LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Single blind randomised controlled trial of GAME (Goals - Activity - Motor Enrichment) in infants at high risk of cerebral palsy.

BACKGROUND
Cerebral palsy (CP) is caused by a lesion in the developing infant brain. Recent neuroplasticity literature suggests that intensive, task-specific intervention ought to commence early, during the critical period of neural development.


AIMS
To determine whether "GAME" (Goals - Activity - Motor Enrichment), a motor learning, environmental enrichment intervention, is effective for improving motor skills in infants at high risk of CP.


METHODS AND PROCEDURES
Single blind randomised controlled trial of GAME versus standard care. Primary outcome was motor skills on the Peabody Developmental Motor Scales-2 (PDMS-2). Secondary outcomes included Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID-III) and Gross Motor Function Measure-66 (GMFM-66). Outcome assessors were masked to group allocation and data analyzed with multiple regression.


OUTCOMES AND RESULTS
All n=30 infants enrolled received the assigned intervention until 16 weeks post enrolment. At 12 months of age, n=26 completed assessments. Significant between group differences were found in raw scores on the PDMS-2 in favour of GAME (B=20.71, 95%CI 1.66-39.76, p=0. 03) and at 12 months on the total motor quotient (B=8.29, 95%CI 0.13-16.45,p =0.05). Significant between group differences favored GAME participants at 12 months on the cognitive scale of the BSID-III and satisfaction scores on the COPM.


CONCLUSION
GAME intervention resulted in advanced motor and cognitive outcomes when compared with standard care.
Geochemical and physical characteristics of river and lake [2pt] sediments at Naivasha, Kenya

Prior studies on Lake Naivasha relevant to understanding sediment dynamics include a bathymetric map, a paleolimnological study of fossil invertebrate assemblages in lake sediment, an overview of lake level fluctuations throughout the 20th century, and identification of a dynamic assemblage of macrophyte zones that has responded both to these changes in lake level and to more recent, alien species. Sediment samples collected from the rivers systems and the lake were examined physically and chemically. River sediment characteristics reflect geology and geomorphological processes in the catchment, whereas lake sediment stratigraphy has responded to past lake level changes. Such changes have caused significant changes in aquatic vegetation assemblages. Present day sediment dynamics in the lake are governed by the presence of river point sources in the north and wave-induced re-suspension, such that sediments introduced by rivers are transported in easterly and southerly directions, and are eventually deposited in the eastern, central and southern parts of the lake. Sedimentary deposition is also occurring in northern areas that once were protected by papyrus swamp vegetation but now only have a narrow fringe, highlighting the important role of swamp vegetation in filtering out suspended particulates and thereby controlling water quality in the lake. Geochemical analyses of river and lake sediments indicate that they represent fairly undisturbed background conditions. Higher-than-expected concentrations of cadmium, iron, nickel and zinc found in both river and lake sediment are likely to derive from volcanic rocks and/or lateritic soils found in the lake catchment.
Validation of accuracy-based amino acid reference materials in dried-blood spots by tandem mass spectrometry for newborn screening assays.

BACKGROUND
Advances in technology and the earlier release of newborns from hospitals have pressed the demand for accurate calibration and improved interlaboratory performance for newborn screening tests. As a first step toward standardization of newborn screening aminoacidopathy tests, we have produced six-pool sets of multianalyte dried-blood-spot amino acid reference materials (AARMs) containing predetermined quantities of five amino acids. We describe here the production of the AARMs, validation of their amino acid contents, and characterization of their homogeneity and their stability in storage.


METHODS
To each of six portions of a pool of washed erythrocytes suspended in serum we added Phe (0-200 mg/L), Leu (0-200 mg/L), Met (0-125 mg/L), Tyr (0-125 mg/L), and Val (0-125 mg/L). Six-pool sets (1300) were prepared, dried, and packaged. We used isotope-dilution mass spectrometry to estimate the endogenous amino acid concentrations of the AARMs and validate their final amino acid concentrations. We used additional tandem mass spectrometry analyses to examine the homogeneity of amino acid distribution in each AARM, and HPLC analyses to evaluate the stability of the amino acid contents of the AARMs.


