LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
A Double-Blind Clinical Trial for Treatment of Crohn's Disease by Oral Administration of Alequel™, A Mixture of Autologous Colon-Extracted Proteins: A Patient-Tailored Approach

OBJECTIVES:In this study, we evaluated the safety and efficacy of a personalized mode of treatment for Crohn's disease (CD) by oral administration of Alequel™, an extract of autologous colonic proteins.METHODS:Thirty-one patients with moderate to severe CD were enrolled in a 27-wk randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Patients were randomized to receive either a placebo or the study drug prepared from autologous colonic extract.RESULTS:Oral administration of autologous colonic proteins resulted in clinical remission (58%vs 29%; 46.6%vs 26.6%, using an intention to treat analysis, P = NS), clinical response (67%vs 43%; 53.3%vs 40%, using an intention to treat analysis, P = NS) and improved quality of life (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire score improvement 43%vs 12%) in the drug study group, compared to placebo group. No treatment-related adverse events were noted. Only in the study-drug-treated cohort who achieved clinical remission (DR), there was a decreased number of subject-specific, antigen-directed, IFNγ spot-forming colonies. DR subjects had a lower initial C-reactive protein level than DNOR or placebo subjects, an increased percentage of peripheral blood nature killer T cells, and an increased CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio throughout the period of drug administration.CONCLUSIONS:Oral administration of Alequel™ is a safe method for treatment of patients with moderate to severe CD, and its efficacy needs to be proven. Several markers may be applicable as surrogate markers for the clinical effect.
Deep Convolutional Network for Handwritten Chinese Character Recognition

In this project we explored the performance of deep convolutional neural network on recognizing handwritten Chinese characters. We ran experiments on a 200-class and a 3755-class dataset using convolutional networks with different depth and filter numbers. Experimental results show that deeper network with larger filter numbers give better test accuracy. We also provide a visualization of the learned network on the handwritten Chinese characters.
Surgical management and outcome of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension: results from an international prospective registry.

OBJECTIVE
Pulmonary endarterectomy is a curative surgical treatment option for the majority of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. The current surgical management and postoperative outcome of patients enrolled in an international registry on chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension were investigated.


METHODS
The registry included newly diagnosed (≤6 months) consecutive patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension from February 2007 to January 2009.


RESULTS
A total of 679 patients were registered from 1 Canadian and 26 European centers, of whom 386 (56.8%) underwent surgery. The median age of patients undergoing surgery was 60 years, and 54.1% were male. Previous pulmonary embolism was confirmed for 79.8% of patients. Perioperative complications occurred in 189 patients (49.2%): infection (18.8%), persistent pulmonary hypertension (16.7%), neurologic (11.2%) or bleeding (10.2%) complications, pulmonary reperfusion edema (9.6%), pericardial effusion (8.3%), need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (3.1%), and in-hospital mortality due to perioperative complications (4.7%). Documented 1-year mortality was 7%. Preoperative exercise capacity was predictive of 1-year mortality. Postoperative pulmonary vascular resistance predicted in-hospital and 1-year mortality. In patients evaluated within 1 year after surgery, the median pulmonary vascular resistance had decreased from 698 to 235 dyn x s x cm(-5) (95% confidence limit, 640-874 and 211-255, respectively, n = 70) and the median 6-minute walk distance had increased from 362 to 459 m (95% confidence limit, 340-399 and 440-473, respectively, n = 168). New York Heart Association functional class improved with most patients progressing from class III/IV to class I/II.


CONCLUSIONS
Pulmonary endarterectomy is associated with a low in-hospital mortality rate and improvements in hemodynamics and exercise capacity.
Measuring the impact of subtitles on cognitive load: eye tracking and dynamic audiovisual texts

In educational design literature, it is often taken as fact that subtitles increase cognitive load (CL). This paper investigates this assumption experimentally by comparing various measures of CL when students watch a recorded academic lecture with or without subtitles. Since the measurement of cognitive load is by no means a simple matter, we first provide an overview of the different measurement techniques based on causality and objectivity. We measure CL by means of eye tracking (pupil dilation), electroencephalography (EEG), self-reported ratings of mental effort, frustration, comprehension effort and engagement, as well as performance measures (comprehension test).
 Our findings seem to indicate that the subtitled condition in fact created lower CL in terms of percentage change in pupil diameter (PCPD) for the stimulus, approaching significance. In the subtitled condition PCPD also correlates significantly with participants' self-reported comprehension effort levels (their perception of how easy or difficult it was to understand the lecture). The EEG data, in turn, shows a significantly higher level of frustration for the unsubtitled condition. Negative emotional states could be caused by situations of higher CL (or cognitive overload) leading to learner frustration and dissatisfaction with learning activities and own performance [16]. It could therefore be reasoned that participants had a higher CL in the absence of subtitles. The self-reported frustration levels correlate with the frustration measured by the EEG as well as the self-reported engagement levels for the subtitled group. We also found a significant correlation between the self-reported engagement levels and both the short- and long term comprehension for the unsubtitled condition but not for the subtitled condition. There was no significant difference in either short-term or long-term performance measures between the two groups, which seems to suggest that subtitles at the very least, do not result in cognitive overload.
Immune responses to stress after stress management training in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

