LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
The Micra Leadless Transcatheter Pacemaker. Implantation and Mid-term Follow-up Results in a Single Center.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES
Currently, studies on the leadless pacemaker (Micra) have mostly been limited to clinical trials with less than 6 months' follow-up and they often fail to reflect real population outcomes. We sought to evaluate electrical parameters at implantation and chronologically during follow-up, as well as the safety of this new technique.


METHODS
This prospective, observational study included 30 consecutive patients, all ≥ 65 years, with an indication for single-chamber pacemaker implantation.


RESULTS
Successful implantation was accomplished in all patients referred for leadless implantation. The mean age was 79.4±6.4 years (range, 66-89 years); 20 (66.6%) were men and 28 had permanent atrial fibrillation (93.3%); 1 had atrial tachycardia and 1 had sinus rhythm. Concomitant atrioventricular node ablation was performed immediately after implantation in 5 patients (16.6%), and implantation was performed after transcatheter aortic valve implantation in 2. The procedure was performed under an uninterrupted anticoagulation regimen (maximum INR 2.4) in 23 patients (76.6%). With the exception of 1 moderate pericardial effusion without tamponade, there were no severe complications. The mean follow-up was 5.3±3.3 months and 4 patients had more than 1 year of follow-up. Sensing and pacing parameters were stable both at implantation and during the short- to mid-term follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
Implantation of leadless pacemakers is feasible, safe and provides advantages over the conventional system. Further studies with longer follow-up periods will be needed before these devices become widely used in routine clinical practice.
Meta-analysis of microarray data using a pathway-based approach identifies a 37-gene expression signature for systemic lupus erythematosus in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells

BACKGROUND
A number of publications have reported the use of microarray technology to identify gene expression signatures to infer mechanisms and pathways associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However, meta-analysis approaches with microarray data have not been well-explored in SLE.


METHODS
In this study, a pathway-based meta-analysis was applied to four independent gene expression oligonucleotide microarray data sets to identify gene expression signatures for SLE, and these data sets were confirmed by a fifth independent data set.


RESULTS
Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in each data set by comparing expression microarray data from control samples and SLE samples. Using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software, pathways associated with the DEGs were identified in each of the four data sets. Using the leave one data set out pathway-based meta-analysis approach, a 37-gene metasignature was identified. This SLE metasignature clearly distinguished SLE patients from controls as observed by unsupervised learning methods. The final confirmation of the metasignature was achieved by applying the metasignature to a fifth independent data set.


CONCLUSIONS
The novel pathway-based meta-analysis approach proved to be a useful technique for grouping disparate microarray data sets. This technique allowed for validated conclusions to be drawn across four different data sets and confirmed by an independent fifth data set. The metasignature and pathways identified by using this approach may serve as a source for identifying therapeutic targets for SLE and may possibly be used for diagnostic and monitoring purposes. Moreover, the meta-analysis approach provides a simple, intuitive solution for combining disparate microarray data sets to identify a strong metasignature.
A Multilevel Modular Capacitor-Clamped DC–DC Converter

A novel topology of a multilevel modular capacitor-clamped dc-dc converter will be presented in this paper. In contrast to the conventional flying capacitor multilevel dc-dc converter, this new topology is completely modular and requires a simpler gate drive circuit. Moreover, the new topology has many advantageous features such as high frequency operation capability, low input/output current ripple, low on-state voltage drop, and bidirectional power flow management. This paper discusses the construction and operation of the new converter along with a comparison to a conventional converter. Finally, simulation and experimental results are used to validate the concept of this new topology.
Seasonal Change in Oxidative Stress Markers in Blood Plasma of Tharparkar ( Bos indicus ) and Karan Fries ( Bos indicus x Bos taurus ) Cattle under Tropical Climate

Free radical reactions are the integral part of normal metabolism. Normally, oxidation is necessary to provide energy for maintenance of cellular integrity and functions (Miller et al., 1993). In normal cellular metabolism, low to moderate ROS is generated as part of the signaling pathways, and in innate and adaptive immune response against danger signals (Martins Chaves et al., 2000). When reactive forms of oxygen are produced faster than they can be safely neutralized by antioxidant mechanisms, oxidative stress results (Sies, 1991). OxS is considered as a part of the stress response to heat exposure (Lin et al., 2006). OxS can be induced by both exogenous and endogenous factors in living organisms (Cross et al., 1998; Lesser, 2006). Animals are exposed to a wide variety International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 2 (2017) pp. 1720-1730 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com
LycoRed as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy in lowering serum lipids and oxidative stress markers: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

AIM
Menopause is a pro-atherogenic state with a sharp rise in the incidence of coronary artery disease. This pilot study was designed as an equivalence randomized clinical trial to explore the potential of LycoRed (containing 2000 microg lycopene) as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the prevention of coronary artery disease in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Forty-one healthy postmenopausal women were randomly allocated to receive either continuous combined HRT (n = 21) or LycoRed (n = 20) for six months. Serum lipid profile, marker of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde), and the level of endogenous antioxidant (glutathione) were measured at the baseline, and 3 and 6 months after the intervention in both groups.