RESULTS
The absolute mean biases across the analytic range for five amino acids were 2.8-9.4%. One-way ANOVAs of the homogeneity results predicted no statistically significant differences in amino acid concentrations within the blood spots or within the pools (P >0.05). Regression slopes (0 +/- 0.01) for amino acid concentrations vs storage times and their P values (>0.05) showed no evidence of amino acid degradation at ambient temperatures, 4 degrees C, or -20 degrees C during the intervals tested.


CONCLUSION
The validation, homogeneity, and stability of these blood spots support their use as a candidate national reference material for calibration of assays that measure amino acids in dried-blood spots.
Depression Prevalence and Exposure to Organophosphate Esters in Aircraft Maintenance Workers.

INTRODUCTION
Previous studies found that aircraft maintenance workers may be exposed to organophosphates in hydraulic fluid and engine oil. Studies have also illustrated a link between long-term low-level organophosphate pesticide exposure and depression.


METHODS
A questionnaire containing the Patient Health Questionnaire 8 depression screener was e-mailed to 52,080 aircraft maintenance workers (with N = 4801 complete responses) in a cross-sectional study to determine prevalence and severity of depression and descriptions of their occupational exposures.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference between reported depression prevalence and severity in similar exposure groups in which aircraft maintenance workers were exposed or may have been exposed to organophosphate esters compared to similar exposure groups in which they were not exposed. However, a dichotomous measure of the prevalence of depression was significantly associated with self-reported exposure levels from low (OR: 1.21) to moderate (OR: 1.68) to high exposure (OR: 2.70) and with each exposure route including contact (OR: 1.68), inhalation (OR: 2.52), and ingestion (OR: 2.55). A self-reported four-level measure of depression severity was also associated with a self-reported four-level measure of exposure.


DISCUSSION
Based on self-reported exposures and outcomes, an association is observed between organophosphate exposure and depression; however, we cannot assume that the associations we observed are causal because some workers may have been more likely to report exposure to organophosphate esters and also more likely to report depression. Future studies should consider using a larger sample size, better methods for characterizing crew chief exposures, and bioassays to measure dose rather than exposure. Hardos JE, Whitehead LW, Han I, Ott DK, Waller DK. Depression prevalence and exposure to organophosphate esters in aircraft maintenance workers. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2016; 87(8):712-717.
Tracking animals in freshwater with electronic tags: past, present and future

Considerable technical developments over the past half century have enabled widespread application of electronic tags to the study of animals in the wild, including in freshwater environments. We review the constraints associated with freshwater telemetry and biologging and the technical developments relevant to their use. Technical constraints for tracking animals are often influenced by the characteristics of the animals being studied and the environment they inhabit. Collectively, they influence which and how technologies can be used and their relative effectiveness. Although radio telemetry has historically been the most commonly used technology in freshwater, passive integrated transponder (PIT) technology, acoustic telemetry and biologgers are becoming more popular. Most telemetry studies have focused on fish, although an increasing number have focused on other taxa, such as turtles, crustaceans and molluscs. Key technical developments for freshwater systems include: miniaturization of tags for tracking small-size life stages and species, fixed stations and coded tags for tracking large samples of animals over long distances and large temporal scales, inexpensive PIT systems that enable mass tagging to yield population- and community-level relevant sample sizes, incorporation of sensors into electronic tags, validation of tag attachment procedures with a focus on maintaining animal welfare, incorporation of different techniques (for example, genetics, stable isotopes) and peripheral technologies (for example, geographic information systems, hydroacoustics), development of novel analytical techniques, and extensive international collaboration. Innovations are still needed in tag miniaturization, data analysis and visualization, and in tracking animals over larger spatial scales (for example, pelagic areas of lakes) and in challenging environments (for example, large dynamic floodplain systems, under ice). There seems to be a particular need for adapting various global positioning system and satellite tagging approaches to freshwater. Electronic tagging provides a mechanism to collect detailed information from imperilled animals and species that have no direct economic value. Current and future advances will continue to improve our knowledge of the natural history of aquatic animals and ecological processes in freshwater ecosystems while facilitating evidence-based resource management and conservation.
A geographic approach for combining social media and authoritative data towards identifying useful information for disaster management

