LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Recruitment and enrollment for the simultaneous conduct of 2 randomized controlled trials for patients with subacute and chronic low back pain at a CAM research center.

OBJECTIVE
To describe recruitment and enrollment experiences of 2 low back pain (LBP) randomized controlled trials (RCTs).


DESIGN
Descriptive report.


SETTING
Chiropractic research center in the midwest United States that is not a fee-for-service clinic.


PARTICIPANTS
Both trials enrolled participants with subacute or chronic LBP without neurologic signs who had not received spinal manipulative care during the previous month. For study 1 we screened 1940 potential participants to enroll 192 participants (89 women and 103 men), mean age 40.0 +/- 9.4 years (range, 21-54 years). For study 2 we screened 1849 potential participants to enroll 240 participants (105 women and 135 men) at least 55 years old (mean, 63.1 +/- 6.7 years).


INTERVENTIONS
Study 1 randomly assigned participants to 2 weeks of 2 different chiropractic techniques or a wait list control group. Study 2 randomly assigned participants to 6 weeks of 2 different chiropractic techniques or medical care consisting of 3 provider visits for medications.


OUTCOME MEASURES
Recruitment source costs and yield, and baseline characteristics of enrolled versus nonparticipants were recorded.


RESULTS
We conducted 3789 telephone screens for both trials to enroll 432 (11%) participants, at a cost in excess of $156,000 for recruitment efforts. The cost per call for all callers averaged $41, ranging from $4 to $300 based on recruitment method; for enrolled participants, the cost per call was $361, ranging from $33 to $750. Direct mail efforts accounted for 62% of all callers, 57% for enrolled participants, and had the second lowest cost per call for recruitment efforts.


CONCLUSIONS
It is important that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research can be successfully conducted at CAM institutions. However, the costs associated with recruitment efforts for studies conducted at CAM institutions may be higher than expected and many self-identified participants are users of the CAM therapy. Therefore, strategies for efficient recruitment methods and targeting nonusers of CAM therapies should be developed early for CAM trials.
Usefulness of data from magnetic resonance imaging to improve prediction of dementia: population based cohort study

OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the addition of data derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain to a model incorporating conventional risk variables improves prediction of dementia over 10 years of follow-up.


DESIGN
Population based cohort study of individuals aged ≥ 65.


SETTING
The Dijon magnetic resonance imaging study cohort from the Three-City Study, France.


PARTICIPANTS
1721 people without dementia who underwent an MRI scan at baseline and with known dementia status over 10 years' follow-up.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Incident dementia (all cause and Alzheimer's disease).


RESULTS
During 10 years of follow-up, there were 119 confirmed cases of dementia, 84 of which were Alzheimer's disease. The conventional risk model incorporated age, sex, education, cognition, physical function, lifestyle (smoking, alcohol use), health (cardiovascular disease, diabetes, systolic blood pressure), and the apolipoprotein genotype (C statistic for discrimination performance was 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.71 to 0.82). No significant differences were observed in the discrimination performance of the conventional risk model compared with models incorporating data from MRI including white matter lesion volume (C statistic 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.72 to 0.82; P=0.48 for difference of C statistics), brain volume (0.77, 0.72 to 0.82; P=0.60), hippocampal volume (0.79, 0.74 to 0.84; P=0.07), or all three variables combined (0.79, 0.75 to 0.84; P=0.05). Inclusion of hippocampal volume or all three MRI variables combined in the conventional model did, however, lead to significant improvement in reclassification measured by using the integrated discrimination improvement index (P=0.03 and P=0.04) and showed increased net benefit in decision curve analysis. Similar results were observed when the outcome was restricted to Alzheimer's disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Data from MRI do not significantly improve discrimination performance in prediction of all cause dementia beyond a model incorporating demographic, cognitive, health, lifestyle, physical function, and genetic data. There were, however, statistical improvements in reclassification, prognostic separation, and some evidence of clinical utility.
Is right ventricular mid-septal pacing superior to apical pacing in patients with high degree atrio-ventricular block and moderately depressed left ventricular function?

