LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone diets for weight loss and heart disease risk reduction: a randomized trial.

CONTEXT
The scarcity of data addressing the health effects of popular diets is an important public health concern, especially since patients and physicians are interested in using popular diets as individualized eating strategies for disease prevention.


OBJECTIVE
To assess adherence rates and the effectiveness of 4 popular diets (Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers, and Ornish) for weight loss and cardiac risk factor reduction.


DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
A single-center randomized trial at an academic medical center in Boston, Mass, of overweight or obese (body mass index: mean, 35; range, 27-42) adults aged 22 to 72 years with known hypertension, dyslipidemia, or fasting hyperglycemia. Participants were enrolled starting July 18, 2000, and randomized to 4 popular diet groups until January 24, 2002.


INTERVENTION
A total of 160 participants were randomly assigned to either Atkins (carbohydrate restriction, n=40), Zone (macronutrient balance, n=40), Weight Watchers (calorie restriction, n=40), or Ornish (fat restriction, n=40) diet groups. After 2 months of maximum effort, participants selected their own levels of dietary adherence.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
One-year changes in baseline weight and cardiac risk factors, and self-selected dietary adherence rates per self-report.


RESULTS
Assuming no change from baseline for participants who discontinued the study, mean (SD) weight loss at 1 year was 2.1 (4.8) kg for Atkins (21 [53%] of 40 participants completed, P = .009), 3.2 (6.0) kg for Zone (26 [65%] of 40 completed, P = .002), 3.0 (4.9) kg for Weight Watchers (26 [65%] of 40 completed, P < .001), and 3.3 (7.3) kg for Ornish (20 [50%] of 40 completed, P = .007). Greater effects were observed in study completers. Each diet significantly reduced the low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio by approximately 10% (all P<.05), with no significant effects on blood pressure or glucose at 1 year. Amount of weight loss was associated with self-reported dietary adherence level (r = 0.60; P<.001) but not with diet type (r = 0.07; P = .40). For each diet, decreasing levels of total/HDL cholesterol, C-reactive protein, and insulin were significantly associated with weight loss (mean r = 0.36, 0.37, and 0.39, respectively) with no significant difference between diets (P = .48, P = .57, P = .31, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Each popular diet modestly reduced body weight and several cardiac risk factors at 1 year. Overall dietary adherence rates were low, although increased adherence was associated with greater weight loss and cardiac risk factor reductions for each diet group.
Lattice-Based Cryptography

Cryptographic applications of lattices include both cyptanalysis and the design of (provably secure) cryptographic functions. Cryptanalysis applications are usually based on lattice reduction techniques. The name “lattice based cryptography” typically refers to the second kind of applications: using lattices as a source of computational hardness in the construction of cryptographic functions which are at least as hard to break as solving some underlying lattice problem. The study of lattice based cryptography has been largely stimulated by Ajtai’s discovery in 1996 [1] that certain variants of the knapsack problem are at least as hard to break on the average as the worst case instance of certain lattice problems, e.g., solving the Shortest Vector Problem (SVP) approximately within polynomial factors. Specifically, assuming that there is no efficient algorithm to approximate SVP within a factor g = nc in the worst case (where n is the dimension of the lattice, and c is an arbitrary constant independent of n), one can build knapsack-like cryptographic (one-way) functions that are almost certainly hard to break (when the key is chosen at random). In 1997 Ajtai and Dwork [2] also proposed a cryptosystem with similar average-case/worst-case connection properties: decrypting random challenges is at least as hard as solving the worst-case instance of a variant of the shortest vector problem, called the unique SVP (uSVP). Since finding approximate solutions to lattice problems gets easier and easier as the approximation factor grows, an important question in the area is to determine the smallest factor g such that one can build cryptographic functions that are as hard to break as finding g-approximate solutions to lattice problems. At the time of this writing, the strongest known results are Micciancio’s collision resistant hash functions [5] based on the inapproximability of the covering
Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of meaning-centered group psychotherapy in cancer survivors: protocol of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND
Meaning-focused coping may be at the core of adequate adjustment to life after cancer. Cancer survivors who experience their life as meaningful are better adjusted, have better quality of life and psychological functioning. Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy for Cancer Survivors (MCGP-CS) was designed to help patients to sustain or enhance a sense of meaning and purpose in their lives. The aim of the proposed study is to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of MCGP-CS.


