LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Reduction of HBV replication prolongs the early immunological response to IFNα therapy.

BACKGROUND & AIMS
The interaction between HBV replication and immune modulatory effects mediated by IFNα therapy is not well understood. We characterized the impact of HBV DNA replication on the early IFNα-induced immunomodulatory mechanisms.


METHODS
We interrogated the transcriptional, serum cytokine/chemokine and cellular immune profiles of 28 patients with HBeAg+ chronic HBV infection (CHB) randomly assigned to one of 4 treatment cohorts (untreated n=5, weekly dosing of 360 μg Pegasys [PegIFNα] n=11, daily dose of 300 mg Viread [tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, TDF] n=6, or a combination of both n=6). Samples were characterized at multiple early time points through day 14 of therapy, after which all patients were given standard of care (180 μg Pegasys injected subcutaneously, weekly).


RESULTS
PegIFNα induced a distinct and rapid up-regulation of IFN signaling pathway that coincided with increase detection of distinct serum cytokines/chemokines (IL-15, IL-6, and CXCL-10) and the up-regulation of the frequency of proliferating NK and activated total CD8+ T cells. IFNα treatment alone did not result in rapid decay of HBV replication and was not able to restore the defective HBV-specific T cell response present in CHB patients. In addition, the IFNα immune-stimulatory effects diminished after the first dose, but this refractory effect was reduced in patients where HBV replication was simultaneously inhibited with TDF.


CONCLUSIONS
We present here the first comprehensive description of the early effects of IFNα treatment on immune and viral biomarkers in HBeAg+ CHB patients. Our results show that PegIFNα-induced innate immune activation directly benefits from the suppression of HBV replication.
Locomotion strategy for a peristaltic crawling robot in a 2-dimensional space

An earthworm moves by peristaltic crawling, which propagates a longitudinal wave from the front of the body to the back by varying the thickness and length of its segments. This locomotion mechanism can move while keeping a large area in contact with the ground. Further, the amount of space required by this locomotion mechanism is less than that by other locomotion mechanisms. Therefore, it is desirable to apply this mechanism not only to robots for rescue and limited environment exploration operations but also to locomotive endoscopic robots for medical engineering. In this study, we developed a peristaltic crawling robot that can move not only in a tube but also on a plane surface. Furthermore; we propose a peristaltic crawling robot and its locomotion strategy. As a result, the simulation and experimental results showed good performance.
Error tracking in a clinical biochemistry laboratory.

BACKGROUND
We report our results for the systematic recording of all errors in a standard clinical laboratory over a 1-year period.


METHODS
Recording was performed using a commercial database program. All individuals in the laboratory were allowed to report errors. The testing processes were classified according to function, and errors were classified as pre-analytical, analytical, post-analytical, or service-related, and then further divided into descriptive subgroups. Samples were taken from hospital wards (38.6%), outpatient clinics (25.7%), general practitioners (29.4%), and other hospitals.


RESULTS
A total of 1189 errors were reported in 1151 reports during the first year, corresponding to an error rate of 1 error for every 142 patients, or 1 per 1223 tests. The majority of events were due to human errors (82.6%), and only a few (4.3%) were the result of technical errors. Most of the errors (81%) were pre-analytical. Of the remainder, 10% were analytical, 8% were post-analytical, and 1% was service-related. Nearly half of the errors (n=550) occurred with samples received from general practitioners or clinical hospital wards. Identification errors were relatively common when non-technicians collected blood samples.


CONCLUSIONS
Each clinical laboratory should record errors in a structured manner. A relation database is a useful tool for the recording and extraction of data, as the database can be structured to reflect the workflow at each individual laboratory.
The development of a theory-based intervention to promote appropriate disclosure of a diagnosis of dementia

BACKGROUND
The development and description of interventions to change professional practice are often limited by the lack of an explicit theoretical and empirical basis. We set out to develop an intervention to promote appropriate disclosure of a diagnosis of dementia based on theoretical and empirical work.