INTRODUCTION
Psychological stress may alter immune function by activating physiological stress pathways. Building on our previous study, in which we report that stress management training led to an altered self-reported and cortisol response to psychological stress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we explored the effects of this stress management intervention on the immune response to a psychological stress task in patients with RA.


METHODS
In this study, 74 patients with RA, who were randomly assigned to either a control group or a group that received short stress management training, performed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) 1 week after the intervention and at a 9-week follow-up. Stress-induced changes in levels of key cytokines involved in stress and inflammatory processes (for example, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8) were assessed.


RESULTS
Basal and stress-induced cytokine levels were not significantly different in patients in the intervention and control groups one week after treatment, but stress-induced IL-8 levels were lower in patients in the intervention group than in the control group at the follow-up assessment.


CONCLUSIONS
In line with our previous findings of lower stress-induced cortisol levels at the follow-up of stress management intervention, this is the first study to show that relatively short stress management training might also alter stress-induced IL-8 levels in patients with RA. These results might help to determine the role of immunological mediators in stress and disease.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
The Netherlands National Trial Register (NTR1193)
A note on the discovery of two new nunatacks in the southernmost Heimefrontfjella

Two new nunataks were discovered in southern Tottanfjella during 
our geological expedition to Heimefrontjella in early 1994. The exposed rocks 
are typical for the Sivorg Terrane. One explanation that these rocks were not 
recorded earlier is that they were only relatively recently exposed due to ice 
retreat.
Grid Synchronization of Wind Turbine Converters under Transient Grid Faults using a Double Synchronous Reference Frame PLL

This work employs the double synchronous reference frame PLL (DSRF-PLL) as an effective method for grid synchronization of WT's power converters in the presence of transient faults in the grid. The DSRF-PLL exploits a dual synchronous reference frame voltage characterization, adding a decoupling network to a standard SRF-PLL in order to effectively separate the positive- and negative-sequence voltage components in a fast and accurate way. Experimental evaluation of the proposed grid synchronization method and simulations regarding its application to ride through transient faults verify and validate the excellent behavior of the DSRF-PLL in the grid synchronization of WT's power converters under unfavorable grid conditions.
A Pilot Study on the Combination of Applied Behavior Analysis and Bumetanide Treatment for Children with Autism.

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of combined bumetanide and applied behavior analysis (ABA) treatment in children with autism.


METHODS
Sixty children diagnosed with autism according to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) criteria (mean age of 4.5 years) were randomly divided into two groups: A single treatment group (n=28) and a combined treatment group (n=32). The combined treatment group received ABA training combined with oral bumetanide (0.5 mg twice a day). The single treatment group received ABA training only. Autism symptoms were evaluated with the Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC) and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), whereas severity of disease (SI) and global improvement (GI) were measured with the Clinical Global Impressions (CGI). Assessment of ABC, CARS, and CGI was performed immediately before and 3 months after initiation of the treatment(s).


RESULTS
Prior to intervention(s) no statistically significant differences in scores on the ABC, CARS, SI, or GI were found between the two groups. Total scores of the ABC, CARS, and SI were decreased in both groups after 3 months (p<0.05) compared with the scores prior to treatment. The total scores of the ABC and the CGI were significantly (p<0.05) lower in the combined treatment group than in the single treatment group. Although the total and item scores of the CARS in the combined treatment group were lower than in the single treatment group after a 3 month intervention, they did not reach statistical significance. No adverse effects of bumetanide were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with bumetanide combined with ABA training may result in a better outcome in children with autism than ABA training alone.
TGF superfamily and MMP2, MMP9, TIMP1 genes expression in the endometrium of women with impaired reproduction.