RESULTS
At 6 months, HRT resulted in a significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC) level by 23.5%, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) by 19.6%, and an increase in high-density lipoproteins (HDL) by 38.9%. The LycoRed group showed similar changes in TC (-24.2%), LDL (-14.9%) and HDL (+26.1%). Triglyceride levels showed a smaller though significant increase at 6 months, but not at 3 months, in both groups. There was no significant change in the very LDL (VLDL) level in either group. Malondialdehyde levels decreased significantly by 16.3% and 13.3%, whereas glutathione levels increased significantly by 5.9% and 12.5% in HRT and LycoRed groups, respectively.


CONCLUSION
Both HRT and LycoRed had a favorable effect on serum lipids and oxidative stress markers which were comparable. LycoRed can be used as an alternative to HRT to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
Glycolysis is the primary bioenergetic pathway for cell motility and cytoskeletal remodeling in human prostate and breast cancer cells

The ability of a cancer cell to detach from the primary tumor and move to distant sites is fundamental to a lethal cancer phenotype. Metabolic transformations are associated with highly motile aggressive cellular phenotypes in tumor progression. Here, we report that cancer cell motility requires increased utilization of the glycolytic pathway. Mesenchymal cancer cells exhibited higher aerobic glycolysis compared to epithelial cancer cells while no significant change was observed in mitochondrial ATP production rate. Higher glycolysis was associated with increased rates of cytoskeletal remodeling, greater cell traction forces and faster cell migration, all of which were blocked by inhibition of glycolysis, but not by inhibition of mitochondrial ATP synthesis. Thus, our results demonstrate that cancer cell motility and cytoskeleton rearrangement is energetically dependent on aerobic glycolysis and not oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondrial derived ATP is insufficient to compensate for inhibition of the glycolytic pathway with regard to cellular motility and CSK rearrangement, implying that localization of ATP derived from glycolytic enzymes near sites of active CSK rearrangement is more important for cell motility than total cellular ATP production rate. These results extend our understanding of cancer cell metabolism, potentially providing a target metabolic pathway associated with aggressive disease.
- 1-Asynchronous JavaScript Technology and XML ( AJAX )

AJAX is a web development technique for building responsive web applications. The paper gives an overview of the AJAX technique and explores ideas for teaching this technique in modules related to Internet technologies and web development. Appropriate examples for use in lab sessions are also suggested.
Yet another Set of Requirement Metrics for Software Projects

Software project management has emerged as a new discipline with wide-ranging ideas and across-the-board insights for effectively managing key areas of software projects. The remarkable work of the software project managers, professionals and researchers across the globe have resulted in substantial improvements in this field. Likewise, software project failure rate has decreased considerably due to the use of effective software project management tools and techniques by the software houses. Now more efficient, robust and quantitative measures are being practiced in the areas of software requirement gathering, analysis, design, architecture, development, quality assurance, integration, deployment and support. A number of metrics are used by the requirement engineers, system analysts, software engineers, team leads, software project managers and other professionals to successfully manage, execute and complete the software projects. As the software industry moves towards a more mature state, the need for employing more effective tools, techniques and benchmarks for managing software projects has become indispensable to minimize the negative risk factors and improved adherence to quality assurance. Particularly, requirement metrics are useful in identifying risks of a project by locating errors in the requirements document. These metrics validate the gathered requirements against the actual requirements by evaluating whether the requirements are complete or not. A range of metrics are used for measuring the requirements e.g., volatility metrics check changes in the requirements, traceability evaluates links among the requirements within a document and requirements completeness metrics verifies whether the specified requirements are complete or not. Multiple metrics are recommended to be used to assess the health of a software project to ensure overall quality as a single metric cannot suffice. In this paper, we explore how different metrics relating to different areas of software project, especially in requirement engineering, can be useful to manage the software projects for knowledgeably. The focus of this research study is to evaluate and highlight the importance of various performance metrics and propose additional metrics for requirement gathering and management.
Development of a Microcontroller-Controlled Security Door System

