LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics and results of dose escalation inCis-platin hyperthermic isolation limb perfusion

Background: We analyzed prospectively collected data on 145cis-platin hyperthermic isolation limb perfusion (HILPs) for melanoma and soft-tissue sarcoma to determine the pharmacokinetics and maximum tolerable dose ofcis-platin. There were 70 melanoma and 75 sarcoma patients. Dosages ranged from 26 to 265 mg/m2. Perfusate and systemiccis-platin levels were measured in patients perfused at doses of 190–200 mg/m2. Tissue levels were measured in patients perfused at 123–209 mg/m2. Methods: Cis-platin HILP was well tolerated up to doses of 250 mg/m2 for lower extremities. Higher doses produced toxicities of rhabdomyolysis, myoglobinuria, hyponatremia, and neuropathy. Systemic levels ofcis-platin were equivalent to those of routine intravenous administration, while perfusate levels were 33 times higher. Tissue levels ofcis-platin were five to six times higher than effective intravenous levels. Results: Six melanoma patients have developed local recurrences. All were perfused at doses <120 mg/m2. However, regional nodal recurrences have occurred in six other patients perfused at doses ≤2000 mg/m2. Four sarcomas have recurred locally, but three of them were present at the time of perfusion. Conclusions: We conclude that 250 mg/m2 is the maximum tolerable dose ofcis-platin for lower-extremity HILPs. Neoadjuvantcis-platin HILP may improve local control rates for sarcomas. However, no tolerable dose ofcis-platin provides control of nodal metastases from melanoma.
Effect of radial shock wave therapy on pain and muscle hypertonia: a double-blind study in patients with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND
Radial shock wave therapy (RSWT) has been extensively used in rehabilitative medicine to treat pain, and more recently muscle hypertonia, in patients with cerebral palsy and stroke.


OBJECTIVES
To assess the long-term effects of RSWT in a cohort of subjects affected by multiple sclerosis (MS) who were suffering from painful hypertonia of ankle extensor muscles.


METHODS
In this randomised, double blind, placebo-controlled study, we treated 34 patients with four sessions of RSWT (once weekly) and treated 34 patients with placebo. Participants were assessed at baseline, 1 week after the first session, and 1 week and 4 weeks after the last session. We measured pain using the visual analogue scale for pain, while we assessed muscle tone using the modified Ashworth scale and evaluated spinal excitability using the H-reflex.


RESULTS
After RSWT, muscle tone decreased 1 week after the last session and pain decreased at all the follow-up evaluations, while spinal excitability was unaffected. No significant changes were found after the placebo treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
RSWT can reduce pain and muscle tone in MS patients without adverse effects. The lack of RSWT effects on spinal excitability supports the idea that RSWT is likely to act on non-reflex hypertonia, for example reducing muscle fibrosis.
Minimum Energy Channel Codes for Nanoscale Wireless Communications

It is essential to develop energy-efficient communication techniques for nanoscale wireless communications. In this paper, a new modulation and a novel minimum energy coding scheme (MEC) are proposed to achieve energy efficiency in wireless nanosensor networks (WNSNs). Unlike existing studies, MEC maintains the desired code distance to provide reliability, while minimizing energy. It is analytically shown that, with MEC, codewords can be decoded perfectly for large code distances, if the source set cardinality is less than the inverse of the symbol error probability. Performance evaluations show that MEC outperforms popular codes such as Hamming, Reed-Solomon and Golay in the average codeword energy sense.
Modelling and simulation of complex sociotechnical systems: envisioning and analysing work environments

UNLABELLED
Accurate comprehension and analysis of complex sociotechnical systems is a daunting task. Empirically examining, or simply envisioning the structure and behaviour of such systems challenges traditional analytic and experimental approaches as well as our everyday cognitive capabilities. Computer-based models and simulations afford potentially useful means of accomplishing sociotechnical system design and analysis objectives. From a design perspective, they can provide a basis for a common mental model among stakeholders, thereby facilitating accurate comprehension of factors impacting system performance and potential effects of system modifications. From a research perspective, models and simulations afford the means to study aspects of sociotechnical system design and operation, including the potential impact of modifications to structural and dynamic system properties, in ways not feasible with traditional experimental approaches. This paper describes issues involved in the design and use of such models and simulations and describes a proposed path forward to their development and implementation.