In recent years, social media emerged as a potential resource to improve the management of crisis situations such as disasters triggered by natural hazards. Although there is a growing research body concerned with the analysis of the usage of social media during disasters, most previous work has concentrated on using social media as a standalone information source, whereas its combination with other information sources holds a still underexplored potential. This paper presents an approach to enhance the identification of relevant messages from social media that relies upon the relations between georeferenced social media messages as Volunteered Geographic Information, and geographic features of flood phenomena as derived from authoritative data (sensor data, hydrological data and digital elevation models). We apply this approach to examine the microblogging text messages of the Twitter platform (tweets) produced during the River Elbe Flood of June 2013 in Germany. This is performed by means of a statistical analysis aimed at identifying general spatial patterns in the occurrence of flood-related tweets that may be associated with proximity to and severity of flood events. The results show that messages near (up to 10 km) to severely flooded areas have a much higher probability of being related to floods. In this manner, we conclude that the geographic approach proposed here provides a reliable quantitative indicator of the usefulness of messages from social media by leveraging existing knowledge about natural hazards such as floods, thus being valuable for disaster management in both crisis response and preventive monitoring.
Lipophilic phytochemicals from banana fruits of several Musa species.

The chemical composition of the lipophilic extract of ripe pulp of banana fruit from several banana cultivars belonging to the Musa acuminata and Musa balbisiana species (namely 'Chinese Cavendish', 'Giant Cavendish', 'Dwarf Red', 'Grand Nain', 'Eilon', 'Gruesa', 'Silver', 'Ricasa', 'Williams' and 'Zelig') was studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the first time. The banana cultivars showed similar amounts of lipophilic extractives (ca. 0.4% of dry material weight) as well as qualitative chemical compositions. The major groups of compounds identified in these fractions were fatty acids and sterols making up 68.6-84.3% and 11.1-28.0%, respectively, of the total amount of lipophilic components. Smaller amounts of long chain aliphatic alcohols and α-tocopherol were also identified. These results are a relevant contribution for the valorisation of these banana cultivars as sources of valuable phytochemicals (ω-3 and ω-6 fatty acids, and sterols) with well-established beneficial nutritional and health effects.
Microfabricated High-Speed Axial-Flux Multiwatt Permanent-Magnet Generators&#8212;Part I: Modeling

This paper presents the modeling of permanent-magnet (PM) generators for use in microscale power generation systems. The generators are three-phase, axial-flux, synchronous machines, each consisting of a multipole, surface-wound stator and PM rotor. The machines are modeled by analytically solving two-dimensional (2-D) magneto-quasi-static Maxwell's equations as a function of radius. The 2-D field solutions are then integrated over the radial span of the machine to determine circuit parameters such as open-circuit voltage and inductance as well as hysteresis loss in the stator core and eddy current losses in the stator core and windings. The model provides a computationally fast method to determine power and efficiency of an axial-flux PM machine as a function of geometry, speed, and material properties. The open-circuit voltage predictions are also shown to agree well with 3-D finite-element analysis simulation results. 1700
Social isolation and depression predict 12-month outcomes in the "waiting for a new heart study".

BACKGROUND
Identification of modifiable psychosocial characteristics related to survival of heart transplant (HTx) candidates is needed to prevent clinical deterioration and improve prognosis.