METHODS/DESIGN
Survivors diagnosed with cancer in the last 5 years and treated with curative intent, are recruited via several hospitals in the Netherlands. After screening, 168 survivors are randomly assigned to one of the three study arms: 1. Meaning-Centered Group Psychotherapy (MCGP-CS) 2. Supportive group psychotherapy (SGP) 3. Care as usual (CAU). Baseline assessment takes place before randomisation, with follow up assessments post-intervention and at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up. Primary outcome is meaning making (PMP, PTGI, SPWB). Secondary outcome measures address quality of life (EORTC-30), anxiety and depression (HADS), hopelessness (BHS), optimism (LOT-R), adjustment to cancer (MAC), and costs (TIC-P, EQ-5D, PRODISQ).


DISCUSSION
Meaning-focused coping is key to adjustment to life after cancer, however, there is a lack of evidence based psychological interventions in this area. Many cancer survivors experience feelings of loneliness and alienation, and have a need for peer support, therefore a group method in particular, can be beneficial for sustaining or enhancing a sense of meaning. If this MCGP-CS is effective for cancer survivors, it can be implemented in the practice of psycho-oncology care.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
Netherlands Trial Register, NTR3571.
Visual snow syndrome: what we know so far.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW
We provide an overview of the neurological condition known as visual snow syndrome. Patients affected by this chronic disorder suffer with a pan-field visual disturbance described as tiny flickering dots, which resemble the static noise of an untuned television.


RECENT FINDINGS
The term 'visual snow' has only appeared in the medical literature very recently. The clinical features of the syndrome have now been reasonably described and the pathophysiology has begun to be explored. This review focuses on what is currently known about visual snow.


SUMMARY
Recent evidence suggests visual snow is a complex neurological syndrome characterized by debilitating visual symptoms. It is becoming better understood as it is systematically studied. Perhaps the most important unmet need for the condition is a sufficient understanding of it to generate and test hypotheses about treatment.
Micromachined capacitive transducer arrays for medical ultrasound imaging

The fabrication and characterization of microand theoretical results on spurious mode excitation in the sented. f f e p o r d s Ultrasonic transducer, array imaging, microNitrids W highly doped silicon machining, CIDSS talk I. INTRODUCTIOX Capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers (cMUT) have been recently emerging as an attractive alternative to conventional piezoelectric transducers [l]. They offer a larger set of parameters for optimization of transducer ics integration [2]. The fabrication process and theoretical performance as well as ease of fabrication and electronmodeling of single cMUT devices were reported earlier [3], 141, [2]. Many applications, especially immersion imaging applications, demand better understanding and improvement of cMUTs both in terms of individual device performance and array behavior. Cross coupling through the array structure and the fluid medium is one of the most important factors affecting the array operation 151. The level of these disturbances can be quantified by radiation pattern measurements, electrical measurements on the aray elements, and by detection of structural displacements using optical probes 151. Several l-D and 2-D cMUT arrays as well as test structures consisting of single isolated elements have been fabricated for experimental charact,erization. Radiation pattern measurements and optical probe measurements x e performed using these structures. The results are related to Lamb waves propagating in the silicon wafer and to the Stoneley-type waves propagating a t the fluid-silicon wafer interface. Images of radiating transducers and aluminum targets are also obtained using a 64 element l-D array around 4 MHz to show the feasibility of array imaging by cMUTs. 111 this paper, the fabrication process of l-D and 2-D cMUT arrays is briefly explained. Then, the experimental Nitride an pauemed amorphous silicon Nitride deposmon and pvitcming Mctalicauon md patterning 0 Silicon substrate Amorphous sillcon Silicon nirnde Aiummurn Fig. 1 . Fabrication process of cMUTs array. The process flow for a single capacitor device is shown in Fig. 1. The fabrication process starts with 4 inch silicon wafers heavily doped with 4 hour phosphorus gas phase drive-in a t 1000°C to achieve good conductivit,y at the at 800°C as an insulator and an etc.h stop in the sacriwafer surface. A thin layer of LPCVD nitride is deposited ficial etch to be performed later. .4 sacrificial polysilicon layer is subsequently deposited and dry-etch patterned into 0-7803-4095-7/98/$10.00
Increased Interstitial Concentrations of Glutamate and Pyruvate in Vastus Lateralis of Women with Fibromyalgia Syndrome Are Normalized after an Exercise Intervention – A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND
Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is associated with central alterations, but controversies exist regarding the presence and role of peripheral factors. Microdialysis (MD) can be used in vivo to study muscle alterations in FMS. Furthermore for chronic pain conditions such as FMS, the mechanisms for the positive effects of exercise are unclear. This study investigates the interstitial concentrations of algesics and metabolites in the vastus lateralis muscle of 29 women with FMS and 28 healthy women before and after an exercise intervention.