PRACTITIONER SUMMARY
The size and complexity of real-world sociotechnical systems can present significant barriers to their design, comprehension and empirical analysis. This article describes the potential advantages of computer-based models and simulations for understanding factors that impact sociotechnical system design and operation, particularly with respect to process and occupational safety.
Turmoil in the Peaceable Kingdom: The Quebec Sovereignty Movement and Its Implications for Canada and the United States

Analyzes the development and implications of the Quebec sovereignty movement, and discusses financial considerations such as interest rates, the right to use the Canadian dollar, and defense spending. Details Quebec's economic and political development since 1976, and the Meech Lake and Charlottetow
What drives mobile commerce?: An empirical evaluation of the revised technology acceptance model

This study presents an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) that integrates innovation diffusion theory, perceived risk and cost into the TAM to investigate what determines user mobile commerce (MC) acceptance. The proposed model was empirically tested using data collected from a survey of MC consumers. The structural equation modeling technique was used to evaluate the causal model and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to examine the reliability and validity of the measurement model. Our findings indicated that all variables except perceived ease of use significantly affected users’ behavioral intent. Among them, the compatibility had the most significant influence. Furthermore, a striking, and somewhat puzzling finding was the positive influence of perceived risk on behavioral intention to use. The implication of this work to both researchers and practitioners is discussed. # 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Caudal extradural analgesia with lidocaine, xylazine, and a combination of lidocaine and xylazine in the Iranian river buffalo

This study was conducted to compare the time of onset, duration of action, and the extent of analgesia produced by a lidocaine/xylazine combination with those produced by lidocaine and xylazine alone after injection into the caudal extradural space of the Iranian river buffalo. The study was designed as a prospective, descriptive, observer-blind trial, in a Latin square pattern. Eleven adult (aged over 2 years) nongravid and healthy females of Iranian river buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis), weighing from 450 to 650 kg, were used. Caudal extradural analgesia was achieved on 3 occasions at 14 d intervals by injection of 2% lidocaine (L; 0.22 mg kg), 2% xylazine (X; 0.05 mg kg), and a combination of 2% lidocaine(0.22 mg kg) / 2% xylazine (LX; 0.05 mg kg) in a Latin square design. Analgesia was determined by the lack of response to pinprick and haemostat pressure in the skin of the caudal areas. X was significantly longer (5.5 ± 0.7 min) than that by L or LX. Duration of analgesia was significantly longer by LX (172.3 ± 17.7 min) than that by either drug used alone (lidocaine, 79.5 ± 5.7 min; xylazine, 136.4±11.4 min). In X and LX groups, the level of analgesia ascended to thoracic segments; however, in lidocaine-treated buffaloes thighs, flank, and udders remained sensitive. In all the buffaloes, xylazine, administered either alone or with lidocaine, induced mild to moderate ataxia. It was concluded that the LX combination provided a more rapid onset and a longer duration of analgesia, and a more cranial spread of analgesic effect compared with either drug alone. As a result, the LX combination may offer a fast and long lasting anaesthesia/analgesia to perform obstetrical and surgical procedures without the need for re-injection.
Knowledge-rich, computer-assisted composition of Chinese couplets

Recent research effort in poem composition has focused on the use of automatic language generation to produce a polished poem. A less explored question is how effectively a computer can serve as an interactive assistant to a poet. For this purpose, we built a web application that combines rich linguistic knowledge from classical Chinese philology with statistical natural language processing techniques. The application assists users in composing a ‘couplet’—a pair of lines in a traditional Chinese poem—by making suggestions for the next and corresponding characters. A couplet must meet a complicated set of requirements on phonology, syntax, and parallelism, which are challenging for an amateur poet to master. The application checks conformance to these requirements and makes suggestions for characters based on lexical, syntactic, and semantic properties. A distinguishing feature of the application is its extensive use of linguistic knowledge, enabling it to inform users of specific phonological principles in detail, and to explicitly model semantic parallelism, an essential characteristic of Chinese poetry. We evaluate the quality of poems composed solely with characters suggested by the application, and the coverage of its character suggestions. .................................................................................................................................................................................
Phase II study of high-dose aclarubicin in previously treated patients with small-cell lung cancer