Objective: We are aimed to investigate whether right ventricular mid-septal pacing (RVMSP) is superior to conventional right ventricular apical pacing (RVAP) in improving clinical functional capacity and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) for patients with high-degree atrio-ventricular block and moderately depressed left ventricle (LV) function. Methods: Ninety-two patients with high-degree atrio-ventricular block and moderately reduced LVEF (ranging from 35% to 50%) were randomly allocated to RVMSP (n=45) and RVAP (n=47). New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class, echocardiographic LVEF, and distance during a 6-min walk test (6MWT) were determined at 18 months after pacemaker implantation. Serum levels of N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Results: Compared with baseline, NYHA functional class remained unchanged at 18 months, distance during 6MWT (485 m vs. 517 m) and LVEF (36.7% vs. 41.8%) were increased, but BNP levels were reduced (2352 pg/ml vs. 710 pg/ml) in the RVMSP group compared with those in the RVAP group, especially in patients with LVEF 35%–40% (for all comparisons, P<0.05). However, clinical function capacity and LV function measurements were not significantly changed in patients with RVAP, despite the pacing measurements being similar in both groups, such as R-wave amplitude and capture threshold. Conclusions: RVMSP provides a better clinical utility, compared with RVAP, in patients with high-degree atrioventricular block and moderately depressed LV function whose LVEF levels ranged from 35% to 40%.
Posterior elbow capsulotomy with triceps lengthening for treatment of elbow extension contracture in children with arthrogryposis.

BACKGROUND
Flexion of one elbow is essential to enable children with arthrogryposis to achieve independent function such as self-feeding and self-care of the face and hair. We analyzed the outcomes of posterior elbow capsulotomy with triceps lengthening for the treatment of elbow extension contractures in a series of children with arthrogryposis multiplex congenita.


METHODS
The medical records of all children with arthrogryposis who had been followed for a minimum of two years after treatment with elbow capsulotomy and triceps lengthening were retrospectively reviewed. The postoperative range of motion and ability to reach the mouth were compared with the preoperative status.


RESULTS
Posterior capsulotomy with triceps lengthening was performed in twenty-nine elbows of twenty-three children with an average age of thirty-five months (range, seven months to thirteen years). The average duration of follow-up was 5.4 years. The arc of motion of all twenty-nine elbows improved from an average of 32 degrees (range, 0 degrees to 75 degrees) preoperatively to an average of 66 degrees (range, 10 degrees to 125 degrees) at the time of final follow-up. All children were able to reach the mouth using passive assistance (e.g., table-push, trunk-sway, and cross-arm techniques), and twenty-two children were able to feed themselves independently. No child underwent subsequent tendon transfer surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Elbow capsulotomy with triceps lengthening successfully increases passive elbow flexion and the arc of elbow motion of children with arthrogryposis, enabling hand-to-mouth activities. In contrast to studies in which tendon transfer surgery was used to increase elbow flexion, none of the children in this series underwent subsequent tendon transfer surgery.
Screening Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Using an Upper Endoscope is Better Tolerated by Women