During the putative "implantation window", a period of maximal endometrial receptivity that spans 7-9 days after ovulation, a series of changes on the structural and molecular level occur that render the endometrium susceptible to implantation for the human embryo. Many members of the TGFbetas are expressed by human endometrium at different stages of menstrual cycle. Also studies regarding the MMP2 gene expression and activity of MMP2 in the implantation window have shown a higher expression and activity of MMP2 in women with impaired fertility. We have examined by RT-PCR the expression of TGFbeta2 and MMP2, MMP9 and TIMP1 in 28 patients with idiopathic infertility, 16 patients with unexplained recurrent miscarriage and 16 control women were enrolled in this study. Seven to nine days after ovulation endometrial biopsy by Pipelle or hysteroscopy was performed to assess the expression of TGFbeta2 , MMP2, MMP9 and TIMP1. We found that in endometria from women with idiopathic infertility TGFbeta2 expression was 2.8 fold higher than in endometria from control group and 2.1 fold higher in endometrial samples from women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage compared to the control group. The MMP2, MMP9 and TIMP1 expression in endometrial samples revealed no significant differences between the study groups and control group. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between TGFbeta2 and MMP9 expression in endometria from women in control group. The present investigations suggest that dysregulated TGFbeta2, MMP2, MMP9 and TIMP1 expression are associated with infertility and early pregnancy loss. However the exact mechanism of how overexpression of endometrial TGFbetaand MMPs interferes with implantation may be more complex.
From Conceptualization to Operationalization of Mindfulness

To study a phenomenon scientifically, it must be appropriately described and measured. How mindfulness is conceptualized and assessed has considerable importance for mindfulness science, and perhaps in part because of this, these two issues have been among the most contentious in the field. In recognition of the growing scientific and clinical interest in
A route search method for electric vehicles in consideration of range and locations of charging stations

In this paper, we propose a new route search method for electric vehicles (EVs), which calculates a route with stopping over charging stations to have extra battery charge when current remaining charge is not enough to reach the destination. In this method, firstly we divided cases into three; the case of reaching the destination straight from the departure point, the case of stopping at one charging station and the case of stopping at several charging stations. In the cases of stopping over at least one charging station, potential charging stations are selected first, and then a route is obtained by Dijkstra's algorithm from routes with some of those stations. Travel distance, estimated travel time between charge stations and time to fully charge after the EV's arrival at each charging stations are calculated and also used for the calculation of travel cost between charging stations. Offering these routes for EV users will eliminate some of the major concerns about EVs such as limited range or sparse charging stations and will contribute to the spread of EVs. In order to confirm appropriateness of the route and examine the impact of increased execution time by this method, authors implemented the method and compared its execution time with that of conventional route search method. As a result, we confirmed that this method calculates routes with accessible charging stations according to the EV's range. We also found that the search of charging stations with this method requires extra execution time, but the time increases by less than a half of the time required for the search of the route with some of these stations by conventional method.
Does Stock Market Respond to Economic Fundamentals? Time- series Analysis from Indian Data

This study investigates the impact of Macroeconomic factors on stock market behavior considering the Indian data. Monthly data of five macroeconomic variables, namely, industrial production index, inflation, money supply, short term interest rate exchange rates and stock market index over the period 1994:04–2011:04 have been used for the analysis. Johansen’s co-integration and vector error correction model have been applied to explore the long-run equilibrium relationship between stock market index and abovementioned macroeconomic variables. The analysis reveals that macroeconomic variables and the stock market index are co-integrated and, hence, a long-run equilibrium relationship exists between them. It is evident that the stock prices positively relate to the money supply and industrial production but negatively relate to inflation. The exchange rate and the short-term interest rate are found to be insignificant in determining stock prices. In the Granger causality sense, macroeconomic variable causes the stock prices in the long-run as well as in the short-run.
An Airborne Wireless Sensor System for Near-Real Time Air Pollution Monitoring

Over the last decades with the rapid growth of industrial zones, manufacturing plants and the substantial urbanization, environmental pollution has become a crucial health, environmental and safety concern. In particular, due to the increased emissions of various pollutants caused mainly by human sources, the air pollution problem is elevated in such extent where significant measures need to be taken. Towards the identification and the qualification of that problem, we present in this paper an airborne wireless sensor network system for automated monitoring and measuring of the ambient air pollution. Our proposed system is comprised of a pollution-aware wireless sensor network and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It is designed for monitoring the pollutants and gases of the ambient air in three-dimensional spaces without the human intervention. In regards to the general architecture of our system, we came up with two schemes and algorithms for an autonomous monitoring of a three-dimensional area of interest. To demonstrate our solution, we deployed the system and we conducted experiments in a real environment measuring air pollutants such as: NH3, CH4, CO2, O2 along with temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure. Lastly, we experimentally evaluated and analyzed the two proposed schemes. Copyright © 2015 IFSA Publishing, S. L.
An analogue of Hardy’s theorem for very rapidly decreasing functions on semi-simple Lie groups

