin 10 mg, and linagliptin 5 mg were -1.08 (0.06)% (-11.8 [0.7] mmol/mol), -1.24 (0.06)% (-13.6 [0.7] mmol/mol), -0.95 (0.06)% (-10.4 [0.7] mmol/mol), -0.83 (0.06)% (-9.1 [0.7] mmol/mol), and -0.67 (0.06)% (-7.3 [0.7] mmol/mol), respectively. Reductions in HbA1c were significantly greater for empagliflozin 25 mg/linagliptin 5 mg compared with linagliptin 5 mg (P < 0.001) but not compared with empagliflozin 25 mg and were significantly greater for empagliflozin 10 mg/linagliptin 5 mg compared with the individual components (P < 0.001 for both). At week 24, 55.4%, 62.3%, 41.5%, 38.8%, and 32.3% of subjects with baseline HbA1c ≥7% (≥53 mmol/mol) reached HbA1c <7% with empagliflozin 25 mg/linagliptin 5 mg, empagliflozin 10 mg/linagliptin 5 mg, empagliflozin 25 mg, empagliflozin 10 mg, and linagliptin 5 mg, respectively. Efficacy was maintained at week 52. The proportion of subjects with adverse events (AEs) over 52 weeks was similar across groups (68.9-81.5%), with no confirmed hypoglycemic AEs.


CONCLUSIONS
Reductions from baseline in HbA1c with empagliflozin/linagliptin were significantly different versus linagliptin and empagliflozin 10 mg but not versus empagliflozin 25 mg. Empagliflozin/linagliptin was well tolerated.
A note on polylogarithms on curves and abelian schemes

In this note we study the polylogarithm extension on curves and abelian schemes in the étale realization. The main result shows that the polylog on the jacobian of a curve is given as the cup-product of the polylog on the curve with the fundamental class of the curve.
Experimental evidence of a template aging effect in iris biometrics

It has been widely accepted that iris biometric systems are not subject to a template aging effect. Baker et al. [1] recently presented the first published evidence of a template aging effect, using images acquired from 2004 through 2008 with an LG 2200 iris imaging system, representing a total of 13 subjects (26 irises). We report on a template aging study involving two different iris recognition algorithms, a larger number of subjects (43), a more modern imaging system (LG 4000), and over a shorter time-lapse (2 years). We also investigate the degree to which the template aging effect may be related to pupil dilation and/or contact lenses. We find evidence of a template aging effect, resulting in an increase in match hamming distance and false reject rate.
A Survey on Security Threats and Vulnerability attacks on Bluetooth Communication

In this article we present a survey on threats and vulnerability attacks on Bluetooth security mechanism. Bluetooth is the personal area network (PAN). It is the kind of wireless Ad hoc network. Low cost, low power, low complexity and robustness are the basic features of Bluetooth. It works on Radio frequency. Bluetooth Technology has many benefits like replacement of cable, easy file sharing, wireless synchronization and internet connectivity. As Bluetooth Technology becomes widespread, vulnerabilities in its security protocols are increasing which can be potentially dangerous to the privacy of a user’s personal information. Security in Bluetooth communication has been an active area of research for last few years. The article presents various security threats and vulnerability attacks on Bluetooth technology. Keywords— Bluetooth security; security protocol; vulnerability; security threats; bluejacking; eavesdropping; malicious attackers.
Inhibitory effect of N-acetylcysteine on invasion and MMP-9 production of T24 human bladder cancer cells.

BACKGROUND
MMPs play a crucial role in the process of cancer invasion and metastasis.


METHODS
The influence of NAC on invasion and MMP-9 production of human bladder cancer cell line T24 was investigated using an in vitro invasion assay, gelatin zymography, Western and Northern blot analyses and RT-PCR assays.


RESULTS
TPA increased the number of invading T24 cells through reconstituted basement membrane more than 10-fold compared to basal condition. NAC inhibited TPA-enhanced invasion dose-dependently. TPA increased the MMP-9 production by T24 cells without altering expression of TIMP-1 gene, while NAC suppressed TPA-enhanced production of MMP-9. Neither TPA nor NAC altered TIMP-1 mRNA level in T24 cells. In vitro experiments demonstrated that MMP-9 was directly inhibited by NAC but was not influenced by TPA.


