LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
SIU/ICUD Consultation on Urethral Strictures: Evaluation and follow-up.

For the 2010 International Consultation on Urethral Strictures, all available published data relating to the evaluation and follow-up of patients with anterior urethral stricture or posterior urethral stenosis were reviewed and evaluated. Selected manuscripts were classified by Level of Evidence using previously established criteria. Consensus was achieved through group discussion, and formal recommendations were established and graded on the basis of levels of evidence and expert opinion. Retrograde urethrography remains the de facto standard for the evaluation of patients with urethral stricture. It can readily be combined with voiding cystourethrography to achieve a synergistic evaluation of the entire urethra, and this approach is currently recommended as the optimal method for pretreatment staging. Cystoscopy is recommended as the most specific procedure for the diagnosis of urethral stricture and is a useful adjunct in the staging of anterior urethral stricture, particularly to confirm abnormal or equivocal findings on imaging studies. Cystoscopy is also an important modality for assessing the bladder neck and posterior urethra in the setting of a pelvic fracture-related urethral injury. Although urethrography and cystoscopy remain the principle forms of assessment of the patient with urethral stricture, additional adjuncts include uroflowmetry, symptom scores, quality of life assessments, ultrasonography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. These modalities might be helpful to further evaluate patients in select circumstances or provide a less invasive approach to monitoring outcomes after surgical treatment. Further research is needed to establish consensus opinion as to the definition of success after urethroplasty and to develop standardized patient outcome measures.
Using machine learning for medium frequency derivative portfolio trading

We use machine learning for designing a medium frequency trading strategy for a portfolio of 5 year and 10 year US Treasury note futures. We formulate this as a classification problem where we predict the weekly direction of movement of the portfolio using features extracted from a deep belief network trained on technical indicators of the portfolio constituents. The experimentation shows that the resulting pipeline is effective in making a profitable trade.
Threshold open charm production in nucleon-nucleon collisions

Abstract:The associative charm particles production in nucleon-nucleon collisions N + N↦Λc(Σc) + ¯D + N, is described in a general way and the spin and isospin structure of the corresponding matrix elements are derived. Using an analogy with strange-particle (ΛK) production, the D-meson exchange model is considered in detail. Estimations of the energy behavior of the threshold cross-sections show a large dependence on the form of the phenomenological hadron form factors and indicate that, at threshold, the cross-section is three orders of magnitude smaller than for strange-particle production.
Dietary self-monitoring, but not dietary quality, improves with use of smartphone app technology in an 8-week weight loss trial.

OBJECTIVE
Dietary self-monitoring is linked to improved weight loss success. Mobile technologies, such as smartphone applications (apps), might allow for improved dietary tracking adherence. The authors assessed the use of a popular smartphone app for dietary self-monitoring and weight loss by comparing it with traditional diet counseling and entry methods.


METHODS
Diet tracking and weight loss were compared across participants during an 8-week weight loss trial. Participants tracked intake using 1 of 3 methods: the mobile app "Lose It!", the memo feature on a smartphone, or a traditional paper-and-pencil method.


RESULTS
App users (n = 19) recorded dietary data more consistently compared with the paper-and-pencil group (n = 15; P = .042) but not the memo group (n = 13). All groups lost weight over the course of the study (P = .001), and no difference in weight loss was noted between groups.


CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Smartphone apps could represent a novel and feasible dietary self-monitoring method for individuals.
Genetic and environmental contributions to depression in Sri  Lanka

BACKGROUND
Susceptibility to depression results from genetic and non-familially shared environmental influences in high-income, Western countries. Environments may play a different role for populations in different contexts.


AIMS
To examine heritability of depression in the first large, population-based twin study in a low-income country.


METHOD
Lifetime depression and a broader measure of depression susceptibility (D-probe) were assessed in 3908 adult twins in Sri Lanka (the CoTASS study).


