LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Comparative outcome one year after formal cardiac rehabilitation: the effects of a randomized intervention to improve exercise adherence.

BACKGROUND
Methods to ensure sustained benefits of cardiac rehabilitation need to be explored. The aim was to assess the effect of a home-based intervention (INT) on exercise adherence and risk factors after cardiac rehabilitation.


DESIGN
Prospective randomized study.


METHODS
We evaluated patients who were followed for 1 year after either inpatient (ICR) or outpatient cardiac rehabilitation (OCR) by assessment of exercise capacity, physical activity, risk factors and quality of life, both at the completion of rehabilitation, and after 1 year. Patients were randomized to either be instructed how to use a diary of physical activities complemented by quarterly group meetings (INT) or to receive standard treatment (usual care).


RESULTS
Two hundred and sixty-one patients gave consent to be reevaluated after 1 year. Of these patients 33 were lost to follow-up (two deaths); thus 228 patients had complete 1-year follow-up data (195 male and 33 female, 91% with coronary artery disease). At 1-year follow-up significantly more patients of the INT group than of the control group adhered to regular physical activity (73 vs. 40%, P<0.0001). Moreover, INT patients showed a better evolution of body mass index and lipid values. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis the following variables showed a significant impact on regular physical activity at follow-up: study INT [odds ratio (OR): 4.19, P<0.0001], previous cardiac surgery (OR: 2.50, P=0.008), BMI at baseline (OR: 0.89, P=0.018) and quality of life at baseline (OR: 1.58, P=0.041).


CONCLUSION
Sustained benefits of cardiac rehabilitation can be documented 1 year after both inpatient and outpatient programmes. Self-monitoring of physical activity greatly increased long-term adherence to regular exercise, which in turn was associated with greater improvements of risk factors and quality of life.
Exploiting Parallelism on Keccak: FPGA and GPU Comparison

One of the methods to ensure information integrity is the use of hash functions, which generates a stream of bytes (hash) which must be unique. But most functions can no longer prevent malicious attacks and ensure that the information have just a hash. In order to solve this problem, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) convened the scientific community through a competition to create a new hash function standard, called SHA-3. This work is proposed to explore one of the finalist algorithms in the competition, the Keccak, and subsequently implement the propose pipeline architecture in FPGA with intuit to obtain performance data. Finally, it will be compared the pipeline implementation of keccak with implementations on GPUs. KeywordsInformation Integrity; Hash Functions; Pipeline Architecture; SHA-3 Keccak; GPU and FPGA Implementation
Collection, processing and cryopreservation of umbilical cord blood for unrelated transplantation

Umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation is being used as an alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells for bone marrow reconstitution. Separation and processing of UCB samples in large numbers for storage in cord blood banks ideally needs to be partially automated. The aim of this study was to establish and standardize a method for unrelated cord blood banking as well as the biological characterization of the samples. Up to October 1999, a total of 938 UCB units (mean volume 84.6 ± 23.6 ml, nucleated cell (NC) count 0.90 ± 0.37 × 109, total CFU-GM 79 ± 72 × 104, CD34+ cell count 2.46 ± 2.72 × 106) had been collected. Twenty-three per cent of all UCB samples had a NC count below 0.4 × 109 and were discarded. The initial bacterial contamination rate was reduced to less than 5% as a result of extensive training in collection procedures. Using a modification of a triple bag system and adding a solution of 6% hydroxyethyl starch, the UCB was separated by two centrifugation steps into three components: buffy coat, red cell and plasma fractions. The overall recoveries for NC, CFU-GM and CD34+ cells were 87.4 ± 8.5%, 88.8 ± 6.6% and 90.3 ± 12.4%, respectively, in a mean final volume of 27 ± 4.2 ml. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2000) 26, 1263–1270.
Liberating Economics: Feminist Perspectives on Families, Work, and Globalization

