LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Effect of core stability exercises on feed-forward activation of deep abdominal muscles in chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

STUDY DESIGN
A randomized controlled trial.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate feed-forward activation or timing of abdominal muscle activation in response to rapid shoulder flexion after 8 weeks with core stability exercises, sling exercises, or general exercises in chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) patients.


SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA
Delayed onset in abdominal muscles has been associated with LBP. Low load exercises to volitionally activate the transversus abdominis were introduced to restore trunk muscle activation deficits. More forceful co-contraction exercises have been advocated by others. This study explored whether abdominal muscle onset changed after low-load core stability exercises, high-load sling exercises, or general exercises.


METHODS
Subjects (N = 109) with chronic nonspecific LBP of at least 3 months' duration were randomly assigned to 8 weekly treatments with low-load core stability exercises, high-load stabilizing exercises in slings, or general exercises in groups. Primary outcome was onset recorded bilaterally by m-mode ultrasound imaging in the deep abdominal muscles in response to rapid shoulder flexion.


RESULTS
No or small changes were found in onset after treatment. Baseline adjusted between group differences showed a 15 ms (95% confidence interval [CI], 1-28; P = 0.03) and a 19 ms (95% CI, 5-33; P < 0.01) improvement with sling relative to core stability and general exercises, respectively, but on 1 side only. There was no association between changes in pain and onset over the intervention period (R ≤ 0.02).


CONCLUSION
Abdominal muscle onset was largely unaffected by 8 weeks of exercises in chronic LBP patients. There was no association between change in onset and LBP. Large individual variations in activation pattern of the deep abdominal muscles may justify exploration of differential effects in subgroups of LBP.
Economic Implications of Global Climate Change for World Agriculture

This paper challenges the hypothesis that negative yield effects in key temperate grain producing regions of the world resulting from global climate change would have a serious impact on world food production. Model results demonstrate that even with concurrent productivity losses in the major grain producing regions of the world, global warming will not seriously disrupt world agricultural markets. Country/regional crop yield changes induce interregional adjustments in production and consumption that serve to buffer the severity of climate change impacts on world agriculture and result in relatively modest impacts on world agricultural prices and domestic economies.
Clinical consequences of generic substitution of lamotrigine for patients with epilepsy.

OBJECTIVES
To measure the proportions of patients switching from generic to branded drugs among users of antiepileptic drugs (AED) compared to other therapeutic areas and to investigate medical services utilization associated with generic switching of lamotrigine.


METHODS
Medical and pharmacy claims data from Régie de l'Assurance Maladie du Québec database from April 1998 to July 2006 were used. Patients with an epilepsy diagnosis (International Classification of Diseases-9 345) and treated with lamotrigine for >60 of the 90 days before the entry date of generic lamotrigine in Quebec (February 1, 2003) were selected. The proportion of patients switching back to brand were calculated for lamotrigine, for other AEDs (clobazam, carbamazepine CR, gabapentin) and for non-AED chronic medications (carvedilol, fosinopril, simvastatin). Medical resource utilization was compared between periods of branded vs generic use of lamotrigine.


RESULTS
Of 671 patients treated with branded lamotrigine, 187 patients (27.9%) switched to a generic, and 51 of these patients (27.5%) switched back to the branded medication. Rates of switchback were from 20.8% to 44.1% for various AEDs and from 7.7% to 9.1% for non-AEDs. Relative to the branded lamotrigine use period, generic lamotrigine use period was associated with a 5.1% increase in mean daily dose of lamotrigine (239.1 vs 251.4 mg; p = 0.0149), a higher number of dispensations for other AEDs (20.4 vs 23.9 dispensations per person-year; p < 0.001) as well as non-AED drugs (26.4 vs 32.8 dispensations per person-year; p < 0.0001), a higher utilization rate of medical services (8.7 vs 9.8 visits per person-year; p < 0.0001), and a longer hospital length of stay (3.29 days vs 4.86 days per person-year; p < 0.0001).


