LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy (with or without oral doxycycline delivery) on glycemic status and clinical periodontal parameters in patients with prediabetes: a short-term longitudinal randomized case–control study

The aim of the present short-term longitudinal randomized case–control study was to assess the effect of nonsurgical periodontal therapy (NSPT) (with and without oral doxycycline delivery) on glycemic status and clinical periodontal parameters in patients with prediabetes. Sixty-six patients with prediabetes and periodontal disease were included. Characteristics of the study cohort (age, gender, socioeconomic status [SES] education status, duration of prediabetes, and type of treatment adopted for prediabetes management) were recorded. Patients were randomly divided into two groups (33 patients/group). In group 1, scaling and root planing (SRP) was performed, and in group-2, patients underwent SRP and oral doxycycline (100 mg) administration once daily for 15 days. In each group, the following parameters were investigated at baseline and after 3 months: (a) fasting blood glucose level (FBGL), (b) hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and (c) periodontal parameters (plaque index [PI], bleeding on probing [BOP], probing depth [PD], and clinical attachment loss [AL]). Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s t test. There was no significant difference in age, gender, SES, education status, and duration and treatment of prediabetes among individuals in groups 1 and 2. Three months post-NSPT, FBGL and HbA1c were significantly reduced among patients in group 1 (P < 0.05) and group 2 (P < 0.05) compared to baseline. Three months post-NSPT, PI (P < 0.05), BOP (P < 0.05), and PD (P < 0.05) were significantly reduced among patients in group 1 (P < 0.05) and group 2 (P < 0.05) compared to baseline. There was no difference in clinical AL between the groups after 3 months of NSPT. NSPT (with and without oral doxycycline delivery) reduces hyperglycemia and periodontal inflammation in patients with prediabetes.
Developing an NLP and IR-based algorithm for analyzing gene-disease relationships.

OBJECTIVES
High-throughput techniques such as cDNA microarray, oligonucleotide arrays, and serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) have been developed and used to automatically screen huge amounts of gene expression data. However, researchers usually spend lots of time and money on discovering gene-disease relationships by utilizing these techniques. We prototypically implemented an algorithm that can provide some kind of predicted results for biological researchers before they proceed with experiments, and it is very helpful for them to discover gene-disease relationships more efficiently.


METHODS
Due to the fast development of computer technology, many information retrieval techniques have been applied to analyze huge digital biomedical databases available worldwide. Therefore we highly expect that we can apply information retrieval (IR) technique to extract useful information for the relationship of specific diseases and genes from MEDLINE articles. Furthermore, we also applied natural language processing (NLP) methods to do the semantic analysis for the relevant articles to discover the relationships between genes and diseases.


RESULTS
We have extracted gene symbols from our literature collection according to disease MeSH classifications. We have also built an IR-based retrieval system, "Biomedical Literature Retrieval System (BLRS)" and applied the N-gram model to extract the relationship features which can reveal the relationship between genes and diseases. Finally, a relationship network of a specific disease has been built to represent the gene-disease relationships.


CONCLUSIONS
A relationship feature is a functional word that can reveal the relationship between one single gene and a disease. By incorporating many modern IR techniques, we found that BLRS is a very powerful information discovery tool for literature searching. A relationship network which contains the information on gene symbol, relationship feature, and disease MeSH term can provide an integrated view to discover gene-disease relationships.
Oil price volatility and stock price fluctuations in an emerging market : evidence from South Korea

How important are oil price fluctuations and oil price volatility on equity market performance? What are the policy implications if volatility turns out to be significant? We assess this issue in an economics/finance nexus for Korea using a VEC model including interest rates, economic activity, real stock returns, real oil prices and oil price volatility. Results indicate the dominance of oil price volatility on real stock returns and emphasize how this has increased over time. Oil price volatility can have profound effect on the time horizon of investment and firms need adjust their risk management procedures accordingly. This increase in dependency has been found in other net oil importing emerging equity markets. We test the relationship between oil price movements and economic activity by using modern time series techniques in a cointegrating framework. We expand the standard error correction model by examining the dynamics of out of sample causality through the variance decomposition and impulse response function techniques. The evidence from persistence profiles also gives important guidelines based on how fast the entire system adjusts back to equilibrium.
Equivalent hydrogen fugacity during electrochemical charging of some martensitic advanced high-strength steels