METHODS
All the participants went through a clinical examination and completed a questionnaire. In addition, their pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) in their upper and lower extremities were determined. For both groups, MD was conducted in the vastus lateralis muscle before and after a 15-week exercise intervention of mainly resistance training of the lower limbs. Muscle blood flow and interstitial muscle concentrations of lactate, pyruvate, glutamate, glucose, and glycerol were determined.


RESULTS
FMS was associated with significantly increased interstitial concentrations of glutamate, pyruvate, and lactate. After the exercise intervention, the FMS group exhibited significant decreases in pain intensity and in mean interstitial concentrations of glutamate, pyruvate, and glucose. The decrease in pain intensity in FMS correlated significantly with the decreases in pyruvate and glucose. In addition, the FMS group increased their strength and endurance.


CONCLUSION
This study supports the suggestion that peripheral metabolic and algesic muscle alterations are present in FMS patients and that these alterations contribute to pain. After an exercise intervention, alterations normalized, pain intensity decreased (but not abolished), and strength and endurance improved, all findings that suggest the effects of exercise are partially peripheral.
An 8.4Gb/s 2.5pJ/b mobile memory I/O interface using simultaneous bidirectional Dual (Base+RF) band signaling

Power and bandwidth requirements have become more stringent for DRAMs in recent years. This is largely because mobile devices (such as smart phones) are more intensively relying on the use of graphics. Current DDR memory I/Os operate at 5Gb/s with a power efficiency of 17.4mW/Gb/s (i.e., 17.4pJ/b)[1], and graphic DRAM I/Os operate at 7Gb/s/pin [3] with a power efficiency worse than that of DDR. High-speed serial links [5], with a better power efficiency of ∼1mW/Gb/s, would be favored for mobile memory I/O interface. However, serial links typically require long initialization time (∼1000 clock cycles), and do not meet mobile DRAM I/O requirements for fast switching between active, standby, self-refresh and power-down operation modes [4]. Also, traditional baseband-only (or BB-only) signaling tends to consume power super-linearly [4] for extended bandwidth due to the need of power hungry pre-emphasis, and equalization circuits.
Object-oriented Neural Programming (OONP) for Document Understanding

OONP: Overview An OONP parser consists of a Reader equipped with read/write heads, Inline Memory that represents the document, and Carry-on Memory that summarizes the current understanding of the document at each time step. For each document to parse, OONP first preprocesses it and puts it into the Inline Memory, and then Reader controls the read-heads to sequentially go through the Inline Memory and at the same time update the Carry-on Memory. Object-oriented Neural Programming (OONP) for Document Understanding Zhengdong Lu 1, Xianggen Liu 1,2, Haotian Cui 1,2, Yukun Yan 1,2, Daqi Zheng 1 1DeeplyCurious.ai, 2Tsinghua University
REDACT: preventing database deadlocks from application-based transactions