BACKGROUND:Flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) is a commonly used method for colorectal cancer screening. Women are more likely than men to have a FS with a limited depth of insertion, in part due to differences of anatomy and perception of pain.AIM:The objective of this prospective single-blinded randomized clinical study is to assess satisfaction in women undergoing screening FS using an upper endoscope (E, diameter 9.8 mm) versus a standard sigmoidoscope (S, diameter 13.3 mm) as measured by pain and discomfort and overall satisfaction using a validated survey instrument. Secondary endpoints of FS efficacy included the depth of insertion of the instrument, frequency of polyp detection, and complication rate.RESULTS:A total of 160 asymptomatic women undergoing screening FS were entered over a 4-month period (July through November 2002). All procedures were performed by two experienced physician assistants. The two groups were of similar age (E = 57.5, S = 58.2, p= 0.579) and had a similar rate of previous abdominal surgery (E = 51.2%, S = 45.0%, p= 0.428) or hysterectomy (E = 34.2%, S = 26.3%, p= 0.274). Depth of insertion of the scope was 54.5 cm (±9.2 cm) with the E and 51.6 cm (± 10.3 cm) with the S (p= 0.058). Polyps were found more frequently in the study group (18.3%) compared with the control group (p= 10.2%) though this did not reach statistical significance (p= 0.131). Overall satisfaction with FS was similar in both groups (p= 0.694) but pain and discomfort were less in the patients undergoing FS using the E (p= 0.006). Controlling for age and previous surgery the differences in pain scores remained significant (p= 0.035). Endoscopist assessment of procedure difficulty (p= 0.726) and complication rates (p= 0.614) was equivalent. Controlling for the presence of polyps, the total duration for the procedure was 7.2 min in the E group and 5.7 min in the S group (p= 0.008). There were no significant differences between women with and without hysterectomy on either overall satisfaction or pain and discomfort.CONCLUSION:Screening FS in women using an upper endoscope is a feasible approach to colorectal cancer screening. Patients screened with an upper endoscope reported less pain and discomfort compared to standard sigmoidoscope while overall satisfaction did not differ. The trend toward increased polyp detection in patients undergoing FS with an upper endoscope may be related to a more thorough examination due to less patient discomfort and/or an increased depth of insertion of the upper endoscope. Thinner, more flexible endoscopes should be considered when performing screening FS in women.
Chaos-Based Partial Transmit Sequence Technique for Physical Layer Security in OFDM-PON

We propose and demonstrate a physical layer security scheme via chaotic partial transmit sequence (PTS) technique in orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing passive optical network (OFDM-PON). A 4-D hyper chaos is employed to generate the chaotic partition information, the chaotic phase weighing factors in PTS as well as the chaotic training sequence for OFDM symbol synchronization, which provides a huge key space to enhance the physical layer confidentiality. Transmission of 8.9-Gb/s 16 quadrature amplitude modulation encrypted OFDM signals is demonstrated over 20-km standard single-mode fiber, which shows reliable robustness against exhaustive attacks. Moreover, the proposed scheme improves the OFDM transmission performance due to the effective reduction of the peak-to-average power ratio of the OFDM signals by chaotic random PTS.
Ventricular tachycardia in ischemic cardiomyopathy; a combined endo-epicardial ablation as the first procedure versus a stepwise approach (EPILOGUE) – study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND
The role of epicardial substrate ablation of ventricular tachycardia (VT) as a first-line approach in patients with ischemic heart disease is not clearly defined. Epicardial ablation as a first-line option is standard for patients with nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Several nonrandomized studies, including studies on patients with ischemic heart disease, have shown that epicardial VT ablation improves outcome but this approach was often used after a failed endocardial approach. The aim of this study is to determine whether a combined endo-epicardial scar homogenization as a first-line approach will improve the outcome of VT ablation.


METHODS/DESIGN
The EPILOGUE study is a multicenter, two-armed, nonblinded, randomized controlled trial. Patients with ischemic heart disease who are referred for VT ablation will be randomly assigned to combined endo-epicardial scar homogenization or endocardial scar homogenization only (control group). The primary outcome is recurrence of sustained VT during a 2-year follow-up. Secondary outcomes include procedural success and safety.


DISCUSSION
This study is the first randomized trial that evaluates the role of a combined endo-epicardial scar homogenization versus endocardial scar homogenization for the treatment of ischemic scar-related VT.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
NL4816807814v02.
Radiation lobectomy: time-dependent analysis of future liver remnant volume in unresectable liver cancer as a bridge to resection.

BACKGROUND & AIMS
Portal vein embolization (PVE) is a standard technique for patients not amenable to liver resection due to small future liver remnant ratio (FLR). Radiation lobectomy (RL) with (90)Y-loaded microspheres (Y90) is hypothesized to induce comparable volumetric changes in liver lobes, while potentially controlling the liver tumor and limiting tumor progression in the untreated lobe. We aimed at testing this concept by performing a comprehensive time-dependent analysis of liver volumes following radioembolization.


