LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
The molecular microbial perspective of organic matter turnover and nutrient cycling in tropical agroecosystems - What do we know?

A primary goal of low-input small-holder farming systems in the tropics is the appropriate management of organic matter (OM) turnover and nutrient cycling via adapted agricultural practices. These emphasize the promotion of soil organic matter (SOM) turnover and carbon (C) sequestration, nutrient use efficiency and soil microbial activity. Soil microbial communities are acknowledged as key players in the terrestrial C and nutrient (e.g., nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)) cycles. They respond sensitively to agricultural management with shifts in their community structure as well as functional properties (i.e., decomposition and mineralization). This may be in particular evident for tropical, agriculturally managed soils which show an accelerated microbial decomposition activity induced by favorable climatic and unique physicochemical soil conditions. Molecular techniques advanced the understanding about the composition of soil microbial communities and partially their functions standing in close interaction with SOM dynamics. So far, such methods have rarely been used for elucidating microbial community dynamics including composition and functioning in tropical soils under agricultural use. The primary objective of this article is thus to summarize the existing literature on tropical soil microbial ecology as drivers of OM turnover and crop nutrient supply in soils under agricultural use. This included the highlighting of the latest efforts in deploying particularly nucleic acid-based, cultivation-independent techniques to study the compositional status of soil microbial decomposer communities and, to a smaller extent, their functional attributes in response to land use change and OM management in tropical agroecosystems. The majority of available studies on tropical microbial ecology so far concentrated primarily on the description of compositional microbial community dynamics. It was, however, hardly questioned if detected structural microbial community changes substantially influenced microbial key processes which actually maintain ecosystem functioning and soil productivity. This merit remains substantially unexplored in tropical soils under agricultural use as altered microbial community compositions may be only transient with time with potentially negligible consequences on relevant microbial functioning. There are, however, a few specialized key functional microbial groups whose presence or absence may actually affect the performance, speed and recovery of important ecosystem processes including the transformation of OM and supply of crop nutrients (e.g., N and P). These may finally regulate and determine the productivity of tropical, low-input small-holder farming systems which rely essentially on indigenous soil fertility. Consequently, research recommendations are discussed with emphasis on unique characteristics of tropical environments and tropical agroecosystems to improve the current understanding about the link between microbial key players and productivity of tropical, agriculturally managed soils.
Human-inspired motion primitives and transitions for bipedal robotic locomotion in diverse terrain

This thesis presents a control design approach, which uses human data in the development of bipedal robotic control techniques for multiple locomotion behaviors. Insight into the fundamental behaviors of human locomotion is obtained through the examination of experimental human data for level walking, stair ascending, stair descending and running. Specifically, it is shown that certain outputs of the human, independent of locomotion terrain, can be characterized by a single function, termed the extended canonical human function. Through feedback linearization, humaninspired locomotion controllers are leveraged to drive the outputs of the simulated robot, via the extended canonical human function, to the outputs from human locomotion. An optimization problem, subject to the constraints of partial hybrid zero dynamics, is presented which yields parameters of these controllers that provide the best fit to human data while simultaneously ensuring stability of the controlled bipedal robot. The resulting behaviors are stable locomotion on flat ground, upstairs, downstairs and running — these four locomotion modes are termed “motion primitives”. A second optimization is presented, which yields controllers that evolve the robot from one motion primitive to another — these modes of locomotion are termed “motion transitions”. A directed graph consisting these motion primitives and motion transitions has been constructed for the stable motion planning of bipedal locomotion. A final simulation is given, which shows the controlled evolution of a robotic biped as it transitions through each mode of locomotion over a pyramidal staircase.
Moving the goalposts

