LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Validation of a simple index (SIisOGTT) of insulin sensitivity in a population of sedentary men.

AIM
The ongoing obesity epidemic is associated with numerous health problems related to altered metabolic function. Among these is type 2 diabetes, characterized by lowered insulin sensitivity (IS). Consequently, the development of simple indices to assess IS has research and clinical importance. The SI(is)OGTT, a new index of IS, was recently described by Bastard et al. (Diabetes & Metabolism 2007;33:261-8), and validated in sedentary, non-diabetic, overweight and obese postmenopausal women. The aim of the present study was to validate the index in men.


METHODS
The data used in this project came from sedentary men (n=36), aged 34-53 years, all of whom underwent a hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp and 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Correlations with M/I (glucose infusion rate [GIR] divided by insulin concentration), GIR and GIR divided by fat-free mass (FFM) were obtained by four well-known indices (HOMA, QUICKI, Cederholm and Matsuda) as well as with the new SI(is)OGTT index. Pearson correlations and Bland-Altman analyses were obtained for every index versus clamp value.


RESULTS
The best correlate of IS in the present study was the SI(is)OGTT (r=0.84, P<0.0001). The agreement of this method with the hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp, as assessed by Bland-Altman plots, was similar to those of the other indices and to those previously described in postmenopausal women.


CONCLUSION
The new index proposed by Bastard et al. is as good a predictor of IS in sedentary men as the other commonly used indices, and appears to be as reliable in this population as it was in the original study of postmenopausal women.
Examining the Role an "Illegal" Identifier has on the Identity, Social Interactions, and Academic Experiences of Undocumented Latina/o Students

Author(s): Soltero Lopez, Ana Karina | Advisor(s): Howard, Tyrone C. | Abstract: Negative stereotypes associated with immigrants have resulted in the socially constructed notion of "illegality." Nativist sentiments have perpetuated a barrage of anti-immigrant laws that have become largely associated with Mexican immigrants (De Genova, 2004). Recent implementation of draconian laws such as Arizona's SB 1070 and Alabama's HB 56 provide an opportunity to investigate the impact such laws have on the identity, social interactions, and academic experiences and aspirations of undocumented Latina/o students in the U.S.Research on immigrant youth has favored assimilation frameworks, which highlight deficiencies and perpetuate stereotypes overlooking the systemic role racism and nativism play in the educational outcomes of undocumented students (Perez Huber et al., 2008). In contrast, taking a strength-based approach, this study applies Social Identity Theory (SIT) and Latina/o Critical Theory (LatCrit) which privileges the in-depth stories of 12 Latina/o undocumented high school, community college, and university students between the ages of 14 and 25.Findings suggest that anti-immigrant sentiments exacerbate the negative connotation of an "illegal" identifier for certain identities such as class, student, and sibling identities. An "illegal" identifier also influences social interactions. For example, students reveal having a small group of trustworthy friends to whom they confide their immigration status. In addition, students discuss how well-informed and supportive teachers and counselors make a positive impact on their academic progress. Moreover, students share their excitement over the personal benefits of President Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). In this study, three legislations--California's AB 540, DREAM Act, and DACA--are credited for diminishing the economic challenges associated with school related expenses, such as tuition, housing, and books. Research findings will be shared with all research sites in order to help administration create/expand resources, academic programs, and support systems for this student population.
Sarilumab plus methotrexate suppresses circulating biomarkers of bone resorption and synovial damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and inadequate response to methotrexate: a biomarker study of MOBILITY

BACKGROUND
Interleukin 6 (IL-6) signaling plays a key role in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is inhibited by sarilumab, a human monoclonal antibody blocking the IL-6 receptor alpha (IL-6Rα). The effects of sarilumab plus methotrexate (MTX) on serum biomarkers of joint damage and bone resorption were assessed in two independent studies (phase II (part A) and phase III (part B)) of patients with RA with a history of inadequate response to MTX from the MOBILITY study (NCT01061736).