Aclarubicin is one of the antitumor anthracyclines (aclacinomycin A) isolated from Streptomyces galilaeus by Oki et al. in 1975 [9]. Preclinical evaluation of aclarubicin has revealed several important differences in the drug's properties relative to the classic anthracyclines doxorubicin and daunombicin. Cellular uptake of aclarubicin occurs more rapidly [11], and in contrast to the classic anthracyclines, aclarubicin does not stimulate topoisomerase II-mediated DNA breaks [6]. Furthermore, only limited, if any crossresistance with aclarubicin has been demonstrated in the two well-defined doxorubicin-resistant phenotypes, P-gp MDR (P-glycoprotein multidrug-resistant) and at-MDR (altered topoisomerase MDR) cells [4, 5]. Aclarubicin given on a single-bolus schedule has not shown clinically relevant activity against solid tumors [1, 2, 7]. In contrast, the drug has demonstrated activity against leukemia. However, these trials have involved the administration of aclarubicin on prolonged schedules over 3 5 consecutive days and at higher cumulative doses [3, 8, 10, 12]. The present report describes a phase II trial of high-dose aclarubicin given on a 3-day treatment schedule to previously treated patients with small-cell lung cancer.
Achieving change in primary care--causes of the evidence to practice gap: systematic reviews of reviews.

BACKGROUND
This study is to identify, summarise and synthesise literature on the causes of the evidence to practice gap for complex interventions in primary care.


DESIGN
This study is a systematic review of reviews.


METHODS
MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Cochrane Library and PsychINFO were searched, from inception to December 2013. Eligible reviews addressed causes of the evidence to practice gap in primary care in developed countries. Data from included reviews were extracted and synthesised using guidelines for meta-synthesis.


RESULTS
Seventy reviews fulfilled the inclusion criteria and encompassed a wide range of topics, e.g. guideline implementation, integration of new roles, technology implementation, public health and preventative medicine. None of the included papers used the term "cause" or stated an intention to investigate causes at all. A descriptive approach was often used, and the included papers expressed "causes" in terms of "barriers and facilitators" to implementation. We developed a four-level framework covering external context, organisation, professionals and intervention. External contextual factors included policies, incentivisation structures, dominant paradigms, stakeholders' buy-in, infrastructure and advances in technology. Organisation-related factors included culture, available resources, integration with existing processes, relationships, skill mix and staff involvement. At the level of individual professionals, professional role, underlying philosophy of care and competencies were important. Characteristics of the intervention that impacted on implementation included evidence of benefit, ease of use and adaptability to local circumstances. We postulate that the "fit" between the intervention and the context is critical in determining the success of implementation.


CONCLUSIONS
This comprehensive review of reviews summarises current knowledge on the barriers and facilitators to implementation of diverse complex interventions in primary care. To maximise the uptake of complex interventions in primary care, health care professionals and commissioning organisations should consider the range of contextual factors, remaining aware of the dynamic nature of context. Future studies should place an emphasis on describing context and articulating the relationships between the factors identified here.


SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42014009410.
A comparative study of Cutibacterium (Propionibacterium) acnes clones from acne patients and healthy controls.

BACKGROUND
Cutibacterium (Propionibacterium) acnes is assumed to play an important role in the pathogenesis of acne.


OBJECTIVES
To examine if clones with distinct virulence properties are associated with acne.


METHODS
Multiple C. acnes isolates from follicles and surface skin of patients with moderate to severe acne and healthy controls were characterized by multilocus sequence typing. To determine if CC18 isolates from acne patients differ from those of controls in the possession of virulence genes or lack of genes conducive to a harmonious coexistence the full genomes of dominating CC18 follicular clones from six patients and five controls were sequenced.


