LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Aging, rhythms of physical performance, and adjustment to changes in the sleep-activity cycle.

OBJECTIVES
Shiftwork causes disturbances of the normal sleep-wake cycle and circadian rhythm. There is concern that aging workers have more problems than younger counterparts when the human body clock is disrupted. This review considers issues relating to aging, the circadian body clock, and adjustment to altered sleep-wake schedules.


METHODS
Reports on effects of aging on the human body clock were reviewed. Research concerned with adjustment to circadian phase shifts (as occurs in night work) was considered.


RESULTS
With aging there is an increased tendency towards morningness which is linked with difficulties in sleeping. The peak time and amplitude of normal circadian rhythms are altered. Tolerance of shiftwork can be linked with social factors as well as adaptation of the body clock.


CONCLUSIONS
People habituated to night work seem to have developed mechanisms which allow them to cope with disruptions to lifestyle and the endogenous body clock. Elderly people are more suited to phase advances, as occur in morning workshifts, than to phase delays such as nocturnal work.
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency in multiple sclerosis: clinical correlates from a multicentre study

BACKGROUND
Chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency (CCSVI) has recently been reported to be associated with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, its actual prevalence, possible association with specific MS phenotypes, and potential pathophysiological role are debated.


METHOD
We analysed the clinical data of 710 MS patients attending six centres (five Italian and one Canadian). All were submitted to venous Doppler sonography and diagnosed as having or not having CCSVI according to the criteria of Zamboni et al.


RESULTS
Overall, CCSVI was diagnosed in 86% of the patients, but the frequency varied greatly between the centres. Even greater differences were found when considering singly the five diagnostic criteria proposed by Zamboni et al. Despite these differences, significant associations with clinical data were found, the most striking being age at disease onset (about five years greater in CCSVI-positive patients) and clinical severity (mean EDSS score about one point higher in CCSVI-positive patients). Patients with progressive MS were more likely to have CCSVI than those with relapsing-remitting MS.


CONCLUSION
The methods for diagnosing CCSVI need to be refined, as the between-centre differences, particularly in single criteria, were excessively high. Despite these discrepancies, the strong associations between CCSVI and MS phenotype suggest that the presence of CCSVI may favour a later development of MS in patients with a lower susceptibility to autoimmune diseases and may increase its severity.
Therapies for active rheumatoid arthritis after methotrexate failure.

BACKGROUND
Few blinded trials have compared conventional therapy consisting of a combination of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs with biologic agents in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who have active disease despite treatment with methotrexate--a common scenario in the management of rheumatoid arthritis.


METHODS
We conducted a 48-week, double-blind, noninferiority trial in which we randomly assigned 353 participants with rheumatoid arthritis who had active disease despite methotrexate therapy to a triple regimen of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (methotrexate, sulfasalazine, and hydroxychloroquine) or etanercept plus methotrexate. Patients who did not have an improvement at 24 weeks according to a prespecified threshold were switched in a blinded fashion to the other therapy. The primary outcome was improvement in the Disease Activity Score for 28-joint counts (DAS28, with scores ranging from 2 to 10 and higher scores indicating more disease activity) at week 48.


RESULTS
Both groups had significant improvement over the course of the first 24 weeks (P=0.001 for the comparison with baseline). A total of 27% of participants in each group required a switch in treatment at 24 weeks. Participants in both groups who switched therapies had improvement after switching (P<0.001), and the response after switching did not differ significantly between the two groups (P=0.08). The change between baseline and 48 weeks in the DAS28 was similar in the two groups (-2.1 with triple therapy and -2.3 with etanercept and methotrexate, P=0.26); triple therapy was noninferior to etanercept and methotrexate, since the 95% upper confidence limit of 0.41 for the difference in change in DAS28 was below the margin for noninferiority of 0.6 (P=0.002). There were no significant between-group differences in secondary outcomes, including radiographic progression, pain, and health-related quality of life, or in major adverse events associated with the medications.


CONCLUSIONS
With respect to clinical benefit, triple therapy, with sulfasalazine and hydroxychloroquine added to methotrexate, was noninferior to etanercept plus methotrexate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had active disease despite methotrexate therapy. (Funded by the Cooperative Studies Program, Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Research and Development, and others; CSP 551 RACAT ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00405275.)
Factors Associated with the Uptake of Cervical Cancer Screening Among Women in Portland, Jamaica

BACKGROUND
Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer among women worldwide and is the leading cause of deaths in developing countries. Despite the strong evidence that cervical cancer screening results in decreased mortality from this disease, the uptake for cervical screening among Jamaican women remains low.


AIMS
This study was carried out to identify factors associated with Jamaican women's decisions to screen for cervical cancer.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
Cross-sectional descriptive study of 403 women aged 19 years and older from Portland, Jamaica. An interviewer-administered questionnaire assessed the women's cervical cancer screening history, as well as their knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the disease and screening.


