LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Antithyroid drug regimen for treating Graves' hyperthyroidism.

BACKGROUND
Antithyroid drugs are widely used in the therapy of hyperthyroidism. There are wide variations in the dose, regimen or duration of treatment used by health professionals.


OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of dose, regimen and duration of antithyroid drug therapy for Graves' hyperthyroidism.


SEARCH STRATEGY
We searched seven databases and reference lists.


SELECTION CRITERIA
Randomised and quasi-randomised trials of antithyroid medication for Graves' hyperthyroidism.


DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
Two authors independently extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Pooling of data for primary outcomes, and select exploratory analyses were undertaken.


MAIN RESULTS
Twenty-six randomised trials involving 3388 participants were included. Overall the quality of trials, as reported, was poor. None of the studies investigated incidence of hypothyroidism, changes in weight, health-related quality of life, ophthalmopathy progression or economic outcomes. Four trials examined the effect of duration of therapy on relapse rates, and when using the titration regimen 12 months was superior to six months, but there was no benefit in extending treatment beyond 18 months. Twelve trials examined the effect of block-replace versus titration block-regimens. The relapse rates were similar in both groups at 51% in the block-replace group and 54% in the titration block-group (OR 0.86, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68 to1.08) though adverse effects (rashes (10% versus 6%) and withdrawing due to side effects (16% versus 9%)) were significantly higher in the block-replace group. Three studies considered the addition of thyroxine with continued low dose antithyroid therapy after initial therapy with antithyroid drugs. There was significant heterogeneity between the studies and the difference between the two groups was not significant (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.05 to 6.21). Four studies considered the addition of thyroxine alone after initial therapy with antithyroid drugs. There was no significant difference in the relapse rates between the groups after 12 months follow-up (OR 1.15, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.67). Two studies considered the addition of immunosuppressive agents. The results which were in favour of the interventions would need to be validated in other populations.


AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
The evidence suggests that the optimal duration of antithyroid drug therapy for the titration regimen is 12 to 18 months. The titration (low dose) regimen had fewer adverse effects than the block-replace (high dose) regimen and was no less effective. Continued thyroxine treatment following initial antithyroid therapy does not appear to provide any benefit in terms of recurrence of hyperthyroidism. Immunosuppressive therapies need further evaluation.
[Effects of an exercise and relaxation aquatic program in patients with spondyloarthritis: A randomized trial].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Spondyloarthritis is a general term referring to a group of chronic rheumatic illnesses that share clinical, genetic, radiological and epidemiological features. The clinical presentation of spondyloarthritis is characterized by the compromise of both the axial and peripheral articular skeleton. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an aquatic exercise plus relaxation program in patients with spondyloarthritis.


PATIENTS AND METHOD
This was a randomized single blind study including 30 patients with spondylitis who were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. For 2 months, the experimental group underwent an aquatic fitness plus relaxation program (3 sessions per week). Evaluations were also performed in the control group the same days as the experimental group but they did not participate in any supervised exercise program. The following data were obtained at baseline and immediately after application of the last session: Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Health Questionnaire SF-12 and Sigma PC3(®) (Sigma-Elektro GmbH, Neustadt, Germany) Heart Rate Monitor.


RESULTS
The Mann-Whitney test showed statistically significant differences in the quality of life (physical function [P=.05]), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (P=.015), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (fatigue [P=.032], neck pain, back and hips [P=.045], pain or swelling in other joints [P=.032] and in waking morning stiffness [P=.019]).


CONCLUSIONS
The results of the present study suggest that therapy with physical exercise plus relaxation provides benefits to spondyloarthritis patients and these are advised as a part of their usual treatment.
A randomized comparison of coronary-stent placement and balloon angioplasty in the treatment of coronary artery disease. Stent Restenosis Study Investigators.

BACKGROUND
Coronary-stent placement is a new technique in which a balloon-expandable, stainless-steel, slotted tube is implanted at the site of a coronary stenosis. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of stent placement and standard balloon angioplasty on angiographically detected restenosis and clinical outcomes.


METHODS
We randomly assigned 410 patients with symptomatic coronary disease to elective placement of a Palmaz-Schatz stent or to standard balloon angioplasty. Coronary angiography was performed at base line, immediately after the procedure, and six months later.