CONCLUSION
NAC limits invasion of T24 human bladder cancer cells by inhibiting the MMP-9 production in addition to a direct inhibition of MMP-9 activity.
Mathematics of Deep Learning

Recently there has been a dramatic increase in the performance of recognition systems due to the introduction of deep architectures for representation learning and classification. However, the mathematical reasons for this success remain elusive. This tutorial will review recent work that aims to provide a mathematical justification for several properties of deep networks, such as global optimality, geometric stability, and invariance of the learned representations.
Focal cortical dysplasia – review

Focal cortical dysplasia is a malformation of cortical development, which is the most common cause of medically refractory epilepsy in the pediatric population and the second/third most common etiology of medically intractable seizures in adults.Both genetic and acquired factors are involved in the pathogenesis of cortical dysplasia. Numerous classifications of the complex structural abnormalities of focal cortical dysplasia have been proposed - from Taylor et al. in 1971 to the last modification of Palmini classification made by Blumcke in 2011. In general, three types of cortical dysplasia are recognized.Type I focal cortical dysplasia with mild symptomatic expression and late onset, is more often seen in adults, with changes present in the temporal lobe.Clinical symptoms are more severe in type II of cortical dysplasia usually seen in children. In this type, more extensive changes occur outside the temporal lobe with predilection for the frontal lobes.New type III is one of the above dysplasias with associated another principal lesion as hippocampal sclerosis, tumor, vascular malformation or acquired pathology during early life.Brain MRI imaging shows abnormalities in the majority of type II dysplasias and in only some of type I cortical dysplasias.THE MOST COMMON FINDINGS ON MRI IMAGING INCLUDE: focal cortical thickening or thinning, areas of focal brain atrophy, blurring of the gray-white junction, increased signal on T2- and FLAIR-weighted images in the gray and subcortical white matter often tapering toward the ventricle. On the basis of the MRI findings, it is possible to differentiate between type I and type II cortical dysplasia. A complete resection of the epileptogenic zone is required for seizure-free life. MRI imaging is very helpful to identify those patients who are likely to benefit from surgical treatment in a group of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy.However, in type I cortical dysplasia, MR imaging is often normal, and also in both types the lesion seen on MRI may be smaller than the seizure-generating region seen in the EEG. The abnormalities may also involve vital for life brain parts, where curative surgery will not be an option. Therefore, other diagnostic imaging techniques such as FDG PET, MEG, DTI and intra-cranial EEG are widely used to establish the diagnosis and to decide on management.With advances in both genetics and neuroimaging, we may develop a better understanding of patients with drug-resistant epilepsy, which will help us to provide more successful pharmacological and/or surgical treatment in the future.
Pharmacokinetics, safety, and monotherapy antiviral activity of GSK1265744, an HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitor.

BACKGROUND
GSK1265744 is an HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitor selected for clinical development.


OBJECTIVE
This first-time-in-human and phase IIa investigation assessed GSK1265744 antiviral activity, pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability in healthy and HIV-1-infected subjects.


METHODS
This double-blind, placebo-controlled study consisted of a dose escalation of single (part A) and multiple (part B) oral doses in 48 healthy subjects and an oral dose (part C) in 11 HIV-1-infected subjects. In part A, 2 cohorts of 9 subjects received either 5 and 25 mg or 10 and 50 mg. In part B, 3 cohorts of 10 subjects received 5, 10, or 25 mg once daily for 14 days. In part C and the phase IIa study, subjects received 5 or 30 mg once daily for 10 days.


RESULTS
Dose-proportional increases in drug exposure were observed in healthy and HIV-1-infected subjects. In healthy subjects, pharmacokinetic variability was low following single or repeat dosing (coefficient of variation, 13%-34% and 15%-23%, respectively). Mean plasma half-life was 31.5 hours. GSK1265744 monotherapy significantly reduced plasma HIV-1 RNA from baseline to day 11 in HIV-1-infected subjects receiving 5 or 30 mg versus placebo (P < .001); mean decrease was 2.2 to 2.3 log10 copies/mL, respectively. Study drug was generally well tolerated with no clinically relevant trends in laboratory values, vital signs, or electrocardiograms.