METHODS
A multi-site, prospective study was conducted with 318 HTx candidates (18% female, 82% male; 53 +/- 11 years of age) newly listed at 17 hospitals in Germany and Austria. Baseline demographic and psychosocial characteristics were assessed by questionnaires. Indicators of disease severity (Heart Failure Survival Score, creatinine, cardiac index) and 12-month outcomes (death, high-urgency HTx, elective HTx, de-listing due to deterioration or improvement) were provided by Eurotransplant.


RESULTS
By 12 months, 33 patients died, 83 received an urgent HTx, 30 underwent an elective HTx, and 9 were de-listed due to clinical deterioration and 17 due to improvement. All measures of disease severity predicted outcomes. Controlling for disease severity, the number of social contacts contributed significantly to outcomes, favoring those who improved. Comparing socially isolated patients (<4 social contacts/month) who also had depression scores in the clinical range (high psychosocial risk group; n = 37) to those with >10 social contacts/month without depression (low psychosocial risk group; n = 47) revealed significant differences in the distribution of outcome frequencies (chi-square = 11.2, df = 4, p < 0.04). The high psychosocial risk group was more likely to have died/deteriorated and less likely to have improved than the low psychosocial risk group.


CONCLUSIONS
Regardless of disease severity, socially isolated HTx candidates who are also depressed may be at increased risk for clinical deterioration and mortality, indicating a need for psychosocial intervention.
Long life to marketing research: a postmodern view

Purpose – This paper aims at interpreting the epistemology of marketing. The paper investigates several research questions, proposing some initial reflections concerning their impact on marketing. Design/methodology/approach – The paper addresses the research questions by conducting an analysis of themarketing literature.Ananalysis ofphilosophical postmodern literature isalsocarriedout. The paper’s attempt constantly to create links between the level of philosophical elaboration and that of marketing research leads to a proposal of new approach to marketing research: experiential research. Findings – In the paper’s review of the marketing literature the traditional pragmatic approach of marketing as a discipline is highlighted. Its strong managerial perspective has partly diverted researchers’ attention from the theory, and focused it mainly on the method. This has created an increasingly marked distinction between the marketing literature aimed at management, and that aimed at the academic community. The postmodern perspective on marketing calls for a rethinking of the “scientific nature” of marketing as an investigative field. Research limitations/implications – The main point is that marketing cannot be a scientific discipline only by adopting a scientific method. Marketing research is by definition different in nature: it cannot generate better but only different knowledge. This perspective shift has an impact on all research components. First, the field of research widens enormously, because researchers can deal with everything arousing their interest and to which their accumulated knowledge can be applied. Since the discipline does not become scientific, the researcher can use any method. All methods can originate scientific theories, and therefore incremental knowledge. Hence science is neither objective nor absolute. Originality/value – This paper analyses the philosophical roots of postmodernism, in order to understand its impact on postmodern marketing better. It also focuses on the impact of postmodernism on marketing research, and proposes a new approach. This paper then explores the features of the experiential research in marketing, and its effect on the processes of generating knowledge.
Adaptation of questionnaire measuring working conditions and health problems among Iranian nursing personnel.

PURPOSE
To adapt a questionnaire in the Persian language measuring working conditions and health problems among nursing personnel. A further aim was to test the validity and reliability of the questionnaire.


METHODS
The adapted questionnaire was based on three well-established questionnaires. Physical working conditions items were from Nurse Early Exit Study. Psychosocial working conditions scales were included from Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire which contains two scales on general and mental health as well. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was the origin of the musculoskeletal disorders questions. During the culture adaptation process, an expert panel method was used. To achieve equivalence between the sources and target version, some changes were made by the expert panel. Then the questionnaire was examined in the field for face validity and construct validity (n = 92) among Iranian nursing personnel from two hospitals. Construct validity was assessed using a priori hypothesized correlations of the outcomes with exposures. Finally the adaptation process was completed by reliability assessment using Cronbach's alpha and Intra-class Correlation Coefficient (ICC).