Over the years, several security measures have been employed to combat the menace of insecurity of lives and property. This is done by preventing unauthorized entrance into buildings through entrance doors using conventional and electronic locks, discrete access code, and biometric methods such as the finger prints, thumb prints, the iris and facial recognition. In this paper, a prototyped door security system is designed to allow a privileged user to access a secure keyless door where valid smart card authentication guarantees an entry. The model consists of hardware module and software which provides a functionality to allow the door to be controlled through the authentication of smart card by the microcontroller unit. (
OVERVIEW OF THE STRUCTURE OF A SCIENTIFIC WORLDVIEW

Understanding the structure of a scientific worldview is important for the dialogue between science and religion. In this essay, I define comprehensive worldview and distinguish it from the more focused noncomprehensive worldview. I explain that scientists and the public at large agree that modern research works in a scientific as opposed to nonscientific worldview. I give some of the essential elements of any scientific worldview that differentiate it from nonscientific ones. These elements are the general presuppositions of science, the methods of science, and the articles of justification for the conclusions science puts forward. I question whether a scientific worldview can allow philosophical and theological tenets, which might appear to stand opposed to scientific paradigms, and conclude that the answer lies in the scope of its comprehensiveness.
Wireless optical communications via diversity reception and optical preamplification

Atmospheric optical communication systems that use optical preamplifiers and diversity reception are addressed. The particular diversity techniques that are investigated include aperture averaging, linear combining, and adaptive optics. On-off keying and binary pulse position modulation are considered. The effects of atmospheric turbulence, background light, source extinction ratio, amplified spontaneous emission, and receiver thermal noise are studied in the context of a semiclassical photon-counting approach. Numerical results are presented using a conditional Gaussian approximation method. By this method, we can measure the power penalty incurred under various operating conditions as well as the link margin improvement due to optical preamplification and diversity reception.
Methodological overview of an African American couple-based HIV/STD prevention trial.

OBJECTIVE
To provide an overview of the National Institute of Mental Health Multisite HIV/sexually transmitted disease (STD) Prevention Trial for African American Couples conducted in 4 urban areas: Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York, and Philadelphia. The rationale, study design methods, proposed data analyses, and study management are described.


DESIGN
This is a 2-arm randomized trial, implementing a modified randomized block design, to evaluate the efficacy of a couples-based intervention designed for HIV-serodiscordant African American couples.


METHODS
The study phases consisted of formative work, pilot studies, and a randomized clinical trial. The sample is 535 HIV-serodiscordant heterosexual African American couples. There are 2 theoretically derived behavioral interventions with 8 group and individual sessions: the Eban HIV/STD Risk Reduction Intervention (treatment) versus the Eban Health Promotion Intervention (control). The treatment intervention was couples based and focused on HIV/STD risk reduction whereas the control was individual based and focused on health promotion. The 2 study conditions were structurally similar in length and types of activities. At baseline, participants completed an audio computer-assisted self-interview and interviewer-administered questionnaire and provided biological specimens to assess for STDs. Similar follow-up assessments were conducted immediately after the intervention, at 6 months, and at 12 months.


RESULTS
The trial results will be analyzed across the 4 sites by randomization assignment. Generalized estimating equations and mixed-effects modeling are planned to test: (1) the effects of the intervention on STD incidence and condom use and on mediator variables of these outcomes and (2) whether the effects of the intervention differ depending on key moderator variables (eg, gender of the HIV-seropositive partners, length of relationship, psychological distress, sexual abuse history, and substance abuse history).


CONCLUSIONS
The lessons learned from the design and conduct of this clinical trial provide guidelines for future couples-based clinical trials in HIV/STD risk reduction and can be generalized to other couples-based behavioral interventions.
Randomised controlled trial of an automated, interactive telephone intervention to improve type 2 diabetes self-management (Telephone-Linked Care Diabetes Project): study protocol

BACKGROUND
An estimated 285 million people worldwide have diabetes and its prevalence is predicted to increase to 439 million by 2030. For the year 2010, it is estimated that 3.96 million excess deaths in the age group 20-79 years are attributable to diabetes around the world. Self-management is recognised as an integral part of diabetes care. This paper describes the protocol of a randomised controlled trial of an automated interactive telephone system aiming to improve the uptake and maintenance of essential diabetes self-management behaviours.