RESULTS
There were gender differences for the broad definition (D-probe), with a higher genetic contribution in females (61%) than males (4%). Results were similar for depression, but the prevalence was too low to estimate heritability for males.


CONCLUSIONS
Genetic influences on depression in women appear to be at least as strong in this Sri Lankan sample as in higher-income countries. Conclusions are less clear for men but suggest a larger role for environments rather than genes. The nature as well as the magnitude of environmental influences may also differ across populations.
Understanding the complex dynamics of financial markets through microsimulation

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Forecasting incidence of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome in China using ARIMA model

BACKGROUND
China is a country that is most seriously affected by hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) with 90% of HFRS cases reported globally. At present, HFRS is getting worse with increasing cases and natural foci in China. Therefore, there is an urgent need for monitoring and predicting HFRS incidence to make the control of HFRS more effective. In this study, we applied a stochastic autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model with the objective of monitoring and short-term forecasting HFRS incidence in China.


METHODS
Chinese HFRS data from 1975 to 2008 were used to fit ARIMA model. Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and Ljung-Box test were used to evaluate the constructed models. Subsequently, the fitted ARIMA model was applied to obtain the fitted HFRS incidence from 1978 to 2008 and contrast with corresponding observed values. To assess the validity of the proposed model, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) between the observed and fitted HFRS incidence (1978-2008) was calculated. Finally, the fitted ARIMA model was used to forecast the incidence of HFRS of the years 2009 to 2011. All analyses were performed using SAS9.1 with a significant level of p < 0.05.


RESULTS
The goodness-of-fit test of the optimum ARIMA (0,3,1) model showed non-significant autocorrelations in the residuals of the model (Ljung-Box Q statistic = 5.95,P = 0.3113). The fitted values made by ARIMA (0,3,1) model for years 1978-2008 closely followed the observed values for the same years, with a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 12.20%. The forecast values from 2009 to 2011 were 0.69, 0.86, and 1.21per 100,000 population, respectively.


CONCLUSION
ARIMA models applied to historical HFRS incidence data are an important tool for HFRS surveillance in China. This study shows that accurate forecasting of the HFRS incidence is possible using an ARIMA model. If predicted values from this study are accurate, China can expect a rise in HFRS incidence.
Understanding compliance with internet use policy from the perspective of rational choice theory

a r t i c l e i n f o Keywords: Internet abuses Internet use policy Rational choice Cost benefit analysis Current studies on compliance with security policies have largely ignored the impact of the perceived benefits of deviant behavior, personal norms, and organizational context. Drawing on the literature in criminology, this paper applies rational choice theory to examine how employees' intention to comply with Internet use policy is driven by cost–benefit assessments, personal norms and organizational context factors. The results indicate that employees' compliance intention is the result of competing influences of perceived benefits, formal sanctions, and security risks. Furthermore, the effect of sanction severity is found to be moderated by personal norms. In recent decades, companies have increasingly leveraged the Internet to enhance their internal and external connectivity. Accompanying the well-known benefits of the use of Internet technology in the workplace are new threats such as increased security risks and improper use. Internet abuses by employees at the workplace are a real concern to nearly all companies and include various non-work-related Internet activities such as checking personal e-mails, browsing non-work-related Web sites, chatting online, gaming, investing, shopping, or even getting involved in cybercrimes " The International Data Corp. estimated that 30% to 40% of employee Internet use isn't work related " [39]. Eighty-seven percent of employees have used the Internet for personal purposes while at work and, of this proportion, 53% browse the Internet for personal purposes on a daily basis [44]. It is estimated that companies lose $54 billion annually as a result of lost productivity from Web surfing [1]. These non-work-related Internet activities not only reduce the productivity of employees but also open the door to a wide spectrum of security breaches such as viruses and spywares. According to Sophos, in 2007, the Web became the primary route for the spread of malicious codes [42]. Sophos discovered one new infected webpage every 14 s, or 6000 a day in 2007. It has become critically important for companies to safeguard their Internet communications and regulate the Internet usage of their employees. An Internet use policy (IUP), an important type of security policy, is adopted by most companies to reduce Internet use for non-work-related purposes [51]. For example, Websense, Inc., an Internet access management company, surveyed 224 companies in 2001 and found that 83% of them have adopted Internet use policies [51]. Despite the wide deployment of …
The development of the irritable bowel syndrome-behavioral responses questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE
Unhelpful behavior related to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is often targeted and expected to change in treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapies. However, no scale has previously been produced to assess these dimensions. The aim of this study was to develop and validate an IBS-specific behavioral responses questionnaire.