RESULTS
Of the 403 women interviewed, 66% had a Papanicolaou (Pap) smear and only 16% had a Pap test within the past year. Significant predicators of uptake of screening were being married, age, parity, discussing cancer with health provider, perception of consequences of not having a Pap smear, and knowing a person with cervical cancer. Women who did not know where to go for a Pap smear were 85% less likely to have been screened (prevalence odds ratio (POR): 0.15, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.04, 0.52).


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed suboptimal uptake of cervical cancer screening among Jamaican women. Multipronged approaches are needed to address barriers to screening, as well as identify and support conditions that encourage women's use of reproductive health services, thereby reducing incidence and mortality rates from cervical cancer.
Neural-network-based robust optimal control design for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems via adaptive dynamic programming

In this paper, the neural-network-based robust optimal control design for a class of uncertain nonlinear systems via adaptive dynamic programming approach is investigated. First, the robust controller of the original uncertain system is derived by adding a feedback gain to the optimal controller of the nominal system. It is also shown that this robust controller can achieve optimality under a specified cost function, which serves as the basic idea of the robust optimal control design. Then, a critic network is constructed to solve the Hamilton– Jacobi–Bellman equation corresponding to the nominal system, where an additional stabilizing term is introduced to verify the stability. The uniform ultimate boundedness of the closed-loop system is also proved by using the Lyapunov approach. Moreover, the obtained results are extended to solve decentralized optimal control problem of continuous-time nonlinear interconnected large-scale systems. Finally, two simulation examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the established control scheme. 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
A SAMPLING THEOREM FOR STATIONARY ( WIDE SENSE ) STOCHASTIC PROCESSES

where g is of bounded variation on [ — h~x/2, h~l/2\ and the jumps of g at the endpoints, if any, are equal [3]. This result, or some variant of it, is known in the communications art as the sampling theorem [12]; it is widely used in information theory [4]. In the present paper we seek conditions under which the random variables x(t) of a stationary (wide sense) stochastic process \x(t), — oo <t< «> } are determined linearly by the "sample" random variables \x(nh), — oo <«< oo }. (The sample spacing h>0 is to be regarded throughout as a fixed preassigned number.) The problem is a simple one, intuitively speaking. Suppose process x contains a component aie2wiXlt at frequency Xi; this component contributes to the samples the quantities
Differential effects of nebivolol versus metoprolol on functional sympatholysis in hypertensive humans.

In young healthy humans, sympathetic vasoconstriction is markedly blunted during exercise to optimize blood flow to the metabolically active muscle. This phenomenon known as functional sympatholysis is impaired in hypertensive humans and rats by angiotensin II-dependent mechanisms, involving oxidative stress and inactivation of nitric oxide (NO). Nebivolol is a β1-adrenergic receptor blocker that has NO-dependent vasodilatory and antioxidant properties. We therefore asked whether nebivolol would restore functional sympatholysis in hypertensive humans. In 21 subjects with stage 1 hypertension, we measured muscle oxygenation and forearm blood flow responses to reflex increases in sympathetic nerve activity evoked by lower body negative pressure at rest, and during rhythmic handgrip exercise at baseline, after 12 weeks of nebivolol (5-20 mg/d) or metoprolol (100-300 mg/d), using a double-blind crossover design. We found that nebivolol had no effect on lower body negative pressure-induced decreases in oxygenation and forearm blood flow in resting forearm (from -29±5% to -30±5% and from -29±3% to -29±3%, respectively; P=NS). However, nebivolol attenuated the lower body negative pressure-induced reduction in oxygenation and forearm blood flow in exercising forearm (from -14±4% to -1±5% and from -15±2% to -6±2%, respectively; both P<0.05). This effect of nebivolol on oxygenation and forearm blood flow in exercising forearm was not observed with metoprolol in the same subjects, despite a similar reduction in blood pressure. Nebivolol had no effect on sympathetic nerve activity at rest or during handgrip, suggesting a direct effect on vascular function. Thus, our data demonstrate that nebivolol restored functional sympatholysis in hypertensive humans by a mechanism that does not involve β1-adrenergic receptors. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01502787.
Dynamic content attacks on digital signatures

Digitally signing a digital document is a straightforward procedure; however, when the digital document contains dynamic content, the digital signature may remain valid but the viewed document may not be the same as the document when viewed by the signer. Other similar problems exist even with ‘static’ documents, if the appearance of a document can be changed. In this paper, we consider previously proposed solutions for such problems, and propose a new solution. Unresolved issues and problems are also discussed.
Citric acid production from glucose by yeast Candida oleophila ATCC 20177 under batch, continuous and repeated batch cultivation