CONCLUSION
A higher propensity to switch back to branded medications was observed among antiepileptic drug users compared to users of antihypertensives and antihyperlipidemics, similar to findings from Andermann et al. Switch to generic lamotrigine was significantly associated with increased physician visits and hospitalizations.
The Motion Behind the Symbols: A Vital Role for Dynamism in the Conceptualization of Limits and Continuity in Expert Mathematics

The canonical history of mathematics suggests that the late 19th-century "arithmetization" of calculus marked a shift away from spatial-dynamic intuitions, grounding concepts in static, rigorous definitions. Instead, we argue that mathematicians, both historically and currently, rely on dynamic conceptualizations of mathematical concepts like continuity, limits, and functions. In this article, we present two studies of the role of dynamic conceptual systems in expert proof. The first is an analysis of co-speech gesture produced by mathematics graduate students while proving a theorem, which reveals a reliance on dynamic conceptual resources. The second is a cognitive-historical case study of an incident in 19th-century mathematics that suggests a functional role for such dynamism in the reasoning of the renowned mathematician Augustin Cauchy. Taken together, these two studies indicate that essential concepts in calculus that have been defined entirely in abstract, static terms are nevertheless conceptualized dynamically, in both contemporary and historical practice.
L’Échelle de provisions sociales : une validation québécoise

L'Échelle de provisions sociales : Quebec validation of the Social Provisions Scale This article presents the results of the Quebec validation of the Social Provisions Scale (Cutrona et Russell, 1989). L'échelle de provision sociales was administered to 790 people in the course of two studies. The fist one included 387 university students of first level and the second was realized with 266 people from the general population, 79 welfare recipients and 58 persons with a diagnosis related to psychosis. The results show that the scale presents a good internal coherence and a satisfying temporal stability, thus assuring the fidelity of the instrument. The factorial analyses have not reproduced exactly the same profile as the original instrument, however the moderate correlations between the different social provisions sustain the validity of the multidimensional construct of social support. Moreover, analyses of the variance and the discriminating analysis allow to acknowledge that the sub-scales have a high discriminating power; they allow to distinguish the general population from welfare recipients and people suffering from psychosis. Finally, norms are presented for the general population.
Medication adherence in successful kidney transplant recipients.

OBJECTIVE
To explore the medication-taking behavior of successful kidney transplant recipients and determine what behaviors were common among this group.


METHODS
Open-ended interviews were conducted by telephone with 19 individuals who had successfully maintained a transplanted kidney for 25 years or more. Data were coded by using a grounded theory approach to explore patterns of phenomena, common descriptions, and relationships.


RESULTS
Four themes emerged as participants described the behaviors they developed to adhere successfully to the immunosuppressive medication required for maintaining their transplanted kidneys. The themes were reminder methods, obtaining medications, maintaining routines, and problem-solving strategies. Kidney transplant recipients identified the importance of developing and maintaining medication-taking skills and routines on medication adherence. Problem-solving abilities were also valuable during times of disruption of normal routines.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions focusing on medication-taking skills, habit formation, and resources for problem solving may improve immunosuppressive medication adherence and clinical outcomes in kidney transplant recipients.
Evolving artificial neural network and imperialist competitive algorithm for prediction oil flow rate of the reservoir

Multiphase flow meters (MPFMs) are utilized to provide quick and accurate well test data in numerous numbers of oil production applications like those in remote or unmanned locations topside exploitations that minimize platform space and subsea applications. Flow rates of phases (oil, gas and water) are most important parameter which is detected by MPFMs. Conventional MPFM data collecting is done in long periods; because of radioactive sources usage as detector and unmanned location due to wells far distance. In this paper, based on a real case of MPFM, a new method for oil rate prediction of wells rtificial neural network mperialist competitive optimization il flow rate uzzy logic ybrid volutionary algorithms base on Fuzzy logic, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Imperialist Competitive Algorithm is presented. Temperatures and pressures of lines have been set as input variable of network and oil flow rate as output. In this case a 1600 data set of 50 wells in one of the northern Persian Gulf oil fields of Iran were used to build a database. ICA-ANN can be used as a reliable alternative way without personal and environmental problems. The performance of the ICA-ANN model has also been compared with ANN model and Fuzzy model. The results prove the effectiveness, robustness and compatibility of the ICA-ANN model.
Intra-articular triamcinolone hexacetonide in knee osteoarthritis: factors influencing the clinical response.

OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of a single intra-articular injection of triamcinolone hexacetonide (THA) in knee osteoarthritis (OA) and examine factors which may relate to treatment efficacy.


METHODS
Eighty four patients with clinical and radiographic evidence of knee OA were recruited and randomly allocated to receive either THA (20 mg in 1 ml) or placebo (0.9% normal saline, 1 ml). Follow up assessments evaluated the following outcome variables: patient opinion of overall change in the treated knee, visual analogue pain score (VAS), distance walked in one minute (WD), and Health Assessment Questionnaire modified for lower limb function (HAQ).


RESULTS
Seventy eight percent of THA and 49% of placebo treated patients reported overall improvement at week 1 (p < 0.05). At week 6, improvement was reported in 57% and 55% of patient groups, respectively. VAS improved in both groups at week 1 (THA, p < 0.001; placebo, p < 0.05) and week 6 (both p < 0.01). Improvement in VAS was significantly greater among THA treated patients at week 1 only (p < 0.01). Subgroup analysis of THA treated patients revealed greater improvement in VAS among patients with clinical evidence of an effusion (p < 0.05), and those who had synovial fluid successfully aspirated at the time of injection (p < 0.01). WD improved in THA treated patients at week 1 (p < 0.001), and in both groups at week 6 (THA, p < 0.001; placebo, p < 0.01). Improvements in HAQ were seen in THA patients only at weeks 1 and 6 (p < 0.05). Regression analysis did not identify any additional clinical, radiographic, or synovial fluid characteristics which influenced the response.


CONCLUSIONS
THA provided short term pain relief in knee OA. Increased benefit was associated with both clinical evidence of joint effusion and successful aspiration of synovial fluid at the time of injection.
Environmental and Sanitary Conditions of Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro

Guanabara Bay is the second largest bay in the coast of Brazil, with an area of 384 km(2). In its surroundings live circa 16 million inhabitants, out of which 6 million live in Rio de Janeiro city, one of the largest cities of the country, and the host of the 2016 Olympic Games. Anthropogenic interference in Guanabara Bay area started early in the XVI century, but environmental impacts escalated from 1930, when this region underwent an industrialization process. Herein we present an overview of the current environmental and sanitary conditions of Guanabara Bay, a consequence of all these decades of impacts. We will focus on microbial communities, how they may affect higher trophic levels of the aquatic community and also human health. The anthropogenic impacts in the bay are flagged by heavy eutrophication and by the emergence of pathogenic microorganisms that are either carried by domestic and/or hospital waste (e.g., virus, KPC-producing bacteria, and fecal coliforms), or that proliferate in such conditions (e.g., vibrios). Antibiotic resistance genes are commonly found in metagenomes of Guanabara Bay planktonic microorganisms. Furthermore, eutrophication results in recurrent algal blooms, with signs of a shift toward flagellated, mixotrophic groups, including several potentially harmful species. A recent large-scale fish kill episode, and a long trend decrease in fish stocks also reflects the bay's degraded water quality. Although pollution of Guanabara Bay is not a recent problem, the hosting of the 2016 Olympic Games propelled the government to launch a series of plans to restore the bay's water quality. If all plans are fully implemented, the restoration of Guanabara Bay and its shores may be one of the best legacies of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
How to Evaluate the Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources and Agriculture in China Scientifically

The paper "The impacts of climate change on water resources and agriculture in China" (Nature 43,43-51,2010) fails to follow scientific methods by selecting one-sided data sets and research results to support their argument that the warming has a significant negative impact on water resources and agriculture.This one-sided paper is not only a disservice to the academic community,but also has generated unnecessary panic responses from public that China will not be able to feed its people since warmer temperatures in China will reduce crop yields significantly.The purpose of this paper is to clarify some of the basic facts about the true impacts of the warming on water resources and agriculture in China and discuss some relevant methodological issues.
More than just fun and games: the longitudinal relationships between strategic video games, self-reported problem solving skills, and academic grades.

