LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Influence of thoracoscopic esophageal atresia repair on esophageal motor function and gastroesophageal reflux.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE
Thoracoscopic repair has recently been attempted in newborns with esophageal atresia (EA), but it remains unclear whether thoracoscopic dissection reduces pathological gastroesophageal reflux. We investigated the influence of a thoracoscopic approach on esophageal motor function in patients with EA.


METHODS
Clinical and gastrointestinal data of 10 patients with EA with open repair (group A) and 7 with thoracoscopic repair (group B) were analyzed retrospectively. Videomanometry was conducted to investigate esophageal motor patterns. Esophageal acid exposure was evaluated with 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring. Data are expressed as medians and ranges.


RESULTS
Contractions in the distal esophagus were conspicuously absent in 1 and 3 patients in groups A and B, respectively (P = .26). There were no significant differences in esophageal acid exposure (5.5% [0.7%-24.6%] vs 3.7% [0.3%-56.8%]; P = .71) or mean esophageal acid reflux time (0.5 minutes [0.1-1.4 minutes] vs 0.5 minutes [0.1-1.3 minutes]; P = .87) between the 2 groups. Fundoplication was conducted in 2 patients in each group (P = .60), all of whom had conspicuously absent distal esophageal contractions. Those contractions were preserved in the remaining patients with the exception of 1 group B patient.


CONCLUSION
There are unlikely to be benefits from thoracoscopic repair of EA in terms of postoperative esophageal motor function.
Mechanisms of action in youth psychotherapy.

BACKGROUND
In this review, we address a basic, but unanswered, question about psychosocial interventions for youth: How does psychotherapy work?


METHODS
We propose a framework for using mediation analysis to answer this question, and we review the youth therapy outcome literature for evidence on mediating mechanisms. We focus our review on clinical trials of empirically supported treatments for youth anxiety, depression, and disruptive behavior (N = 67).


RESULTS
Contrary to previous reports indicating that potential mediators are rarely assessed, 63% of the studies included measures of potential mediating mechanisms in their designs. Across treatment domains, percentages ranged from 22% of the studies of learning-based interventions for anxiety (i.e., systematic desensitization, modeling, and reinforced practice) to 91% of parent training investigations. Despite the rather extensive assessment of potential mediators, only six studies included any attempt to use the measures in a formal mediation test. Thus, despite the positive effects of treatments and surprisingly ample assessment of mediators, we still know remarkably little about how youth psychotherapies work.


CONCLUSIONS
We note common problems that hampered mediation testing (e.g., the design of many trials made it difficult to determine the temporal order of change in the mechanism and outcome), and we offer recommendations for improving study design to better assess mechanisms of therapeutic action. We also note the need to test mediation among referred youth treated in representative practice settings to complement the laboratory-based evidence on therapy mechanisms that prevails to date.
Sleep apnea prevalence in acute myocardial infarction--the Sleep Apnea in Post-acute Myocardial Infarction Patients (SAPAMI) Study.

BACKGROUND
While sleep apnea (SA) might be a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor, recent data suggest that SA is severely underdiagnosed in patients after acute myocardial infarction (MI). There is limited evidence about day-night variation of onset of MI on dependence of having SA. We therefore investigated the prevalence of SA and examined the day-night variation of onset of MI in acute MI patients.


METHODS
We prospectively studied 782 consecutive patients admitted to the hospital with the diagnosis of acute MI. All subjects underwent sleep evaluations using a portable device after at least 48 h post-admission. Using the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), groups were defined as patients without SA (<5 events/h), mild SA (5-15 events/h), moderate SA (15-30 events/h), and severe SA (≥ 30 events/h).


RESULTS
Almost all patients (98%) underwent urgent coronary angiography and 91% of patients underwent primary PCI. Using a threshold of AHI ≥ 5 events/h, SA was present in 65.7% of patients after acute MI. Mild SA was present in 32.6%, moderate in 20.4% and severe in 12.7%. The day-night variation in the onset of MI in all groups of SA patients was similar to that observed in non-SA patients. From 6 AM to 12 PM, the frequency of MI was higher in both SA and non-SA patients, as compared to the interval from 12 AM to 6 AM (all p<0.05).


