LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Predicting erythropoietin resistance in hemodialysis patients with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND
Resistance to ESAs (erythropoietin stimulating agents) is highly prevalent in hemodialysis patients with diabetes and associated with an increased mortality. The aim of this study was to identify predictors for ESA resistance and to develop a prediction model for the risk stratification in these patients.


METHODS
A post-hoc analysis was conducted of the 4D study, including 1015 patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing hemodialysis. Determinants of ESA resistance were identified by univariate logistic regression analyses. Subsequently, multivariate models were performed with stepwise inclusion of significant predictors from clinical parameters, routine laboratory and specific biomarkers.


RESULTS
In the model restricted to clinical parameters, male sex, shorter dialysis vintage, lower BMI, history of CHF, use of ACE-inhibitors and a higher heart rate were identified as independent predictors of ESA resistance. In regard to routine laboratory markers, lower albumin, lower iron saturation, higher creatinine and higher potassium levels were independently associated with ESA resistance. With respect to specific biomarkers, higher ADMA and CRP levels as well as lower Osteocalcin levels were predictors of ESA resistance.


CONCLUSIONS
Easily obtainable clinical parameters and routine laboratory parameters can predict ESA resistance in diabetic hemodialysis patients with good discrimination. Specific biomarkers did not meaningfully further improve the risk prediction of ESA resistance. Routinely assessed data can be used in clinical practice to stratify patients according to the risk of ESA resistance, which may help to assign appropriate treatment strategies.


CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
The study was registered at the German medical authority (BfArM; registration number 401 3206). The sponsor protocol ID and clinical trial unique identified number was CT-981-423-239. The results of the study are published and available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16034009.
Weighted Polynomial Approximations: Limits for Learning and Pseudorandomness

Low-degree polynomial approximations to the sign function underlie pseudorandom generators for halfspaces, as well as algorithms for agnostically learning halfspaces. We study the limits of these constructions by proving inapproximability results for the sign function. First, we investigate the derandomization of Chernoff-type concentration inequalities. Schmidt et al. (SIAM J. Discrete Math. 1995) showed that a tail bound of delta can be established for sums of Bernoulli random variables with only O(log(1/delta))-wise independence. We show that their results are tight up to constant factors. Secondly, the “polynomial regression” algorithm of Kalai et al. (SIAM J. Comput. 2008) shows that halfspaces can be efficiently learned with respect to log-concave distributions on R^n in the challenging agnostic learning model. The power of this algorithm relies on the fact that under log-concave distributions, halfspaces can be approximated arbitrarily well by low-degree polynomials. In contrast, we exhibit a large class of non-log-concave distributions under which polynomials of any degree cannot approximate the sign function to within arbitrarily low error.
ROC curves in cost space

ROC curves and cost curves are two popular ways of visualising classifier performance, finding appropriate thresholds according to the operating condition, and deriving useful aggregated measures such as the area under the ROC curve (AUC) or the area under the optimal cost curve. In this paper we present new findings and connections between ROC space and cost space. In particular, we show that ROC curves can be transferred to cost space by means of a very natural threshold choice method, which sets the decision threshold such that the proportion of positive predictions equals the operating condition. We call these new curves rate-driven curves, and we demonstrate that the expected loss as measured by the area under these curves is linearly related to AUC. We show that the rate-driven curves are the genuine equivalent of ROC curves in cost space, establishing a point-point rather than a point-line correspondence. Furthermore, a decomposition of the rate-driven curves is introduced which separates the loss due to the threshold choice method from the ranking loss (Kendall τ distance). We also derive the corresponding curve to the ROC convex hull in cost space; this curve is different from the lower envelope of the cost lines, as the latter assumes only optimal thresholds are chosen.
Effects of contrast and temporal frequency on orientation discrimination for luminance and isoluminant stimuli

We compared the mechanisms responsible for orientation discrimination of stimuli defined by luminance and red/green isoluminant contrast. A four-alternative forced-choice (4-AFC) paradigm was used to determine thresholds for discriminating 1 cpd sinewave gratings differing in orientation, contrast, or both. When measuring orientation thresholds as a function of stimulus contrast, we found a decrease in thresholds with increasing stimulus contrast. For three temporal frequencies (0, 1, and 8 Hz) the functions relating orientation thresholds to stimulus contrast had similar shapes for luminance and isoluminant gratings, indicating similar processing mechanisms. Thresholds for stationary or slowly moving gratings were consistently lower for isoluminant than for luminance gratings, when contrast was expressed on an absolute RMS-cone-contrast scale. When contrast was defined as multiples of detection thresholds, discrimination was slightly better for luminance gratings. Thresholds for fast moving gratings were similar, irrespective of the definition of contrast. In contrast to previous work, we found a marked "oblique-effect" for both luminance and isoluminant gratings, when measuring discrimination thresholds as a function of standard orientation. Finally, we measured discrimination thresholds for gratings that varied in contrast and orientation simultaneously. The shapes of the resulting two-dimensional threshold contours were similar for luminance and isoluminant gratings, indicating again that these stimuli undergo similar neuronal processing. Performance of the observers could be described by probability summation of the orientation and contrast cues, resulting in an elliptical shape of the two-dimensional threshold contours. In conclusion, our results show similar performance for luminance and isoluminant gratings in several orientation discrimination tasks. The similarity in shape of the different threshold functions presents strong evidence that similar mechanisms underlie orientation discrimination of luminance and isoluminant stimuli.
New Physics Effects in Long Baseline Experiments