Some researchers have proposed that video games possess good learning principles and may promote problem solving skills. Empirical research regarding this relationship, however, is limited. The goal of the presented study was to examine whether strategic video game play (i.e., role playing and strategy games) predicted self-reported problem solving skills among a sample of 1,492 adolescents (50.8 % female), over the four high school years. The results showed that more strategic video game play predicted higher self-reported problem solving skills over time than less strategic video game play. In addition, the results showed support for an indirect association between strategic video game play and academic grades, in that strategic video game play predicted higher self-reported problem solving skills, and, in turn, higher self-reported problem solving skills predicted higher academic grades. The novel findings that strategic video games promote self-reported problem solving skills and indirectly predict academic grades are important considering that millions of adolescents play video games every day.
Modelling of traffic safety control systems using timed Petri nets

Timed Petri nets (TPNs) are well utilized as a visual and mathematical formalism to model discrete event systems. This paper proposes to use them to model parallel railroad level crossing control systems. Their applications to both single and double-track railroad lines are illustrated. The resulting models allow one to identify and thus avoid critical scenarios in such systems by conditions and events of the model that control the phase of traffic light alternations. Their analysis is performed to demonstrate how the models enforce the phase of traffic transitions by a reachability graph method. Their important properties are verified. This helps advance the state-of-the-art in traffic safety related to the intersection of railroads and roadways.
Vascular disrupting action of electroporation and electrochemotherapy with bleomycin in murine sarcoma

Electrochemotherapy has a direct cytotoxic effect on tumour cells, and presumably, a vascular disrupting effect. In this study, on the basis of the prediction of the mathematical model, histological evaluation and physiological measurements of the tumours were carried out to confirm that electroporation and electrochemotherapy of tumours have a vascular disrupting action. In the study, SA-1 solid subcutaneous sarcoma tumours in A/J mice were treated by bleomycin (BLM) given intravenously (1 mg kg−1), application of electric pulses (8 pulses, 1040 V, 100 μs, 1 Hz) or a combination of both – electrochemotherapy. The vascular effect was determined by laser Doppler flowmetry, power Doppler ultrasonographic imaging and Patent blue staining. The extent of tumour hypoxia was determined immunohistochemically by hypoxia marker pimonidazole and partial pressure of oxygen (pO2) in tumours by electron paramagnetic resonance oximetry. Electrochemotherapy with BLM induced good antitumour effect with 22 days, tumour growth delay and 38% tumour cures. The application of electric pulses to the tumours induced instant but transient tumour blood flow reduction (for 70%) that was recovered in 24 h. During this tumour blood flow reduction, we determined an increase in hypoxic tumour area for up to 30%, which was also reflected in reduced tumour oxygenation (for 70%). According to the described mathematical model, endothelial cells lining in tumour blood vessels are exposed to a ∼40% higher electric field than the surrounding tumour cells, and therefore easily electroporated, allowing access of high BLM concentration to the cytosol. Consequently, electrochemotherapy has, besides the immediate vascular disrupting action, also a delayed one (after 24 h), as a consequence of endothelial cell swelling and apoptosis demonstrated by extensive tumour necrosis, tumour hypoxia, prolonged reduction of tumour blood flow and significant tumour growth delay, and tumour cures. Our results demonstrate that in addition to the well-established direct cytotoxic effect on tumour cells, electrochemotherapy also has an indirect vascular disrupting action resulting altogether in extensive tumour cell necrosis leading to complete regression of tumours.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and oppositional/conduct problems: links to parent-child interactions.