We study information as an incentive device in a dynamic moral hazard framework. An agent works on a task of uncertain difficulty, modeled as the duration of required effort. The principal knows the task difficulty and can provide information over time with the goal of inducing maximal effort. The optimal mechanism features moving goalposts: an initial disclosure makes the agent sufficiently optimistic that the task is easy in order to induce him to start working. If the task is indeed difficult the agent is told this only after working long enough to put the difficult task within reach. Then the agent completes the difficult task even though he never would have chosen to at the outset. The value of dynamic disclosure implies that the principal prefers a random threshold over any deterministic scheme. We consider extensions to two-player pre-emption games and bandits.
Subject‐driven titration of biphasic insulin aspart 30 twice daily is non‐inferior to investigator‐driven titration in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with premixed human insulin: A randomized, open‐label, parallel‐group, multicenter trial

AIMS/INTRODUCTION
The present study was to compare the efficacy and safety of subject-driven and investigator-driven titration of biphasic insulin aspart 30 (BIAsp 30) twice daily (BID).


MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this 20-week, randomized, open-label, two-group parallel, multicenter trial, Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled by premixed/self-mixed human insulin were randomized 1:1 to subject-driven or investigator-driven titration of BIAsp 30 BID, in combination with metformin and/or α-glucosidase inhibitors. Dose adjustment was decided by patients in the subject-driven group after training, and by investigators in the investigator-driven group.


RESULTS
Eligible adults (n = 344) were randomized in the study. The estimated glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) reduction was 14.5 mmol/mol (1.33%) in the subject-driven group and 14.3 mmol/mol (1.31%) in the investigator-driven group. Non-inferiority of subject-titration vs investigator-titration in reducing HbA1c was confirmed, with estimated treatment difference -0.26 mmol/mol (95% confidence interval -2.05, 1.53) (-0.02%, 95% confidence interval -0.19, 0.14). Fasting plasma glucose, postprandial glucose increment and self-measured plasma glucose were improved in both groups without statistically significant differences. One severe hypoglycemic event was experienced by one subject in each group. A similar rate of nocturnal hypoglycemia (events/patient-year) was reported in the subject-driven (1.10) and investigator-driven (1.32) groups. There were 64.5 and 58.1% patients achieving HbA1c <53.0 mmol/mol (7.0%), and 51.2 and 45.9% patients achieving the HbA1c target without confirmed hypoglycemia throughout the trial in the subject-driven and investigator-driven groups, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Subject-titration of BIAsp 30 BID was as efficacious and well-tolerated as investigator-titration. The present study supported patients to self-titrate BIAsp 30 BID under physicians' supervision.
Randomized clinical trial of total extraperitoneal inguinal hernioplasty vs Lichtenstein repair: a long-term follow-up study.

HYPOTHESIS
Mesh repair is generally preferred for surgical correction of inguinal hernia, although the merits of endoscopic techniques over open surgery are still debated. Herein, minimally invasive total extraperitoneal inguinal hernioplasty (TEP) was compared with Lichtenstein repair to determine if one is associated with less postoperative pain, hypoesthesia, and hernia recurrence.


DESIGN
Prospective multicenter randomized clinical trial.


SETTING
Academic research.


PATIENTS
Six hundred sixty patients were randomized to TEP or Lichtenstein repair.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The primary outcome was postoperative pain. Secondary end points were hernia recurrence, operative complications, operating time, length of hospital stay, time to complete recovery, quality of life, chronic pain, and operative costs.


RESULTS
At 5 years after surgery, TEP was associated with less chronic pain (P = .004). Impairment of inguinal sensibility was less frequently seen after TEP vs Lichtenstein repair (1% vs 22%, P < .001). Operative complications were more frequent after TEP vs Lichtenstein repair (6% vs 2%, P < .001), while no difference was noted in length of hospital stay. After TEP, patients had faster time to return to daily activities (P < .002) and less absence from work (P = .001). Although operative costs were higher for TEP, total costs were comparable for the 2 procedures, as were overall hernia recurrences at 5 years after surgery. However, among experienced surgeons, significantly lower hernia recurrence rates were seen after TEP (P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
In the short term, TEP was associated with more operative complications, longer operating time, and higher operative costs; however, total costs were comparable for the 2 procedures. Chronic pain and impairment of inguinal sensibility were more frequent after Lichtenstein repair. Although overall hernia recurrence rates were comparable for both procedures, hernia recurrence rates among experienced surgeons were significantly lower after TEP. Patient satisfaction was also significantly higher after TEP. Therefore, TEP should be recommended in experienced hands. Trial Registration  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00788554.
Exploring the contributions of premotor and parietal cortex to spatial compatibility using image-guided TMS