We discuss the implications of new physics, which modifies the matter effect in neutrino oscillations, to long baseline experiments, particularly the MINOS experiment. An analytic formula in the presence of such a new physics interaction is derived for $P(\nu_\mu\to\nu_e)$, which is exact in the limit $\Delta m^2_{21}\to0$.
Measuring Attentional Bias to Threat: Reliability of Dot Probe and Eye Movement Indices

A variety of methodological paradigms, including dot probe and eye movement tasks, have been used to examine attentional biases to threat in anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, little attention has been devoted to the psychometric properties of measures from these paradigms. In the current study, participants selected for high and low social anxiety completed a dot probe and eye movement task using angry, disgust and happy facial expressions paired with neutral expressions. Results indicated that dot probe bias scores, eye movement first fixation indices, and eye movement proportions of viewing time in the first 1,500 ms had unacceptably low reliability. However, eye movement indices of attentional bias over the full 5,000 ms time course had excellent reliability. Individuals’ dot probe and eye movement biases were largely uncorrelated across the two tasks and demonstrated little relation with social anxiety scores. Implications for future research are discussed.
Strong Agreement of Nationally Recommended Retention Measures from the Institute of Medicine and Department of Health and Human Services

OBJECTIVE
We sought to quantify agreement between Institute of Medicine (IOM) and Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) retention indicators, which have not been compared in the same population, and assess clinical retention within the largest HIV cohort collaboration in the U.S.


DESIGN
Observational study from 2008-2010, using clinical cohort data in the North American AIDS Cohort Collaboration on Research and Design (NA-ACCORD).


METHODS
Retention definitions used HIV primary care visits. The IOM retention indicator was: ≥2 visits, ≥90 days apart, each calendar year. This was extended to a 2-year period; retention required meeting the definition in both years. The DHHS retention indicator was: ≥1 visit each semester over 2 years, each ≥60 days apart. Kappa statistics detected agreement between indicators and C statistics (areas under Receiver-Operating Characteristic curves) from logistic regression analyses summarized discrimination of the IOM indicator by the DHHS indicator.


RESULTS
Among 36,769 patients in 2008-2009 and 34,017 in 2009-2010, there were higher percentages of participants retained in care under the IOM indicator than the DHHS indicator (80% vs. 75% in 2008-2009; 78% vs. 72% in 2009-2010, respectively) (p<0.01), persisting across all demographic and clinical characteristics (p<0.01). There was high agreement between indicators overall (κ = 0.83 in 2008-2009; κ = 0.79 in 2009-2010, p<0.001), and C statistics revealed a very strong ability to predict retention according to the IOM indicator based on DHHS indicator status, even within characteristic strata.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the IOM indicator consistently reported higher retention in care compared with the DHHS indicator, there was strong agreement between IOM and DHHS retention indicators in a cohort demographically similar to persons living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. Persons with poorer retention represent subgroups of interest for retention improvement programs nationally, particularly in light of the White House Executive Order on the HIV Care Continuum.
A Rawlsian algorithm for autonomous vehicles

Autonomous vehicles must be programmed with procedures for dealing with trolley-style dilemmas where actions result in harm to either pedestrians or passengers. This paper outlines a Rawlsian algorithm as an alternative to the Utilitarian solution. The algorithm will gather the vehicle’s estimation of probability of survival for each person in each action, then calculate which action a self-interested person would agree to if he or she were in an original bargaining position of fairness. I will employ Rawls’ assumption that the Maximin procedure is what self-interested agents would use from an original position, and then show how the Maximin procedure can be operationalized to produce unique outputs over probabilities of survival.
The Effect of Catholic Schooling on Math and Reading Development in Kindergarten Through Fifth Grade