METHODS
Serum samples were analyzed at baseline and prespecified posttreatment time points. Biomarkers of tissue destruction, cartilage degradation, and synovial inflammation were measured in part A; assessment of these markers was repeated in part B and included additional analysis of biomarkers of bone formation and resorption (including soluble receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (sRANKL)). A mixed model for repeated measures was used to compare treatment effects on change in biomarkers. Additionally, changes from baseline in biomarkers were compared between American College of Rheumatology 50 % responders and nonresponders and between patients who achieved or did not achieve low disease activity (LDA), separately by treatment group, at week 24.


RESULTS
In part A, sarilumab 150 and 200 mg every 2 weeks (q2w) significantly reduced biomarkers of tissue destruction, cartilage degradation, and synovial inflammation at both 2 and 12 weeks posttreatment (p < 0.05 vs placebo). These results were replicated in part B, with markers of these damaging processes reduced at weeks 2 and 24 (p < 0.05 vs placebo). Additionally, sarilumab 200 mg q2w significantly reduced both sRANKL and sRANKL/osteoprotegerin ratio at week 24 (p < 0.01 vs placebo). Trends for reduction were noted for several biomarkers in patients who achieved LDA compared with those who did not.


CONCLUSIONS
Sarilumab plus MTX significantly suppressed biomarkers of bone resorption and joint damage, as compared with placebo plus MTX, in patients with RA. Additional work is needed to determine whether differences in biomarker profiles at baseline or posttreatment can identify patients who achieve improvement in disease activity.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01061736 , February 2, 2010.
Blockchain Engineering for the Internet of Things: Systems Security Perspective

The Internet of Things (IoT) technology has a potential to bring the benefits of intelligently interconnecting not just computers and humans, but most of everyday things. IoT has a promise of opening significant business process improvement opportunities leading to economic growth and cost reductions. However, there are many challenges facing IoT, including significant scalability and security challenges due to the integration of potentially huge number of things into the network. Many of scalability and security issues stem from a centralized, primarily client/server, architecture of IoT systems and frameworks. Blockchain technology, as a relativelly new approach to decentralized computation and assets management and transfer, has a potential to help solve a number of scalability and security issues that IoT is facing, primarilly through the removal of centralized points of failure for such systems. As such, blockchain technology and IoT integration provides a promising direction and it has recently generated significant research interest, e.g., [4].
 In this talk, we present our experiences based on our recent project in enhancing security and privacy in decentralized energy trading in smart grids using blockchain, multi-signatures and anonymous messaging streams [1], that has built upon our previous work on Bitcoin-based decentralized carbon emissions trading infrastructure model [2]. In particular, we present the blockchain systems security issues within the context of IoT security and privacy requirements [3]. This is done with the intention of producing an early integrated security model for blockchain-powered IoT systems [5]. The presentation is constrained to the discussion of the architecture-level requirements [6]. Finally, we will present the main opportunity loss if the integration ignores the full realization of the real-world asset transaction paradigm.
Cardiac troponin-I on diagnosis predicts early death and refractoriness in acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura. Experience of the French Thrombotic Microangiopathies Reference Center.

BACKGROUND
Cardiac involvement is a major cause of mortality in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). However, diagnosis remains underestimated and delayed, owing to subclinical injuries. Cardiac troponin-I measurement (cTnI) on admission could improve the early diagnosis of cardiac involvement and have prognostic value.


OBJECTIVES
To assess the predictive value of cTnI in patients with TTP for death or refractoriness.


PATIENTS/METHODS
The study involved a prospective cohort of adult TTP patients with acquired severe ADAMTS-13 deficiency (< 10%) and included in the registry of the French Reference Center for Thrombotic Microangiopathies. Centralized cTnI measurements were performed on frozen serum on admission.