CONCLUSIONS
GSK1265744 was well tolerated in healthy and HIV-1-infected subjects. Results demonstrate once-daily doses of 5 or 30 mg exceeded minimum target therapeutic concentrations and produced a significant reduction in plasma HIV-1 RNA viral load.
Transdermal Drug Delivery

Due to its numerous advantages, transdermal drug delivery has attracted considerable attention in recent times. The protective barrier nature of the skin however limits the absorption of most drugs across the skin. A variety of strategies are available for the modification of the drug and/or vehicle or the composition of the stratum corneum (SC), the outermost layer of the skin, to improve the absorption of most drugs. Furthermore, various techniques are available for studying the effectiveness, mode of action and skin toxicity of the penetration enhancers. Most of the earlier reviews have focused on a certain selected aspect of transdermal drug delivery. This review presents a comprehensive account of various aspects of drug delivery by transdermal route including the various chemical and physical penetration enhancers. It also discusses the in vivo and in vitro methods of evaluating chemical enhancers , their mode of action and safety. Key word: Chemical penetration enhancers; Permeation studies ; Physical penetration enhancers; Transdemal drug delivery. ______________________________________________________________________________
Integrating GIS-based environmental data into evolutionary biology.

Many evolutionary processes are influenced by environmental variation over space and time, including genetic divergence among populations, speciation and evolutionary change in morphology, physiology and behaviour. Yet, evolutionary biologists have generally not taken advantage of the extensive environmental data available from geographic information systems (GIS). For example, studies of phylogeography, speciation and character evolution often ignore or use only crude proxies for environmental variation (e.g. latitude and distance between populations). Here, we describe how the integration of GIS-based environmental data, along with new spatial tools, can transform evolutionary studies and reveal new insights into the ecological causes of evolutionary patterns.
Effects of Chalk dust on Peak Expiratory Flow Rate in School Teachers

Introduction: Chalk and board is a traditional and still the most commonly used teaching aid in developing countries like India. Chalk is major source of fine particulate matter in classroom, which may produce pulmonary function impairments. Aims and objectives: The objective of the study was to compare Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR) of school teachers exposed to chalk dust with matched controls. Materials and methods: A comparative study was conducted in total of 150 participants, 75 teachers (study group) exposed to chalk dust and 75 controls. PEFR was measured in all participants using Cipla’s peak flow meter with EU scale. PEFR in the study and control groups were compared for both males and females using unpaired t test. Results: PEFR was significantly lower in study group (teachers) as compared to controls in both males (t value -5.350, p<0.05) and females (t value -5.101, p<0.05). Conclusion: Teachers using chalk and board are at an increased risk of developing occupationally related pulmonary function impairments and hence there is a need to shift from routine chalk and board to marker and whiteboard.
Bitcoin for smart trading in smart grid

Privacy aware anonymous trading for smart grid using digital currency has received very low attention so far. In this paper, we analyze the possibility of Bitcoin serving as the user friendly and effective privacy aware trading currency to facilitate energy exchange for smart grid.
Comment on: Use of parenteral methotrexate significantly reduces the need for biological therapy.

SIR, We read with interest Bharadwaj et al.’s letter [1] demonstrating encouraging responses to parenteral MTX in a retrospective analysis of 32 patients with RA. We conducted a prospective study to investigate the effectiveness of parenteral MTX in a cohort of patients with RA [2] for whom oral MTX was ineffective or not tolerated. In addition, we assessed whether the change from oral to parenteral MTX prevented the need for a biologic agent. This study was conceived as an audit of our standard practice in RA management and as such did not require explicit ethical approval. All patients, however, provided informed consent to the use of parenteral MTX. Thirty consecutive patients (26 females, 4 males) with mean disease duration of 15.3 yrs (range 2–46 yrs) were recruited between October 2004 and March 2006 from our rheumatology clinics. They were assessed at baseline, 3 and 6 months after the introduction of subcutaneous (s.c.) MTX. We measured tender joint score (TJC), swollen joint score (SJC), patient’s global assessment of disease activity (PGA), CRP and 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) at each visit. Oral MTX was discontinued due to lack of efficacy (23) and intolerance (7). Patients were started on s.c. MTX at a mean dose of 14.25mg (range 7.5–17.5mg). At 6 months the mean dose was 19.9mg (range 12.5–25mg). Three patients discontinued treatment at 3 months due to leucopenia (1) and poor compliance (2); a further two stopped s.c. MTX at 6 months due to lack of efficacy (1) and nausea (1). Five reported minor side-effects (nausea in four, an injection site reaction in the other). Compared with baseline, there was a significant improvement in DAS28 at both 3 and 6 months with a mean reduction of 2.34 (mean DAS28 5.2–2.95 7.5%; n1⁄4 27, P< 0.001) at 3 months and 2.09 (mean DAS28 5.2–3.05 8.9%; n1⁄4 25, P< 0.001) at 6 months. At 3 months, 20/27 patients showed a good response (using EULAR response criteria) and 13/25 maintained this at 6 months. Moreover, of the 11 patients who met BSR criteria for anti-TNFtherapy at baseline, 8 had a good response at 3 months. None needed anti-TNFtherapy at 6 months, although two of the three patients who failed to respond at 3 months needed it at 6 months. Our results provide further evidence of the efficacy of parenteral MTX in controlling active RA in patients who fail to respond to, or are intolerant of, oral MTX. In a cohort who fulfilled NICE criteria for treatment with anti-TNFtherapy the majority responded to the switch to parenteral MTX (8/11). Whilst parenteral MTX is an under-utilized therapy in the UK its superiority over oral MTX has recently been demonstrated in a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing oral and s.c. MTX in 375 patients [3]. Whilst it is tempting to suggest that patients should receive a trial of parenteral MTX prior to biologics, the lack of comparative outcome data of biologic agents and parenteral MTX makes this debatable; however, the increasing evidence of the superior efficacy of parenteral MTX over the oral route does support the need for further studies.
Determinants of short-period heart rate variability in the general population.

