LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the time course of the effect of subthalamic nucleus stimulation upon hand function in Parkinson's patients.

BACKGROUND
Deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the subthalamic nucleus (STN) as treatment for Parkinson's disease has been in use for more than a decade, yet the immediate effect of stimulation upon movement parameters is not well characterized.


OBJECTIVE
The goal of the current study is the identification of the best time point to test hand function after programming DBS devices.


METHODS
Reaction time, movement time and velocity were measured at multiple time points with a movement-sensitive glove after the deep brain stimulator had been turned on or off, during 'off medication' conditions.


RESULTS
Velocity, movement time and reaction time worsened significantly in the first 20 min after the deep brain stimulator had been turned off. A 'plateau effect' after 20 min was not observed. Initiation of stimulation led to immediate significant increases in movement time and velocity and to a lesser degree a decrease in reaction time. Patients performed more inconsistently over time after onset of stimulation compared to stimulation withdrawal. Intraoperative testing showed an immediate improvement in velocity after placement of the STN deep brain stimulator.


CONCLUSION
Movement time and velocity already reach their peak changes within 20 min after the deep brain stimulator has been reprogrammed, and therefore, this time point may be used to test the maximal clinical effect of stimulation.
Applications of Cell-Penetrating Peptides for Tumor Targeting and Future Cancer Therapies

Cell-penetrating peptides provide a highly promising strategy for intracellular drug delivery. One relevant clinical application of cell-penetrating peptides is cancer therapeutics. Peptide based delivery could increase the uptake of drugs in tumor cells and thereby increase the efficacy of the treatment, either of conventional small molecular drugs or oligonucleotide based therapeutics. This review is focused on the cancer applications of cell penetrating peptides as delivery systems; different aspects of drug loading, cargoes and delivery are discussed together with methods for targeted delivery, activatable cell-penetrating peptides and transducible agents coupled to cell-penetrating peptides.
Nurses' perceptions and experiences with end-of-life communication and care.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES
To characterize oncology nurses' attitudes toward care at the end of life (EOL) and their experiences in caring for terminally ill patients, hospice discussions with patients and families, and the use of palliative care practices.


DESIGN
Descriptive correlational survey study.


SETTING
A Magnet®-designated hospital in southern California with more than 500 beds.


SAMPLE
31 oncology nurses.


METHODS
Nurses completed the adapted version of the Caring for Terminally Ill Patients Nurse Survey.


MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES
Attitudes toward care at EOL and care experiences with terminally ill patients.


FINDINGS
Despite having fairly positive attitudes toward hospice and having discussions about prognosis with terminally ill patients, nurses reported missed opportunities for discussions and patient referrals to hospice. On average, nurses cared for more than seven terminally ill patients during a three-month period while only discussing hospice care with a third of these patients and their family members. Most nurses acknowledged that patients would benefit from earlier initiation of hospice care. Specific palliative care practices used by nurses in the past three months varied, with active and passive listening and requesting increased pain medications used most frequently and aromatherapy and guided imagery used least.


CONCLUSIONS
Missed opportunities may reflect nurses' attitudes. However, lack of patient and family member acceptance was the most important barrier to discussion of hospice.


IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING
Strategies to enable nurses to have a stronger voice during this critical time for their patients are needed and, when developed, supported in practice to ensure that they are used.
Asexual reproduction: Genetics and evolutionary aspects

Abstract.Reproduction is essential to all organisms if they are to contribute to the next generation. There are various means and ways of achieving this goal. This review focuses on the role of asexual reproduction for eukaryotic organisms and how its integration in a life cycle can influence their population genetics and evolution. An important question for evolutionary biologists as to why some organisms reproduce sexually, as opposed to asexually, is addressed. We also discuss the economic and medical importance of asexual organisms.
Service Personalization and Loyalty