The effect of air saturation on citric acid production in batch, repeated batch and chemostat cultures has been studied. It was shown that, under continuous fermentation (chemostat mode), the highest concentration of citric acid equal of 98 g/l was produced at 20% of air saturation. In contrary to continuous fermentation, displaying an optimum at 20%, 80% air saturation yielded higher values in repeated batch fermentation process. 167 g/l citric acid were produced continuously with the fill and drain technique at 4.85 days, at 80% air saturation, compared with 157.6 g/l achieved within 5.4 days at 20%. Under repeated batch fermentation, the formation rate of the generic product (Rj) as well as the specific citric acid productivity (mp) reached a maximum of 1.283 g/(l x hr) at 4.01 days and of 0.0375 g/(g x hr) at 4.58 days, respectively. The glucose consumption rate (Rx) reached a maximum value of 3.33 g/(l x hr) entering stationary phase after 2.56 days at a glucose concentration of 131.2 g/l.
Vitamin D supplementation and endothelial function in vitamin D deficient HIV-infected patients: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND
Studies suggest that vitamin D deficiency is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in HIV patients but the effect of vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular risk in this population is unknown.


METHODS
We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial among 45 HIV-infected adults in Cleveland (OH, USA) on stable antiretroviral therapy with durable virological suppression and a baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level of ≤20 ng/ml. Participants were randomized 2:1 to vitamin D3 4,000 IU daily or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was a change in flow-mediated brachial artery dilation (FMD).


RESULTS
Baseline demographics were similar except for age (vitamin D versus placebo, mean ±sd 47 ±8 versus 40 ±10 years; P=0.009). Both groups had reduced FMD at baseline (median values 2.9% [IQR 1.6-4.8] for vitamin D versus 2.5% [IQR 1.7-6.4] for placebo; P=0.819). Despite an increase in the concentration of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D from baseline to 12 weeks (5.0 ng/ml [IQR -0.9-7.4] versus -1.9 ng/ml [IQR -4.0-0.1] for vitamin D versus placebo, respectively; P=0.003), there was no difference in FMD change (0.55% [IQR -1.05-2.13] versus 0.29% [IQR -1.61-1.77]; P=0.748). Vitamin D supplementation was associated with a decrease in total and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and an increase in indices of insulin resistance.


CONCLUSIONS
Among HIV-infected individuals with vitamin D deficiency, supplementation with 4,000 IU vitamin D3 daily for 12 weeks modestly improved vitamin D status and cholesterol but worsened insulin resistance without change in endothelial function. The mechanisms of resistance to standard doses of vitamin D and the complex role of vitamin D in glucose metabolism in this population require further investigation.
A Study on Generator Capacity for Wind Turbines Under Various Tower Heights and Rated Wind Speeds Using Weibull Distribution

This paper presents a novel approach based on Weibull distribution to determine the capacity of wind turbine generators (WTGs) using capacity factor (CF), normalized average power (PN), and the product of CF and PN under different values of tower height and rated wind speed. Five locations for installation of WTG in Taiwan are practically examined. The proposed Weibull distribution is employed to represent probability distribution of wind speed variation, while the important relationships among mean wind speed (MWS), standard deviation of wind speed, and both scale and shape parameters of the Weibull distribution are also derived. The cost of energy (COE) and capital costs of WTG under different tower heights and various locations are also determined. It can be concluded from the simulation results of five installation locations of WTG in Taiwan that suitable values for both shape parameter and scale parameters of Weibull distribution as well as wind turbine capacity are identically important for selecting locations of installing WTG. The scale parameter of Weibull distribution also significantly affects COE, and it is important to determine whether a wind farm is good or not.
CONTINUOUS FUZZY MEASUREMENT OF ENERGY FOR A TWO-LEVEL SYSTEM

We show that it is possible to make the Rabioscillations of the state of a two-level atom“visible” by continuous measurement of theatomic energy.
Buteyko breathing techniques in asthma: a blinded randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of Buteyko breathing techniques (BBT) in the management of asthma.


DESIGN
Prospective, blinded, randomised study comparing the effect of BBT with control classes in 39 subjects with asthma. The study was conducted from January 1995 to April 1995.


PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
Subjects recruited from the community, aged 12 to 70 years, with asthma and substantial medication use.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Medication use; morning peak expiratory flow (PEF); forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1); end-tidal (ET) CO2; resting minute volume (MV); and quality of life (QOL) score, measured at three months.


RESULTS
No change in daily PEF or FEV1 was noted in either group. At three months, the BBT group had a median reduction in daily beta 2-agonist dose of 904 micrograms (range, 29 micrograms to 3129 micrograms), whereas the control group had a median reduction of 57 micrograms (range, -2343 micrograms to 1143 micrograms) (P = 0.002). Daily inhaled steroid dose fell 49% (range, -100% to 150%) for the BBT group and 0 (range, -82% to +100%) for the control group (P = 0.06). A trend towards greater improvement in QOL score was noted for BBT subjects (P = 0.09). Initial MV was high and similar in both groups; by three months, MV was lower in the BBT group than in the control group (P = 0.004). ET CO2 was low in both groups and did not change with treatment.