RESULTS
The patients who underwent stenting had a higher rate of procedural success than those who underwent standard balloon angioplasty (96.1 percent vs. 89.6 percent, P = 0.011), a larger immediate increase in the diameter of the lumen (1.72 +/- 0.46 vs. 1.23 +/- 0.48 mm, P < 0.001), and a larger luminal diameter immediately after the procedure (2.49 +/- 0.43 vs. 1.99 +/- 0.47 mm, P < 0.001). At six months, the patients with stented lesions continued to have a larger luminal diameter (1.74 +/- 0.60 vs. 1.56 +/- 0.65 mm, P = 0.007) and a lower rate of restenosis (31.6 percent vs. 42.1 percent, P = 0.046) than those treated with balloon angioplasty. There were no coronary events (death; myocardial infarction; coronary-artery bypass surgery; vessel closure, including stent thrombosis; or repeated angioplasty) in 80.5 percent of the patients in the stent group and 76.2 percent of those in the angioplasty group (P = 0.16). Revascularization of the original target lesion because of recurrent myocardial ischemia was performed less frequently in the stent group than in the angioplasty group (10.2 percent vs. 15.4 percent, P = 0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
In selected patients, placement of an intracoronary stent, as compared with balloon angioplasty, results in an improved rate of procedural success, a lower rate of angiographically detected restenosis, a similar rate of clinical events after six months, and a less frequent need for revascularization of the original coronary lesion.
Enhanced compact artificial bee colony

Challenges in many real-world optimization problems arise from limited hardware availability, particularly when the optimization must be performed on a device whose hardware is highly restricted due to cost or space. This paper proposes a new algorithm, namely Enhanced compact Artificial Bee Colony (EcABC) to address this class of optimization problems. The algorithm benefits from the search logic of the Artificial Bee Colony (ABC) algorithm, and similar to other compact algorithms, it does not store the actual population of tentative solutions. Instead, EcABC employs a novel probabilistic representation of the population that is introduced in this paper. The proposed algorithm has been tested on a set of benchmark functions from the CEC2013 benchmark suite, and compared against a number of algorithms including modern compact algorithms, recent population-based ABC variants and some advanced meta-heuristics. Numerical results demonstrate that EcABC significantly outperforms other state of the art compact algorithms. In addition, simulations also indicate that the proposed algorithm shows a comparative performance when compared against its population-based versions. 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Sex differences in frailty: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND
It is a well-described clinical phenomenon that females live longer than males, yet tend to experience greater levels of co-morbidity and disability. Females can therefore be considered both more frail (because they have poorer health status) and less frail (because they have a lower risk of mortality). This systematic review aimed to determine whether this ageing paradox is demonstrated when the Frailty Index (FI) is used to measure frailty.


METHODS
Medline, EMBASE and CINAHL databases were searched for observational studies that measured FI and mortality in community-dwellers over 65years of age. In five-year age groups, meta-analysis determined the sex differences in mean FI (MD=mean FIfemale-mean FImale) and mortality rate.


RESULTS
Of 6482 articles screened, seven articles were included. Meta-analysis of data from five studies (37,426 participants) found that MD values were positive (p<0.001; MD range=0.02-0.06) in all age groups, indicating that females had higher FI scores than males at all ages. This finding was consistent across individual studies. Heterogeneity was high (I2=72.7%), reflecting methodological differences. Meta-analysis of mortality data (13,127 participants) showed that male mortality rates exceeded female mortality rates up until the 90 to 94-years age group. Individual studies reported higher mortality for males at each level of FI, and higher risk of death for males when controlling for age and FI.


CONCLUSIONS
The pattern of sex differences in the FI and mortality of older adults was consistent across populations and confirmed a 'male-female health-survival paradox'.
The re-emergence of the bed bug as a nuisance pest: implications of resistance to the pyrethroid insecticides.

A global resurgence of bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) has led to renewed scientific interest in these insects. The current bed bug upsurge appears to have started almost synchronously in the late 1990 s in Europe, the U.S.A. and Australia. Several factors have led to this situation, with resistance to applied insecticides making a significant contribution. With a growing number of insecticides (DDT, carbamates, organophosphates etc.) being no longer available as a result of regulatory restrictions, the mainstay chemistry used for bed bug control over the past few decades has been the pyrethroid insecticides. With reports of increasing tolerance to pyrethroids leading to control failures on the rise, containing and eradicating bed bugs is proving to be a difficult task. Consequently, several recent studies have focused on determining the mode of action of pyrethroid resistance in bed bug populations sourced from different locations. Correct identification of the factor(s) responsible for the increasing resistance is critical to the development of effective management strategies, which need to be based, wherever possible, on firm scientific evidence. Here we review the literature on this topic, highlighting the mechanisms thought to be involved and the problems currently faced by pest control professionals in dealing with a developing pandemic.
Formal Models Used for Automation in Software Development, Final Progress Report

U.S. Army Research Office Contract/Grant Number: MIPR7ANPSARO09 (ARO proposal number: 30989-MA)
Factors Influencing Men’s Decisions Regarding Prostate Cancer Screening: A Qualitative Study