RESULTS
Individuals carried one to ten clones simultaneously. The dominating C. acnes clones in follicles from acne patients were exclusively from the phylogenetic clade I-1a and all belonged to clonal complex CC18 with the exception of one patient dominated by the worldwide-disseminated and often antibiotic resistant clone ST3. The clonal composition of healthy follicles showed a more heterogeneous pattern with follicles dominated by clones representing the phylogenetic clades I-1a, I-1b, I-2 and II. Comparison of follicular CC18 gene contents, allelic versions of putative virulence genes and their promoter regions, and 54 variable-length intragenic and inter-genic homopolymeric tracts showed extensive conservation and no difference associated with the clinical origin of isolates.


CONCLUSIONS
The study supports that C. acnes strains from clonal complex CC18 and the often antibiotic resistant clone ST3 are associated with acne and suggests that susceptibility of the host rather than differences within these clones may determine the clinical outcome of colonization.
A Wide Bandgap Device-Based Isolated Quasi-Switched-Capacitor DC/DC Converter

This paper proposes an isolated quasi-switched-capacitor (QSC) dc/dc converter to serve as an auxiliary power supply in electric and hybrid electric vehicles, managing a bidirectional power flow between the high-voltage (HV) battery and the low-voltage dc bus. A QSC dc/ac circuit with a 3:1 voltage step-down ratio is proposed to serve as the front-stage circuit of the converter. Based on it, an isolated QSC dc/dc converter is proposed with a synchronous-rectifier, current-doubler post-stage circuit. Compared with existing full-bridge, half-bridge, and three-level converters, the features of the proposed converter include: 1) the voltage stresses on HV-side switches are reduced to two-third of the HV-dc-bus voltage; 2) the voltage stress on transformer is reduced to one-third of the HV-dc-bus voltage; 3) the transformer turns ratio is reduced; 4) it has soft-switching capability and high efficiency; and 5) bidirectional power-flow and simple control can be implemented. The operation principles, soft-switching analysis, and simulation results are presented. Wide Bandgap devices are selected for the proposed converter to shrink the size of passive components, provide high efficiency, and decrease the cooling requirement. Guidelines are given to estimate the key circuit parameters, including the capacitance of the switched capacitors, the transformer dc-bias flux density, and the average currents of the post-stage inductors. Experiment results provided from a 1-kW prototype built with SiC MOSFETs on the HV-side validate the feasibility and superior performance of the proposed converter.
Improved detection of hypervascular liver lesions with CAIPIRINHA-Dixon-TWIST-volume-interpolated breath-hold examination.

OBJECTIVES
The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of a dynamic, multiphasic contrast-enhanced volume-interpolated sequence with advanced parallel imaging techniques, Dixon fat saturation, and view sharing with 5 hepatic arterial subphases for the detection of focal liver lesions.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty-four consecutive patients (13 females, 11 males; mean [SD] age, 58 [15] years) with focal liver lesions were included in this prospective study. The examination was performed at a 3-T magnetic resonance imaging system (MAGNETOM Skyra; Siemens Healthcare, Erlangen, Germany). Five dynamic arterial subphases with a temporal resolution of 2.6 seconds, starting 17 seconds after injection of the hepatobiliary contrast agent gadolinium ethoxybenzyl diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Eovist; Bayer HealthCare, Leverkusen, Germany), were acquired using an accelerated parallel imaging volume-interpolated sequence with view sharing (multiarterial controlled aliasing in parallel imaging results in higher acceleration-Dixon-time-resolved angiography with interleaved stochastic trajectories-volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination [MA-CDT-VIBE]). The fourth of the 5 arterial acquisition phases (ie, at 24.8 seconds after the start of contrast agent injection) was considered the equivalent of a standard hepatic arterial phase (equivalent standard arterial phase [ESAP]). The diagnostic value of all 5 dynamic arterial phases for the detection of focal liver lesions, as compared with the single ESAP, was judged in 2 independent consensus readings. The 2 consensus reading groups were blinded to each others' results. The complete, comprehensive multisequence magnetic resonance imaging examination, including T1-weighted, T2-weighted, and multiphasic contrast-enhanced sequences, served as the standard of reference for lesion detection.