Functional brain imaging studies have demonstrated increased activity in dorsal premotor and posterior parietal cortex when performing spatial stimulus-response compatibility tasks (SRC). We tested the specific role of these regions in stimulus-response mapping using single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Subjects were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) prior to the TMS session during performance of a task in which spatial compatibility was manipulated. For each subject, the area of increased signal within the regions of interest was registered onto their own high-resolution T1-weighted anatomic scan. TMS was applied to these areas for each subject using a frameless stereotaxic system. Task accuracy and reaction time (RT) were measured during blocks of compatible or incompatible trials and during blocks of real TMS or sham stimulation. On each trial, a single TMS pulse was delivered at 50, 100, 150, or 200 ms after the onset of the stimulus in the left or right visual field. TMS over the left premotor cortex produced various facilitatory effects, depending on the timing of the stimulation. At short intervals, TMS appeared to prime the left dorsal premotor cortex to select a right-hand response more quickly, regardless of stimulus-response compatibility. The strongest effect of stimulation, however, occurred at the 200-ms interval, when TMS facilitated left-hand responses during the incompatible condition. Facilitation of attention to the contralateral visual hemifield was observed during stimulation over the parietal locations. We conclude that the left premotor cortex is one of the cortical regions responsible for overriding automatic stimulus-response associations.
Prediction and analysis of cell-penetrating peptides using pseudo-amino acid composition and random forest models

Cell-penetrating peptides, a group of short peptides, can traverse cell membranes to enter cells and thus facilitate the uptake of various molecular cargoes. Thus, they have the potential to become powerful drug delivery systems. The correct identification of peptides as cell-penetrating or non-cell-penetrating would accelerate this application. In this study, we determined which features were important for a peptide to be cell-penetrating or non-cell-penetrating and built a predictive model based on the key features extracted from this analysis. The investigated peptides were retrieved from a previous study, and each was encoded as a numeric vector according to six properties of amino acids—amino acid frequency, codon diversity, electrostatic charge, molecular volume, polarity, and secondary structure—by the pseudo-amino acid composition method. Methods of minimum redundancy maximum relevance and incremental feature selection were then employed to analyze these features, and some were found to be key determinants of cell penetration. In parallel, an optimal random forest prediction model was built. We hope that our findings will provide new resources for the study of cell-penetrating peptides.
Heart failure during cardiac pacing.

BACKGROUND
Right ventricular apical (RVA) pacing creates abnormal left ventricular contraction, hypertrophy, and reduced pump function. The adverse effects of ventricular desynchronization may explain the association of RVA pacing with an increased risk of heart failure hospitalization (HFH) in clinical trials.


METHODS AND RESULTS
Baseline and postimplantation variables were used to predict HFH in the Mode Selection Trial, a 2010-patient, 6-year trial of dual-chamber (DDDR) versus ventricular (VVIR) pacing in sinus node dysfunction. A Cox model showed that New York Heart Association (NYHA) class at baseline and follow-up predicted HFH (hazard ratio [HR], 3.99; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.74-5.79 for NYHA class III/IV and HR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.54-3.04 for NYHA class II versus class I); other predictors were heart failure (HR, 2.30; 95% CI, 1.70-3.11), atrioventricular (AV) block (HR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.11-1.97), and myocardial infarction (MI)(HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.00-1.86). Postimplantation predictors were VVIR cumulative percent ventricular pacing (Cum%VP) >80 (HR, 3.58; 95% CI, 1.72-7.45), DDDR Cum%VP >40 or VVIR Cum%VP < or =80 (HR, 1.81; 95% CI, 0.94-3.50) versus DDDR Cum%VP < or =40; whether QRS duration (QRSd) was paced or spontaneous (HR, 2.21; 95% CI, 1.39-3.54; spontaneous versus paced); and drugs for atrial fibrillation (HR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.19-2.15). Low baseline ejection fraction (EF) and postimplantation RVA-paced or spontaneous QRSd predicted HFH; the increased risk with QRSd was steeper for normal versus low EF (HR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.11-1.27; versus HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.01-1.15; for a 10-ms increase); at a QRSd of approximately 200 ms, normal- and low-EF patients had equivalent risk. HFH risk nearly doubled when VVIR Cum%VP was < or =80 or DDDR Cum%VP was >40 versus DDDR Cum%VP < or =40 and was additive with other risk factors.