METHODS/DESIGN
A total of 340 individuals with type 2 diabetes will be randomised, either to the routine care arm, or to the intervention arm in which participants receive the Telephone-Linked Care (TLC) Diabetes program in addition to their routine care. The intervention requires the participants to telephone the TLC Diabetes phone system weekly for 6 months. They receive the study handbook and a glucose meter linked to a data uploading device. The TLC system consists of a computer with software designed to provide monitoring, tailored feedback and education on key aspects of diabetes self-management, based on answers voiced or entered during the current or previous conversations. Data collection is conducted at baseline (Time 1), 6-month follow-up (Time 2), and 12-month follow-up (Time 3). The primary outcomes are glycaemic control (HbA1c) and quality of life (Short Form-36 Health Survey version 2). Secondary outcomes include anthropometric measures, blood pressure, blood lipid profile, psychosocial measures as well as measures of diet, physical activity, blood glucose monitoring, foot care and medication taking. Information on utilisation of healthcare services including hospital admissions, medication use and costs is collected. An economic evaluation is also planned.


DISCUSSION
Outcomes will provide evidence concerning the efficacy of a telephone-linked care intervention for self-management of diabetes. Furthermore, the study will provide insight into the potential for more widespread uptake of automated telehealth interventions, globally.


TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER
ACTRN12607000594426.
Diagnostic value of serum procalcitonin in patients with chronic renal insufficiency: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND
The diagnostic value of procalcitonin (PCT) for patients with renal impairment is unclear.


METHODS
We searched multiple databases for studies published through December 2011 that evaluated the diagnostic performance of PCT among patients with renal impairment and suspected systemic bacterial infection. We summarized test performance characteristics with the use of forest plots, hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curves, and bivariate random effects models.


RESULTS
Our search identified 201 citations, of which seven diagnostic studies evaluated 803 patients and 255 bacterial infection episodes. HSROC-bivariate pooled sensitivity estimates were 73% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 54-86%] for PCT tests and 78% (95% CI 52-92%) for CRP tests. Pooled specificity estimates were higher for both PCT and CRP tests [PCT, 88% (95% CI 79-93%); CRP, 84% (95% CI, 52-96%)]. The positive likelihood ratio for PCT [likelihood (LR)+ 6.02, 95% CI 3.16-11.47] was sufficiently high to be qualified as a rule-in diagnostic tool, while the negative likelihood ratio was not low enough to be used as a rule-out diagnostic tool (LR- 0.31, 95% CI 0.17-0.57). There was no consistent evidence that PCT was more accurate than CRP test for the diagnosis of systemic infection among patients with renal impairment.


CONCLUSIONS
Both PCT and CRP tests have poor sensitivity but acceptable specificity in diagnosing bacterial infection among patients with renal impairment. Given the poor negative likelihood ratio, its role as a rule-out test is questionable.
Information Security Practices in Latin America: The case of Bolivia

REQUIRED) In this paper, we present a social/behavioral study of individual information security practices of internet users in Latin America, specifically presenting the case of Bolivia. The research model uses social cognitive theory in order to explain the individual cognitive factors that influence information security behavior. The model includes individuals’ beliefs about their abilities to competently use computer information security tools and information security awareness in the determination of effective information security practices. The operationalization of constructs that are part of our research model, such as information security practice as the dependent variable, self-efficacy and information security awareness as independent variables , are presented both in Spanish and English. In this study, we offer the analysis of a survey of 255 Internet users from Bolivia who replied to our survey and provided responses about their information security behavior. A discussion about information security awareness and practices is presented.
Inverse Kinematics of a New Quadruped Robot Control Method

Design of redudant  joints has been widely used in  quadruped  robots,  so  new  kinds  of  techniques  for sloving  inverse kinematics are needed.  In  this paper we propose a new  control method  called Time‐Pose  control method  and  choose  the  enhanced  extended  jacobian matrix  method  for  inverse  kinematics.  We  deduce extended  jacobian matrix method again so  that  it can be applicable  for  arbitrary  joint  length.  It  is  argued  that because  the method  can generate  close  joint angle path. With  Time‐Pose  control  method,  such  kind  of  inverse kinematics method has been used for trot gait on the flat ground.  Simulations  and  experiments  are  performed, which prove  the extended  jacobian matrix method  to be realizable for the quadruped robot.
A survey on wireless multimedia sensor networks

The availability of low-cost hardware such as CMOS cameras and microphones has fostered the development of Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks (WMSNs), i.e., networks of wirelessly interconnected devices that are able to ubiquitously retrieve multimedia content such as video and audio streams, still images, and scalar sensor data from the environment. In this paper, the state of the art in algorithms, protocols, and hardware for wireless multimedia sensor networks is surveyed, and open research issues are discussed in detail. Architectures for WMSNs are explored, along with their advantages and drawbacks. Currently off-the-shelf hardware as well as available research prototypes for WMSNs are listed and classified. Existing solutions and open research issues at the application, transport, network, link, and physical layers of the communication protocol stack are investigated, along with possible cross-layer synergies and optimizations. 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.