METHODS
A total of 153 patients with IBS as diagnosed by a general practitioner completed the 28-item Irritable Bowel Syndrome-Behavioral Responses Questionnaire (IBS-BRQ). A total of 117 persons without IBS also completed the IBS-BRQ and were used as a control group. Tests of internal consistency and principal components analyses (PCAs) were performed on both sets of data.


RESULTS
The scale was found to be both reliable and valid with a high degree of internal consistency for both IBS patients (Cronbach's alpha=.86) and controls (Cronbach's alpha=.89). The scale differentiated significantly between IBS patients and controls (F=221, P<.01). The PCA supported a two-factor solution in both sets of data. Two items were removed from the scale due to low discriminative ability. The criterion validity was high as evidenced by a strong correlation with the Cognitive Scale for Functional Bowel Disorders (CS-FBD) (r =.67, P<.001).


CONCLUSION
The IBS-BRQ is a valid and reliable scale that can be used for clinical as well as empirical purposes.
Concomitant chemoradiation versus radical radiotherapy in advanced squamous cell carcinoma of oropharynx and nasopharynx using weekly cisplatin: a phase II randomized trial.

BACKGROUND
To know the effectiveness and tolerance of weekly cisplatin added to radiotherapy (RT) in advanced carcinoma of oropharynx and nasopharynx.


PATIENTS AND METHODS
Stage II-IV cancer patients were randomly assigned to either radical RT, 70 Gy/35 fractions over 7 weeks (RT arm), or chemoradiotherapy (CRT), cisplatin 40 mg/m² weekly for seven doses plus RT. Primary end points were (i) the responses, (ii) toxicity profile, and (iii) overall survival (OS) in two groups. Study period was from June 2003 to July 2005.


RESULTS
One hundred and fifty-three patients were randomly allocated to the study, 76 in RT arm and 77 in CRT arm. Seventy-one in each arm completed the planned treatment; complete response (CR): 67.1% versus 80.5% in RT and CRT arms (P = 0.04). Grade III and IV toxicity were 16% and 40% in RT and CRT arms, respectively (P = 0.01). There were frequent treatment interruptions (9.3% versus 28.9%; P = 0.003) and hospitalization (20% versus 40.8%) in the CRT group. OS was superior in the CRT arm (P = 0.02): 27 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 15.2-36.8] for RT versus not reached for CRT. Three-year OS was 42% for RT and 62% for CRT group. CRT and CR were independent prognostic factors.


CONCLUSION
This trial on Indian head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients confirms that the use of weekly cisplatin is safe and CRT is superior to RT alone resulting in higher OS.
Modeling Cycle-to-Cycle Coupling in HCCI Engines Utilizing Variable Valve Actuation

In order to capture the effect of cycle-to-cycle coupling that is inherent in residual-affected homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines, a simple, control-oriented, single-zone model of HCCI combustion is presented. The inclusion of an exhaust manifold model ties the exhausted gas from one cycle to that re-inducted on the next cycle. Multi-cycle simulations are completed and shown to have the same general steady state and transient characteristics as an experimental system. Predicted combustion phasing and in-cylinder pressure values agree very well with experiment. Copyright c ©2004 IFAC
Preoperative learning goals set by surgical residents and faculty.