Abstract A new thermal desorption spectroscopy apparatus was used to study hydrogen in four martensitic advanced high-strength steels (designated MS980, MS1180, MS1300 and MS1500) after gaseous hydrogen charging, and after hydrogen charging electrochemically in 0.1 M NaOH and in 3.5 wt.% NaCl. The hydrogen concentration did not correlate strongly with steel strength. For MS1500, a relationship was derived between equivalent hydrogen fugacity and the applied charging overpotential. Also for MS1500, the trap binding energies were evaluated to be 26.4 kJ mol −1 and 61.0 kJ mol −1 , which were interpreted as dislocation and interface hydrogen traps.
Maternal Lipids Are as Important as Glucose for Fetal Growth

OBJECTIVE
To study the relationship between maternal circulating fuels and neonatal size and compare the relative effects of glucose and lipids.


RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
The Pune Maternal Nutrition Study (1993-1996) investigated the influence of maternal nutrition on fetal growth. We measured maternal body size and glucose and lipid concentrations during pregnancy and examined their relationship with birth size in full-term babies using correlation and regression techniques.


RESULTS
The mothers (n = 631) were young (mean age 21 years), short (mean height 151.9 cm), and thin (BMI 18.0 kg/m(2)) but were relatively more adipose (body fat 21.1%). Their diet was mostly vegetarian. Between 18 and 28 weeks' gestation, fasting glucose concentrations remained stable, whereas total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations increased and HDL-cholesterol concentrations decreased. The mean birth weight of the offspring was 2666 g. Total cholesterol and triglycerides at both 18 and 28 weeks and plasma glucose only at 28 weeks were associated directly with birth size. One SD higher maternal fasting glucose, cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations at 28 weeks were associated with 37, 54, and 36 g higher birth weights, respectively (P < 0.05 for all). HDL-cholesterol concentrations were unrelated to newborn measurements. The results were similar if preterm deliveries also were included in the analysis (total n = 700).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest an influence of maternal lipids on neonatal size in addition to the well-established effect of glucose. Further research should be directed at defining the clinical relevance of these findings.
Facial arterial depth and relationship with the facial musculature layer.

BACKGROUND
Previous studies have revealed a variation in the origin and distribution patterns of the facial artery. However, the relationship between the facial artery and the facial muscles has not been well described. The purpose of this study was to determine the facial artery depth and relationship with the facial musculature layer, which represents critical information for dermal filler injection and oral and maxillofacial surgery.


METHODS
Fifty-four embalmed adult faces from Korean cadavers (36 male and 18 female cadavers; mean age, 73.3 years) were used in this study. A detailed dissection was performed, with great care being taken to avoid damaging the facial artery underlying the facial skin and muscle.


RESULTS
The facial artery was first categorized according to the patterns of its final arterial branches. The branching pattern was classified simply into three types: type I, nasolabial pattern (51.8 percent); type II, nasolabial pattern with an infraorbital trunk (29.6 percent); and type III, forehead pattern (18.6 percent). Each type was further subdivided according to the facial artery depth and relationship with the facial musculature layer as types Ia (37.0 percent), Ib (14.8 percent), IIa (16.7 percent), IIb (12.9 percent), IIIa (16.7 percent), and IIIb (1.9 percent).


CONCLUSION
This study provides new anatomical insight into the relationships between the facial artery branches and the facial muscles, including providing useful information for clinical applications in the fields of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Genetic risk, number of previous depressive episodes, and stressful life events in predicting onset of major depression.

