LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Ramadan fasting on metabolic markers, body composition, and dietary intake in Emiratis of Ajman (UAE) with metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND/AIM
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of Ramadan fasting on metabolic markers, body composition and dietary intake in native Emiratis of Ajman, UAE with the metabolic syndrome (MS).


DESIGN
19 patients (14 Female, 5 Male) aged 37.1 ± 12.5 years, were encouraged healthy lifestyle changes during fasting and data was collected 1 week before and in the fourth week of Ramadan.


RESULTS
No patients experienced complications or increased symptoms of hypoglycemia during Ramadan. Total energy consumption remained similar. Meal frequency decreased (3.2 ± 0.5 vs 2.1 ± 0.4 meals/day). Protein intake decreased 12% (P = 0.04) but fat intake increased 23% (P = 0.03). Body weight (103.9 ± 29.8 vs 102.1 ± 29.0 kg, P = 0.001) and waist circumference (123 ± 14 vs 119 ± 17 cm, P = 0.001) decreased. Forty percent of patients increased their physical activity due to increased praying hours. Fasting P-glucose (6.3 ± 1.7 vs 6.8 ± 2.0 mmol/L, P = 0.024) and B-HbA(1c) concentrations 6.3 ± 0.9 vs 6.5% ± 0.9%, P = 0.003) increased but P-insulin concentration, HOMA-IR index and lipid concentrations remained unchanged.


CONCLUSION
The present study investigated the effect of Ramadan fasting on dietary intake, metabolic parameters and body composition showing that the energy consumption per day did not decrease, although the fat intake increased. However, the patients lost weight and reduced their waist circumference. Ramadan fasting has also elicited small but significant increases in Glucose and HbA(1c) after 4 weeks.
A pilot study of the efficacy of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback in patients with fibromyalgia.

UNLABELLED
Fibromyalgia (FM) is a non-inflammatory rheumatologic disorder characterized by musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, depression, cognitive dysfunction and sleep disturbance. Research suggests that autonomic dysfunction may account for some of the symptomatology of FM. An open label trial of biofeedback training was conducted to manipulate suboptimal heart rate variability (HRV), a key marker of autonomic dysfunction.


METHODS
Twelve women ages 18-60 with FM completed 10 weekly sessions of HRV biofeedback. They were taught to breathe at their resonant frequency (RF) and asked to practice twice daily. At sessions 1, 10 and 3-month follow-up, physiological and questionnaire data were collected.


RESULTS
There were clinically significant decreases in depression and pain and improvement in functioning from Session 1 to a 3-month follow-up. For depression, the improvement occurred by Session 10. HRV and blood pressure variability (BPV) increased during biofeedback tasks. HRV increased from Sessions 1-10, while BPV decreased from Session 1 to the 3 month follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that HRV biofeedback may be a useful treatment for FM, perhaps mediated by autonomic changes. While HRV effects were immediate, blood pressure, baroreflex, and therapeutic effects were delayed. This is consistent with data on the relationship among stress, HPA axis activity, and brain function.
Who Owns the Media

We examine the patterns of media ownership in 97 countries around the world. We find that almost universally the largest media firms are owned by the government or by private families. Government ownership is more pervasive in broadcasting than in the printed media. Government ownership of the media is generally associated with less press freedom, fewer political and economic rights, and, most conspicuously, inferior social outcomes in the areas of education and health. It does not appear that adverse consequences of government ownership of the media are restricted solely to the instances of government monopoly. 1 We thank Mei-Ling Lavecchia, Stefka Slavova, and especially Lihong Wang for excellent research assistance, and Tim Besley, Edward Glaeser, Simon Johnson, Lawrence Katz, Philip Keefer, Aart Kraay, Rafael La Porta, Mark Nelson, Russell Pittman, and Andrew Weiss for helpful comments. Roumeen Islam, Director of the World Development Report 2001, provided valuable input at all stages of the project. The collection of the data was organized and financed by the World Development Report 2001: Institutions for Markets. 2
Planar fiber packaging method for silicon photonic integrated circuits