RESULTS
Between January 2003 and December 2011, 133 patients with TTP (mean age, 48 ± 17 years) had available cTnI measurements on admission. Thirty-two patients (24%) had clinical and/or electrocardiogram features. Nineteen (14.3%) had cardiac symptoms, mainly congestive heart failure and myocardial infarction. Electrocardiogram changes, mainly repolarization disorders, were present in 13 cases. An increased cTnI level (> 0.1 μg L(-1) ) was present in 78 patients (59%), of whom 46 (59%) had no clinical cardiac involvement. The main outcomes were death (25%) and refractoriness (17%). Age (P = 0.02) and cTnI level (P = 0.002) showed the greatest impact on survival. A cTnI level of > 0.25 μg L(-1) was the only independent factor in predicting death (odds ratio [OR] 2.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.13-7.22; P = 0.024) and/or refractoriness (OR 3.03; 95% CI 1.27-7.3; P = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
A CTnI level of > 0.25 μg L(-1) at presentation in patients with TTP appears to be an independent factor associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of death or refractoriness. Therefore, cTnI level should be considered as a prognostic indicator in patients diagnosed with TTP.
Identification of Intrastent Pathology Associated With Late Stent Thrombosis Using Optical Coherence Tomography.

OBJECTIVE
To better characterize intrastent pathology using optical coherence tomography (OCT) in patients presenting with late and very late stent thrombosis (LST/VLST).


BACKGROUND
The contribution of specific intrastent pathologies to the development of LST/VLST is not well understood.


METHODS
In this single-center, retrospective, observational study of 796 consecutive patients treated for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) with primary PCI we identified 57 patients (7.2%) in whom STEMI resulted from LST/VLST. Of the patients with LST/VLST, 21 patients (37%) had OCT performed at the discretion of the operator during PCI for LST/VLST. Independent reviewers performed qualitative offline analysis of OCT images to determine the cause of stent thrombosis defined as the specific intrastent pathology associated with thrombus deposition.


RESULTS
The principal intrastent pathology causing LST/VLST was determined to be stent malapposition in 11 patients (55%), of which 5 (25% of all LST/VLST patents) had findings suggestive of positive vessel remodeling. Neoatherosclerosis was determined to be the cause of LST/VLST in 7 patients (35%). LST/VLST resulted from uncovered stent struts in 2 patients (10%). Among all LST/VLST patients, in-hospital mortality (12.3%) and post-hospital target vessel failure (TVF) or cardiac death (21.7%, median follow-up 1.6 years) remained high. There was a trend towards decreased TVF or cardiac death (7.7% vs. 27.3% P = 0.24) in patients who underwent OCT-guided therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
LST/VLST remains a significant cause of STEMI and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. OCT use at the time of PCI consistently identifies significant intrastent pathology with potentially meaningful clinical impact.
Effects of improved fat content of frankfurters and pâtés on lipid and lipoprotein profile of volunteers at increased cardiovascular risk: a placebo-controlled study.

PURPOSE
To study the effect of modified frankfurters and pâtés: (a) reduced-fat products (RF) (15.3 and 15.2 % fat, respectively); (b) n-3-enriched reduced-fat products (n-3 RF) (15.1 and 15.5 % fat, respectively); and (c) normal-fat products (NF) (18 and 30.8 % fat, respectively) on lipids, lipoproteins, atherogenic ratios, oxidized LDL, and blood pressure of volunteers at high CVD risk.


METHODS
Twenty-two volunteers were enrolled in a sequential study of 3 consecutive 4-week periods separated by 4-week washout periods.


RESULTS
LDL-cholesterol (p < 0.01), oxidized LDL, LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol (both p < 0.05) were significantly affected by the overall intervention. Compared to baseline, LDL-cholesterol decreased significantly (p = 0.012) during the RF period; the LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio (p = 0.08) and the diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.06) also decreased, although non-significantly, after RF consumption. LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.040) and oxidized LDL (p = 0.016) increased significantly after NF product consumption; systolic blood pressure did not show significant variations after this period. No significant differences, in absolute or relative changes, were observed between RF and n-3 RF consumption for any parameter tested. However, LDL-cholesterol, oxidized LDL, and the LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio were lower (12, 15 and 10 %, respectively) after n-3 RF versus NF product consumption. Oxidized LDL was approximately 15 % lower after RF versus NF product consumption.