OBJECTIVE
The association between stressful life events and the onset of major depression decreases as the number of previous depressive episodes increases. How do genetic risk factors for major depression impact on this "kindling" phenomenon? In particular, do those at high genetic risk exhibit an increase in the speed of kindling, or are they "prekindled"?


METHOD
Using discrete-time survival analysis, the authors examined the interaction between genetic risk, number of previous depressive episodes, and life event exposure in the prediction of episodes of major depression in female-female twin pairs from a population-based registry. The twins were interviewed four times over a 9-year period, producing 92,521 person-months of exposure.


RESULTS
The decline in the association between stressful life events and risk for major depression as the number of previous depressive episodes increased was strongest in those at low genetic risk and was weak to absent in those at high genetic risk. In the absence of previous depressive episodes, those at high genetic risk frequently experienced depressive episodes without major environmental stressors.


CONCLUSIONS
Genetic risk factors for depression produce a "prekindling" effect rather than increase the speed of kindling. The "kindled" state, wherein depressive episodes occur with little provocation, may be reached by two pathways: many previous depressive episodes, perhaps driven by multiple adversities, and high genetic risk.
' s personal copy Recent progresses on real-time 3 D shape measurement using digital fringe projection techniques

Over the past few years, we have been developing techniques for high-speed 3D shape measurement using digital fringe projection and phase-shifting techniques: various algorithms have been developed to improve the phase computation speed, parallel programming has been employed to further increase the processing speed, and advanced hardware technologies have been adopted to boost the speed of coordinate calculations and 3D geometry rendering. We have successfully achieved simultaneous 3D absolute shape acquisition, reconstruction, and display at a speed of 30 frames/s with 300 K points per frame. This paper presents the principles of the real-time 3D shape measurement techniques that we developed, summarizes the most recent progresses that have been made in this field, and discusses the challenges for advancing this technology further. & 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Arrow's Theorem, Weglorz' Models and the Axiom of Choice

Applying Weglorz' models of set theory without the axiom of choice, we investigate Arrow-type social welfare functions for infinite societies with restricted coalition algebras. We show that there is a reasonable, nondictatorial social welfare function satisfying "finite discrimination", if and only if in Weglorz' model there is a free ultrafilter on a set representing the individuals.
Geographical variation and factors influencing modern contraceptive use among married women in Ethiopia: evidence from a national population based survey

BACKGROUND
Modern contraceptive use persists to be low in most African countries where fertility, population growth, and unmet need for family planning are high. Though there is an evidence of increased overall contraceptive prevalence, a substantial effort remains behind in Ethiopia. This study aimed to identify factors associated with modern contraceptive use and to examine its geographical variations among 15-49 married women in Ethiopia.


METHODS
We conducted secondary analysis of 10,204 reproductive age women included in the 2011 Ethiopia Demographic and Health Survey (DHS). The survey sample was designed to provide national, urban/rural, and regional representative estimates for key health and demographic indicators. The sample was selected using a two-stage stratified sampling process. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to determine the prevalence of modern contraceptive use and associated factors in Ethiopia.


RESULTS
Being wealthy, more educated, being employed, higher number of living children, being in a monogamous relationship, attending community conversation, being visited by health worker at home strongly predicted use of modern contraception. While living in rural areas, older age, being in polygamous relationship, and witnessing one's own child's death were found negatively influence modern contraceptive use. The spatial analysis of contraceptive use revealed that the central and southwestern parts of the country had higher prevalence of modern contraceptive use than that of the eastern and western parts.