METHODS
We identified three key disclosure behaviours: finding out what the patient already knows or suspects about their diagnosis; using the actual words 'dementia' or 'Alzheimer's disease' when talking to the patient; and exploring what the diagnosis means to the patient. We conducted a questionnaire survey of older peoples' mental health teams (MHTs) based upon theoretical constructs from the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) and used the findings to identify factors that predicted mental health professionals' intentions to perform each behaviour. We selected behaviour change techniques likely to alter these factors.


RESULTS
The change techniques selected were: persuasive communication to target subjective norm; behavioural modelling and graded tasks to target self-efficacy; persuasive communication to target attitude towards the use of explicit terminology when talking to the patient; and behavioural modelling by MHTs to target perceived behavioural control for finding out what the patient already knows or suspects and exploring what the diagnosis means to the patient. We operationalised these behaviour change techniques using an interactive 'pen and paper' intervention designed to increase intentions to perform the three target behaviours.


CONCLUSION
It is feasible to develop an intervention to change professional behaviour based upon theoretical models, empirical data and evidence based behaviour change techniques. The next step is to evaluate the effect of such an intervention on behavioural intention. We argue that this approach to development and reporting of interventions will contribute to the science of implementation by providing replicable interventions that illuminate the principles and processes underlying change.
One Intelligent Agent to Rule Them All Bachelor Thesis

In this work, we explore the possibility of training agents which are able to show intelligent behaviour in many different scenarios. We present the effectiveness of different machine learning algorithms in the StarCraft II Learning Environment [1] and their performance in different scenarios and compare them. In the end, we recreate DeepMind’s FullyConv Agent with slightly better results.
Returning Control to the Programmer: SIMD Intrinsics for Virtual Machines

Exposing SIMD units within interpreted languages could simplify programs and unleash floods of untapped processor power.
Validation of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-LMC21 questionnaire for assessment of patient-reported outcomes during treatment of colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND
There is a lack of valid patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures for hepatectomy or palliative treatment of colorectal hepatic metastases. This study examined the validity and reliability of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life questionnaire liver module (QLQ-LMC21) in patients with liver metastases from colorectal cancer.


METHODS
Some 356 patients completed the core questionnaire (QLQ-C30), QLQ-LMC21 and a debriefing questionnaire before and 3 months after hepatectomy or palliative treatment. Construct, criterion and clinical validity were evaluated before and after treatment.


RESULTS
Questionnaire compliance was high; less than 1 per cent of data were missing from individual items. Modifications to the hypothesized scale structure produced four scales and nine single items with good reliability, clinical, criterion and construct validity. The QLQ-LMC21 distinguished between patients selected for surgery or palliative treatment in nine of these 13. Significant changes in PROs were observed before and after treatment. The new module discriminated between clinically distinct groups of patients and measured aspects of quality of life not covered in the core questionnaire.


CONCLUSION
The EORTC QLQ-LMC21 is a valid and reliable questionnaire module to use with the QLQ-C30 in assessing PROs in hepatectomy or palliative treatment for colorectal liver metastases.
Impact of battery weight and charging patterns on the economic and environmental benefits of plug-in hybrid vehicles

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) technology is receiving attention as an approach to reducing US dependency on foreign oil and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector. PHEVs require large batteries for energy storage, which affect vehicle cost, weight, and performance. We construct PHEV simulation models to account for the effects of additional batteries on fuel consumption, cost, and GHG emissions over a range of charging frequencies (distance traveled between charges). We find that when charged frequently, every 20 miles or less, using average US electricity, small-capacity PHEVs are less expensive and release fewer GHGs than hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) or conventional vehicles. For moderate charging intervals of 20–100 miles, PHEVs release fewer GHGs, but HEVs have lower lifetime costs. High fuel prices, low-cost batteries, or high carbon taxes combined with low-carbon electricity generation would make small-capacity PHEVs cost competitive for a wide range of drivers. In contrast, increased battery specific energy or carbon taxes without decarbonization of the electricity grid would have limited impact. Large-capacity PHEVs sized for 40 or more miles of electriconly travel do not offer the lowest lifetime cost in any scenario, although they could minimize GHG emissions for some drivers and provide potential to shift air pollutant emissions away from population centers. The tradeoffs identified in this analysis can provide a space for vehicle manufacturers, policymakers, and the public to identify optimal decisions for PHEV design, policy and use. Given the alignment of economic, environmental, and national security objectives, policies aimed at putting PHEVs on the road will likely be most effective if they focus on adoption of small-capacity PHEVs by urban drivers who can charge frequently. & 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Labial fusion first diagnosed during pregnancy with voiding difficulty and its management: a case report.

