LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Triple antiviral therapy in hepatitis C virus infection with or without mixed cryoglobulinaemia: a prospective, controlled pilot study.

BACKGROUND
Mixed cryoglobulinaemia is strongly related to hepatitis C virus infection. Treatment with peg-interferon and ribavirin has been indicated as first-line therapy for mild/moderate hepatitis C virus-related mixed cryoglobulinaemia.


AIM
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of triple boceprevir-based antiviral therapy in patients with or without mixed cryoglobulinaemia previously treated with peg-interferon and ribavirin, and with advanced liver disease.


METHODS
Thirty-five hepatitis C virus-positive patients (17 with asymptomatic mixed cryoglobulinaemia, 5 with symptomatic mixed cryoglobulinaemia, and 11 without mixed cryoglobulinaemia) were treated with triple boceprevir-based antiviral therapy.


RESULTS
In 19/22 cryoglobulinaemic subjects (86%), the addition of boceprevir induced cryocrit disappearance. Cryocrit behaviour was related to virological response, with improvement of symptoms upon undetectable viraemia and reappearance after virological breakthrough. The rate of sustained virological response was lower in cryoglobulinaemic patients than in patients without mixed cryoglobulinaemia (23.8% vs 70% respectively, p=0.01).


CONCLUSION
Boceprevir-based therapy was safe and effective in cryoglobulinaemic patients. The correlation between direct inhibition of hepatitis C virus replication and clinical improvement in mixed cryoglobulinaemic patients is definitive proof of the key pathogenetic role played by viral replication. Further studies are needed to confirm and clarify the reduced virological response in patients with mixed cryoglobulinaemia.
Wind speed sensorless maximum power point tracking control of variable speed wind energy conversion systems

A maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller for variable speed wind energy conversion system (WECS) is proposed. The proposed method, without requiring the knowledge of wind speed, air density or turbine parameters, generates at its output the optimum speed command for speed control loop of rotor flux oriented vector controlled machine side converter control system using only the instantaneous active power as its input. The optimum speed commands which enable the WE to track peak power points are generated in accordance with the variation of the active power output due to the change in the command speed generated by the controller. The concept is analyzed in a direct drive variable speed permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) WECS with back-to-back IGBT frequency converter. Vector control of the grid side converter is realized in the grid voltage vector reference frame. Simulation is carried out in order to verify the performance of the proposed controller.
A multi-fractal antenna for WLAN and WiMAX application

This paper presents a multi-fractal antenna operating in ultra wide band range for WLAN and WiMAX applications. The novel idea of multi-fractal geometry is introduced into the conventional triangular patch antenna with microstrip feed. The addition of Koch and Sierpinski fractal techniques gives rise to better impedance bandwidth and return loss characteristics. The proposed antenna exhibits resonant frequency at 5.48 GHz with a return loss of -31.9dB to satisfy the band specifications for wireless LAN applications IEEE802.11a (5.15-5.35 GHz, 5.725-5.875 GHz) and WiMAX application at 5GHz (5.25-5.85 GHz). It is found that the antenna exhibits omni-directional radiation pattern in H plane with a maximum gain of 3.5dB. The antenna exhibits a stable radiation pattern throughout the operating frequency range of 4.68-6.43 GHz. The antenna covers the upper and lower bands of WLAN operating frequencies. The simulation was performed in High Frequency Structure Simulator.
Height, weight and body mass index of children with congenital cataracts before surgical treatment

BACKGROUND
To investigate the distribution of the height, weight and body mass index (BMI) of children with congenital cataracts (CC) before surgical treatment.


METHODS
This prospective study included children with CC ≤14 years of age presenting at the Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center from Jan. 2013 to Aug. 2016. The height, weight, and BMI measurements of all participating children were obtained and compared with the World Health Organization Child Growth Reference (WHO Reference), matched by age and gender. The presence of a family history of CC or complicated systemic diseases as well as parental education levels and family income were also recorded.


RESULTS
In total, 595 children with CC were included. The mean age was 52.75 ± 33.99 months, and 34.29% (204/595) of them were unilateral cases. Among all of the children, 6.72% (40/595) of cases were complicated by systemic diseases. More than 1/5 (21.01%, 125/595) of the children had a family history of CC and exhibited bilateral involvement. Less than 1/4 (23.2) of the mothers were highly educated, and more than half of the families had a family income below the city average. Height, weight, and BMI measurements of most children with CC were within the normal ranges (±95% CI of the WHO Reference). Compared to the WHO Reference, both girls and boys aged 2-5 years revealed shorter heights, and the girls aged 5-14 years exhibited a shorter height, lower body weight and lower BMI. The heights of the children with CC and systemic diseases were also shorter than the WHO Reference. The children with CC who had a family history of disease had shorter heights and lower BMIs than children with CC but no family history, and the measurements of both groups were lower than the WHO Reference values.


