LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
GET.ON Mood Enhancer: efficacy of Internet-based guided self-help compared to psychoeducation for depression: an investigator-blinded randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND
Major depressive disorder (MDD) imposes a considerable disease burden on individuals and societies. A large number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have shown the efficacy of Internet-based guided self-help interventions in reducing symptoms of depression. However, study quality varies considerably. The aim of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a new Internet-based guided self-help intervention (GET.ON Mood Enhancer) compared to online-based psychoeducation in an investigator-blinded RCT.


METHODS/DESIGN
A RCT will be conducted to compare the efficacy of GET.ON Mood Enhancer with an active control condition receiving online psychoeducation on depression (OPD). Both treatment groups will have full access to treatment as usual. Adults with MDD (n=128) will be recruited and randomised to one of the two conditions. Primary outcome will be observer-rated depressive symptoms (HRSD-24) by independent assessors blind to treatment conditions. Secondary outcomes include changes in self-reported depressive symptom severity, anxiety and quality of life. Additionally, potential negative effects of the treatments will systematically be evaluated on several dimensions (for example, symptom deteriorations, attitudes toward seeking psychological help, relationships and stigmatisation). Assessments will take place at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks after randomisation.


DISCUSSION
This study evaluates a new Internet-based guided self-help intervention for depression using an active control condition (psychoeducation-control) and an independent, blinded outcome evaluation. This study will further enhance the evidence for Internet-based guided self-help interventions for MDD.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
German Clinical Trial Registration (DRKS): DRKS00005025.
Ontology Population via NLP Techniques in Risk Management

In this paper we propose an NLP-based method for Ontology Population from texts and apply it to semi automatic instantiate a Generic Knowledge Base (Generic Domain Ontology) in the risk management domain. The approach is semi-automatic and uses a domain expert intervention for validation. The proposed approach relies on a set of Instances Recognition Rules based on syntactic structures, and on the predicative power of verbs in the instantiation process. It is not domain dependent since it heavily relies on linguistic knowledge. A description of an experiment performed on a part of the ontology of the PRIMA project (supported by the European community) is given. A first validation of the method is done by populating this ontology with Chemical Fact Sheets from Environmental Protection Agency. The results of this experiment complete the paper and support the hypothesis that relying on the predicative power of verbs in the instantiation process improves the performance. Keywords—Information Extraction, Instance Recognition Rules, Ontology Population, Risk Management, Semantic analysis.
An Open-Source Octave Toolbox for VTLN-Based Voice Conversion

This paper introduces the Voice Conversion Octave Toolbox made available to the public as open source. The first version of the toolbox features tools for VTLN-based voice conversion supporting a variety of warping functions. The authors describe the implemented functionality and how to configure the included tools.
Scalable risk assessment method for cloud computing using game theory (CCRAM)

Cloud Computing is one of the most popular information processing concepts of today’s IT world. The security of the cloud computing is complicated because each service model uses different infrastructure elements. Security elements implemented in a model are transferred to other persons or entities in another model. Each asset may need different security level than other assets depending on the deployment or service model. Therefore, unnecessary security measures may be applied for unimportant information. This may cause to increase the cost of protection. Current risk assessment models generally cannot be applied to cloud computing systems that changes its states very rapidly. In this work, a scalable security risk assessment model has been proposed for cloud computing as a solution of this problem using game theory. Using this method, we can evaluate whether the risk in the system should be fixed by cloud provider or tenant of the system. Keywords— Cloud Computing Security, Scalable Security using Cloud Service Models, Game Theory Security Modeling
Comparison of pharmacokinetics and systemic effects of inhaled fluticasone propionate in patients with asthma and healthy volunteers: a randomised crossover study

BACKGROUND
Inhaled corticosteroids are currently the cornerstone of asthma treatment. Some studies of high-dose fluticasone propionate in patients with no or mild asthma have, however, suggested substantial systemic absorption. We investigated the pharmacokinetics of fluticasone propionate in patients with asthma receiving appropriate doses for severity.


METHODS
We did a double-blind, randomised, crossover study in 11 patients with asthma and 13 matched healthy controls (age 20-65 years; asthma patients forced expiratory volume in 1 s <75% and stable on high-dose inhaled corticosteroids). Patients received one 1000 microg intravenous dose or 1000 microg daily for 7 days inhaled (via spacer device) fluticasone propionate. In the 12 h after dosing, we monitored plasma fluticasone propionate and cortisol concentrations by mass spectrometry and competitive immunoassay with use of direct chemiluminescence. Analysis was by intention to treat.