CONCLUSION
The findings indicate significant socio-economic, urban-rural and regional variation in modern contraceptive use among reproductive age women in Ethiopia. Strengthening community conversation programs and female education should be given top priority.
The Björling problem for non-minimal constant mean curvature surfaces

The classical Björling problem is to find the minimal surface containing a given real analytic curve with tangent planes prescribed along the curve. We consider the generalization of this problem to non-minimal constant mean curvature (CMC) surfaces, and show that it can be solved via the loop group formulation for such surfaces. The main result gives a way to compute the holomorphic potential for the solution directly from the Björling data, using only elementary differentiation, integration and holomorphic extensions of real analytic functions. Combined with an Iwasawa decomposition of the loop group, this gives the solution, in analogue to Schwarz’s formula for the minimal case. Some preliminary examples of applications to the construction of CMC surfaces with special properties are given.
Enzymatic poly(gallic acid): A stable multiradical polyanion

Abstract In this work we re-examined the molecular structure of enzymatic poly(gallic acid) (PGAL), for which we identified a multiradical and polyanionic nature, in contrast to a previous assignment where it was mistakenly assumed as a neutral and diamagnetic molecule. Here, we present a profound investigation of its ground-state structure by the use of both experimental and theoretical methods, featuring ESR measurements and quantum chemical computations. It was found that its multiradical nature is remarkably stable thanks to an extended hydrogen bonding network occurring within its structure, with interaction energies in the 3–11 kcal/mol regime, according to DFT computations at the M06-2X/6-311++G** level of theory. This multiradical polymer displays several appealing features, including air, thermal and photostabilities, water solubility and, most remarkably, the fact that it is obtained in a multi-gram scale from the naturally abundant gallic acid in mild and green conditions.
Child-Focused and Context-Focused Behaviors of Physical and Occupational Therapists during Treatment of Young Children with Cerebral Palsy.

AIMS
To (1) describe the child- and context-focused behaviors of physical and occupational therapists, and (2) compare the behaviors of therapists in a standard therapy session with those of therapists trained to deliver child- and context-focused services.


METHOD
Videos of 49 therapy sessions provided by 36 therapists were analyzed using the intervention domains of the Paediatric Rehabilitation Observational measure of Fidelity (PROF) to examine the therapeutic behaviors of physical and occupational therapists with young children with cerebral palsy (CP) (24 to 48 months) in a Dutch rehabilitation setting. The PROF ratings of 18 standard therapy sessions were compared with the ratings of 16 child- and 15 context-focused therapy sessions.


RESULTS
Therapists who provided standard therapy demonstrated a mix of child- and context-focused behaviors. PROF ratings indicated fewer child- and context-focused behaviors during standard therapy sessions compared with sessions where therapists were instructed to use either child- or context-focused behaviors.


CONCLUSIONS
A sample of Dutch physical and occupational therapists of young children with CP demonstrated a mix of child- and context-focused therapy behaviors during standard therapy. Further research is recommended on clinical reasoning and the effect of setting to better understand therapists' use of child- and context-focused behaviors during therapy sessions.
Optimizing the hot carrier reliability of N-LDMOS transistor arrays

Smart power management applications often require operation in the 20–30 V range. These applications combine a high performance BiCMOS process with a power lateral DMOS (LDMOS) driver. To obtain high drive current density and minimal on-resistance (Rdson), LDMOS devices are implemented in transistor arrays. Because of the high voltages and currents applied to these devices hot carrier degradation is a real reliability concern. This paper discusses several aspects of N-LDMOS hot carrier reliability including measurement techniques, degradation mechanism, and the effect of both one-dimensional (1-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) layout effects on the hot carrier degradation behavior of these devices. This paper focuses on device layout optimization rather than process changes since layout optimization has the advantage of improving performance without impacting other supported devices. 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Predictors of sexual debut among young adolescents in Nairobi's informal settlements.

CONTEXT
There is a need to better understand the various social, psychosocial and behavioral factors associated with sexual activity among young adolescents in various settings in Sub-Saharan Africa.


METHODS
Data were drawn from Wave 1 (2007-2008) and Wave 2 (2009) of the Transition to Adulthood study, which collected information about key markers of the transition to adulthood and social, demographic and psychosocial characteristics of male and female youth living in two informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Logistic regression analyses were used to examine variables associated with experience of sexual debut by Wave 2 among youth who were aged 12-16 and sexually inexperienced at Wave 1.