CONCLUSIONS
The height, weight and BMI of most of the children with CC in this study were within the normal ranges of the WHO Reference. However, the children with CC and concomitant systemic diseases and those with a family history of CC had shorter heights and lower BMIs. This information aids in our understanding of the physical development of children with CC.
Mediators of physical activity change in a behavioral modification program for type 2 diabetes patients

BACKGROUND
Many studies have reported significant behavioral impact of physical activity interventions. However, few have examined changes in potential mediators of change preceding behavioral changes, resulting in a lack of information concerning how the intervention worked. Our purpose was to examine mediation effects of changes in psychosocial variables on changes in physical activity in type 2 diabetes patients.


METHODS
Ninety-two patients (62 ± 9 years, 30, 0 ± 2.5 kg/m(2), 69% males) participated in a randomized controlled trial. The 24-week intervention was based on social-cognitive constructs and consisted of a face-to-face session, telephone follow-ups, and the use of a pedometer. Social-cognitive variables and physical activity (device-based and self-reported) were collected at baseline, after the 24-week intervention and at one year post-baseline. PA was measured by pedometer, accelerometer and questionnaire.


RESULTS
Post-intervention physical activity changes were mediated by coping with relapse, changes in social norm, and social modeling from family members (p ≤ 0.05). One-year physical activity changes were mediated by coping with relapse, changes in social support from family and self-efficacy towards physical activity barriers (p ≤ 0.05)


CONCLUSIONS
For patients with type 2 diabetes, initiatives to increase their physical activity could usefully focus on strategies for resuming regular patterns of activity, on engaging family social support and on building confidence about dealing with actual and perceived barriers to activity.


TRIAL REGISTRATION
NCT00903500, ClinicalTrials.gov.
Accuracy of in vivo palpation-guided acromioclavicular joint injection assessed with contrast material and fluoroscopic evaluations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of in vivo acromioclavicular (AC) joint injections without fluoroscopic guidance and assess whether patient demographics affected the accuracy of injections. A consecutive cohort of patients who presented with painful acromioclavicular joints was prospectively evaluated. All patients had clinical and radiographic evidence of AC arthritis, had failed conservative measures, and thus had received intraarticular corticosteroid injections. All injections were performed by experienced fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologists and by blinded digital palpation technique. Accuracy of injections was assessed with biplanar fluoroscopic views. Forty-one AC injections in 22 males and 16 females with a mean age of 51 years (range 18 to 78) were identified. Twenty-three injections were in the right shoulder and 18 in the left. Only 15 injections were confirmed to be in the intraarticular AC joint, yielding an accuracy of 36.5 %. There were no significant differences in the mean age (54 vs. 52 years; p = 0.58), male-to-female ratio (p = 0.73), and side of the injection between the accurate and inaccurate injections, respectively. Based on the findings of the present study, the authors encourage the use of image guidance for corticosteroid treatment of the AC joint. Level of Evidence: Level IV Therapeutic Case Series
Reading and writing fluid Hypertext Narratives

We describe a new way to present and author hypertext narratives. The Fluid Reader constructs a unified interactive text from the content of multiple nodes and allows a reader to explore alternative paths within it. The Fluid Reader has been available as a hands-on museum exhibit for nearly a year to date, where it has been enjoyed by readers of all ages. Its success has prompted further interest and development in Fluid hypertexts. We have designed and implemented an authoring tool called the Fluid Writer that uses a new treetable visualization to help authors construct and manage alternative paths in a Fluid hypertext. Finally, an exploration of the narrative implications of Fluid hypertext suggests that it may be more suitable than conventional hypertext for formulaic fictions such as mystery stories.
“TRUTH” AND TRUTH COMMISSIONS IN LATIN AMERICA

This paper is a consideration of four major truth gathering projects —Argentina, Chile, Guatemala and Colombia-.  This descriptive study applies a “typology of truth” to these 4 historical projects and considers how these truth commissions defined the notion of “truth” in the context of the highly politicized context of transitional justice.
Spontaneous forniceal rupture: Can it be treated conservatively?

CONTEXT
Spontaneous forniceal rupture is one of the possible complications of urolithiasis. The mechanism of forniceal rupture is not well explained in the literature. Most of the cases presented with sudden onset of acute renal colic and diagnosed by noncontrast CT (NCCT). Until now there is no solid consensus about the ideal management of such a condition.


AIM
To study indications and validity of conservative management of spontaneous caliceal rupture.


SETTINGS AND DESIGN
This is an observational prospective study.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
All cases diagnosed as spontaneous forniceal rupture in our departments from 2011 to 2015 were enrolled. All cases were diagnosed with NCCT or CT-Urography.. Non complicated patients were primarily managed conservatively. Intervention (DJ stent insertion, nephrostomy tube insertion, or urgent ureteroscopy) was reserved to complicated cases or solitary kidney. Drainage of urinoma was done in cases with sizable urinoma (more than 100 ml3).