FINDINGS
After inhalation, geometric mean values were significantly lower in the asthma group than in controls for fluticasone propionate plasma area under curve (1082 [95% CI 850-1451] vs 2815 pg mL(-1) h(-1) [2262-3949], -62% difference [45-72]; p<0.001), maximum concentrations (117 [91-159] vs 383 pg/mL [302-546], -68% [-50 to -81]; p<0.001), and systemic bioavailability (10.1 [7.9-14.0] vs 21.4% [15.4-32.2], -54% [-27 to -70]; p=0.001). Intravenous-dose clearance, volume of distribution at steady state, plasma half-life, and mean residence time, were similar in the two groups. Less suppression of plasma cortisol concentrations was seen in the asthma group than in controls 4-12 h after inhaled fluticasone propionate.


INTERPRETATION
Systemic availability of fluticasone propionate is substantially less in patients with moderate to severe asthma than in healthy controls. Inhaled corticosteroids that are absorbed through the lungs need to be assessed in patients who are receiving doses appropriate for disease severity, and not in normal volunteers.
Similarity Measures and Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Time Series Data Mining

© 2012 Cassisi et al., licensee InTech. This is an open access chapter distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Similarity Measures and Dimensionality Reduction Techniques for Time Series Data Mining
Evaluation of efficacy of the perioperative administration of Venlafaxine or gabapentin on acute and chronic postmastectomy pain.

OBJECTIVES
Postmastectomy pain syndrome is a neuropathic pain syndrome that is known to develop after breast surgery. Preemptive analgesia has been shown to be efficacious in reducing postoperative pain, and may be effective in reducing the incidence of certain types of neuropathic pain. We investigated the analgesic efficacy of Venlafaxine and gabapentin on acute and chronic pain associated with cancer breast surgery.


PATIENTS AND METHODS
The study was carried out on 150 patients scheduled for either partial or radical mastectomy with axillary dissection. They were randomized in a double-blinded manner to receive, extended release Venlafaxine 37.5 mg/d, gabapentin 300 mg/d, or placebo for 10 days starting the night before operation. Pain scores were recorded at rest and movement (visual analog scale) at 4, 12, and 24 hours on the first day postoperatively, daily from the second to tenth day postoperatively and visual analog scale in addition to pain character 6 months later. Analgesic requirements were compared between the 3 groups.


RESULTS
Pain after movement was reduced by gabapentin from the second to tenth postoperative day and venlafaxine group in the last 3 days but no difference was found between the groups regarding pain during rest. Gabapentin reduced morphine consumed in the first 24 hours postoperatively. The analgesic requirements from the second to tenth days for codeine and paracetamol were reduced in venlafaxine and gabapentin groups compared to the control group. Six months later, the incidence of chronic pain, its intensity, and need for analgesics were reduced in venlafaxine compared to gabapentin and the placebo group. However, burning pain was more frequent in the control groups than in the gabapentin.


CONCLUSION
Venlafaxine 37.5 mg/d extended release or gabapentin 300 mg/d have equipotent effects (except on the first day in venlafaxine group) in reducing analgesic requirements, although gabapentin is more effective in reducing pain after movement. Venlafaxine significantly reduced the incidence of postmastectomy pain syndromes (chronic pain) 6 months in women having breast cancer surgery. Gabapentin had no effect on chronic pain except decreasing incidence of burning pain.
The development of a symptom questionnaire for assessing virtual reality viewing using a head-mounted display.

PURPOSE
Virtual reality devices, including virtual reality head-mounted displays, are becoming increasingly accessible to the general public as technological advances lead to reduced costs. However, there are numerous reports that adverse effects such as ocular discomfort and headache are associated with these devices. To investigate these adverse effects, questionnaires that have been specifically designed for other purposes such as investigating motion sickness have often been used. The primary purpose of this study was to develop a standard questionnaire for use in investigating symptoms that result from virtual reality viewing. In addition, symptom duration and whether priming subjects elevates symptom ratings were also investigated.


METHODS
A list of the most frequently reported symptoms following virtual reality viewing was determined from previously published studies and used as the basis for a pilot questionnaire. The pilot questionnaire, which consisted of 12 nonocular and 11 ocular symptoms, was administered to two groups of eight subjects. One group was primed by having them complete the questionnaire before immersion; the other group completed the questionnaire postviewing only. Postviewing testing was carried out immediately after viewing and then at 2-min intervals for a further 10 min.


RESULTS
Priming subjects did not elevate symptom ratings; therefore, the data were pooled and 16 symptoms were found to increase significantly. The majority of symptoms dissipated rapidly, within 6 min after viewing. Frequency of endorsement data showed that approximately half of the symptoms on the pilot questionnaire could be discarded because <20% of subjects experienced them.