CONCLUSION
There is a high prevalence of SA in patients presenting with acute MI. Peak time of MI onset in SA patients was between 6 AM and noon, similar to that in the general population. Whether diagnosis and treatment of SA after MI will significantly improve outcomes in these patients remains to be determined.
Specifications of Nanoscale Devices and Circuits for Neuromorphic Computational Systems

The goal of neuromorphic engineering is to build electronic systems that mimic the ability of the brain to perform fuzzy, fault-tolerant, and stochastic computation, without sacrificing either its space or power efficiency. In this paper, we determine the operating characteristics of novel nanoscale devices that could be used to fabricate such systems. We also compare the performance metrics of a million neuron learning system based on these nanoscale devices with an equivalent implementation that is entirely based on end-of-scaling digital CMOS technology and determine the technology targets to be satisfied by these new devices. We show that neuromorphic systems based on new nanoscale devices can potentially improve density and power consumption by at least a factor of 10, as compared with conventional CMOS implementations.
Micro Sensor Node for Air Pollutant Monitoring: Hardware and Software Issues

Wireless sensor networks equipped with various gas sensors have been actively used for air quality monitoring. Previous studies have typically explored system issues that include middleware or networking performance, but most research has barely considered the details of the hardware and software of the sensor node itself. In this paper, we focus on the design and implementation of a sensor board for air pollutant monitoring applications. Several hardware and software issues are discussed to explore the possibilities of a practical WSN-based air pollution monitoring system. Through extensive experiments and evaluation, we have determined the various characteristics of the gas sensors and their practical implications for air pollutant monitoring systems.
Discovering competitive intelligence by mining changes in patent trends

Obtaining sufficient competitive intelligence is a critical factor in helping business managers gain and maintain competitive advantages. Patent data is an important source of competitive intelligence that enterprises can use to gain a strategic advantage. Under existing approaches, to detect changes in patent trends, business managers must rely on patent analysts to compare two patent analysis charts of different time periods. The discovery of change of trends currently still needs laborious human efforts and no efficient computer-based approaches are available for helping this task. In this paper, we propose a patent trend change mining (PTCM) approach that can identify changes in patent trends without the need for specialist knowledge. The proposed approach consists of steps including patent collection, patent indicator calculation, and change detection. In change detection phase the approach firstly excavate rules between two different time periods, comparing them to determine the trend changes. These trend changes are then classified into four categories of change, evaluated with change degree and ranked by their change degree as the output information to be referred by decision makers. We apply the PTCM approach to Taiwan’s semiconductor industry to discover changes in four types of patent trends: the R&D activities of a company, the R&D activities of the industry, company activities in the industry and industry activities generally. The proposed approach generates competitive intelligence to help managers develop appropriate business strategies. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Long-term safety of perampanel and seizure outcomes in refractory partial-onset seizures and secondarily generalized seizures: Results from phase III extension study 307

OBJECTIVE
To evaluate safety, tolerability, seizure frequency, and regional variations in treatment responses with the AMPA antagonist, perampanel, in a large extension study during up to 3 years of treatment.


METHODS
Patients ≥ 12 years old with partial-onset seizures despite treatment with 1-3 antiepileptic drugs at baseline completed a perampanel phase III trial and entered extension study 307 (NCT00735397). Patients were titrated to 12 mg/day (or their individual maximum tolerated dose) during the blinded conversion period, followed by open-label maintenance. Exposure, safety (adverse events [AEs], vital signs, weight, electrocardiography [ECG], laboratory values) and seizure outcomes were analyzed; key measures were assessed by geographic regions.