A novel method for fiber packaging silicon waveguides is presented. The process uses angled fibers and capillary action of UV-cure epoxy. The technique is suited to passive alignment and can be scaled for fiber arrays.
Influence of processing-induced phase transformations on the dissolution of theophylline tablets

The object of this investigation was to evaluate the influence of (1) processing-induced decrease in drug crystallinity and (2) phase transformations during dissolution, on the per-formance of theophylline tablet formulations. Anhydrous theophylline underwent multiple transformations (anhydrate »hydrate»anhydrate) during processing. Although the crystallinity of the anhydrate obtained finally was lower than that of the unprocessed drug, it dissolved at a slower rate. This decrease in dissolution rate was attributed to the accelerated anhydrate to hydrate transformationduring the dissolution run. Water vapor sorption studies proved to be a good predictor of powder dissolution behavior. While a decrease in crystallinity was brought about either by milling or by granulation, the effect on tablet dissolution was pronounced only in the latter. Tablet formulations prepared from the granules exhibited higher hardness, longer disintegration time, and slower dissolution than those containing the milled drug. The granules underwent plastic deformation during compression resulting in harder tablets, with delayed disintegration. The high hardness coupled with rapid anhydrate»hydrate transformationduring dissolution resulted in the formation of a hydrate layer on the tablet surface, which further delayed tablet disintegration and, consequently, dissolution. Phase transformations during processing and, more importantly, during dissolution influenced the observed dissolution rates. Product performance was a complex function of the physical state of the active and the processing conditions.
A Voltage Scalable 0.26 V, 64 kb 8T SRAM With V$_{\min}$ Lowering Techniques and Deep Sleep Mode

A voltage scalable 0.26 V, 64 kb 8T SRAM with 512 cells per bitline is implemented in a 130 nm CMOS process. Utilization of the reverse short channel effect in a SRAM cell design improves cell write margin and read performance without the aid of peripheral circuits. A marginal bitline leakage compensation (MBLC) scheme compensates for the bitline leakage current which becomes comparable to a read current at subthreshold supply voltages. The MBLC allows us to lower Vmin to 0.26 V and also eliminates the need for precharged read bitlines. A floating read bitline and write bitline scheme reduces the leakage power consumption. A deep sleep mode minimizes the standby leakage power consumption without compromising the hold mode cell stability. Finally, an automatic wordline pulse width control circuit tracks PVT variations and shuts off the bitline leakage current upon completion of a read operation.
A New Sensorless Control Scheme for Brushless DC Motors without Phase Shift Circuit

This paper presents the design, analysis, and implementation of a high performance and cost effective sensorless control scheme for the extensively used brushless DC motors (BLDCMs). Taking into consideration cost and ease of implementation, the commutation signals are obtained without the motor neutral voltage, multistage analog filters, A/D converter, and the complex digital phase shift (delay) circuit which are indispensable in the conventional sensorless control algorithms. Instead of detecting the zero crossing point of the non-excited phase back EMF to the neutral voltage, the commutation signals are extracted directly from the specific average terminal voltages with simple RC circuits and comparators in this study. Since the neutral voltage is not needed, the extracted commutation signal is insensitive to the common mode noise, hence the low speed performance is superior to the conventional methods. Moreover, the complex phase shift circuit has been eliminated. As a result, the control algorithm can be easily interfaced with the cost effective commercial Hall effect sensor based commutation ICs. Because of the inherent low cost property, the proposed algorithm is particularly suitable for cost sensitive products such as air purifiers, air blowers, cooling fans, and related home appliances. Theoretical analysis and experimental results show that the proposed control algorithm exhibits superior performance over a wide operation range when compared with the conventional solutions
Rivastigmine transdermal patch skin tolerability: results of a 1-year clinical trial in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Transdermal patches provide non-invasive, continuous drug delivery, and offer significant potential advantages over oral treatments. With all transdermal treatments a proportion of patients will experience some form of skin reaction. The rivastigmine patch has been approved for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) since July 2007 in the US. The aim of the component of the trial reported here was to evaluate the skin tolerability of the rivastigmine transdermal patch in patients with mild-to-moderate AD.