METHODS
83 patients with right unilobar disease with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC; N=67), cholangiocarcinoma (CC; N=8) or colorectal cancer (CRC; N=8) were treated by Y90 RL. The total liver volume, lobar (parenchymal) and tumor volumes, FLR and percentage of FLR hypertrophy from baseline (%FLR hypertrophy) were assessed on pre- and post-Y90 CT/MRI scans in a dynamic fashion.


RESULTS
Right lobe atrophy (p=0.003), left lobe hypertrophy (p<0.001), and FLR hypertrophy (p<0.001) were observed 1 month after Y90 and this was consistent at all follow-up time points. Median %FLR hypertrophy reached 45% (5-186) after 9 months (p<0.001). The median maximal %FLR hypertrophy was 26% (-14 → 86). Portal vein thrombosis was correlated to %FLR hypertrophy (p=0.02). Median Child-Pugh score worsening (6 → 7) was seen at 1 to 3 months (p=0.03) and 3 to 6 months (p=0.05) after treatment. Five patients underwent successful right lobectomy (HCC N=3, CRC N=1, CC N=1) and 6 HCCs were transplanted.


CONCLUSIONS
Radiation lobectomy by Y90 is a safe and effective technique to hypertrophy the FLR. Volumetric changes are comparable (albeit slightly slower) to PVE while the right lobe tumor is treated synchronously. This novel technique is of particular interest in the bridge-to-resection setting.
Rotation in total knee arthroplasty: no difference between patient-specific and conventional instrumentation

It was our hypothesis that patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) can improve the accuracy of the rotational alignment in TKA based on the concept of the system and on the potential to clearly identify pre-operatively during planning the classical anatomical landmarks that serve as references to set-up the rotation both for the femur and tibia. In this prospective comparative randomized study, 40 patients (20 in each group) operated in our institution between September 2012 and January 2013 by the 2 senior authors were included. Randomization of patients into one of the two groups was done by the Hospital Informatics Department with the use of a systematic sampling method. All patients received the same cemented high-flex mobile bearing TKA. In the PSI group, implant position was compared to the planed position using previously validated dedicated software. The position of the implants (frontal and sagittal) was compared in the 2 groups on standard X-rays, and the rotational position was analysed on post-operative CT-scan. 90 % of the patients add <2° or mm of difference between the planned position of the implants and the obtained position, except for the tibial rotation where the variations were much higher. Mean HKA was 179° (171–185) in the PSI group with 4 outliers (2 varus: 171° and 172°:184° and 185°) and 178.3° with 2 outliers (171° and 176°) in the control group. No difference was observed between the two groups concerning the frontal and sagittal position of the implants on the ML and AP X-rays. No significant difference of femoral rotation was observed between the two groups with a mean of 0.4° in the PSI group and 0.2° in the control group (p: n.s). Mean tibial rotation was 8° of internal rotation in the PSI group and 15° of internal rotation in the standard group (p: n.s). Based on our results, we were unable to confirm our hypothesis as PSI cannot improve rotation in TKA. More work needs to be done to more clearly define the place of PSI in TKA, to keep on improving the accuracy of the system and to better define the individual targets in TKA in terms of frontal, sagittal and rotational positioning of the implant for each patient. Prospective comparative randomized study, Level II.
D2R MAP - A Database to RDF Mapping Language

bizer@wiwiss.fu-berlin.de ABSTRACT The vision of the Semantic Web is to give data on the web a welldefined meaning by representing it in RDF and linking it to commonly accepted ontologies. Most formatted data today is stored in relational databases. To be able to use this data on the Semantic Web, we need a flexible but easy to use mechanism to map relational data into RDF. The poster presents D2R MAP, a declarative language to describe mappings between relational database schemata and OWL ontologies.
Processing properties of nano- and submicro-crystalline Ti–6Al–4V titanium alloy