CONCLUSIONS
Symptom questionnaires to investigate virtual reality viewing can be administered before viewing, without biasing the findings, allowing calculation of the amount of change from pre- to postviewing. However, symptoms dissipate rapidly and assessment of symptoms needs to occur in the first 5 min postviewing. Thirteen symptom questions, eight nonocular and five ocular, were determined to be useful for a questionnaire specifically related to virtual reality viewing using a head-mounted display.
DIFFERENTIAL ALGEBRA A SCHEME THEORY APPROACH

Two results in Differential Algebra, Kolchin’s irreducibility theorem, and a result on descent of projective varieties (due to Buium) are proved using methods of “modern” or “Grothendieck style” algebraic geometry.
Highly adaptable MEMS-based display with wide projection angle

We demonstrate a MEMS-based display system with a very wide projection angle of up to 120deg. The system utilizes a gimbal-less two-axis micromirror scanner for high-speed laser beam-steering in both axes. The optical scan angle of the micromirrors is up to 16deg on each axis. A custom-designed fisheye lens is utilized to magnify scan angles. The system can display a variety of vector graphics as well as multiframe animations at arbitrary refresh rates, up to the overall bandwidth limit of the MEMS device. It is also possible to operate the scanners in point-to-point scanning, resonant and/or rastering modes. The system is highly adaptable for projection on a variety of surfaces including projection on specially coated transparent surfaces (Fig. 3.) The size of the displayed area, refresh rate, display mode (vector graphic or image raster,) and many other parameters are all adjustable by the user. The small size of the MEMS devices and lens as well as the ultra-low power consumption of the MEMS devices, in the milliwatt range, makes the overall system highly portable and miniaturizable.
Imaging in the surgical treatment of epilepsy

Medically refractory focal epilepsy is potentially curable by surgery. This Review considers the application of recent advances in structural and functional brain imaging to increase the number of patients with epilepsy who are treated surgically, and to reduce the risk of complications arising from such intervention. Current optimal MRI of brain structure can identify previously undetectable lesions, with voxel-based and quantitative analyses further increasing the diagnostic yield. If MRI proves unremarkable, PET (with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose) and single-photon emission CT of ictal–interictal cerebral blood flow might identify the brain region that contains the epileptic focus. Magnetoencephalography plus simultaneous EEG and functional MRI can map the location of interictal epileptic discharges, thereby facilitating placement of intracranial recording electrodes to define the site of seizure onset. Functional MRI can also lateralize language and localize primary motor, somatosensory and language areas, and shows promise for predicting the effects of temporal lobe resection on memory. Tractography can visualize the main cerebral white matter tracts, thereby predicting and reducing surgery risk. Currently, displays of the optic radiation and pyramidal tracts are the most relevant for epilepsy surgery. Reliable integration of structural and functional data into surgical image-guidance systems is being pursued, and promises safer neurosurgery for epilepsy in the future.
Origins of Taylor's power law for fluctuation scaling in complex systems.

Taylor's fluctuation scaling (FS) has been observed in many natural and man-made systems revealing an amazing universality of the law. Here, we give a reliable explanation for the origins and abundance of Taylor's FS in different complex systems. The universality of our approach is validated against real world data ranging from bird and insect populations through human chromosomes and traffic intensity in transportation networks to stock market dynamics. Using fundamental principles of statistical physics (both equilibrium and nonequilibrium) we prove that Taylor's law results from the well-defined number of states of a system characterized by the same value of a macroscopic parameter (i.e., the number of birds observed in a given area, traffic intensity measured as a number of cars passing trough a given observation point or daily activity in the stock market measured in millions of dollars).
Circumferential pulmonary vein isolation and linear left atrial ablation as a single-catheter technique to achieve bidirectional conduction block: the pace-and-ablate approach.

BACKGROUND
Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation has become a cornerstone for ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Circular mapping catheter (CMC)-guided techniques for detection of lesion gaps are challenging.


OBJECTIVE
The present study describes a new concept of circumferential PV ablation aiming at bidirectional conduction block based on simultaneous pacing and ablation through the tip of a single mapping/ablation catheter.


METHODS
A total of 147 patients with AF received circumferential PV ablation. In persistent AF, a posterior "box" lesion and a mitral isthmus line were added. All procedures were performed in sinus rhythm. Gaps within the left atrial (LA) ablation lines were detected and closed using voltage and pace mapping through the mapping/ablation catheter. Bidirectional conduction block was the procedural end point. Subsequently, the end point was validated by an independent electrophysiologist using a CMC.