In this demonstration, we will present a database deadlocks prevention system that visualizes our algorithm for detecting hold-and-wait cycles that specify how resources (e.g., database tables) are locked and waited on to be locked during executions of SQL statements and utilizes those cycles information to prevent database deadlocks automatically.
From ‘ivory tower traditionalists’ to ‘entrepreneurial scientists’? academic scientists in fuzzy university-industry boundaries

Growing intensity of university-industry ties has generated an intense debate about the changing norms and practices of academic scientific work. This study challenges the protagonists’ views on the emergence of a dominant market ethos in academic science and growing influence of the ‘new school’ entrepreneurial scientists. It argues that academic scientists are active agents shaping the relationships between science and business, and shows continued diversity in their work orientations. Drawing on neoinstitutional theory and the notion of ‘boundary work’, the study examines how scientists seek to protect and negotiate their positions, and also make sense of their professional role identities. It identifies four different orientations, the ‘traditional’ and ‘entrepreneurial’, with two hybrid types in between. The hybrids are the dominant category and are particularly adept at exploiting the ambiguities of ‘boundary work’ between academia and industry. The study is based on 36 interviews and a survey sample of 734 academic scientists from five UK research universities.
Mortality reduction with influenza vaccine in patients with pneumonia outside "flu" season: pleiotropic benefits or residual confounding?

RATIONALE
Observational studies suggest a 50% mortality reduction for older patients receiving influenza vaccination; some deem this magnitude of benefit implausible and invoke confounding by the "healthy user effect" as an alternate explanation.


OBJECTIVES
To evaluate unrecognized confounding by hypothesizing the presence of a 50% mortality reduction with vaccination for patients with pneumonia outside of influenza season.


METHODS
Clinical, laboratory, and functional data were prospectively collected on 1,813 adults with community-acquired pneumonia admitted to six hospitals outside of influenza season in the Capital Health region (AB, Canada). Vaccination status was ascertained by interview and chart review. Outcome was in-hospital mortality. Influenza-vaccinated patients were matched to a nonvaccinated control using propensity scores, and then multivariable regression was used to determine the independent association between vaccination and mortality.


MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
The cohort consisted of 352 vaccine recipients and 352 matched control subjects. Most (85%) patients were 65 years or older, 29% had severe pneumonia, and 12% died. Influenza vaccination was associated with a 51% mortality reduction (28 of 352 [8%] died vs. 53 of 352 [15%] control subjects; unadjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.30-0.79; P = 0.004) outside influenza season. Adjustment for age, sex, and comorbidities did not alter these findings (adjusted OR, 0.45; 95% CI, 0.27-0.76). More complete adjustment for confounding (e.g., functional and socioeconomic status) markedly attenuated these benefits and their statistical significance (adjusted OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.35-1.85; P = 0.61).


CONCLUSIONS
The 51% reduction in mortality with vaccination initially observed in patients with pneumonia who did not have influenza was most likely a result of confounding. Previous observational studies may have overestimated mortality benefits of influenza vaccination.
Evaluation of sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBECD) accumulation and voriconazole pharmacokinetics in critically ill patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy

INTRODUCTION
Intravenous (IV) voriconazole is not recommended in patients with creatinine clearance <50 ml/min to avoid potentially toxic accumulation of sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (SBECD). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of SBECD, voriconazole, and voriconazole N-oxide in critically ill patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and to determine if CRRT removes SBECD sufficiently to allow for the use of IV voriconazole without significant risk of SBECD accumulation.


METHODS
This prospective, open-label pharmacokinetic study enrolled patients >18 years old receiving IV voriconazole for a known or suspected invasive fungal infection while undergoing CRRT. Serial blood and effluent samples were collected on days 1, 3, 5, 7, and every 3 to 5 days thereafter. SBECD, voriconazole, and voriconazole N-oxide plasma and effluent concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and pharmacogenetic analyses were conducted.