RESULTS
Of the 1,754 youth in the sample, 92 experienced sexual debut between survey waves. For both males and females, sexual debut was positively associated with having permanently dropped out of school (odds ratios, 6.9 and 21.8, respectively), having never attended school (8.6 and 39.4) and having experienced severe family dysfunction (2.8 and 5.7). Lack of parental supervision was a predictor of sexual debut among males only (10.1), whereas low aspiration was a predictor among females only (10.4). Surprisingly, young women, as well as men, who did not have high self-esteem were less likely than those who did to initiate first sex between waves (0.4 and 0.3).


CONCLUSIONS
Study findings underscore the importance of school attendance, family dysfunction, parental supervision and self-esteem in driving sexual behavior in this age-group. Further studies are warranted to elucidate how these factors can be addressed in prevention programs for young adolescents.
Proton pump inhibitor influence on reflux in Barrett's oesophagus.

OBJECTIVES
It is important to identify factors responsible for the development of Barrett's oesophagus (BO). The effect of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on oesophageal clearance of both acid and alkaline reflux in these patients is uncertain and studies comparing BO patients and healthy controls (HCs) have not been performed earlier.


METHODS
Two groups of patients were studied: 18 HCs and 12 BO patients. Oesophageal motility, acid reflux and duodenogastro-oesophageal reflux (DGOR) were measured using a three-pressure transducer catheter with an antimony pH tip, connected to a sodium ion selective electrode. All patients were studied both on and off PPIs.


RESULTS
Without PPI therapy, BO patients had significantly more upright and supine acid reflux and upright DGOR compared with HCs. During acid reflux, HC demonstrated more peristalsis than BO [HC, % peristalsis=64 (9), BO=53 (8), P<0.01], but this was not seen during DGOR. [HC, % peristalsis=68 (14), BO=56 (11)]. In Barrett's patients, DGOR was significantly reduced with PPIs [off PPI, % upright DGOR=61 (17), on PPIs=19 (15), P<0.01], and no oesophageal motility differences were seen compared with results without PPIs.


CONCLUSION
HCs demonstrate better oesophageal motility compared with BO patients to prevent acid and alkaline reflux. When acid reflux occurred, HCs had better coordinated motility to remove it. This increased coordination did not occur during DGOR, suggesting different stimulation mechanisms. PPI reduced DGOR in BO patients, without any change in oesophageal motility.
Geothermal energy from abandoned oil and gas wells using water in combination with a closed wellbore

Binary cycle power plants have been used successfully for electricity generation utilizing co-produced fluids from active onshore oil wells. Adapting this process for use on abandoned wells by circulating the binary working fluid down the wellbore has been previously proposed and a selection of fluids evaluated. This work proposes and evaluates an approach using water as the wellbore fluid in combination with abandoned wells and a closed wellbore. The wellbore is therefore used as a heat exchanger. The aim is to enable electricity generation via a binary cycle plant while mitigating contamination risks associated with the circulation of conventional organic working fluids. Well log data for over 2500 wells in Texas are used to assess the use of wellbores in this way and for calculation of geothermal gradient and surface temperature. Wellbore heat transfer and wellbore thermal resistance are calculated. With a geothermal gradient of 0.0311 C/m, a fluid temperature of 130 C is achieved using a wellbore depth of 4200 m and a mass flow rate of 2.5 kg/s. Flow rates up to 15 kg/s are shown using greater wellbore depth. Head loss and pumping requirements are calculated relative to wellbore depth with results finding maximum head loss and corresponding pump requirements remain small for the mass flow rates evaluated. Net power figures of 109 kWe630 kW are obtained utilizing a binary cycle power plant with a multistage heat exchanger. The use of abandoned wells as a means of generating electricity with water as the wellbore circulating fluid, utilising a method with no reliance on naturally occurring geothermal fluid is shown, offering a potential use for a global resource that is as yet unused. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.