RESULTS
Procedural and radiation time measured 188 +/- 55 and 37 +/- 15 min. Bidirectional PV conduction block (lack of PV potentials and lack of LA capture) was found in 140 of 147 (95%) patients with single mapping/ablation catheter and in 138 of 147 (94%) patients with CMC. Early PV reconduction was seen in 22 of 147 (15%) patients. After 12 months follow-up, 84% of the patients were free from AF and/or atrial macro-re-entrant tachycardia. The rate of reablations was 10% and 24% for patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF, respectively.


CONCLUSION
Pacing and ablation from the tip of the mapping/ablation catheter is feasible to detect and close gaps within long atrial ablation lines to consistently achieve bidirectional conduction block.
Softmax Discriminant Classifier

A simple but effective classifier, which is called soft max discriminant classifier or SDC for short, is presented. Based on the soft max discriminant function, SDC assigns the label information to a new testing sample by nonlinear transformation of the distance between the testing sample and training samples. Experimental results on some well-known data sets demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Perceived learning environment and students ’ emotional experiences : A multilevel analysis of mathematics classrooms *

A multilevel approach was used to analyse relationships between perceived classroom environments and emotions in mathematics. Based on Pekrun’s (2000) [A social-cognitive, control-value theory of achievement emotions. In J. Heckhausen (Ed.), Motivational psychology of human development (pp. 143e163)] social-cognitive, control-value theory of achievement emotions, we hypothesized that environmental characteristics conveying control and value to the students would be related to their experience of enjoyment, anxiety, anger, and boredom in mathematics. Multilevel modelling of data from 1623 students from 69 classes (grades 5e10) confirmed close relationships between environmental variables and emotional experiences that functioned predominantly at the individual level. Compositional effects further revealed that classes’ aggregate environment perceptions as well as their compositions in terms of aggregate achievement and gender ratio were additionally linked to students’ emotions in mathematics. Methodological and practical implications of the findings are discussed. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Law , Finance , and Economic Growth

This paper examines the connection between the legal environment and financial development, and then traces this link through to long-run economic growth. Countries with legal and regulatory systems that (1) give a high priority to creditors receiving the full present value of their claims on corporations, (2) enforce contracts effectively, and (3) promote comprehensive and accurate financial reporting by corporations have better-developed financial intermediaries. The data also indicate that the exogenous component of financial intermediary development – the component of financial intermediary development defined by the legal and regulatory environment – is positively associated with economic growth. * Department of Economics, 114 Rouss Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903-3288; RL9J@virginia.edu. I thank Thorsten Beck, Maria Carkovic, Bill Easterly, Lant Pritchett, Andrei Shleifer, and seminar participants at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, the University of Virginia, and the World Bank for helpful comments.
Effects of prepulses and d-amphetamine on performance and event-related potential measures on an auditory discrimination task

Rationale: Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle reflex is a measure of sensorimotor gating, that is the processing of the startle stimulus (S2) is inhibited by the interfering processing of a closely preceding prepulse (S1). It has been demonstrated that PPI is disrupted in a variety of mental disorders and that several neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine, participate in the modulation of sensorimotor gating. Previous studies have also shown that a task-relevant S1 enhances PPI in healthy subjects but not in schizophrenic patients. These findings indicate an influence of attentional processes on sensorimotor gating and an impairment of this modulation in schizophrenia. Objective: Assuming a dopamine-mediated suppression of S1 processing as a mechanism of resource management and selective attention, which might be impaired in certain mental disorders, the present study investigated the effects of the indirect dopaminergic agonist d-amphetamine on prepulse-altered S2 discrimination and event related potentials (ERPs). Methods: Twelve healthy volunteers were tested in a double-blind, placebo-controlled experimental design. Here, S2 is the target in a difficult Go/NoGo auditory discrimination task. Results: Confirming our previous results, S2 processing is ”accentuated” by a weak acoustic prepulse in healthy subjects, thus leading to a lower rate of errors of omission but also to more false alarms (i.e. a liberal response bias). This performance change correlated with a prepulse-induced increase in the amplitude of the P3 ERP towards non-targets (”prepulse-induced non-target positivity”; PINTP). In addition, the results of the present study show that under prepulse conditions amphetamine disrupts ”S2 accentuation” associated with a dose-related reduction of the P2 component of the S1 response and a plasma level related reduction of PINTP. Conclusions: These data suggest an involuntary attentional shift towards S1 processing with increasing dopamine-release similar to that observed in patients with schizophrenia or OCD. It is concluded that sensory gating alters selective attention via dopaminergic modulation.
Representing Animations by Principal Components

In this paper, we present a representation for three-dimensional geometric animation sequences. Different from standard key-frame techniques, this approach is based on the determination of principal animation components and decouples the animation from the underlying geometry. The new representation supports progressive animation compression with spatial, as well as temporal, level-of-detail and high compression ratios. The distinction of animation and geometry allows for mapping animations onto other objects.