INTRODUCTION
We outline a transactional model of parent-child interactions which proposes that characteristics of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appear early in a child's life and present challenges to the parent's ability to maintain consistent and responsive parenting. In turn, the presence of harsh or inconsistent parenting is hypothesized to contribute to the development of child oppositional behaviour and conduct problems.


METHOD AND RESULTS
We briefly discuss existing cross-sectional evidence in support of this model and then highlight five longitudinal studies that provide stronger support, showing that difficulties in parenting predict the development of oppositional and conduct problems in children with ADHD, over and above pre-existing levels of child problems and other predictors.


CONCLUSION
We conclude with a discussion of the clinical implications of this model and evidence, emphasizing the need for early interventions in ADHD focused on parenting.
Movie Recommendations from User Ratings

This paper demonstrates an implementation of k-means clustering and softmax regression classification for movie recommendation based on the hetrec2011-movielens-2k dataset. Root-MeansSquare Error (RMSE) is used for evaluation of results. Reasonable performance is demonstrated.
Effect of self-administered intraperitoneal bemiparin on peritoneal transport and ultrafiltration capacity in peritoneal dialysis patients with membrane dysfunction. A randomized, multi-centre open clinical trial.

BACKGROUND
Progressive peritoneal membrane injury and dysfunction are feared repercussions of peritoneal dialysis (PD), and may compromise the long-term feasibility of this therapy. Different strategies have been attempted to prevent or reverse this complication with limited success.


METHODS
We performed a randomized, open multi-centre trial, aimed at scrutinizing the efficacy of self-administered intraperitoneal (i.p.) bemiparin (BM) to modulate peritoneal membrane dysfunction. The main outcome variables were peritoneal creatinine transport and the ultrafiltration (UF) capacity, estimated during consecutive peritoneal equilibration tests. The trial included a control group who did not undergo intervention. The treatment phase lasted 16 weeks with a post-study follow-up of 8 weeks.


RESULTS
Intraperitoneal BM did not significantly improve creatinine transport or the UF capacity, when the whole group was considered. However, we observed a time-limited improvement in the UF capacity for the subgroup of patients with overt UF failure, which was not observed in the control group. Intraperitoneal injection of BM did not carry an increased risk of peritoneal infection or major haemorrhagic complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data do not support the systematic use of BM for management of peritoneal membrane dysfunction in PD patients. Further studies on the usefulness of this approach in patients with overt UF failure are warranted. Intraperitoneal administration of BM is safe in PD patients, provided regulated procedures are respected.
Rapid reduction in C-reactive protein with cerivastatin among 785 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia.

BACKGROUND
Long-term therapy with hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (statins) has been shown to reduce levels of C-reactive protein (CRP). However, the generalizability, speed of onset, and dose-response characteristics of this effect are uncertain.


METHODS AND RESULTS
We measured CRP, LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), and HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels among 785 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia at baseline and after 8 weeks of therapy with either 0.4 or 0.8 mg of cerivastatin. Overall, cerivastatin resulted in a 13.3% reduction in median CRP levels (P:<0.001) and a 24.5% reduction in mean CRP levels (P:<0.001). Although LDL-C promptly decreased in a dose-dependent manner (mean LDL-C reduction, 37.3% for 0.4 mg and 42.2% for 0.8 mg of cerivastatin), no clear dose-response effect of cerivastatin on CRP was observed, nor was there any substantive correlation between the magnitude of change in CRP and the magnitude of change in LDL-C (r=-0.08) or the magnitude of change in HDL-C (r=-0.04). Thus, <2% of the variance in the percent change in CRP over 8 weeks could be attributed to the percent change in either of these lipid parameters. Further, there was no evidence of correlation between baseline CRP levels and baseline lipid levels or between end-of-study CRP levels and end-of-study lipid levels.


CONCLUSIONS
Among 785 patients with primary hypercholesterolemia, CRP levels were significantly reduced within 8 weeks of initiating cerivastatin therapy in a lipid-independent manner.