RESULTS
Ten patients (mean ± standard deviation (SD)) 53 ± 11 years old, 50% male, 81 ± 14 kg, with Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores of 31.5 ± 3.8 were evaluated. All patients underwent continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH) with a median predilution replacement fluid rate of 36 (interquartile range (IQR) 32 to 37) ml/kg/hr and total ultrafiltration rate of 38 (IQR 34 to 39) ml/kg/hr. Mean ± SD voriconazole and SBECD dosages administered were 8.1 ± 2.1 mg/kg/day and 129 ± 33 mg/kg/day, respectively. Voriconazole plasma trough concentrations were >1 mg/L in all patients with CVVH accounting for only 15% of the total body clearance. CVVH accounted for 86% of the total body clearance of SBECD with the majority of the dose being recovered in the effluent. Minimal increases in dose normalized SBECD area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 12 hours (AUC0-12) (4,484 ± 4,368 to 4,553 ± 2,880 mg*hr/L; P = 0.97) were observed after study day 1.


CONCLUSIONS
CVVH effectively removed SBECD at a rate similar to the ultrafiltration rate. Voriconazole clearance by CVVH was not clinically significant. Standard dosages of IV voriconazole can be utilized in patients undergoing CVVH without significant risk of SBECD accumulation.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01101386 . Registered 6 April 2010.
Atomic Clocks and Oscillators for Deep-Space Navigation and Radio Science

This paper describes new oscillator and atomic clock technologies that, when combined, create a master oscillator for use in deep-space navigation and science measurements. This atomic clock promises to execute spacecraft navigation using a one-way downlink only method, saving many millions of dollars per year. We will describe the complementary technology developments by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory toward a space-ready mercury atomic-ion clock and by the Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, in reducing the size, mass, and operating power of its quartz, ultrastable oscillator.
Dementia–A Spiritual Journey Towards the Divine: A Personal View of Dementia

SUMMARY This chapter presents a moving account of one woman's journey into fronto-temporal dementia. Bryden grapples with the difficult issues of loss of self and relationship with God. She examines the significance of memory in the Christian journey, and finally, she proposes ways for relating to her as she moves further into dementia. The strategies suggested uphold her as a fellow member of the Body of Christ, where others may become her memory, and where she can still be nurtured through the love of others and feel God's love through them.
Femoral shortening and cementless arthroplasty in Crowe type 4 congenital dislocation of the hip

In reconstruction of congenital hip dislocation by total hip arthroplasty (THA), positioning of the acetabular component in the true acetabulum is sometimes accompanied by shortening of the femur. Shortening of the femur is of importance for minimising risk of damaging neurovascular structures due to excessive limb lengthening. Furthermore, reduction of the femoral head into the true acetabulum remains challenging without shortening of the femur. We performed a consecutive case series of cementless THA with femoral shortening and Crowe type 4 congenital dislocation. All acetabular cups were placed in their original anatomical location. In all cases a proximal diaphyseal step-cut shortening osteotomy was performed and stabilised with two to three titanium cerclage bands. At an average of 60 months follow-up (range 36–96), 12 patients (13 THA) were scored clinically by the Merle D’Aubigne and Harris hip scores. In ten cases good to excellent outcome scores were observed. During the follow-up period no cases of aseptic loosening, nerve palsy, nonunions or dislocations were found. This technique seems to be an excellent treatment option in the case of Crowe type 4 hips presenting with endstage osteoarthritis.
A Measure of College Student Course Engagement

Student engagement is considered an important predictor of student achievement, but few researchers have attempted to derive a valid and reliable measure of college student engagement in particular courses. In 2 studies, we developed and explored the validity of a measure of student engagement, the Student Course Engagement Questionnaire (SCEQ). Exploratory factor analysis revealed 4 dimensions of college student engagement that were distinct and reliable: skills engagement, participation/interaction engagement, emotional engagement, and performance engagement. We reported evidence of the convergent and discriminant validity of the measure. In particular, we found relationships between factors on the SCEQ and self-report measures of engagement, endorsement of self-theories, goal preferences, and grades.