CONCLUSIONS
Differences in HFH risk can be explained by interactions between substrate (atrial fibrillation, AV conduction, heart failure, MI, EF) and pacing promoters (ventricular desynchronization-paced QRSd and Cum%VP, and AV desynchronization-pacing mode). Management of RVA pacing is important for reducing the risk of HFH, particularly among patients with low EF and heart failure.
Laparoscopic Appendectomy in Children Can Be Done as a Fast-Track or Same-Day Surgery

BACKGROUND
Laparoscopic surgery has reduced the length of hospital stay for common operations like cholecystectomy, gastric fundoplication, and appendectomy. We have noticed a reduction in length of hospital stay for children undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy. We, therefore, looked at our data to assess whether laparoscopic appendectomy in children could be performed as fast-track or same-day surgery (< or = 24-hour postoperative stay).


METHODS
We performed a retrospective review of the records of all children who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy for suspected appendicitis during a 3-year period (7/97 to 7/00).


RESULTS
Laparoscopic appendectomy was performed in 79 children (44 boys and 35 girls), between 2 to 17 years of age (mean, 11 years). In 4 (5%) children with perforated appendicitis, the laparoscopic appendectomy was converted to an open appendectomy. At operation, 51 (64.5%) had acute appendicitis, 22 (27.8%) had perforated appendicitis, 4 (5%) had ruptured ovarian cysts, and 2 (2.5%) had no pathology. The median operative time was 54 minutes. Total length of stay for all 79 patients was a median of 58 hours, and median postoperative LOS was 35 hours. Complications included wound infection (2), abdominal abscess (4), drug rash (2), and epididymo-orchitis (1). In 57 (72%) children without perforated appendicitis, the total length of hospital stay was a median of 42 hours, while median postoperative length of stay was only 28 hours. Thirty-two (56%) children went home in < or = 24 hours following laparoscopic appendectomy. No significant morbidity was noted in the nonperforated group (drug rash, 1 fever > 24 hrs, 3); and no readmissions or reoperations were necessary on follow-up.


CONCLUSION
Laparoscopic appendectomy is safe and effective for treating children with appendicitis. Laparoscopic appendectomy may be safely performed as fast-track or same-day surgery, in select children without perforated appendicitis, with a postoperative stay of < or = 24 hours.
Effect of Self-myofascial Release on Reduction of Physical Stress: A Pilot
Study

[Purpose] This study aims to examined the effect of the self-myofascial release induced with a foam roller on the reduction of stress by measuring the serum concentration of cortisol. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study were healthy females in their 20s. They were divided into the experimental and control groups. Both groups, each consisting of 12 subjects, were directed to walk for 30 minutes on a treadmill. The control group rested for 30 minutes of rest by lying down, whereas the experimental group was performed a 30 minutes of self-myofascial release program. [Results] Statistically significant levels of cortisol concentration reduction were observed in both the experimental group, which used the foam roller, and the control group. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. [Conclusion] The Self-myofascial release induced with a foam roller did not affect the reduction of stress.
Hyperglycosylated human chorionic gonadotropin (invasive trophoblast antigen) immunoassay: A new basis for gestational Down syndrome screening.