Shared decision making is recommended before prostate cancer screening. Little is known regarding reasons why men choose to get or not get prostate cancer screening, particularly in white or Hispanic men. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews of 64 men, age 50 years and over, purposively sampled from men who were never screened for prostate cancer or who screened abnormal in northern New Jersey. Qualitative analysis was iterative using a grounded theory approach involving a series of immersion/crystallization cycles. Men who had abnormal PSA tests either actively sought out screening because of family history of prostate cancer or received their screening as part of a routine physical examination. Men who were never screened avoided testing primarily because they perceived they were at low risk due to lack of urinary symptoms, lack of family history of prostate cancer, or beliefs that healthy behaviors can prevent prostate cancer. Other reasons for not getting screened included: fear of cancer, embarrassment over digital rectal exam, confusion over the screening procedure, and skepticism over the benefits of screening. Some men were willing to get screened if structural barriers were removed, their doctor recommended it, or if they were prompted by urinary symptoms. None had discussions with physicians about potential risks of prostate cancer screening. Men received their health information through lay media, friends or family members. Educating men in the community through mass media about benefits and limitations of prostate cancer screening may be more effective to promote and facilitate shared decision making with their physicians.
LibGuides. Marine Science. Associations & Organizations.

Resources for Marine and Environmental Science Organizations that promote biology research and education
REAL-TIME FULLY AUTOMATED RESTAURANT MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION SYSTEM “ RESTO ”

Existing restaurant systems are partially automated. We have developed a fully automated restaurant management and communication system. This paper covers the partial automation that exists and focuses the details regarding how we have implemented full automation in management and communication for restaurants. It also covers technical aspects of web based application and android application and how they are clubbed together with their advantages and disadvantages. It also lights the future work that can be added on regarding android application to make it more user friendly. Keywords— REST API, HTTP Client class, jdk, Java, Servlet, IP Address, Android Device, Web based application --------------------------------------------------------------------***------------------------------------------------------------------
Identification and validation of argininosuccinate synthase as a candidate urinary biomarker for major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating psychiatric mood disorder. However, no objective laboratory-based test is yet available to aid in the diagnosis of this disorder.


METHODS
In order to identify urinary protein biomarker candidates for MDD, the differential proteomic analysis of urine samples from first-episode drug-naïve MDD subjects and healthy controls (HC) was carried out by using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis separation followed by MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS/MS identification. Then, the differential expression levels of some candidate proteins were further validated by immunoblot analysis.


RESULTS
Through mass spectrometry and database searching, a total of 27 differential proteins were identified, primarily including enzymes, plasma proteins, serpins, and adhesion molecules. Five proteins were selected for subsequent validation by Western blotting. One arginine recycling enzyme - argininosuccinate synthase (ASS1) - was further confirmed to be significantly downregulated in the urine of 30 depressed subjects while remaining unchanged in the plasma. Importantly, receiver-operator curve analyses revealed that ASS1 displayed strong efficacy in distinguishing MDD subjects from HC.


CONCLUSION
The present study provides a range of urinary protein biomarker candidates for MDD, and further demonstrates that ASS1 has a potential for clinical diagnosis of this disorder.
Ambulatory blood pressure in untreated and treated hypertensive patients at high altitude: the High Altitude Cardiovascular Research-Andes study.

UNLABELLED
Blood pressure increases during acute exposure to high altitude in healthy humans. However, little is known on altitude effects in hypertensive subjects or on the treatment efficacy in this condition. Objectives of High Altitude Cardiovascular Research (HIGHCARE)-Andes Lowlanders Study were to investigate the effects of acute high-altitude exposure on 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure in hypertensive subjects and to assess antihypertensive treatment efficacy in this setting. One hundred untreated subjects with mild hypertension (screening blood pressure, 144.1±9.8 mm Hg systolic, 92.0±7.5 mm Hg diastolic) were randomized to double-blind placebo or to telmisartan 80 mg+modified release nifedipine 30 mg combination. Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed off-treatment, after 6 weeks of treatment at sea level, on treatment during acute exposure to high altitude (3260 m) and immediately after return to sea level. Eighty-nine patients completed the study (age, 56.4±17.6 years; 52 men/37 women; body mass index, 28.2±3.5 kg/m(2)). Twenty-four-hour systolic blood pressure increased at high altitude in both groups (placebo, 11.0±9 mm Hg; P<0.001 and active treatment, 8.1±10.4 mm Hg; P<0.001). Active treatment reduced 24-hour systolic blood pressure both at sea level and at high altitude (147.9±11.1 versus 132.6±12.4 mm Hg for placebo versus treated; P<0.001; 95% confidence interval of the difference 10.9-19.9 mm Hg) and was well tolerated. Similar results were obtained for diastolic, for daytime blood pressure, and for nighttime blood pressure. Treatment was well tolerated in all conditions. Our study demonstrates that (1) 24-hour blood pressure increases significantly during acute high-altitude exposure in hypertensive subjects and (2) treatment with angiotensin receptor blocker-calcium channel blocker combination is effective and safe in this condition.


CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01830530.
Improvement of endothelial function with dietary flavanols is associated with mobilization of circulating angiogenic cells in patients with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVES
In patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) medically managed according to currently accepted guidelines, we tested whether a 1-month dietary intervention with flavanol-containing cocoa leads to an improvement of endothelial dysfunction and whether this is associated with an enhanced number and function of circulating angiogenic cells (CACs).


BACKGROUND
Dietary flavanols can improve endothelial dysfunction. The CACs, also termed endothelial progenitor cells, are critical for vascular repair and maintenance of endothelial function.


METHODS
In a randomized, controlled, double-masked, cross-over trial, 16 CAD patients (64+/-3 years of age) received a dietary high-flavanol intervention (HiFI [375 mg]) and a macronutrient- and micronutrient-matched low-flavanol intervention (LoFI [9 mg]) twice daily in random order over 30 days.


RESULTS
Endothelium-dependent vasomotor function, as measured by flow-mediated vasodilation of the brachial artery, improved by 47% in the HiFI period compared with the LoFI period. After HiFI, the number of CD34+/KDR+-CACs, as measured by flow cytometry, increased 2.2-fold as compared with after LoFI. The CAC functions, as measured by the capacity to survive, differentiate, proliferate, and to migrate were not different between the groups. The HiFI led to a decrease in systolic blood pressure (mean change over LoFI: -4.2+/-2.7 mm Hg), and increase in plasma nitrite level (mean change over LoFI: 74+/-32 nM). Applying a mixed-effects linear regression model, the results demonstrated a significant increase in flow-mediated vasodilation and a decrease in systolic blood pressure with increasing levels of CD34+/KDR+-CACs.


CONCLUSIONS
Sustained improvements in endothelial dysfunction by regular dietary intake of flavanols are associated with mobilization of functional CACs. (Effect of Cocoa Flavanols on Vascular Function in Optimally Treated Coronary Artery Disease Patients: Interaction Between Endothelial Progenitor Cells, Reactivity of Micro- and Macrocirculation; NCT00553774).
Robust Parameter Estimation in Computer Vision

Estimation techniques in computer vision applications must estimate accurate model parameters despite small-scale noise in the data, occasional large-scale measurement errors (outliers), and measurements from multiple populations in the same data set. Increasingly, robust estimation techniques, some borrowed from the statistics literature and others described in the computer vision literature, have been used in solving these parameter estimation problems. Ideally, these techniques should effectively ignore the outliers and measurements from other populations, treating them as outliers, when estimating the parameters of a single population. Two frequently used techniques are least-median of squares (LMS) [P. J. Rousseeuw, J. Amer. Statist. Assoc., 79 (1984), pp. 871–880] and M-estimators [Robust Statistics: The Approach Based on Influence Functions, F. R. Hampel et al., John Wiley, 1986; Robust Statistics, P. J. Huber, John Wiley, 1981]. LMS handles large fractions of outliers, up to the theoretical limit of 50% for estimators invariant to affine changes to the data, but has low statistical efficiency. M-estimators have higher statistical efficiency but tolerate much lower percentages of outliers unless properly initialized. While robust estimators have been used in a variety of computer vision applications, three are considered here. In analysis of range images—images containing depth or X, Y , Z measurements at each pixel instead of intensity measurements—robust estimators have been used successfully to estimate surface model parameters in small image regions. In stereo and motion analysis, they have been used to estimate parameters of what is called the “fundamental matrix,” which characterizes the relative imaging geometry of two cameras imaging the same scene. Recently, robust estimators have been applied to estimating a quadratic image-to-image transformation model necessary to create a composite, “mosaic image” from a series of images of the human retina. In each case, a straightforward application of standard robust estimators is insufficient, and carefully developed extensions are used to solve the problem.
Structural analysis of chat messages for topic detection

Purpose This paper studies the characteristics of chat messages from analyzing a collection of 33,121 sample messages gathered from 1700 sessions of conversations of 72 pairs of MSN Messenger users over 4-month duration from June to September of 2005. The primary objective of chat message characterization is to understand the properties of chat messages for effective message analysis such as message topic detection. Methodology/Approach From the study on chat message characteristics, an indicative term-based categorization approach for chat topic detection is proposed. In the proposed approach, different techniques such as sessionalization of chat messages and extraction of features from icon texts and URLs are incorporated for message pre-processing. And Näıve Bayes, Associative Classification, and Support Vector Machine are employed as classifiers for categorizing topics from chat sessions. Findings Indicative term-based approach is superior than the traditional document frequency based approach for feature selection in chat topic categorization. Originality/Value This paper studies the characteristics of chat messages and proposes an indicative term-based categorization approach for chat topic detection. The proposed approach has been incorporated into an instant message analysis system for both online and offline chat topic detection. Preprint submitted to Online Information Review 2 May 2006