INTRODUCTION
Labial fusion is described as partial or complete adherence of the labia minora. Adhesions of the labia are extremely rare in the reproductive population with only a few cases described in the literature and none reported with pregnancy.


CASE PRESENTATION
A 24-year-old woman who had extensively fused labia with a pinhole opening at the upper midline with menstrual delay was diagnosed at six weeks of pregnancy. The case and its management are presented.


CONCLUSION
The condition was treated surgically with complete resolution of the urinary symptoms.
Help seeking for cancer ‘alarm’ symptoms: a qualitative interview study of primary care patients in the UK

BACKGROUND
Delay in help seeking for cancer 'alarm' symptoms has been identified as a contributor to delayed diagnosis.


AIM
To understand people's help-seeking decision making for cancer alarm symptoms, without imposing a cancer context.


DESIGN AND SETTING
Community-based, qualitative interview study in the UK, using purposive sampling by sex, socioeconomic status, and prior help seeking, with framework analysis of transcripts.


METHOD
Interviewees (n = 48) were recruited from a community-based sample (n = 1724) of adults aged ≥50 years who completed a health survey that included a list of symptoms. Cancer was not mentioned. Participants reporting any of 10 cancer alarm symptoms (n = 915) and who had consented to contact (n = 482) formed the potential pool from which people were invited to an interview focusing on their symptom experiences.


RESULTS
Reasons for help seeking included symptom persistence, social influence, awareness/fear of a link with cancer, and 'just instinct'. Perceiving the symptom as trivial or 'normal' was a deterrent, as was stoicism, adopting self-management strategies, and fear of investigations. Negative attitudes to help seeking were common. Participants did not want to be seen as making a fuss, did not want to waste the doctor's time, and were sometimes not confident that the GP could help.


CONCLUSION
Decision making about cancer alarm symptoms was complex. Recognition of cancer risk almost always motivated help seeking (more so than the fear of cancer being a deterrent), assisted by recent public-awareness campaigns. As well as symptom persistence motivating help seeking, it could also have the reverse effect. Negative attitudes to help seeking were significant deterrents.
Integration of Financial and Management Accounting Systems: The Mediating Influence of a Consistent Financial Language on Controllership Effectiveness

Two fundamental options exist for management accounting system (MAS) design: Either financial records can be used as a database for management accounting (integrated accounting system design), or the MAS can be based upon a separate system, i.e., a third set of books beside financial and tax accounting records. Since the 1990s, many German-speaking firms have changed from the second to the first option, which has instigated a highly controversial
Alcohol consumption at midlife and risk of stroke during 43 years of follow-up: cohort and twin analyses.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Although alcohol-stroke association is well known, the age-varying effect of alcohol drinking at midlife on subsequent stroke risk across older adulthood has not been examined. The effect of genetic/early-life factors is also unknown. We used cohort and twin analyses of data with 43 years of follow-up for stroke incidence to help address these gaps.


METHODS
All 11 644 members of the population-based Swedish Twin Registry born 1886 to 1925 with alcohol data aged ≤60 years were included. The interaction of midlife alcohol consumption by age at stroke was evaluated in Cox-regression and analyses of monozygotic twins were used. Covariates were baseline age, sex, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes mellitus, stress reactivity, depression, body mass index, smoking, and exercise.