METHODS
The pivotal IDEAL trial was a 24-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial of the efficacy and tolerability of the rivastigmine transdermal patch in 1195 patients with mild-to-moderate AD. This was followed by a 28-week open-label extension. Although not prospectively defined as a secondary assessment, during both phases of the study the condition of the patients' skin at the application site was evaluated. These data are reviewed in this article.


RESULTS
During the 24-week, double-blind phase of the study, 89.6% of patients in the target 9.5 mg/24 h patch treatment group had recorded 'no, slight or mild' signs or symptoms for their most severe application-site reaction. Erythema and pruritus were the most commonly reported reactions. No patient in any patch treatment group experienced a skin reaction that was reported as a serious adverse event. In the 9.5 mg/24 h treatment group, 2.4% of patients discontinued treatment due to an application-site reaction. During the 28-week open-label extension, the skin tolerability profile was similar to that seen in the double-blind phase. Overall, 3.7% of patients discontinued treatment due to application-site skin reactions. There was no indication that the severity of the skin reactions increased over time.


CONCLUSION
Overall, the data support a favourable skin tolerability profile for the rivastigmine transdermal patch, and provide reassurance that the benefits of rivastigmine patch therapy for patients with AD are not confounded by significant skin irritation problems. Nevertheless, care should be taken to follow manufacturer's advice about patch application, such as daily rotation of the application site, to minimize the risk of skin reactions.
Examining perceptions of agility in software development practice

Introduction
 Organizations undertaking software development are often reminded that successful practice depends on a number of non-technical issues that are managerial, cultural and organizational in nature. These issues cover aspects from appropriate corporate structure, through software process development and standardization to effective collaborative practice. Since the articulation of the 'software crisis' in the late-1960s, significant effort has been put into addressing problems related to the cost, time and quality of software development via the application of systematic processes and management practices for software engineering. Early efforts resulted in prescriptive structured methods, which have evolved and expanded over time to embrace consortia/ company-led initiatives such as the Unified Modeling Language and the Unified Process alongside formal process improvement frameworks such as the International Standards Organization's 9000 series, the Capability Maturity Model and SPICE.
 More recently, the philosophy behind traditional plan-based initiatives has been questioned by the agile movement, which seeks to emphasize the human and craft aspects of software development over and above the engineering aspects. Agile practice is strongly collaborative in its outlook, favoring individuals and interactions over processes and tools, working software over comprehensive documentation, customer collaboration over contract negotiation, and responding to change over following a plan (see Sidebar 1). Early experience reports on the use of agile practice suggest some success in dealing with the problems of the software crisis, and suggest that plan-based and agile practice are not mutually exclusive. Indeed, flexibility may arise from this unlikely marriage in an aim to strike a balance between the rigor of traditional plan-based approaches and the need for adaptation of those to suit particular development situations. With this in mind, this article surveys the current practice in software engineering alongside perceptions of senior development managers in relation to agile practice in order to understand the principles of agility that may be practiced implicitly and their effects on plan-based approach.
Ledipasvir and sofosbuvir in patients with genotype 1 hepatitis C virus infection and compensated cirrhosis: An integrated safety and efficacy analysis.

UNLABELLED
Patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and cirrhosis are underrepresented in clinical trials of interferon-free regimens of direct-acting antiviral agents, making it difficult to optimize therapy. We performed a post-hoc analysis of data from seven clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the fixed-dose combination of ledipasvir (LDV) and sofosbuvir (SOF), with and without ribavirin (RBV), in 513 treatment-naïve and previously treated patients with genotype 1 HCV and compensated cirrhosis. All patients received LDV-SOF for 12 or 24 weeks with or without RBV. We determined the rates of sustained virological response (SVR) 12 weeks after treatment (SVR12) overall and for subgroups. Of the 513 patients analyzed, 69% were previously treated and 47% had failed previous treatment with a protease-inhibitor regimen. Overall, 493 patients (96%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 94%-98%) achieved SVR12, 98% of treatment-naïve and 95% of previously treated patients. SVR12 rates did not vary greatly by treatment duration (95% of patients receiving 12 weeks and 98% of patients receiving 24 weeks of treatment), nor by addition of RBV (95% of patients receiving LDV-SOF alone and 97% of those who received LDV-SOF plus RBV), although previously treated patients receiving 12 weeks of LDV-SOF without RBV had an SVR12 rate of 90%. One patient discontinued LDV-SOF because of an adverse event (AE). The most common AEs were headache (23%), fatigue (16%-19%), and asthenia (14%-16%). One patient (<1%) of those receiving LDV-SOF alone, and 4 (2%) of those receiving LDV-SOF plus RBV had treatment-related serious AEs.