RESULTS
Forty-six percent of the patients (11/24) had hypervascular lesions. In 79 % of all patients (19/24), the best arterial parenchymal contrast of one of the MA-CDT-VIBE acquisition phases was considered better than that of the ESAP. In one third of all cases (8/24 for the first and 6/24 for the second consensus reading), MA-CDT-VIBE showed an improved lesion detection rate compared with ESAP, especially in hypervascular lesions (4/11, representing 36% of all patients with hypervascular lesions). There was a high degree of interrater agreement between the 2 consensus reading groups (the Cohen κ, 0.71-1.00; P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with a standard hepatic arterial phase, MA-CDT-VIBE with 5 hepatic arterial subphases demonstrated greater diagnostic accuracy for the detection of hypervascular focal liver lesions and provided a robust and optimized hepatic arterial acquisition phase.
Droop control method for the parallel operation of online uninterruptible power systems using resistive output impedance

In this paper, a novel wireless load sharing controller for parallel connected online UPS inverters is proposed. As opposed to the conventional droop method, the proposed method achieves stable steady-state frequency and phase and an good dynamic response is obtained. A virtual output impedance is proposed in order to reduce its line impedance impact and to properly share nonlinear loads. Experimental results are presented from two 6-kVA UPS inverters controlled by DSP boards, showing the feasibility of the proposed approach
Visual field abnormalities in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: their pattern and prevalence at initial examination.

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the pattern of various types of visual field defects and their prevalence at initial examination of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION).


METHODS
The data were compiled from 312 consecutive eyes (in 265 patients) that fulfilled our inclusion and exclusion criteria. A comprehensive ophthalmic evaluation was performed, including recording of visual acuity, visual fields with a Goldmann perimeter (using I-2e, I-4e, and V-4e targets regularly), and intraocular pressure; slitlamp examination of the anterior segment; ophthalmoscopy; color fundus photography; and in acute cases, fluorescein fundus angiography. The visual field defects were divided into 2 groups: (1) general field defects and (2) various types of scotoma in the central 30 degrees . The prevalence of various types of visual field defects was estimated for I-2e, I-4e, and V-4e isopters by dividing the total number of eyes with the defect by the total number of eyes that could see that particular target. Exact 95% confidence limits for the prevalence were computed.


RESULTS
Of the 265 patients, 169 (63.7%) were male and the mean +/- SD patient age was 55.0 +/- 9.1 years. The median interval between the first visual field test and the onset of NA-AION was 2 weeks. Of the 312 eyes, the I-2e target was seen by 75.3%, the I-4e target by 90.7%, and the V-4e target by 100%. Overall prevalence of general visual field defects was 83.4% with I-2e, 78.8% with I-4e, and 68.9% with V-4e, whereas the prevalence of scotoma(s) within the central 30 degrees was 55.3%, 49.5%, and 36.2%, respectively. Central scotoma was seen in 48.5% with I-2e, 43.8% with I-4e, and 29.2% with V-4e. A detailed prevalence of various types of visual field defects is given. Relative inferior altitudinal defect was most common (34.9% with I-2e and 22.3% with I-4e), but the absolute inferior altitudinal defect was seen in only 8.0%. By contrast, absolute inferior nasal sector visual loss was the most common defect detected in NA-AION (22.4%), but it occurred in only 3.4% with I-2e and 11.0% with I-4e. Overall, loss of the nasal part of the visual field was the most common occurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study demonstrated that NA-AION eyes may initially show a variety of optic nerve-related visual field defects. Our study also showed that an absolute inferior nasal visual field defect is much more common (22.4%) than an absolute inferior altitudinal visual field defect (8.0%) in NA-AION and could be considered the most characteristic single field defect in NA-AION. We found that a combination of relative inferior altitudinal defect with absolute inferior nasal defect is usually the most common pattern in NA-AION.