BACKGROUND
The operating room (OR) remains the main teaching venue for surgical trainees. The OR is considered a pure-discovery learning environment; the downsides of this can be putatively overcome when faculty and trainee arrive at a shared understanding of learning. This study aimed to better understand preoperative learning goals to identify areas of commonalities and potential barrier to intraoperative teaching.


METHODS
Brief, structured preoperative interviews were conducted outside the OR with the resident and faculty member who were scheduled to operate together. Answers were analyzed and grouped using grounded theory.


RESULTS
Twenty-seven resident-faculty pairs were interviewed. Nine residents (33.3%) were junior (PGY 1 and 2) and 18 (66.7%) were senior (PGY 3 through 5). Learning goal categories that emerged from the response analysis were anatomy, basic and advanced surgical skills, general and specific procedural tasks, technical autonomy, and pre-, intra-, and postoperative considerations. Residents articulated fewer learning goals than faculty (1.5 versus 2.4; P = 0.024). The most frequently identified learning goal by both groups was one classifiable under general procedural tasks; the greatest divergence was seen regarding perioperative considerations, which were identified frequently by faculty members but rarely by residents.


CONCLUSIONS
Faculty articulate significantly more learning goals for the residents they will operate with than residents articulate for themselves. Our data suggest that residents and faculty align on some learning goals for the OR but residents tend to be more limited, focusing predominantly on technical aspects of the operation. Faculty members tend to hold a broader view of the learning potential of the OR. These discrepancies may present barriers to effective intraoperative teaching.
An analytical finite element technique for predicting thrust force and torque in drilling

An analytical finite element technique was developed for predicting the thrust force and torque in drilling with twist drills. The approach was based on representing the cutting forces along the cutting lips as a series of oblique sections. Similarly, cutting in the chisel region was treated as orthogonal cutting with different cutting speeds depending on the radial location. For each section, an Eulerian finite element model was used to simulate the cutting forces. The section forces were combined to determine the overall thrust force and drilling torque. Good agreement between the predicted and measured forces and torques was found in orthogonal and oblique cutting and in drilling tests. The drilling tests were performed on AISI 1020 for several drill diameters, spindle speeds, and feed rates. An extension of the technique for predicting drill temperatures has also been described. # 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Security challenges with network functions virtualization

The advent of network functions virtualization (NFV) has revolutionized numerous network-based applications due to its several benefits such as flexibility, manageability, scalability, and security. By the software-based virtualization of network functions on a single infrastructure, NFV provides users with a framework that dynamically provisions various network services in a flexible manner. However, NFV faces several security challenges (e.g., multi-tenancy and live migration) which make it vulnerable to some cybersecurity attacks (e.g., side-channel attacks and shared resource misuse attacks). In this paper, we provide an overview of NFV, discuss potentially serious security threats on NFV and introduce effective countermeasures to mitigate those threats. Finally, we suggest some practical solutions to provide a trustworthy platform for NFV.
Flying eyes: free-space content creation using autonomous aerial vehicles

Highly effective 3D-camerawork techniques that do not have physical limitations have been developed for creating three-dimensional (3D) computer games. Recent techniques used for real-world visual content creation, such as those used for sports broadcasting and motion pictures, also incorporate cameras moving in 3D physical space to provide viewers with a more engaging experience. For such purpose, wired cameras or mechanically controlled cameras are used, but they require huge and expensive infrastructure, and their freedom of motion is limited. To realize more flexible free-space camerawork at reasonable cost, we propose a system called "Flying Eyes" based on autonomous aerial vehicles. Flying Eyes tracks target humans based on vision processing, and computes camera paths by controlling the camera position and orientation.
Pulp revascularization after root canal decontamination with calcium hydroxide and 2% chlorhexidine gel.

INTRODUCTION
Pulp revascularization may be considered a promising alternative for necrotic immature teeth. Many studies have accomplished passive decontamination associated with an antibiotic paste. To date, there is no report evaluating calcium hydroxide associated with 2% chlorhexidine gel for revascularization therapy. The aim of this case report was to describe a new proposal for pulp revascularization with mechanical decontamination and intracanal medication composed of calcium hydroxide and 2% chlorhexidine gel.