CONCLUSION
Those practising BBT reduced hyperventilation and their use of beta 2-agonists. A trend toward reduced inhaled steroid use and better quality of life was observed in these patients without objective changes in measures of airway calibre.
A randomized, double blind, dose-response comparison of balsalazide (6.75 g), balsalazide (2.25 g), and mesalamine (2.4 g) in the treatment of active, mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis

OBJECTIVE:Balsalazide is a new innovative, mesalamine-containing prodrug that is activated by bacteria in the colon. Balsalazide has been shown previously to be well tolerated and effective in the treatment of acute ulcerative colitis. The aim of this study was to determine the dose-response of balsalazide for efficacy and safety in active, mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis and to compare this profile with that of mesalamine, pH-dependent, delayed-release tablets.METHODS:A multicenter, randomized, active control, double-blind, double-dummy, dose-response, parallel-group study was performed comparing balsalazide (6.75 g daily), balsalazide (2.25 g daily), and mesalamine (2.4 g daily), administered for 8 wk to 154 patients with active, mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis as verified by sigmoidoscopy.RESULTS:Eight weeks of treatment with 6.75 g of balsalazide daily provided significantly greater improvement than did balsalazide (2.25 g daily) in rectal bleeding (64.7% [6.75-g balsalazide] vs 32.4% [2.25-g balsalazide], p < 0.006), stool frequency (58.8% vs 29.4%, p < 0.006), sigmoidoscopic score (78.9% vs 52.5%, p < 0.015), and Physician's Global Assessment (73.7% vs 51.3%, p < 0.03). The efficacy of balsalazide showed a significantly more rapid onset of action than that of mesalamine (2.4 g daily) (2-wk sigmoidocopic score improvement, 54.7% [6.75-g balsalazide] vs 29.4% [2.4-g mesalamine], p = 0.006) with numerically greater improvement at 8 wk in five of seven measured signs and symptoms. Balsalazide (6.75 g daily) was well tolerated, and the safety profile did not differ significantly from that of balsalazide (2.25 g daily) or mesalamine.CONCLUSIONS:Eight weeks of treatment with balsalazide (6.75 g daily) is significantly more effective than balsalazide (2.25 g daily) and more rapid in onset than mesalamine (2.4 g daily) in improving signs and symptoms of acute ulcerative colitis. Balsalazide (6.75 g daily) is well tolerated, and the safety profile does not differ from that of balsalazide (2.25 g daily) and mesalamine (2.4 g daily).
EDAM: an ontology of bioinformatics operations, types of data and identifiers, topics and formats

MOTIVATION
Advancing the search, publication and integration of bioinformatics tools and resources demands consistent machine-understandable descriptions. A comprehensive ontology allowing such descriptions is therefore required.


RESULTS
EDAM is an ontology of bioinformatics operations (tool or workflow functions), types of data and identifiers, application domains and data formats. EDAM supports semantic annotation of diverse entities such as Web services, databases, programmatic libraries, standalone tools, interactive applications, data schemas, datasets and publications within bioinformatics. EDAM applies to organizing and finding suitable tools and data and to automating their integration into complex applications or workflows. It includes over 2200 defined concepts and has successfully been used for annotations and implementations.


AVAILABILITY
The latest stable version of EDAM is available in OWL format from http://edamontology.org/EDAM.owl and in OBO format from http://edamontology.org/EDAM.obo. It can be viewed online at the NCBO BioPortal and the EBI Ontology Lookup Service. For documentation and license please refer to http://edamontology.org. This article describes version 1.2 available at http://edamontology.org/EDAM_1.2.owl.


CONTACT
jison@ebi.ac.uk.
Interruptions: Testing the Rhetoric of Culturally Led Urban Development

Since the 1980s, the cultural industries have gained a key role in strategies to deal with urban problems, seen as able to provide a new economic base in post-industrial settings. Cases of flagship cultural institutions such as Tate Modern or the Guggenheim in Bilbao imply that a cultural turn in urban policy delivers urban revitalisation. Following the turn in Glasgow’s fortunes after being European Capital of Culture in 1990, it is easy to understand how city authorities and developers alike are captivated by cultural projects. But there are questions: is advocacy for the creative industries to be trusted? To what extent can policies and strategies which are successful in one city be mapped onto others? And to what extent do cultural producers, such as artists, subscribe to the party line? An increasing number of voices of dissent in the arts suggest an alternative approach to urban regeneration. This paper questions the rhetoric of the cultural industries and investigates emerging alternative scenarios.