RESULTS
Among 1,216 patients, median exposure was 1.5 years (range 1 week to 3.3 years), with >300 patients treated for >2 years. Treatment retention was 58.5% at cutoff. AEs reported in ≥ 10% of patients were dizziness, somnolence, headache, fatigue, irritability, and weight increase. Only dizziness and irritability caused discontinuation in >1% of patients (3.9% and 1.3%, respectively). The only serious AEs reported in >1% of patients were epilepsy-related (convulsion, 3.0%; status epilepticus, 1.1%). No clinically relevant changes in vital signs, ECG or laboratory parameters were seen. After titration/conversion, responder rate and median percentage change from baseline in seizure frequency were stable: 46% for both measures at 9 months (in 980 patients with ≥ 9 months' exposure) and 58% and 60%, respectively, at 2 years (in the 337 patients with 2 years' exposure). Median percentage reduction in frequency of secondarily generalized (SG) seizures ranged from 77% at 9 months (N = 422) to 90% at 2 years (N = 141). Among the 694 patients with maintenance data ≥ 1 year, 5.3% were seizure-free for the entire year.


SIGNIFICANCE
No new safety signals emerged during up to 3 years of perampanel exposure in 39 countries. Seizure responses remained stable, with marked reductions, particularly in SG seizures.
Bose-Einstein condensation

The basic notions and the main historical facts on the Bose-Einstein condensation are surveyed.
Paclitaxel-eluting stents show superiority to balloon angioplasty and bare metal stents in femoropopliteal disease: twelve-month Zilver PTX randomized study results.

BACKGROUND
Sustained benefits of drug-eluting stents in femoropopliteal arteries have not been demonstrated. This prospective, multinational, randomized study was designed to compare the 12-month safety and effectiveness of a polymer-free, paclitaxel-coated nitinol drug-eluting stent (DES) with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) and provisional bare metal stent (BMS) placement in patients with femoropopliteal peripheral artery disease.


METHODS AND RESULTS
Patients were randomly assigned to primary DES implantation (n=236) or PTA (n=238). Demographics and lesion characteristics were similar between groups (eg, average lesion length, approximately 65±40 mm). One hundred twenty patients had acute PTA failure and underwent secondary random assignment to provisional DES (n=61) or BMS (n=59). Primary end points were the 12-month rates of event-free survival and patency in the primary DES and PTA groups. Compared with the PTA group, the primary DES group exhibited superior 12-month event-free survival (90.4% versus 82.6%; P=0.004) and primary patency (83.1% versus 32.8%; P<0.001), satisfying the primary hypotheses. In the secondary evaluations, (1) the primary DES group exhibited superior clinical benefit compared with the PTA group (88.3% versus 75.8%; P<0.001), (2) the provisional DES group exhibited superior primary patency (89.9% versus 73.0%; P=0.01) and superior clinical benefit (90.5% and 72.3%, P=0.009) compared with the provisional BMS group, and (3) the stent fracture rate (both DES and BMS) was 0.9% (4/457).


CONCLUSIONS
Femoropopliteal peripheral artery disease treatment with the paclitaxel-eluting stent was associated with superior 12-month outcomes compared with PTA and provisional BMS placement.
Multi-institutional experience using the MammoSite radiation therapy system in the treatment of early-stage breast cancer: 2-year results.

PURPOSE
To present a retrospective multi-institutional experience of patients treated with the MammoSite radiation therapy system (RTS).


METHODS AND MATERIALS
Nine institutions participated in a pooled analysis of data evaluating the clinical experience of the MammoSite RTS for delivering accelerated partial breast irradiation. Between 2000 and 2004, 483 patients were treated with the MammoSite RTS to 34 Gy delivered in 10 fractions. Treatment parameters were analyzed to identify factors affecting outcome.


RESULTS
Median follow-up was 24 months (minimum of 1 year). Overall, infection was documented in 9% of patients, but the rate was only 4.8% if the catheter was placed after lumpectomy. Six patients (1.2%) experienced an in-breast failure; four failures occurred remote from the lumpectomy site (elsewhere failure). Cosmetic results were good/excellent in 91% of patients. Treatment parameters identified as significant on univariate analysis were tested in multivariate regression analysis. The closed-cavity placement technique significantly reduced the risk of infection (p = 0.0267). A skin spacing of <6 mm increased the risk of severe acute skin reaction (p = 0.0178) and telangiectasia (p = 0.0280). The use of prophylactic antibiotics reduced the risk of severe acute skin reaction (p < 0.0001). The use of multiple dwell positions reduced the risk of severe hyperpigmentation (p = 0.0278). Infection was associated with an increased risk of fair or poor overall cosmesis (p = 0.0009).