"Liberating Economics" draws on central concepts from women's studies scholarship to construct a feminist understanding of the economic roles of families, caring labor, motherhood, paid and unpaid labor, poverty, the feminization of labor, and the consequences of globalization. Barker and Feiner consistently recognize the importance of social location -- gender, race, class, sexual identity, and nationality -- in economic processes shaping the home, paid employment, market relations, and the global economy. Throughout they connect women's economic status in the industrialized nations to the economic circumstances surrounding women in the global South. Rooted in the two disciplines, this book draws on the rich tradition of interdisciplinary work in feminist social science scholarship to construct a parallel between the notions that the "personal is political" and "the personal is economic."Drucilla K. Barker is Professor of Economics and Women's Studies, Hollins University.Susan F. Feiner is Associate Professor of Economics and Women's Studies, University of Southern Maine.
Workers' Education and Human Crisis in Zambia: Democracy and the "New" World Order.

The most important challenge in our era is finding ways and means to enable workers to survive the realities of the Structural Adjustment Programme which has brought untold misery and poverty on peasants and workers in Zambia. Changes taking place in the political, social and economic life of the country need to be carefully studied and thoroughly understood by workers and union leaders so that we manoeuvre through the situation in a much more rational and positive way if our newly founded democracy is to be safeguarded. To this effect workers’ education is going to play an important role in consolidating democracy. (Willie Kasase, Director of Workers’ Education & Training, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions [ZCTU] 1993: 10) Workers’ education must go towards the goal of understanding the ‘New’ World Order, in order to deal with it and challenge it locally. (Senior Zambian Trade Unionist, August 1992)
Online-SVR for short-term traffic flow prediction under typical and atypical traffic conditions

0957-4174/$ see front matter 2008 Elsevier Ltd. A doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2008.07.069 * Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +1 732 445 4858. E-mail addresses: mcastron@utk.edu (M. CastroJeong), mjeong@utk.edu (M.-K. Jeong), lhan@utk.edu 1 Tel.: +1 865 974 7733. 2 Tel.: +1 865 974 7650. 3 Tel.: +1 865 974 7707. Most literature on short-term traffic flow forecasting focused mainly on normal, or non-incident, conditions and, hence, limited their applicability when traffic flow forecasting is most needed, i.e., incident and atypical conditions. Accurate prediction of short-term traffic flow under atypical conditions, such as vehicular crashes, inclement weather, work zone, and holidays, is crucial to effective and proactive traffic management systems in the context of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and, more specifically, dynamic traffic assignment (DTA). To this end, this paper presents an application of a supervised statistical learning technique called Online Support Vector machine for Regression, or OL-SVR, for the prediction of short-term freeway traffic flow under both typical and atypical conditions. The OL-SVR model is compared with three well-known prediction models including Gaussian maximum likelihood (GML), Holt exponential smoothing, and artificial neural net models. The resultant performance comparisons suggest that GML, which relies heavily on the recurring characteristics of day-to-day traffic, performs slightly better than other models under typical traffic conditions, as demonstrated by previous studies. Yet OL-SVR is the best performer under non-recurring atypical traffic conditions. It appears that for deployed ITS systems that gear toward timely response to real-world atypical and incident situations, OL-SVR may be a better tool than GML. 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Pat-tree-based Keyword Extraction for Chinese Information Retrieval

urgent need to promote Chinese in this paper we will raise the significance of keyword extraction using a new PAT-treebased approach, which is efficient in automatic keyword extraction from a set of relevant Chinese documents. This approach has been successfully applied in several IR researches, such as document classification, book indexing and relevance feedback. Many Chinese language processing applications therefore step ahead from character level to word/phrase level,
Argument-Based Expansion Operators in Possibilistic Defeasible Logic Programming: Characterization and Logical Properties