RESULTS
Altogether 29% participants developed stroke. Compared with very-light drinkers (<0.5 drink/d), heavy drinkers (>2 drinks/d) had greater risk of stroke (hazard ratio, 1.34; P=0.02) and the effect for nondrinkers approached significance (hazard ratio, 1.11; P=0.08). Age increased stroke risk for nondrinkers (P=0.012) and decreased it for heavy drinkers (P=0.040). Midlife heavy drinkers were at high risk from baseline until the age of 75 years when hypertension and diabetes mellitus grew to being the more relevant risk factors. In analyses of monozygotic twin-pairs, heavy drinking shortened time to stroke by 5 years (P=0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
Stroke-risk associated with heavy drinking (>2 drinks/d) in midlife seems to predominate over well-known risk factors, hypertension and diabetes, until the age of ≈75 years and may shorten time to stroke by 5 years above and beyond covariates and genetic/early-life factors. Alcohol consumption should be considered an age-varying risk factor for stroke.
Coaxial Line Reflection Methods for Measuring Dielectric Properties of Biological Substances at Radio and Microwave Frequencies-A Review

Coaxial line reflection methods for measuring dielectric properties of biological materials at radio (RF) and microwave (MF) frequencies are reviewed and compared from the point of view of their relative uncertainties of measurement of lossy substances with high dielectric constant. Advantages and limitations of different methods and some practical recommendations are presented.
Multiple-model adaptive estimation using a residual correlation Kalman filter bank

A multiple model adaptive estimator (MMAE) [1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 11] consists of a bank of parallel Kalman filters, each with a different model, and a hypothesis testing algorithm as shown in Fig. 1. Each of the internal models of the Kalman filters can be represented by a discrete value of a parameter vector (ak; k= 1,2, : : : ,K). The Kalman filters are provided a measurement vector (z) and the input vector (u), and produce a state estimate (x̂k) and a residual (rk). The hypothesis testing algorithm uses the residuals to compute conditional probabilities (pk) of the various hypotheses that are modeled in the Kalman filters, conditioned on the history of measurements received up to that time, and to compute an estimate of the true parameter vector (â). The conventional MMAE computes conditional probabilities (pk) in a manner that exploits three of four characteristics of Kalman filter residuals that are based on a correctly modeled hypothesis—that they should be Gaussian, zero-mean, and of computable covariance—but does not exploit the fact that they should also be white. The algorithm developed herein addresses this directly, yielding a complement to the conventional MMAE. One application of MMAE is flight control sensor/actuator failure detection and identification, where each Kalman filter has a different failure status model (ak) that it uses to form the state estimate (x̂k) and the residual (rk). The hypothesis testing algorithm assigns conditional probabilities (pk) to each of the hypotheses that were used to form the Kalman filter models. These conditional probabilities indicate the relative correctness of the various filter models, and can be used to select the best estimate of the true system failure status, weight the individual state estimates appropriately, and form a probability-weighted average state estimate (x̂MMAE). A primary objection to implementing an MMAE-based (or other) failure detection algorithm is the need to dither the system constantly to enhance failure identifiability. The MMAE compares the magnitudes of the residuals (appropriately scaled to account for various uncertainties and noises) from the various filters and chooses the hypothesis that corresponds to the residual that has a history of having smallest (scaled) magnitude. Large residuals must be produced by the filters with models that are incorrect to be able to discount these incorrect hypotheses. The residual is the difference between the measurement of the system output and the filter’s prediction of what that measurement should be, based on the filter-assumed system model. Therefore, to produce the needed large residuals in the incorrect filters, we need to produce a history of sufficiently large system outputs, so we need to dither the system constantly and thereby
Cloud of Things in Smart Agriculture: Intelligent Irrigation Monitoring by Thermal Imaging

Thermal imaging has shown potential in assisting many aspects of smart irrigation management. This article examines key technical and legal issues and requirements supporting the use of Cloud of Things for managing water source-related data prior to discussing potential solutions.
Advanced life support performance with manual and mechanical chest compressions in a randomized, multicentre manikin study.