CONCLUSIONS
In this series of patients, the MammoSite RTS seems to have acceptable toxicity rates and cosmetic outcomes, comparable to those with whole-breast radiotherapy. On the basis of these data, the closed-cavity placement technique, use of prophylactic antibiotics, use of multiple dwell positions, and a minimum skin spacing of 6 mm seem to improve patient outcome.
On or Off the Blockchain? Insights on Off-Chaining Computation and Data

The potential for blockchains to fundamentally transform how organizations produce and capture value is huge and very real. Practical applications dealing with nearly any type of digital asset demonstrate this capacity. Blockchain-based application architectures benefit from a set of unique properties including immutability and transparency of cryptographically-secured and peer-recorded transactions, which have been agreed upon by network consensus. Blockchain-based applications, however, may also suffer from high computational and storage expenses, negatively impacting overall performance and scalability. In this paper, we report on lessons learned and insights gained from a set of experimental blockchain projects, focusing on off-chaining: How to move computation and data off-the-chain, without compromising the properties introduced and benefits gained by using blockchains in the first place.
A web-based appointment system to reduce waiting for outpatients: A retrospective study

BACKGROUND
Long waiting times for registration to see a doctor is problematic in China, especially in tertiary hospitals. To address this issue, a web-based appointment system was developed for the Xijing hospital. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of the web-based appointment system in the registration service for outpatients.


METHODS
Data from the web-based appointment system in Xijing hospital from January to December 2010 were collected using a stratified random sampling method, from which participants were randomly selected for a telephone interview asking for detailed information on using the system. Patients who registered through registration windows were randomly selected as a comparison group, and completed a questionnaire on-site.


RESULTS
A total of 5641 patients using the online booking service were available for data analysis. Of them, 500 were randomly selected, and 369 (73.8%) completed a telephone interview. Of the 500 patients using the usual queuing method who were randomly selected for inclusion in the study, responses were obtained from 463, a response rate of 92.6%. Between the two registration methods, there were significant differences in age, degree of satisfaction, and total waiting time (P<0.001). However, gender, urban residence, and valid waiting time showed no significant differences (P>0.05). Being ignorant of online registration, not trusting the internet, and a lack of ability to use a computer were three main reasons given for not using the web-based appointment system. The overall proportion of non-attendance was 14.4% for those using the web-based appointment system, and the non-attendance rate was significantly different among different hospital departments, day of the week, and time of the day (P<0.001).


CONCLUSION
Compared to the usual queuing method, the web-based appointment system could significantly increase patient's satisfaction with registration and reduce total waiting time effectively. However, further improvements are needed for broad use of the system.
A prediction model for the purchase probability of anonymous customers to support real time web marketing: a case study

The rapid growth of e-commerce has provided both an opportunity to create new values in the online marketplace and dramatic competition to survive. To survive in a competitive environment, Internet shopping malls attempt to adopt and use Customer Relationship Management. However, previous researches focused on navigation patterns of customers with membership. Therefore, they failed to apply real time web marketing to anonymous customers who navigate web pages without personal login. To overcome the problems noted above, we propose a methodology for predicting the purchase probability of anonymous customers to support real time web marketing. The proposed methodology is composed of two phases: (1) extracting purchase patterns and (2) predicting purchase probability. Purchase pattern provides marketing implications to web marketers while the purchase probability provides an opportunity for real time web marketing by predicting the purchase probability of an anonymous customer. The proposed methodology can be applied to the real time web marketing such as navigation shortcuts, product recommendations and better customer inducement since anonymous customers are included in marketing target and significant navigation pattern for purchase is identified. q 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A vision for the future of genomics research