Prior research estimating the effect of Catholic schooling has focused on high school, where evidence suggests a positive effect of Catholic versus public schooling. In this paper, we estimate the effect of attending a Catholic elementary school rather than a public school on the math and reading skills of children in kindergarten through fifth grade. We use nationally representative data and a set of matching estimators to estimate the average effect of Catholic schooling and the extent to which the effect varies across educational markets. When we use public school students nationwide to provide a counterfactual estimate of how Catholic school students would have performed in public schools, we find that strong evidence indicating that Catholic elementary schools are less successful at teaching math skills than public schools (Catholic school students are 3-4 months behind public school students by third and fifth grade), but no more or less successful at teaching reading skills. When we compare Catholic students to matched public school students attending schools in the same county, however, we obtain estimated math effects that are generally somewhere between the (negative) national estimates and zero (but statistically indistinguishable from either). We again find no evidence of a positive or negative Catholic schooling effect on reading skills. The effect of Catholic schooling on math and reading development in kindergarten through fifth grade In this paper, we estimate the effect of attending a Catholic school rather than a public school on the math and reading skills of children in kindergarten through fifth grade. While there has been considerable prior research on the effects of attending a Catholic high school, there is very little existing research on the effects of attending a Catholic elementary school. The paper proceeds as follows. In section 1, we discuss the importance of understanding the effects of Catholic schooling. In section 2, we review prior research on Catholic schooling. In section 3, we describe the data and methods used for our analyses. Section 4 describes our results. In section 5 we discuss the results at length, attending in particular to the reasons why the estimates from different models differ. Section 6 concludes.
Gource: visualizing software version control history

This film demonstrates a tool for visualizing the development history of software projects as an interactive animation, showing developers working on the hierarchical file-directory structure of a project over the course of its development.
Compact UWB and Low-RCS Vivaldi Antenna Using Ultrathin Microwave-Absorbing Materials

In this letter, we present an improved Vivaldi antenna by using ultrathin microwave-absorbing materials (MAMs). The reverse currents at the outer side edges of the Vivaldi antenna always distort its radiation patterns and worsen its VSWR in some frequencies. To solve this problem, the ultrathin MAMs are loaded at the side edges of the antenna to absorb the energy of the current, and also to reduce its radar cross section (RCS). Simulated and measured results show that the proposed antenna operates from 0.8 to 15.5 GHz with VSWR < 2.15, and its gains are more stable than those of the antenna without MAMs in a very wide frequency band. The average monostatic RCSs of the proposed antenna in 2–18-GHz band and $\theta \in [- 30^{\circ}, + 30^{\circ}],\; \phi = [- 45, + 45^{\circ}]$ angle range are less than 0.001 m2, which make it very attractive for a variety of applications.
Cognitive measurements of graph aesthetics

Correspondence: Colin Ware, Data Visualization Research Lab, Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire, 24 Colovos Road, Durham, NH 03824, U.S.A. Tel: 603 862 1138; Fax: 603 862 0839; E-mail: colinw@cisunix.unh.edu Abstract A large class of diagrams can be informally characterized as node–link diagrams. Typically nodes represent entities, and links represent relationships between them. The discipline of graph drawing is concerned with methods for drawing abstract versions of such diagrams. At the foundation of the discipline are a set of graph aesthetics (rules for graph layout) that, it is assumed, will produce graphs that can be clearly understood. Examples of aesthetics include minimizing edge crossings and minimizing the sum of the lengths of the edges. However, with a few notable exceptions, these aesthetics are taken as axiomatic, and have not been empirically tested. We argue that human pattern perception can tell us much that is relevant to the study of graph aesthetics including providing a more detailed understanding of aesthetics and suggesting new ones. In particular, we find the importance of good continuity (ie keeping multi-edge paths as straight as possible) has been neglected. We introduce a methodology for evaluating the cognitive cost of graph aesthetics and we apply it to the task of finding the shortest paths in spring layout graphs. The results suggest that after the length of the path the two most important factors are continuity and edge crossings, and we provide cognitive cost estimates for these parameters. Another important factor is the number of branches emanating from nodes on the path. Information Visualization (2002) 00, 00 – 00. doi:10.1057/palgrave.ivs.9500013
Effective cervical cytology screening programmes in middle-income countries: the Chilean experience.

OBJECTIVE
To demonstrate that an effective cervical cancer screening programme based on the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear can be organized in a middle-income country, such as Chile.


METHODS
The cervical cytology screening programme in Chile is evaluated by comparing process measures and cervical cancer mortality before and after its reorganization in 1987.