RESULTS
The construct validity result was the correlation of the health outcome with the work-related exposure (physical rs = .71 and psychosocial rs = .66). In the reliability assessment, Cronbach's alpha and ICC were .60 and .70 respectively.


CONCLUSION
The findings show that the adapted questionnaire has an acceptable conceptual structure and provides reliable information from the nursing profession. Consequently, the questionnaire is applicable to work situation studies among nurses and other health care workers.
Exercise as cardiovascular therapy.

To the Editor: Drs Shephard and Balady 1 discuss the potential dangers of excessive exercise and the appropriate dose of physical activity. They cite 2 reports showing that in healthy persons, prolonged exercise can cause myocardial fatigue with a temporary depression of myocardial function. 2,3 In addition, recent research demonstrates that prolonged aerobic exercise may cause subclinical myocardial necrosis in individuals with no risk factors for cardiovascular disease. 4,5 Evidence also exists that apparently healthy individuals who are not active enough to meet a traditional exercise prescription (structured vigorous activity) are at a high risk for subclinical myocardial damage caused by prolonged strenuous exercise. 6
Cubic Fourfolds, K3 Surfaces, and Rationality Questions

This is a survey of the geometry of complex cubic fourfolds with a view toward rationality questions. Topics include classical constructions of rational examples, Hodge structures and special cubic fourfolds, associated K3 surfaces and their geometric interpretations, and connections with rationality and unirationality constructions.
A Significant Increase in the Incidence of Central Precocious Puberty among Korean Girls from 2004 to 2010

BACKGROUND
Few studies have explored the trends in central precocious puberty (CPP) in Asian populations. This study assessed the prevalence and annual incidence of CPP among Korean children.


METHODS
Using data from the Korean Health Insurance Review Agency from 2004 to 2010, we reviewed the records of 21,351 children, including those registered with a diagnosis of CPP for the first time and those diagnosed with CPP who were treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs.


RESULTS
The prevalence of CPP was 55.9 per 100,000 girls and 1.7 per 100,000 boys, respectively. The overall incidence of CPP was 15.3 per 100,000 girls, and 0.6 per 100,000 boys. The annual incidence of CPP in girls significantly increased from 3.3 to 50.4 per 100,000 girls; whereas in boys, it gradually increased from 0.3 to 1.2 per 100,000 boys. The annual incidence of CPP in girls consistently increased at all ages year by year, with greater increases at older ages (≥6 years of age), and smaller increases in girls aged < 6 years. In contrast, the annual incidence remained relatively constant in boys aged < 8 years, while a small increase was observed only in boys aged 8 years. The increase of annual incidence showed significant differences depending on age and gender (P <0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
The annual incidence of CPP has substantially increased among Korean girls over the past 7 years. Continued monitoring of CPP trends among Korean children will be informative.
DACC: Distributed Access Control in Clouds

We propose a new model for data storage and access in clouds. Our scheme avoids storing multiple encrypted copies of same data. In our framework for secure data storage, cloud stores encrypted data (without being able to decrypt them). The main novelty of our model is addition of key distribution centers (KDCs). We propose DACC (Distributed Access Control in Clouds) algorithm, where one or more KDCs distribute keys to data owners and users. KDC may provide access to particular fields in all records. Thus, a single key replaces separate keys from owners. Owners and users are assigned certain set of attributes. Owner encrypts the data with the attributes it has and stores them in the cloud. The users with matching set of attributes can retrieve the data from the cloud. We apply attribute-based encryption based on bilinear pairings on elliptic curves. The scheme is collusion secure, two users cannot together decode any data that none of them has individual right to access. DACC also supports revocation of users, without redistributing keys to all the users of cloud services. We show that our approach results in lower communication, computation and storage overheads, compared to existing models and schemes.