CONCLUSIONS
This analysis suggests that 12 weeks of LDV-SOF is safe and effective for treatment-naïve patients with HCV genotype 1 and compensated cirrhosis. The relatively lower SVR in treatment-experienced patients treated with 12 weeks of LDV-SOF raises the question of whether these patients would benefit from adding RBV or extending treatment duration to 24 weeks.
Cardiorespiratory fitness changes in patients receiving comprehensive outpatient cardiac rehabilitation in the UK: a multicentre study.

To cite: Sandercock GRH, Cardoso F, Almodhy M, et al. Heart 2013;99: 785–790. ABSTRACT Background Exercise training is a key component of cardiac rehabilitation but there is a discrepancy between the high volume of exercise prescribed in trials comprising the evidence base and the lower volume prescribed to UK patients. Objective To quantify prescribed exercise volume and changes in cardiorespiratory fitness in UK cardiac rehabilitation patients. Methods We accessed n=950 patients who completed cardiac rehabilitation at four UK centres and extracted clinical data and details of cardiorespiratory fitness testing preand post-rehabilitation. We calculated mean and effect size (d) for change in fitness at each centre and converted values to metabolic equivalent (METs). We calculated a fixed-effects estimate of change in fitness expressed as METs and d. Results Patients completed 6 to 16 (median 8) supervised exercise sessions. Effect sizes for changes in fitness were d=0.34–0.99 in test-specific raw units and d=0.34–0.96 expressed as METs. The pooled fixed effect estimate for change in fitness was 0.52 METs (95% CI 0.51 to 0.53); or an effect size of d=0.59 (95% CI 0.58 to 0.60). Conclusion Gains in fitness varied by centre and fitness assessment protocol but the overall increase in fitness (0.52 METs) was only a third the mean estimate reported in a recent systematic review (1.55 METs). The starkest difference in clinical practice in the UK centres we sampled and the trials which comprise the evidencebase for cardiac rehabilitation was the small volume of exercise completed by UK patients. The exercise training volume prescribed was also only a third that reported in most international studies. If representative of UK services, these low training volumes and small increases in cardiorespiratory fitness may partially explain the reported inefficacy of UK cardiac rehabilitation to reduce patient mortality and morbidity.
Plasma homocysteine predicts mortality independently of traditional risk factors and C-reactive protein in patients with angiographically defined coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND
Plasma homocysteine (tHCY) has been associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). We tested whether tHCY also increases secondary risk, after initial CAD diagnosis, and whether it is independent of traditional risk factors, C-reactive protein (CRP), and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotype.


METHODS AND RESULTS
Blood samples were collected from 1412 patients with severe angiographically defined CAD (stenosis >/=70%). Plasma tHCY was measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. The study cohort was evaluated for survival after a mean of 3.0+/-1.0 years of follow-up (minimum 1.5 years, maximum 5.0 years). The average age of the patients was 65+/-11 years, 77% were males, and 166 died during follow-up. Mortality was greater in patients with tHCY in tertile 3 than in tertiles 1 and 2 (mortality 15.7% versus 9.6%, P:=0.001 [log-rank test], hazard ratio [HR] 1.63). The relative hazard increased 16% for each 5-micromol/L increase in tHCY (P:<0.001). In multivariate Cox regression analysis, controlling for univariate clinical and laboratory predictors, elevated tHCY remained predictive of mortality (HR 1.64, P:=0.009), together with age (HR 1. 72 per 10-year increment, P:<0.0001), ejection fraction (HR 0.84 per 10% increment, P:=0.0001), diabetes (HR 1.98, P:=0.001), CRP (HR 1. 42 per tertile, P:=0.004), and hyperlipidemia. Homozygosity for the MTHFR variant was weakly predictive of tHCY levels but not mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
In patients with angiographically defined CAD, tHCY is a significant predictor of mortality, independent of traditional risk factors, CRP, and MTHFR genotype. These findings increase interest in tHCY as a secondary risk marker and in secondary prevention trials (ie, with folate/B vitamins) to determine whether reduction in tHCY will reduce risk.
Antibacterial activities of some plant extracts used in Indian traditional folk medicine