Purpose: To investigate the effect of service personalization on loyalty, and to measure some of the psychological dynamics of the process. Methodology: structural equation modeling. Findings: We show that the effect of service personalization on loyalty exists, but that the effect is not all direct. Personalization works through improving service satisfaction and trust. Personalization and improved communication act together in such a way that they account for the variance in loyalty that would be otherwise explained by corporate image. Research limitations: Data, though comprising a very large probability sample, are from one economic sector in one European country. Practical implications: Service personalization is a powerful way to retain customers in its own right. In addition, our other results show that personalized service can partially replace the effects of communication and corporate image on loyalty. This argues that personalized service can be a powerful addition to mass communications. Originality/value: Growing conventional wisdom in marketing argues that customer loyalty is responsible for large fractions of the profits of many service businesses. Constructs such as satisfaction, trust, customer collaboration, customer interaction, firm image, personalization, learning relationships, and so forth, have all been proposed as intermediate objectives, or as tools to build loyalty. Yet, to date, only some of these constructs have been measured and shown to be related to loyalty. This paper fills a portion of the empirical gap by showing that service personalization, indeed, affects loyalty, above and beyond the other explanatory variables.
Eosinophilic colitis: an update on pathophysiology and treatment.

BACKGROUND
Primary eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders, a spectrum of inflammatory conditions, occurs when eosinophils selectively infiltrate the gut in the absence of known causes for such tissue eosinophilia. These may be classified into eosinophilic esophagitis, eosinophilic gastroenteritis and eosinophilic colitis (EC). This review focuses on EC: its pathogenesis, epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and current approach to treatment.


SOURCES OF DATA
A literature review published in English was performed using Pubmed, Ovid, Google scholar search engines with the following keywords: eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorder, EC, eosinophils, colitis and gastrointestinal.


AREAS OF AGREEMENT
The basis for primary EC appears related to increased sensitivity to allergens, principally as a food allergy in infants and a T lymphocyte-mediated event in adults. Endoscopic changes are generally modest, featuring edema and patchy granularity.


AREAS OF CONTROVERSY
Clear clinical and pathological diagnostic criteria of EC and its management strategy.


GROWING POINTS
Intestinal involvement of EC is primarily mucosal, presenting as a mild self-limited proctitis in infants and self-limited colitis in young adults. Therapeutic approaches based on case reports tend to use either elimination diets to avoid a presumed allergen; agents traditionally used in inflammatory disease or targeted drugs like anti-histamines or leukotriene receptor antagonists.


AREAS TIMELY FOR DEVELOPING RESEARCH
Prospective randomized controlled trials addressing the disease natural history, possible preventive methods and effective medical approach and long-term prognosis are required.
Librarians’ Role in Development and Achievement of Central Library Users’ Information Literacy (a Case Study: Iran)

INTRODUCTION
Due to the development of technologies, communications, databases and information resource varieties in today's information age, our various social, economic, cultural and political needs cannot be fulfilled by relying merely on past knowledge and skills as done previously. Information literacy (IL) as a set of necessary skills for all of us is an effective way of treating new technologies and their effective application in our lives. The study aimed to survey the library users' views in the Central Library of Babol University of Medical Sciences (The Library), Iran, on the role and influences of librarians on their IL development and improvement.


METHODS
This analytical survey used a researcher-made questionnaire for data collection. Research population consisted of all users referring Information Unit of The Library during 22 September - 20 December 2010. Of them, 150 users participating in at least 5 workshops held by The Library were selected as the study sample.


RESULTS
Based on the findings, 52.7 percent of the subjects rated the influence of the librarians on their IL development much and very much. 44.7 percent claimed that they more acquired IL skills from librarians rather than others. 100 (63.3%) subjects preferred workshops held by the librarian to other workshops.


CONCLUSION
The users of Information Unit of The Library perceived the training IL skills by librarians as a main influencing factor in their IL development and achievement. This emphasized the necessity of teaching IL to users and training the librarians in better teaching IL skills to library user.
Practice patterns and outcomes of retrievable vena cava filters in trauma patients: an AAST multicenter study.

BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study is to describe practice patterns and outcomes of posttraumatic retrievable inferior vena caval filters (R-IVCF).


METHODS
A retrospective review of R-IVCFs placed during 2004 at 21 participating centers with follow up to July 1, 2005 was performed. Primary outcomes included major complications (migration, pulmonary embolism [PE], and symptomatic caval occlusion) and reasons for failure to retrieve.