BACKGROUND
Serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and hCG free beta-subunit tests are used in combination with unconjugated estriol and alpha-fetoprotein in the triple screen test, and with the addition of inhibin-A in the quadruple marker test for detecting Down syndrome in the second trimester of pregnancy. These tests have a limited detection rate for Down syndrome: approximately 40% for hCG or free beta-subunit alone, approximately 60% for the triple screen test, and approximately 70% for the quadruple marker test, all at 5%, or a relatively high, false-positive rate. New tests are needed with higher detection and lower false rates. Hyperglycosylated hCG (also known as invasive trophoblast antigen or ITA) is a new test. It specifically detects a unique oligosaccharide variant of hCG associated with Down syndrome pregnancies. We evaluated this new Down syndrome-directed test in prenatal diagnosis.


METHODS
Hyperglycosylated hCG was measured in urine samples from women undergoing amniocentesis for advanced maternal age concerns at 14-22 weeks of gestation, 1448 with normal karyotype and 39 with Down syndrome fetuses.


RESULTS
The median hyperglycosylated hCG value was 9.5-fold higher in Down syndrome cases (9.5 multiples of the normal karyotype median). The single test detected 80% of Down syndrome cases at a 5% false-positive rate. Urine hyperglycosylated hCG was combined with urine beta-core fragment (urine breakdown product of serum hCG free beta-subunit), serum alpha-fetoprotein, and maternal age-related risk. This urine-serum combination detected 96% of Down syndrome cases at a 5% false-positive rate, 94% of cases at a 3% false-positive rate, and 71% of cases at a 1% false-positive rate. These detection rates exceed those of any previously reported combination of biochemical markers.


CONCLUSIONS
Hyperglycosylated hCG is a new base marker for Down syndrome screening in the second trimester of pregnancy. The measurement of hyperglycosylated hCG can fundamentally improve the performance of Down syndrome screening protocols.
MR imaging findings suggestive of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in adolescents with systemic lupus erythematosus

Endothelial damage, hypertension and cytotoxic medications may serve as risk factors for the posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) in systemic lupus erythematosus. There have been few case reports of these findings in pediatric lupus patients. We describe clinical and neuroimaging findings in children and adolescents with lupus and a PRES diagnosis. We identified all clinically acquired brain MRIs of lupus patients at a tertiary care pediatric hospital (2002–2008). We reviewed clinical features, conventional MRI and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) findings of patients with gray- and white-matter changes suggestive of vasogenic edema and PRES. Six pediatric lupus patients presenting with seizures and altered mental status had MRI findings suggestive of PRES. In five children clinical and imaging changes were seen in conjunction with hypertension and active renal disease. MRI abnormalities were diffuse and involved frontal regions in five children. DWI changes reflected increased apparent diffusivity coefficient (unrestricted diffusion in all patients). Clinical and imaging changes significantly improved with antihypertensive and fluid management. MRI changes suggestive of vasogenic edema and PRES may be seen in children with active lupus and hypertension. The differential diagnosis of seizures and altered mental status should include PRES in children, as it does in adults.
Self-powered wireless sensor networks for remote patient monitoring in hospitals

Patient vital sign monitoring within hospitals requires the use of non-invasive sensors that are hardwired to bedside monitors. This set-up is cumbersome, forcing the patient to be confined to his hospital bed thereby not allowing him to move around freely within the hospital premises. This paper addresses the use of wireless sensor networks for monitoring patient vital sign data in a hospital setting. Crossbow MICAz motes have been used to design a robust mesh network that routes patient data to a remote base station within the hospital premises. A hospital care giver can have access to this data at any point in time and doesn’t have to be physically present in the patient’s room to review the readings. The network infrastructure nodes are self-powered and draw energy from overhead 34W fluorescent lights via solar panels. The sensor nodes can be interfaced to a variety of vital sign sensors such as electrocardiograms (ECGs), pulse-oximeters and blood pressure (BP) sensors. In order to verify a completely functioning system, a commercial BP/heart-rate monitor (BPM) was interfaced to a wireless sensor node. The sensor node controls the BPM to initiate a reading, then collects the data and forwards it to the base station. An attractive graphical user interface (GUI) was designed to store and display patient data on the base station PC. The set-up was found to be extremely robust with low power consumption.