Possibilistic Defeasible Logic Programming (P-DeLP) is a logic programming language which combines features from argumentation theory and logic programming, incorporating as well the treatment of possibilistic uncertainty and fuzzy knowledge at object-language level. Defeasible argumentation in general and P-DeLP in particular provide a way of modelling non-monotonic inference. From a logical viewpoint, capturing defeasible inference relationships for modelling argument and warrant is particularly important, as well as the study of their logical properties. This paper analyzes two non-monotonic operators for P-DeLP which model the expansion of a given program P by adding new weighed facts associated with argument conclusions and warranted literals, resp. Different logical properties for the proposed expansion operators are studied and contrasted with a traditional SLD-based Horn logic. We will show that this analysis provides useful comparison criteria that can be extended and applied to other argumentation frameworks.
Prognostic Value of Baseline and Changes in Circulating Soluble ST2 Levels and the Effects of Nesiritide in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

OBJECTIVES
The study sought to investigate the association between soluble growth stimulation expressed gene 2 (sST2) level and adverse outcomes in acute heart failure (HF).


BACKGROUND
Several studies have demonstrated the prognostic utility of sST2 levels in HF.


METHODS
sST2 levels were measured in sequential baseline and follow-up (48 to 72 h and 30 days) plasma samples from 858 acute HF subjects enrolled in the ASCEND-HF (Acute Study of Clinical Effectiveness of Nesiritide in Decompensated Heart Failure) trial biomarker substudy and were related to in-hospital and post-discharge clinical outcomes.


RESULTS
Higher sST2 levels were associated with increased death risk at 180 days (baseline hazard ratio [HR]: 2.21; follow-up HR: 2.64; both p < 0.001). These results were not independent of covariates and aminoterminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide for baseline sST2 (HR: 1.29, p = 0.243), but were borderline significant for follow-up sST2 (HR: 1.61, p = 0.051). Subjects with persistently high (>60 ng/ml) sST2 levels at follow-up had higher 180-day death rates than those with lower follow-up sST2 levels (adjusted HR: 2.91, p = 0.004). Neither baseline nor follow-up sST2 levels were associated with dyspnea improvement. Changes in sST2 from baseline were less in the nesiritide versus placebo group at follow-up, but were similar at 30 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated levels of sST2 were associated with an increased risk of adverse clinical events in acute HF, but prognostic value of baseline sST2 diminished after adjusting for clinical covariates and aminoterminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide. In those with elevated baseline sST2 levels, persistently elevated sST2 levels at follow-up were associated with increased mortality risk. In addition, nesiritide did not demonstrate an incremental impact on sST2 levels over standard therapy.
Coleman's theorem on physical assumptions for no Goldstone bosons in two dimensions

Thirty years ago, Coleman proved that no continuous symmetry is broken spontaneously in a two-dimensional relativistic quantum field theory. In his argument, however, it is difficult to understand the physical meaning of the assumption of no infrared divergence. I derive the same result directly from the cluster property of a local field regarded as a physically acceptable assumption.
Investigation of concurrent energy harvesting from ambient vibrations and wind using a single piezoelectric generator