RESULTS
Of 446 patients (69% male, 92% blunt trauma) receiving R-IVCFs, 76% for prophylactic indications and 79% were placed by interventional radiology. Excluding 33 deaths, 152 were Gunter-Tulip (G-T), 224 Recovery (R), and 37 Optease (Opt). Placement occurred 6 +/- 8 days after admission and retrieval at 50 +/- 61 days. Follow up after discharge (5.7 +/- 4.3 months) was reported in 51%. Only 22% of R-IVCFs were retrieved. Of 115 patients in whom retrieval was attempted, retrieval failed as a result of technical issues in 15 patients (10% of G-T, 14% of R, 27% of Opt) and because of significant residual thrombus within the filter in 10 patients (6% of G-T, 4% of R, 46% Opt). The primary reason R-IVCFs were not removed was because of loss to follow up (31%), which was sixfold higher (6% to 44%, p = 0.001) when the service placing the R-IVCF was not directly responsible for follow up. Complications did not correlate with mechanism, injury severity, service placing the R-IVCF, trauma volume, use of anticoagulation, age, or sex. Three cases of migration were recorded (all among R, 1.3%), two breakthrough PE (G-T 0.6% and R 0.4%) and six symptomatic caval occlusions (G-T 0, R 1%, Opt 11%) (p < 0.05 Opt versus both G-T and R).


CONCLUSION
Most R-IVCFs are not retrieved. The service placing the R-IVCF should be responsible for follow up. The Optease was associated with the greatest incidence of residual thrombus and symptomatic caval occlusion. The practice patterns of R-IVCF placement and retrieval should be re-examined.
Three decades of Kappaphycus alvarezii (Rhodophyta) introduction to non-endemic locations.

Given the increase in demand for sustainable livelihoods for coastal villagers in developing countries and for the commercial eucheumoid Kappaphycus alvarezii (Doty) Doty, for the carrageenan industry, there is a trend towards introducing K. alvarezii to more countries in the tropical world for the purpose of cultivation. However, there is also increasing concern over the impact exotic species have on endemic ecosystems and biodiversity. Quarantine and introduction procedures were tested in northern Madagascar and are proposed for all future introductions of commercial eucheumoids (K. alvarezii, K. striatum and Eucheuma denticulatum). In addition, the impact and extent of introduction of K. alvarezii was measured on an isolated lagoon in the southern Lau group of Fiji. It is suggested that, in areas with high human population density, the overwhelming benefits to coastal ecosystems by commercial eucheumoid cultivation far outweigh potential negative impacts. However, quarantine and introduction procedures should be followed. In addition, introduction should only take place if a thorough survey has been conducted and indicates the site is appropriate. Subsequently, the project requires that a well designed and funded cultivation development programme, with a management plan and an assured market, is in place in order to make certain cultivation, and subsequently the introduced algae, will not be abandoned at a later date. KAPPAPHYCUS ALVAREZI
[Ribeiro-Technique in Gigantomastia - Review of 294 Reduction Mammaplasties in 8 Years].

INTRODUCTION
Reduction mammaplasty in patients with gigantomastia is challenging even to very experienced plastic surgeons. Extremely elongated pedicles impair the vascular supply of the nipple-areola complex. Breast shaping and effective reduction are difficult due to the severely stretched skin envelope. The Ribeiro technique is the standard technique for reduction mammaplasty in our clinic. The aim of this study is to review our approach in patients with gigantomastia in comparison to the current literature.


PATIENTS UND METHODS
From 01/2009 to 12/2016, we performed 1247 reduction mammaplasties in 760 patients. In 294 reduction mammoplasties (23.6 %), resection weight was more than 1000 g per breast corresponding to the definition of gigantomastia. The Ribeiro technique with a superomedial pedicle and inferior dermoglandular flap for autologous augmentation of the upper pole was implemented as standard procedure. In cases with a sternal notch-nipple distance > 40 cm, free nipple grafting was performed. The outcome parameters complication rate, patient satisfaction with the aesthetic result, nipple sensitivity and surgical revision rate were obtained and retrospectively analysed.