Abstract This paper reports the results of experiments on superplastic forming (SPF) and pressure welding (PW) performed with sheets of nano- and submicro-crystalline Ti–6Al–4V alloy. The decrease in the mean grain size of Ti–6Al–4V alloy sheets from 0.4 to 0.2 μm allows the decrease of the SPF temperature from 750 to 600 °C and the fabrication of cylindrical samples with appropriate shape, bending radius and thickness distribution. Due to the low temperature superplasticity flow stress, sound solid state joint (SSJ) for nanostructured Ti–6Al–4V alloy was obtained at 600 °C. The decrease of the mean grain size to nano- and submicro-crystalline sizes allows the application of the “low temperature superplasticity” for processing hollow components out of Ti–6Al–4V alloy by combining SPF and PW.
GaN MMIC amplifiers for W-band transceivers

This paper presents W-band monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers with grounded coplanar waveguide (GCPW) in 0.12µm GaN HEMT technology. A fabricated four-stage low-noise amplifier (LNA) exhibited a record gain of 23 dB at 76.5 GHz and a first reported noise figure (NF) of 3.8 dB at 80 GHz for any W-band GaN MMIC. Another MMIC power amplifier (PA) delivered an output power of 25.4 dBm at 76.5 GHz with continuous wave (CW) operation. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of GaN LNA as well as GaN MMICs with GCPW in the W-band. In addition, a practical design technique to prevent instability of the W-band MMIC is described.
Improvement in personal meaning mediates the effects of a life review intervention on depressive symptoms in a randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE
The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of a life review intervention on personal meaning in life and the mediating effect of personal meaning on depressive symptoms as the primary outcome of this form of indicated prevention.


DESIGN AND METHODS
A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted with one group of older adults obtaining life review (N = 83) and the other watching a video about the art of growing older (N = 88). Measurements took place before and after the intervention as well as 6 months later at follow-up.


RESULTS
It was found that those who followed life review improved more in personal meaning than those in the control group, although at follow-up the difference was no longer significant. Improvements in meaning during the intervention predicted decreases in depressive symptoms later in time and mediated the effects of the program on depressive symptoms.


IMPLICATIONS
Personal meaning is an important asset in contemporary society, which some older adults find difficult to achieve. The findings from this study show that it is possible to support older persons in their search for meaning by means of life review and that this helps in alleviating depressive symptoms.
Atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability as an explanation for the increased risk of stroke in elderly undergoing carotid artery stenting.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Recent randomized trials showed an increased periprocedural risk for stroke with increasing age in patients undergoing carotid artery stenting. Manipulation of atherosclerotic plaques during carotid artery stenting can result in plaque rupture with subsequent superimposed thrombus formation, embolization, and cerebrovascular events. We hypothesized that atherosclerotic plaques become more unstable with increasing age and thereby might provide insight into the age-related increased risk of cerebrovascular events during carotid artery stenting.


METHODS
Carotid atherosclerotic plaques were harvested from 1385 consecutive patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy between 2002 and 2010. Carotid plaques were quantitatively analyzed for macrophages, smooth muscle cells, and microvessels; and semiquantitatively analyzed for collagen, calcifications lipid cores, and intraplaque hemorrhages. Patients were divided in 4 groups by age: <60, 60 to 69, 70 to 79, and ≥80 years. Measures of association between age as a continuous variable and histological characteristics were also calculated.


RESULTS
Increasing age was associated with a decrease in the amount of smooth muscle cells in the carotid plaque. More plaques with large atheroma and heavy plaque calcifications were observed among elderly patients. After correction for baseline differences, risk factors, and medication use, age was independently associated with a more vulnerable carotid plaque composition.


CONCLUSIONS
Plaque stability decreases gradually with age. Older patients with carotid stenosis have relatively unstable plaques with low smooth muscle cell content, a high amount of large lipid cores, and more calcified plaques as compared with younger patients. The underlying vulnerable plaque composition in the elderly might be an important contributing factor to the increased risk of stroke for older patients undergoing carotid artery stenting.
A simple model of inequality, occupational choice, and development

This paper analyzes a simple and tractable model of occupational choice in the presence of credit market imperfections. We examine the relative roles of parameters governing technology and transaction costs, and history in terms of the initial wealth distribution in determining the long term wealth distribution and level of income of an economy. The possibility of the existence of cycles, and the role of lotteries and redistributive policies in achieving greater e±ciency are examined.