In recent years, many new concepts for micro-power generation have been introduced to harness wasted energy from the environment and maintain low-power electronics including wireless sensors, data transmitters, controllers, and medical implants. Generally, such systems aim to provide a cheap and compact alternative energy source for applications where battery charging or replacement is expensive, time consuming, and/or cumbersome. Within the vast field of micro-power generation, utilizing the piezoelectric effect to generate an electric potential in response to mechanical stimuli has recently flourished as a major thrust area. Based on the nature of the ambient excitation, piezoelectric energy harvesters are divided into two major categories: the first deals with harvesting energy from ambient vibrations; while the second focuses on harvesting energy from aerodynamic flow fields such as wind or other moving fluids. This Dissertation aims to investigate the potential of integrating both sources of excitation into a single energy harvester. To that end, the Dissertation presents reduced-order models that can be used to capture the nonlinear response of piezoelectric energy harvesters under the combination of external base and aerodynamic excitations; and provides approximate analytical solutions of these models using perturbation theory. The analytical solutions are used, subsequently, to identify the important parameters afii fecting the response under the combined loading and to develop an understanding of the conditions under which the combined loading can be used to enhance efficacy and performance. As a platform to achieve these goals, the Dissertation considers two energy harvesters; the first consisting of a piezoelectric cantilever beam rigidly attached to a bluff body at the free end to permit galloping-type responses, while the second consists of a piezoelectric cantilever beam augmented with an airfoil at its tip. The airfoil is allowed to plunge and pitch around an elastic axis to enable flutter-type responses. Theoretical and experimental studies are presented with the goal of comparing the performance of a single integrated harvester to two separate devices harvesting energy independently from the two available energy sources. It is demonstrated that, under some clearly identified conditions, using a single piezoelectric harvester for energy harvesting under the combined loading can improve its transduction capability and the overall power density. Even when the wind velocity is below the cut-in wind speed of the harvester, i.e. galloping or flutter speed, using the integrated harvester amplifies the influence of the base excitation which enhances the output power as compared to using one aeroelastic and one vibratory energy harvesters. When the wind speed is above the cut-in wind speed, the performance of the integrated harvester becomes dependent on the excitation’s frequency and its magnitude with maximum improvements occurring near resonance and for large base excitation levels.
Time-resolved studies of stick-slip motion in sheared granular layers

Sensitive and fast force measurements are performed on sheared granular layers undergoing stick-slip motion, along with simultaneous optical imaging. A full study has been done for spherical glass particles with a 20% size distribution. Stick-slip motion due to repetitive fluidization of the granular layer occurs for low driving velocities. Between major slip events, slight creep occurs that is highly variable from one event to the next. The effects of varying the stiffness k of the driving system and the driving velocity V are studied in detail. The stick-slip motion is almost periodic for spherical particles over a wide range of parameters, whereas it becomes irregular when k is large andV is relatively small. At largerV, the motion becomes smoother and is affected by the inertia of the upper plate bounding the layer. Measurements of the period and amplitude of the relative motion are presented as a function of V. At a critical valueVc a transition to continuous sliding motion occurs. The transition is discontinuous for k not too large, and large fluctuations occur in the neighborhood of the transition. The time dependence of the instantaneous velocity of the upper plate and the frictional force produced by the granular layer are determined within individual slipping events. The frictional force is found to be a multivalued function of the instantaneous velocity during slip, with pronounced hysteresis and a sudden drop just prior to resticking. Measurements of vertical displacement reveal a very small dilation of the material ~about one-tenth of the mean particle size in a layer 20 particles deep ! associated with each slip event; the dilation reaches its maximum amplitude close to the time of maximum acceleration. Finally, optical imaging reveals that localized microscopic rearrangements precede ~and follow! each macroscopic slip event; their number is highly variable and the accumulation of these local displacements is associated with macroscopic creep. The behavior of smooth particles is contrasted qualitatively with that of rough particles. @S1063-651X~98!03208-5#
Sistema de salud de Chile

This paper describes the Chilean health system, including its structure, financing, beneficiaries, and its physical, material and human resources. This system has two sectors, public and private. The public sector comprises all the organisms that constitute the National System of Health Services, which covers 70% of the population, including the rural and urban poor, the low middle-class, the retired, and the self-employed professionals and technicians. The private sector covers 17.5% of the population, mostly the upper middle-class and the high-income population. A small proportion of the population uses private health services and pays for them out-of-pocket. Around 10% of the population is covered by other public agencies, basically the Health Services for the Armed Forces. The system was recently reformed with the establishment of a Universal System of Explicit Entitlements, which operates through a Universal Plan of Explicit Entitlements (AUGE), which guarantees timely access to treatment for 56 health problems, including cancer in children, breast cancer, ischaemic heart disease, HIV/AIDS and diabetes.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessing pramlintide treatment in the setting of intensive insulin therapy in type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE
To assess safety, efficacy, and tolerability of pramlintide dose escalation with proactive mealtime insulin reduction, followed by insulin optimization, in patients with type 1 diabetes.


RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
This 29-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study randomized 296 patients to pramlintide or placebo as an adjunct to insulin. During initiation, pramlintide was escalated from 15 to 60 microg/meal (15-microg increments) with recommended reductions (30-50%) in mealtime insulin. Insulin was subsequently adjusted to optimize glycemic control. End points included safety and change in HbA1c (A1C), postprandial glucose, insulin, weight, and tolerability.


RESULTS
Baseline A1C was 8.1% for both groups and at week 29 had decreased comparably (pramlintide -0.5% [95% CI -0.61 to -0.33]; placebo -0.5% [-0.63 to -0.35]). Pramlintide treatment significantly reduced postprandial glucose excursions (incremental area under the curve [AUC](0-3h): pramlintide -175 +/- 40, placebo -64 +/- 38 mg x h(-1) x dl(-1); P < 0.0005) and weight (pramlintide -1.3 +/- 0.30, placebo +1.2 +/- 0.30 kg; P < 0.0001). At week 29, insulin dose decreased by 28 and 4% in pramlintide- and placebo-treated groups, respectively. Nausea, reported by 63 and 36% of patients in pramlintide and placebo groups (P < 0.01), respectively, was predominately mild to moderate in intensity. Severe hypoglycemia rates were low in both groups (pramlintide 0.57 +/- 0.09, placebo 0.30 +/- 0.06 event rate/patient-year; P < 0.05), with increased rates observed in patients remaining at 30 microg pramlintide.


CONCLUSIONS
Pramlintide dose escalation with reduced mealtime insulin was effective during therapy initiation in patients with type 1 diabetes. While both groups experienced equivalent A1C reductions relative to placebo, pramlintide-treated patients experienced reductions in postprandial glucose excursions and weight, not achievable with insulin therapy alone.
A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE FORTH RAIL BRIDGE, 1890 SCOTLAND

The following paper analyses the design and the construction of the Forth Rail Bridge in Scotland. The Forth Rail Bridge is one of the most iconic bridges in engineering history and great interest to engineers. Other considerations in this paper include the aesthetic quality of the bridge, the maintenance of the bridge today and the future improvements to the bridge.
Anti-HBV DNA vaccination does not prevent relapse after discontinuation of analogues in the treatment of chronic hepatitis B: a randomised trial--ANRS HB02 VAC-ADN.

OBJECTIVE
The antiviral efficacy of nucleos(t)ide analogues whose main limitation is relapse after discontinuation requires long-term therapy. To overcome the risk of relapse and virological breakthrough during long-term therapy, we performed a phase I/II, open, prospective, multicentre trial using a HBV envelope-expressing DNA vaccine.


DESIGN
70 patients treated effectively with nucleos(t)ide analogues for a median of 3 years (HBV DNA <12 IU/mL for at least 12 months) were randomised into two groups: one received five intramuscular injections of vaccine (weeks 0, 8, 16, 40 and 44) and one did not receive the vaccine. Analogues were stopped after an additional 48 weeks of treatment in patients who maintained HBV DNA <12 IU/mL with no clinical progression and monthly HBV DNA for 6 months. The primary endpoint was defined as viral reactivation at week 72 (HBV DNA >120 IU/mL) or impossibility of stopping treatment at week 48.


RESULTS
Reactivation occurred in 97% of each group after a median 28 days without liver failure but with an HBV DNA <2000 IU/mL in 33%; 99% of adverse reactions were mild to moderate. Immune responses were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot and proliferation assays: there was no difference in the percentage of patients with interferon-γ secreting cells and a specific T-cell proliferation to HBcAg but not to HBsAg after reactivation in each group.


CONCLUSIONS
Although it is fairly well tolerated, the HBV DNA vaccine does not decrease the risk of relapse in HBV-treated patients or the rate of virological breakthrough, and does not restore the anti-HBV immune response despite effective viral suppression by analogues.


TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
NCT00536627.