FINDINGS
Two decades of opportunistic annual screening for cervical cancer from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s did not reduce cervical cancer mortality in Chile. In 1987, a public health oriented program was launched, based on screening women aged 25-64 every 3 years, rather than the annual screening of low risk women attending family planning clinics that gathered mainly women less than 25 years of age. The reoriented program emphasized the optimization of existing resources, the timeliness of diagnosis and treatment, reliability of the Pap smear and low cost screening promotion strategies at the community level. More than 80% of women with abnormal Pap smears received prompt medical attention and 100% of the public laboratories were subject to external quality control. According to biannual national surveys, coverage by Pap smear screening in the target group rose from 40% in 1990 to 66% in 1996. The age adjusted cervical cancer mortality rate decreased from 12.8 in 1980 to 6.8 per 100,000 women in 2001.


CONCLUSIONS
Improved organization of the national cervical cancer screening programme in Chile and more efficient use of existing resources resulted in a decrease of cervical cancer mortality.
Parameters Estimate of Autoregressive Moving Average and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Models and Compare Their Ability for Inflow Forecasting

In this study the ability of Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) and Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) models in forecas ting the monthly inflow of Dez dam reservoir located in Teleh Zang station in Dez dam upstream i s estimated. ARIMA model has found a widespread application in many practical sciences. In addition, dam reservoir inflow forecasting is done by some methods such as ordinary linear regres sion, ARMA and artificial neural networks. On the other hand, application of both ARMA and ARIMA models simultaneously in order to compare their ability in autoregressive forecast of monthly inflow of dam reservoir has not been carried out i n previous researches. Therefore, this paper attempts to forecast the inflow of Dez dam reservoir by using ARMA and ARIMA models while increasing the nu mber of parameters in order to increase the forecast accuracy to four parameters and comparing them. In ARMA and ARIMA models, the polynomial was derived respectively with four and s ix parameters to forecast the inflow. By comparing root mean square error of the model, it was determi ned that ARIMA model can forecast inflow to the Dez reservoir from 12 months ago with lower error t han the ARMA model.
Risk assessment of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage after thrombolysis using DWI-ASPECTS.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Pretreatment lesion size on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is a risk factor for symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH) associated with thrombolytic treatment. Here, we investigated whether the Alberta Stroke Programme Early CT Score (ASPECTS) applied to DWI images (DWI-ASPECTS) predicts sICH risk accurately.


METHODS
In this retrospective multicenter study, prospectively collected data of 217 patients with anterior circulation stroke treated with intravenous or intraarterial thrombolysis within 6 hours after symptom onset were analyzed. Pretreatment DWI-ASPECTS scores were assessed by 2 independent investigators. For bleeding risk analysis, DWI-ASPECTS scores were either categorized into 0 to 7 (n=105) or 8 to 10 (n=112) or in 3 groups of similar sample size (DWI-ASPECTS 0 to 5 [n=69], 6 to 7 [n=70], and 8 to 10 [n=78]).


RESULTS
DWI-ASPECTS scores correlated well with the DWI lesion volume (r=0.77, P<0.001, Spearman Rank test). Interobserver reliability for the assessment of DWI-ASPECTS was moderate (weighted kappa 0.441 [95% CI 0.373 to 0.509]). Twenty-three (10.6%) patients developed sICH. The sICH rate was significantly higher in patients with DWI-ASPECTS scores 0 to 7 (n=21, 15.1%) as compared to patients with DWI-ASPECTS scores 8 to 10 (n=2, 2.6%, P=0.004). sICH risk was 20.3%, 10%, and 2.6% in the 0 to 5, 6 to 7, and 8 to 10 DWI-ASPECTS groups, respectively. DWI-ASPECTS remained an independent prognostic factor for sICH after adjustment for clinical baseline variables (age, NIHSS, time to thrombolysis).


CONCLUSIONS
DWI-ASPECTS predicts sICH risk after thrombolysis and may be helpful to contributing to quick sICH risk assessment before thrombolytic therapy.
Malignant melanoma of nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses: report of 24 patients and literature review.

OBJECTIVE
To report our experience of the management of patients with primary sinonasal malignant melanoma, and to review the relevant medical literature.


METHOD
Retrospective review examining treatment and outcomes.


RESULTS
Twenty-four patients were treated between 1982 and 2007. The mean age at presentation was 67.5 years. The overall five-year survival was 30 per cent; mean survival was three years and eight months.


CONCLUSION
Sinonasal malignant melanoma is associated with a poor outcome, and survival statistics have not improved over the last 40 years. Treatment should include radical surgery wherever possible. Local recurrence is common; radiotherapy may help control this but does not appear to affect overall survival. The limited evidence available suggests that endoscopic removal of sinonasal malignant melanoma is as effective as other local surgical means, but that craniofacial resection remains the 'gold standard' for tumours that contact or traverse the skull base. Novel biological treatments are emerging and hold promise for the future.