The completion of a high-quality, comprehensive sequence of the human genome, in this fiftieth anniversary year of the discovery of the double-helical structure of DNA, is a landmark event. The genomic era is now a reality. In contemplating a vision for the future of genomics research,it is appropriate to consider the remarkable path that has brought us here. The rollfold (Figure 1) shows a timeline of landmark accomplishments in genetics and genomics, beginning with Gregor Mendel’s discovery of the laws of heredity and their rediscovery in the early days of the twentieth century.Recognition of DNA as the hereditary material, determination of its structure, elucidation of the genetic code, development of recombinant DNA technologies, and establishment of increasingly automatable methods for DNA sequencing set the stage for the Human Genome Project (HGP) to begin in 1990 (see also www.nature.com/nature/DNA50). Thanks to the vision of the original planners, and the creativity and determination of a legion of talented scientists who decided to make this project their overarching focus, all of the initial objectives of the HGP have now been achieved at least two years ahead of expectation, and a revolution in biological research has begun. The project’s new research strategies and experimental technologies have generated a steady stream of ever-larger and more complex genomic data sets that have poured into public databases and have transformed the study of virtually all life processes. The genomic approach of technology development and large-scale generation of community resource data sets has introduced an important new dimension into biological and biomedical research. Interwoven advances in genetics, comparative genomics, highthroughput biochemistry and bioinformatics
Magnetic resonance imaging of male and female genitals during coitus and female sexual arousal.

OBJECTIVE
To find out whether taking images of the male and female genitals during coitus is feasible and to find out whether former and current ideas about the anatomy during sexual intercourse and during female sexual arousal are based on assumptions or on facts.


DESIGN
Observational study.


SETTING
University hospital in the Netherlands.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance imaging was used to study the female sexual response and the male and female genitals during coitus. Thirteen experiments were performed with eight couples and three single women.


RESULTS
The images obtained showed that during intercourse in the "missionary position" the penis has the shape of a boomerang and 1/3 of its length consists of the root of the penis. During female sexual arousal without intercourse the uterus was raised and the anterior vaginal wall lengthened. The size of the uterus did not increase during sexual arousal.


CONCLUSION
Taking magnetic resonance images of the male and female genitals during coitus is feasible and contributes to understanding of anatomy.
Efficiently measuring a quantum device using machine learning

D.T. Lennon†1, H. Moon†1, L.C. Camenzind, Liuqi Yu, D.M. Zumbühl, G.A.D. Briggs, M.A. Osborne, E.A. Laird, and N. Ares Department of Materials, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PH, United Kingdom Department of Physics, University of Basel, 4056 Basel, Switzerland Department of Engineering, University of Oxford, Walton Well Road, Oxford OX2 6ED, United Kingdom Department of Physics, Lancaster University, Lancaster, LA1 4YB, United Kingdom (Dated: October 25, 2018)
Intelligent Vehicle-Trust Point: Reward based Intelligent Vehicle Communication using Blockchain

The Intelligent vehicle (IV) is experiencing revolutionary growth in research and industry, but it still suffers from many security vulnerabilities. Traditional security methods are incapable to provide secure IV communication. The major issues in IV communication, are trust, data accuracy and reliability of communication data in the communication channel. Blockchain technology works for the crypto currency, Bit-coin, which is recently used to build trust and reliability in peer-topeer networks having similar topologies as IV Communication. In this paper, we are proposing, Intelligent Vehicle-Trust Point (IV-TP) mechanism for IV communication among IVs using Blockchain technology. The IVs communicated data provides security and reliability using our proposed IV-TP. Our IV-TP mechanism provides trustworthiness for vehicles behavior, and vehicles legal and illegal action. Our proposal presents a reward based system, an exchange of some IV-TP among IVs, during successful communication. For the data management of the IVTP, we are using blockchain technology in the intelligent transportation system (ITS), which stores all IV-TP details of every vehicle and is accessed ubiquitously by IVs. In this paper, we evaluate our proposal with the help of intersection use case scenario for intelligent vehicles communication. Keywords— Blockchain, intelligent vehicles, security, component; ITS