A celebrated theorem of L. Schwartz asserts that a function f on R is ‘rapidly decreasing’ (or in the ‘Schwartz class’) iff its Fourier transform is ‘rapidly decreasing’. Since this theorem is of fundamental importance in harmonic analysis, there is a whole body of literature devoted to generalizing this result to other Lie groups. (For example, see [18].) In sharp contrast to Schwartz’s theorem, is a result due to Hardy [5] which says that f and f̂ cannot both be “very rapidly decreasing”. More precisely, if |f(x)| ≤ Ae−α|x|2 and |f̂(y)| ≤ Be−β|y| 2 and αβ > 1 4 , then f ≡ 0. (See [2], pp. 155-157.) However, as far as we are aware, until very recently no systematic attempt was made to generalize Hardy’s theorem to other Lie groups. In [12], [13], and [15], this result has been generalized to the Heisenberg groups Hn, the Euclidean motion groups M(n) and for certain eigenfunction expansions. In this paper we establish an analogue of Hardy’s theorem for a class of noncompact semisimple Lie groups and all symmetric spaces of the noncompact type. Hardy’s theorem can also be viewed as a sort of ‘Uncertainty Principle’. The results in [12] and [13] are presented from this point of view. (In [1], Cowling and Price have proved an “L − L” version of Hardy’s theorem on R. The theorem of Beurling in [9] is similar in spirit to Hardy’s theorem, although far more general, and indeed Hardy’s theorem, as well as the result of Cowling and Price, can be deduced from it as special cases.)
Long-term safety and efficacy of donepezil in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies: results from a 52-week, open-label, multicenter extension study.

BACKGROUND/AIMS
To investigate the safety and efficacy of long-term administration (52 weeks) of donepezil in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB).


METHODS
This was a 52-week, multicenter, open-label extension study. Up to 8 weeks after the completion of the preceding randomized, placebo-controlled trial (RCT), patients started treatment with 3 mg of donepezil daily for 2 weeks, followed by 5 mg daily for the remaining 50 weeks. Cognitive function, behavioral and psychiatric symptoms, cognitive fluctuations, and caregiver burden were assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, Cognitive Fluctuation Inventory, and the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview, respectively. Safety parameters were monitored throughout.


RESULTS
In total, 108 patients were enrolled in the study. Cognitive function and dementia-related behavioral symptoms, including cognitive fluctuations, were improved after the start of donepezil treatment, and improvement was maintained for 52 weeks. Reduction in caregiver burden observed in the preceding RCT returned to the baseline level at 52 weeks. There was no significant imbalance in the incidence of adverse events (AEs) by onset time, and delayed AE onset induced by the long-term administration of donepezil was unlikely to appear.


CONCLUSION
The long-term administration of donepezil at 5 mg/day was well tolerated in patients with DLB and is expected to exhibit lasting effects, improving impaired cognitive function and psychiatric symptoms up to 52 weeks.
Life skills education implementation and perceptions on its effect on discipline in secondary schools in Kangema District, Murang'a County, Kenya

Life Skills Education is aimed at equipping the learners with psychosocial competencies that would help them make informed decisions, solve problems, think creatively and critically, communicate effectively and build healthy relationships. However, the rising cases of indiscipline in schools in Kangema district characterized by many students' unrests seem to suggest that, the objectives of Life Skills education have not been achieved. This study therefore sought to investigate Life Skills Education and perceptions on its effect on discipline in Kangema district, Murang'a County. The study was guided by the following objectives: To establish how life skills education is taught in secondary schools, to determine teachers' competencies in LSE, to find out the availability and adequacy of LSE teaching and learning resources in schools, To determine perceptions on the effect of life skills education implementation on students' discipline and to determine possible teaching strategies which can be put in place to enhance life skills education. The study used a descriptive survey design targeting the teachers, form I-IV students and the principals in Kangema District. Stratified random sampling was used to select the students into subgroups of form (I-IV) and then systematic sampling used to sample 101 students from each subgroup. Purposive sampling was used to select teachers who teach LSE and eliminated those who didn't teach LSE, then, Simple random sampling was used to select 51 teachers from all the teachers who teach LSE in the selected schools. All the 11 principals in the 11 selected schools were used in this study. Two different questionnaires designed for the teachers and students were used in the study. An interview schedule for the principals was used to collect data for the study. Quantitative data from questionnaires were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) while qualitative data from interviews were analyzed thematically. The study established that LSE is taught in most of the secondary schools in Kangema but teachers were never trained on both LSE content and methodology.LSE teaching and learning materials were both unavailable and inadequate, majority of teachers and principals perceived that LSE has effects on students' discipline and teachers commonly used traditional methods to teach LSE instead of the recommended participatory methods. The study, therefore, recommended that Higher education institutions should fully incorporate Life Skills Education as part of teachers' education; secondary schools administrations should allocate more monetary resources to procure LSE teaching and learning resources. Curriculum supervision should be intensified to ensure effective LSE implementation and teachers involved in LSE teaching should be allocated less workload to enable them prepare and implement LSE curriculum effectively.