CONCLUSIONS
The regular consumption of RF meat products, enriched in n-3 fatty acids or not, positively affects the lipoprotein profile of volunteers, decreasing LDL-cholesterol and oxidized LDL levels and, thus, future risk of cardiovascular accident. On comparison with the effects of NF product intake, the responses to n-3 RF and RF products differ, and while n-3 RF intake induces a reduction in LDL-cholesterol, oxidized LDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratio, the intake of RF products modifies only the oxidized LDL level.
Proteomics of cauda epididymal fluid from mature Holstein bulls.

The proteome of cauda epididymal fluid (CEF) from Holstein bulls was defined. Fluid was collected from the vas deferens, subjected to 2-D SDS-PAGE and spots identified by CapLC-MS/MS and MALDI-ToF/ToF. Because albumin accounted for 21.1% of all spot intensities in the gels examined by PDQuest, samples were subjected to albumin depletion and then analyzed again as before. Original CEF gels had 114 ± 3 spots, including as the most abundant: albumin, epididymal secretory protein E1, prostaglandin d-synthase and gelsolin. Epididymal fluid also expressed: clusterin, transferrin, N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase, cauxin, glutathione peroxidase, acidic seminal fluid protein (aSFP), aldehyde reductase, α-l-fucosidase, α-1-β-glycoprotein, apolipoprotein A-1, β actin, calmodulin, cathepsin D, cystatin E/M, enolase, galectin 3-binding protein, leucine amino-peptidase and nucleobindin. Albumin depletion decreased that very spot to 10% of its original intensity and the resulting gels had, on average, 137 ± 4 spots. Spots identified as dipeptidyl-peptidase 7, angiotensin-converting enzyme, arylsulfatase A, aspartylglucosaminidase, serine protease inhibitors, new isoforms of calmodulin, cystatin E/M and a 17-kDa nucleobindin appeared only in depleted maps. This study is the first to report nucleobindin and aSFP as epididymal components. We suggest that CEF proteins act to facilitate membrane remodeling, transport of lipophilic substances, protect sperm and prevent premature acrosome reaction.
Python for beginners

A survey found the language in use in introductory programming classes in the top U.S. computer science schools.
Prognostic factors for clinical failure of exacerbations in elderly outpatients with moderate-to-severe COPD

BACKGROUND
Acute exacerbations represent a significant burden for patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Each exacerbation episode is frequently associated with a lengthy recovery and impaired quality of life. Prognostic factors for outpatients that may predict poor outcome after treatment with antibiotics recommended in the guidelines, are not fully understood. We aimed to identify pretherapy factors predictive of clinical failure in elderly (≥60 years old) outpatients with acute Anthonisen type 1 exacerbations.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
NCT00656747.


METHODS
Based on the moxifloxacin in AECOPDs (acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) trial (MAESTRAL) database, this study evaluated pretherapy demographic, clinical, sputum bacteriological factors using multivariate logistic regression analysis, with internal validation by bootstrap replicates, to investigate their possible association with clinical failure at end of therapy (EOT) and 8 weeks posttherapy.


RESULTS
The analyses found that the independent factors predicting clinical failure at EOT were more frequent exacerbations, increased respiratory rate and lower body temperature at exacerbation, treatment with long-acting anticholinergic drugs, and in vitro bacterial resistance to study drug. The independent factors predicting poor outcome at 8 weeks posttherapy included wheezing at preexacerbation, mild or moderate (vs extreme) sleep disturbances, lower body temperature at exacerbation, forced expiratory volume in 1 second <30%, lower body mass index, concomitant systemic corticosteroids for the current exacerbation, maintenance long-acting β2-agonist and long-acting anticholinergic treatments, and positive sputum culture at EOT.