METHODS
The patient, a 9-year-old girl, suffered an intrusion associated with pulp exposure caused by an enamel-dentin fracture in her maxillary left central incisor. After diagnosis, treatment consisted of revascularization therapy with gentle manual instrumentation of the cervical and medium thirds of the root in addition to intracanal medication with calcium hydroxide and 2% chlorhexidine gel for 21 days. In the second session, a blood clot was stimulated up to the cervical third of the root canal. Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA; Angelus, Londrina, Paraná, Brazil) was used for cervical sealing of the canal. Coronal sealing was performed with temporary filling material and composite resin.


RESULTS
During the follow-up period, the root canal space showed a progressive decrease in width, mineralized tissue deposition on root canal walls, and apical closure. A cone-beam computed tomography scan taken at the 2-year follow-up confirmed these findings and did not show complete root canal calcification.


CONCLUSIONS
This new proposal for revascularization therapy with 2% chlorhexidine gel may be used for the treatment of necrotic immature root canals.
NCT EVIDENCE BASED BRIEFING Third Stage of Labour Part 2 : Active management of third stage

Active management of the third stage involves a package of interventions aimed at preventing possible problems arising from placental separation and blood loss. It is a prophylactic, or preventative, approach. The generally accepted definition of active management is the combination of: ● a prophylactic uterotonic drug (a drug that makes the uterus contract), usually given with the birth of the baby’s shoulder in the UK (though not in all countries) ● early cord clamping (ECC), usually immediately following the birth of the baby ● controlled cord traction (CCT), after awaiting signs of placental separation.2-4
Macroeconomic Effects of Reducing Gender Wage Inequality in an Export-Oriented, Semi-Industrialized Economy

The paper presents two short-run, structuralist models of an export-oriented, two-sector, semi-industrialized economy in which women workers are concentrated in export production. The first model analyzes the comparative static effects of an exogenous increase in female wages holding male wages and the exchange rate constant. The second model endogenizes the female–male wage ratio and the real exchange rate, assuming flexible nominal wages and a crawling-peg exchange rate. Either stable or unstable dynamics are possible. In the stable cases, a depreciation policy can either close or widen the gender wage gap.
Single dose pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, tolerability and safety of BAY 60-5521, a potent inhibitor of cholesteryl ester transfer protein.

AIMS
To determine pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), tolerability and safety of BAY 60-5521, a potent inhibitor of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP).


METHODS
The first in man (FIM) study investigated the safety, tolerability, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics in healthy male subjects following administration of single oral doses. The study was performed using a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, single dose-escalation design. Thirty-eight young healthy male subjects (aged 20-45 years) received an oral dose of 5, 12.5, 25 or 50 mg BAY 60-5521 (n= 28) or were treated with a placebo (n= 10).


RESULTS
In all four dose steps, only one adverse event (25 mg; mild skin rash) was considered drug related. Clinical laboratory parameters showed no clinically relevant changes. A clear dose-dependent CETP inhibition could be demonstrated starting at a dose of 5 mg. At a dose of 25 mg, a CETP inhibition >50% over 18 h was observed. After 50 mg, CETP inhibition >50% lasted more than 50 h. Twenty-four h after administration mean HDL-C-values showed a nearly dose-proportional increase. Following administration of 50 mg, a significant HDL-C increase of about 30% relative to baseline values was found. BAY 60-5521 was slowly absorbed reaching maximum concentrations in plasma after 4 to 6 h. The disposition in plasma was multi-exponential with an estimated mean terminal half-life of 76 to 144 h.


CONCLUSIONS
BAY 60-5521 was clinically safe and well tolerated. No effects on heart rate, blood pressure and ECG recordings were observed during the study. A clear pharmacodynamic effect on CETP inhibition and HDL could be demonstrated.