RESULTS
In 174 patients, 294 reduction mammaplasties were performed with a resection weight of more than 1000 g per breast. Average resection weight was 1389.6 g (range, 1000-4580 g). Average age was 43.5 years (range, 18-76 years), average body mass index (BMI) was 29.2 kg/m2 (range, 19-40 kg/m2), average sternal notch-nipple distance was 34.8 cm (range, 27-52 cm), average operation time was 117 minutes (range, 72-213 minutes). A free nipple graft was necessary in 30 breasts. Overall complication rate was 7.8 %; secondary surgical revision rate was 16 %. 93 % of the patients were "very satisfied" and "satisfied" with the aesthetic result. Nipple sensitivity was rated "very good" and "good" in 88 %.


CONCLUSION
The Ribeiro technique is a well established, versatile standard technique for reduction mammaplasty, which helps to create high-quality reproducible results with longterm formstable shape. In gigantomastia, this procedure is also very effective to achieve volume reduction and aesthetically pleasing results with a low complication rate.
Introduction to Statistical Learning Theory

The goal of statistical learning theory is to study, in a statistical framework, the properties of learning algorithms. In particular, most results take the form of so-called error bounds. This tutorial introduces the techniques that are used to obtain such results.
Bank Specific and Macroeconomics Dynamic Determinants of Credit Risk in Islamic Banks and Conventional Banks

The study analyzes macroeconomic and bank specific determinants of credit risk in Islamic and Conventional Banks. Multivariate Regression analysis is applied on the sample of 15 conventional banks and 13 Islamic Banks in Malaysia over the period between 2000 and 2010. The finding shows that the banks specific determinants of credit risk are uniquely influenced the credit risk formation of Islamic and Conventional banks. The study found that risky sector financing; regulatory capital (REGCAP) and Islamic Contract are significant to credit risk of Islamic banks. For Conventional Banks, loan loss provision, debt-to-total asset ratio, REGCAP, size, earning management and Liquidity are significant factors influencing credit risk. As for macroeconomic factors only Inflation and M3 are significant to credit risk for both Islamic and Conventional banks.
Gene flow and the limits to natural selection

cefe.cnrs-mop.fr Under natural selection, individuals tend to adapt to their local environmental conditions, resulting in a pattern of LOCAL ADAPTATION (see Glossary). Local adaptation can occur if the direction of selection changes for an allele among habitats (antagonistic environmental effect), but it might also occur if the intensity of selection at several loci that are maintained as polymorphic by recurrent mutations covaries negatively among habitats. These two possibilities have been clearly identified in the related context of the evolution of senescence but have not have been fully appreciated in empirical and theoretical studies of local adaptation [1,2].
Acute effects of feeding fructose, glucose and sucrose on blood lipid levels and systemic inflammation

Recent studies have demonstrated a relationship between fructose consumption and risk of developing metabolic syndrome. Mechanisms by which dietary fructose mediates metabolic changes are poorly understood. This study compared the effects of fructose, glucose and sucrose consumption on post-postprandial lipemia and low grade inflammation measured as hs-CRP. This was a randomized, single blinded, cross-over trial involving healthy subjects (n = 14). After an overnight fast, participants were given one of 3 different isocaloric drinks, containing 50 g of either fructose or glucose or sucrose dissolved in water. Blood samples were collected at baseline, 30, 60 and 120 minutes post intervention for the analysis of blood lipids, glucose, insulin and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Glucose and sucrose supplementation initially resulted in a significant increase in glucose and insulin levels compared to fructose supplementation and returned to near baseline values within 2 hours. Change in plasma cholesterol, LDL and HDL-cholesterol (measured as area under curve, AUC) was significantly higher when participants consumed fructose compared with glucose or sucrose (P < 0.05). AUC for plasma triglyceride levels however remained unchanged regardless of the dietary intervention. Change in AUC for hs-CRP was also significantly higher in subjects consuming fructose compared with those consuming glucose (P < 0.05), but not sucrose (P = 0.07). This study demonstrates that fructose as a sole source of energy modulates plasma lipids and hsCRP levels in healthy individuals. The significance of increase in HDL-cholesterol with a concurrent increase in LDL-cholesterol and elevated hs-CRP levels remains to be delineated when considering health effects of feeding fructose-rich diets. ACTRN 12614000431628
Effect of balance support on the energy cost of walking after stroke.