CONCLUSION
Several bacteriological, historical, treatment-related factors were identified as predictors of early (EOT) and later (8 weeks posttherapy) clinical failure in this older outpatient population with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. These patients should be closely monitored and sputum cultures considered before and after treatment.
Distribution and chemical fractionation of heavy metals in recent sediments from Lake Taihu, China

Lake Taihu is one of the most contaminated lakes in China. Surface sediment data show that the northern area of the Lake has the worst heavy metals pollution, and high heavy metal concentrations were attributed to discharge of untreated and partially treated industrial waste water from cities to the north of the lake. To study geochemical features and pollution history of heavy metals, total content and chemical fractionations of Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn were analyzed for core sediments from western Lake Taihu using the speciation extraction procedure, proposed by the Commission of the European Communities Bureau of Reference (BCR), together with grain size and organic carbon measurements. Results show that sediments are composed of organic-poor clayey-fine silts for Cores MS and DLS, and have similar geochemical features shown by heavy metals. Cu, Fe, Ni, and Zn mainly are associated with the residue fraction, Mn is concentrated in the exchangeable-carbonate and residue fractions, and Pb is concentrated in the Fe–Mn oxide fraction and organic-sulfide fraction. The fractions of Ni, Pb, and Zn bound to Fe–Mn oxide show significant correlations with Mn from the Fe–Mn oxide fraction, and the organic-sulfide fractions of Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn are correlated with TOC. The increase of Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn content and percentage of extractable fractions in the upper layers of the sediments are correlated with anthropogenic input of heavy metals due to rapid industrial development. This coincides with rapid economic development in the Taihu basin since late 1970s. Heavy metals in the surface sediments have certain potential biological toxicity as shown by the higher SEM/AVS ratio.
Bilateral robotic priming before task-oriented approach in subacute stroke rehabilitation: a pilot randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES
To investigate the treatment effects of bilateral robotic priming combined with the task-oriented approach on motor impairment, disability, daily function, and quality of life in patients with subacute stroke.


DESIGN
A randomized controlled trial.


SETTING
Occupational therapy clinics in medical centers.


SUBJECTS
Thirty-one subacute stroke patients were recruited.


INTERVENTIONS
Participants were randomly assigned to receive bilateral priming combined with the task-oriented approach (i.e., primed group) or to the task-oriented approach alone (i.e., unprimed group) for 90 minutes/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks. The primed group began with the bilateral priming technique by using a bimanual robot-aided device.


MAIN MEASURES
Motor impairments were assessed by the Fugal-Meyer Assessment, grip strength, and the Box and Block Test. Disability and daily function were measured by the modified Rankin Scale, the Functional Independence Measure, and actigraphy. Quality of life was examined by the Stroke Impact Scale.


RESULTS
The primed and unprimed groups improved significantly on most outcomes over time. The primed group demonstrated significantly better improvement on the Stroke Impact Scale strength subscale ( p = 0.012) and a trend for greater improvement on the modified Rankin Scale ( p = 0.065) than the unprimed group.


CONCLUSION
Bilateral priming combined with the task-oriented approach elicited more improvements in self-reported strength and disability degrees than the task-oriented approach by itself. Further large-scale research with at least 31 participants in each intervention group is suggested to confirm the study findings.
Understanding the Early Origins of the Education-Health Gradient: A Framework That Can Also Be Applied to Analyze Gene-Environment Interactions.

In this article, we develop a framework for analyzing the causal effects of interventions in the presence of latent factors that could affect outcomes, even in the absence of interventions. This framework will be useful in situations in which genes are included among the latent factors. We estimate the model and study the early origins of observed later-life disparities by education. We determine the role played by cognitive, noncognitive, and early health endowments. We identify the causal effect of education on health and health-related behaviors. We show that family background characteristics and cognitive, noncognitive, and health endowments developed by age 10 are important determinants of health disparities at age 30. We also show that not properly accounting for personality traits results in overestimation of the importance of cognitive ability in determining later health. Selection on preexisting traits explains more than half of the observed differences in poor health and obesity. Education has an important causal effect in explaining differences in smoking rates. There are significant gender differences. We go beyond the current literature, which typically estimates mean effects, to compute distributions of treatment effects. We show that the effect of education on health varies among individuals who are similar in their observed characteristics, and how a mean effect can hide gains and losses for different individuals. This analysis highlights the crucial role played by promotion of good health at an early age and the importance of prevention in the reduction of health disparities. We speculate about how the model can be applied to genetic studies.