Decreased heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with a worse prognosis in a variety of diseases and disorders. We evaluated the determinants of short-period HRV in a random sample of 149 middle-aged men and 137 women from the general population. Spectral analysis was used to compute low-frequency (LF), high-frequency (HF) and total-frequency power. HRV showed a strong inverse association with age and heart rate in both sexes with a more pronounced effect of heart rate on HRV in women. Age and heart rate-adjusted LF was significantly higher in men and HF higher in women. Significant negative correlations of BMI, triglycerides, insulin and positive correlations of HDL cholesterol with LF and total power occurred only in men. In multivariate analyses, heart rate and age persisted as prominent independent predictors of HRV. In addition, BMI was strongly negatively associated with LF in men but not in women. We conclude that the more pronounced vagal influence in cardiac regulation in middle-aged women and the gender-different influence of heart rate and metabolic factors on HRV may help to explain the lower susceptibility of women for cardiac arrhythmias.
The Birth of Intimacy: Privacy and Domestic Life in Early Modern Paris

Preface by Pierre Chaunu. Introduction. 1. Geographic Location of Households in Paris and its Suburbs. 2. A Sample of the Population in Paris. 3. The Parisian Home: From Vertical to Horizontal. 4. Daily Actions in the Privacy of the Home. 5. Elements of Convenience in the Home. 6. Home Decoration. 7. A Look at Spiritual and Cultural Life as seen through Household Objects. Conclusion. List of Scholars who contributed to the Preparation of this Work. Suggested Reading. Documents.
Life-span development and behavior

Contents: M.M. Seltzer, C.D. Ryff, Parenting Across the Life Span: The Normative and Nonnormative Cases. M.M. Baltes, S.B. Silverberg, The Dynamics Between Dependency and Autonomy: Illustrations Across the Life Span. E.A. Skinner, J.G. Wellborn, Coping During Childhood and Adolescence: A Motivational Perspective. D.F. Alwin, Aging, Personality, and Social Change: The Stability of Individual Differences Over the Adult Life Span. A. Assmann, Wholesome Knowledge: Concepts of Wisdom in a Historical and Cross-Cultural Perspective. A. von Eye, K. Kreppner, H. WeBels, Log-Linear Modeling of Categorical Data in Developmental Research. R.M. Lerner, J.R. Miller, J.H. Knott, K.E. Corey, T.S. Bynum, L.C. Hoopfer, M.H. McKinney, L.A. Abrams, R.C. Hula, P.A. Terry, Integrating Scholarship and Outreach in Human Developmental Research, Policy and Service: A Developmental Contextual Perspective.
Fabric defect inspection based on lattice segmentation and Gabor filtering

Fabric defect inspection aims at detecting the defects presented on a patterned fabric surface to achieve high quality. However, visual inspection is challenging due to the diversity of the fabric patterns and defects. This paper presents an automatic defect inspection method which compares the similarities of semantic sub-images conformed to crystallographic groups called lattice. The lattices are automatically segmented based on morphological component analysis (MCA). The defect inspection is then formulated as a novel voting procedure depending on an ideal lattice artificially generated by investigating the distributions of responses given by convolving lattices with Gabor filters. The performance of the proposed method LSG (lattice segmentation assisted by Gabor filters) is evaluated on the databases of starand box-pattern images. By comparing the resultant and ground-truth images, an overall detection rate of 0.975 is achieved, which is comparable with the state-of-the-art methods. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.