Resistance of microbes to available antimicrobial agents is a major global public health problem. Infective diseases account for approximately one half of all deaths in tropics. Plants have been an integral part of human society since the beginning of civilization. India is rich in its plant diversity. A number of plants have been documented for their medicinal potential, which are used by the traditional healers, herbals folklorists in Indian systems of medicine namely Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha apart from homeopathy and electropathy. These plant species play major roles in the health care of the nation’s population. Different national and international pharmaceutical companies are utilizing such plant-based formulations in treatment of various diseases and disorders around the world[1-7]. Cestrum diurnum (C. diurnum) L. (Solanaceae) is a shrub that is also known as day jasmine. There are several applications of the plant that have been well documented in several literatures and the toxicity of the species to humans and livestock has been frequently reported[8,9]. The leaves contain a calcinogenic glycoside called 1, 25dihydroxycholocalciferol that leads to a vitamin D toxicity and elevated serum Ca and deposition of calcium in soft tissues[10]. Ocimum sanctum (O. sanctum) L. (Lamiaceae), commonly known as tulsi, is a tropical, much branched, annual herb. Apart from the religious significance, it also has substantial medicinal meanings and is used in Ayurvedic treatment. Tulsi is reported to be anti-inflammatory due to the presence of eugenol oil in its leaves. It is useful in curing respiratory tract infections. The urosolic acid present in tulsi has anti-allergic properties. The plant can play a role in the management of immunological disorders such as allergies and asthma. The juice of the leaves is used against fever and as an antidote for snake and scorpion bites. It’s antispasmodic properties can relieve abdominal pains and help in lowering the blood sugar level[11]. Carica papaya (C. papaya) L. (Caricaceae), commonly known as papaya, is a small, soft-wooded, fast growing, short lived laticiferous tree upto 8.0 m in height with a straight cylindric stem bearing characteristics i.e. leaf scars throughout and with a tuft of leaves at the top; leaves deeply lobed, palm-like with characteristically long. The ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Cultural differences in the online behavior of consumers

Understanding how different cultures use the Net---as well as perceive the same Web sites---can translate to truly global e-commerce.
Linear lesion cryoablation for the treatment of atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia in pediatrics and young adults.

BACKGROUND
Radiofrequency (RF) ablation is a relatively safe and effective method for treatment of atrioventricular nodal re-entry tachycardia (AVNRT), but carries a 1-2% risk of AV nodal injury. Cryothermal ablation reduces the risk of AV block, but has had decreased procedural success and increased recurrence of tachycardia. We sought to evaluate the technique of linear lesion cryoablation (LLC) for treatment of AVNRT.


METHODS
Single institution retrospective cohort study. Each patient underwent slow pathway modification using either RF, single lesion cryoablation, or LLC. Procedural success, recurrence, freedom from tachycardia 12 months following ablation and fluoroscopy time were compared between ablation methods.


RESULTS
A total of 125 patients, median age 15.5 (4.7-23.1) years, underwent ablation: 32 RF energy, 31 single lesion cryoablation, 62 LLC. Procedural success was obtained in 94% of the LLC group compared to 58% using single lesion cryoablation (P ≤ 0.001). Ninety-seven percent of the LLC group was free from tachycardia recurrence, significantly higher than with single lesion cryoablation (68%, P = 0.001) and equal to that of RF (97%, P = NS). Fluoroscopy time was reduced in the LLC group compared to both single lesion and RF groups (P = 0.02). There was no permanent AV nodal injury in the cryoablation groups.


CONCLUSION
LLC is an effective means of treatment for AVNRT and is associated with significantly improved procedural success and freedom from recurrence compared to single lesion methods, while at the same time obtaining equivalent efficacy to RF.