OBJECTIVE
To examine the influence of balance support on the energy cost of treadmill and overground walking in ambulatory patients with stroke.


DESIGN
Cross-sectional.


SETTING
Research laboratory at a rehabilitation center.


PARTICIPANTS
Patients with stroke depending on a walking aid in daily life (n=12; walking aid dependent ambulators) and walking aid independent ambulators (n=12), all able to walk for at least 5 minutes.


INTERVENTIONS
Not applicable.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Energy cost (J·kg(-1)·m(-1)) and temporal gait parameters (walking speed, mean and coefficient of variation of stride time, and symmetry index) were obtained during 4 walking trials at preferred walking speed: overground with and without a cane and on a treadmill with and without handrail support.


RESULTS
On the treadmill, handrail support resulted in a significant decrease in energy cost of 16%, independent of the group. Although walking aid dependent ambulators had on average a larger reduction in energy cost than walking aid independent ambulators (19% vs 14%), this interaction did not reach statistical significance (P=.11). Interestingly, overground walking with support resulted in an 8% reduction in energy cost for walking aid dependent ambulators, but a 6% increase for walking aid independent ambulators. The reduction in energy cost with support was accompanied by changes in temporal gait parameters, most notably an increase in stride time and symmetry and a decrease in stride time variability.


CONCLUSIONS
Balance support can result in a significant reduction in the energy cost of walking in stroke patients, the magnitude of which depends on walking ability and the walking task. Impaired balance control should not be overlooked as a contributing factor to the increased energy cost of walking in patients with stroke, and improving or assisting balance control should be considered to reduce the energy cost of hemiplegic gait.
The Hoggar swell and volcanism: Reactivation of the Precambrian Tuareg shield during Alpine convergence and West African Cenozoic volcanism

We review the northwest African Cenozoic volcanic fields, including their regional geology. This provides a basis for understanding the relations between Hoggar volcanism and the Africa-Europe collision. Volcanic alignments are related to structural features, and no spatial age trend exists. In Hoggar, a close link is established between the volcanism and Pan-African structure. During the Mesozoic rifting period, the Hoggar area was already a topographic high well before any volcanism, which began at ca. 35 Ma, just after the initiation of the Africa-Europe collision at ca. 38 Ma. Hoggar volcanism continued episodically until now, as did the collision. We describe the Hoggar volcanic province based on available field, petrological, geochemical isotopic, and geophysical data, including data on gravimetry, heatflow, and seismic tomography. The latter suggests that northwestern African volcanism is linked to mantle structure down to 150 km but not deeper, implying a shallow mantle source. In Hoggar, lithospheric structures deduced from the seismic tomographic model and from geology are compatible when their respective resolutions are taken into account. The considerations just stated cannot be reconciled with a plume model. We propose instead that intraplate stress induced by the Africa-Europe collision reactivated the Pan-African mega–shear zones mainly in metacratonic terranes, inducing linear 379 *E-mails: jean-paul.liegeois@africamuseum.be; asazzouni@hotmail.com; bbonin@geol.u-psud.fr. Liegeois, J.-P., Benhallou, A., Azzouni-Sekkal, A., Yahiaoui, R., and Bonin, B., 2005, The Hoggar swell and volcanism: Reactivation of the Precambrian Tuareg shield during Alpine convergence and West African Cenozoic volcanism, in Foulger, G.R., Natland, J.H., Presnall, D.C., and Anderson, D.L., eds., Plates, plumes, and paradigms: Geological Society of America Special Paper 388, p. 379–400, doi: 10.1130/2005.2388(23). For permission to copy, contact editing @geosociety.org. © 2005 Geological Society of America. lithospheric delamination, rapid asthenosphere upwelling, and melting due to pressure release. Edge-driven convection may contribute. The surface location of the volcanism is influenced by Paleozoic and Mesozoic brittle faults.