AIM OF THE STUDY
Clinical mechanical chest compression studies report diverging outcomes. Confounding effects of variability in hands-off fraction (HOF) and timing of necessary tasks during advanced life support (ALS) may contribute to this divergence. Study site variability in these factors coupled to randomization of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) method was studied during simulated cardiac arrest prior to a multicentre clinical trial.


METHOD
Ambulance personnel from four sites were tested in randomized, simulated cardiac arrest scenarios with manual CPR or load-distributing band CPR (LDB-CPR) on manikins. Primary emphasis was on HOF and time spent before necessary predefined ALS task (ALS milestones). Results are presented as mean differences (confidence interval).


RESULTS
At the site with lowest HOF during manual CPR, HOF deteriorated with LDB-CPR by 0.06 (0.005, 0.118, p=0.04), while it improved at the two sites with highest HOF during manual CPR by 0.07 (0.019, 0.112, p=0.007) and 0.08 (0.004, 0.165, p=0.042). Initial defibrillation was 29 (3, 55, p=0.032)s delayed for LDB-CPR vs. manual CPR. Other ALS milestones trended toward earlier completion with LDB-CPR; only significant for intravenous access, mean difference 70 (24, 115, p=0.003)s.


CONCLUSION
In this manikin study, HOF for manual vs. mechanical chest compressions varied between sites. Study protocol implementation should be simulation tested before launching multicentre trials, to optimize performance and improve reliability and scientific interpretation.
Impaired metabolic control and socio-demographic status in immigrant children at onset of Type 1 diabetes.

AIM
The aim of the present study was to compare clinical and socio-demographic conditions at the onset of Type 1 diabetes in children born to immigrant families and children born to Swedish families, and to assess whether those conditions had an impact on metabolic status.


METHODS AND DESIGN
This was an observational nationwide population-based matched cohort study on prospectively recorded registry data of all children with diabetes in Sweden and their families during 2000-2010. Out of a total of 13 415 children from the Swedish Childhood Diabetes Registry (SWEDIABKIDS), 879 children born to immigrant parents were collected. To these we added 2627 children with Swedish-born parents, matched for gender, age and year of onset of Type 1 diabetes.


RESULTS
The proportion of low capillary pH (< 7.30) at onset was higher in the immigrant cohort [25.8% vs. 16.4% in the Swedish cohort (P < 0.001)]. HbA1c was also higher [95 mmol/mol (10.8%) vs. 88 mmol/mol (10.2%), respectively (P < 0.001)]. In a logistic regression model with low pH as the dependent variable, we were unable to reveal any significant association to socio-demographic factors, but the odds ratio for HbA1c was 0.983 (95% CI 0.976-0.991) and for plasma glucose was 0.953 (95% CI 0.933-0.973).


CONCLUSION
Children born to immigrant parents have lower capillary pH and higher HbA1c at diabetes onset. Immigrant families harbour lower socio-demographic living conditions, but this fact does not seem to influence the inferior metabolic condition at diabetes onset.
An adaptive mesh-moving and local refinement method for time-dependent partial differential equations

We discuss mesh-moving, static mesh-regeneration, and local mesh-refinement algorithms that can be used with a finite difference or finite element scheme to solve initial-boundary value problems for vector systems of time-dependent partial differential equations in two space dimensions and time. A coarse base mesh of quadrilateral cells is moved by an algebraic mesh-movement function so as to follow and isolate spatially distinct phenomena. The local mesh-refinement method recursively divides the time step and spatial cells of the moving base mesh in regions where error indicators are high until a prescribed tolerance is satisfied. The static mesh-regeneration procedure is used to create a new base mesh when the existing one becomes too distorted. The adaptive methods have been combined with a MacCormack finite difference scheme for hyperbolic systems and an error indicator based upon estimates of the local discretization error obtained by Richardson extrapolation. Results are presented for several computational examples.