RESULTS
A total of 40 patients: Twenty eight (70%) patients had normal serum creatinine level at presentation, while 12 (30%) patients had elevated serum creatinine. Twenty three (57.5%) patients were successfully managed conservatively, their mean size of stone was 6.2 ± 2 mm and the hospital stay was 3.1 ± 1.9 days. Eighteen patients (42.5%) underwent interventions. Their stone size was 4.5 ± 2.1 mm and the hospital stay for the interventional group was 4.2 ± 1.8 days.


STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED
Mann-Whitney test was used for testing difference between means because the data groups are not parametric. Otherwise, simple descriptive statestics were used.


CONCLUSION
Spontaneous forniceal rupture is more likely to occur with smaller distal ureteric stones. Conservative management is a valid option in non-complicated cases. Intervention should be reserved to complicated cases or cases with sizable urinoma.
The biology of the colonizing ape.

Hominin evolutionary history is characterized by regular dispersals, cycles of colonization, and entry into novel environments. This article considers the relationship between such colonizing capacity and hominin biology. In general, colonizing strategy favors rapid rates of reproduction and generalized rather than specialized biology. Physiological viability across diverse environments favors a high degree of phenotypic plasticity, which buffers the genome from selective pressures. Colonizing also favors the capacity to access and process information about environmental variability. We propose that early hominin adaptive radiations were based upon the development of such capacities as adaptations to unstable Pliocene environments. These components came together, along with fundamental changes in morphology, behavior, and cognition in the genus Homo, who exploited them in subsequent wider dispersals. Middle Pleistocene hominins and modern humans also show development of further traits, which correspond with successful probing of, and dispersals into, stressful environments. These traits have their precursors in primate or ape biology, but have become more pronounced during hominin evolution. First, short interbirth intervals and slow childhood growth allow human females to provision several offspring simultaneously, increasing the rate of reproduction in favorable conditions. This allows rapid recovery from population crashes, or rapid population growth in new habitats. Second, despite high geographical phenotypic variability, humans have high genetic unity. This is achieved by a variety of levels of plasticity, including physiology, behavior, and technology, which reduce the need to commit to genetic adaptation. Hominin behavior may increasingly have shaped both the ecological niches occupied and the selective pressures acting back on the genome. Such selective pressures may have been exacerbated by population dynamics, predicted to both derive from, and favor, the colonizing strategy. Exposure to ecological variability is likely to have generated particular selective pressures on female biology, favoring increasing steering of offspring ontogeny by maternal phenotype. We propose that the concept of hominins as "colonizing apes" offers a novel unified model for interpreting the suite of traits characteristic of our genus.
Expiry of medicines in supply outlets in Uganda.

PROBLEM
The expiry of medicines in the supply chain is a serious threat to the already constrained access to medicines in developing countries.


APPROACH
We investigated the extent of, and the main contributing factors to, expiry of medicines in medicine supply outlets in Kampala and Entebbe, Uganda. A cross-sectional survey of six public and 32 private medicine outlets was done using semi-structured questionnaires.


LOCAL SETTING
The study area has 19 public medicine outlets (three non-profit wholesalers, 16 hospital stores/pharmacies), 123 private wholesale pharmacies and 173 retail pharmacies, equivalent to about 70% of the country's pharmaceutical businesses. Our findings indicate that medicines prone to expiry include those used for vertical programmes, donated medicines and those with a slow turnover.


RELEVANT CHANGES
Awareness about the threat of expiry of medicines to the delivery of health services has increased. We have adapted training modules to emphasize management of medicine expiry for pharmacy students, pharmacists and other persons handling medicines. Our work has also generated more research interest on medicine expiry in Uganda.


LESSONS LEARNED
Even essential medicines expire in the supply chain in Uganda. Sound coordination is needed between public medicine wholesalers and their clients to harmonize procurement and consumption as well as with vertical programmes to prevent duplicate procurement. Additionally, national medicine regulatory authorities should enforce existing international guidelines to prevent dumping of donated medicine. Medicine selection and quantification should be matched with consumer tastes and prescribing habits. Lean supply and stock rotation should be considered.
RC-triggered PNP and NPN simultaneously switched silicon controlled rectifier ESD networks for sub-0.18/spl mu/m technology

Silicon controlled rectifiers (SCRs) have superior ESD performance and are expected to play a major role in sub-/spl mu/m technologies replacing MOSFET-based ESD networks due to MOSFET dielectric scaling. In this paper, novel polysilicon-bound SCR-based clamp circuit is explored that provide simultaneous triggering of NPN and PNP bipolar transistors by means of RC discriminator network and a triggering circuit stages coupled into the regenerative feedback loop of the SCR. This network demonstrates good ESD performance, low on-resistance, high I/sub t2/ and low holding voltage.
Effect of induction agent on vasopressor and steroid use, and outcome in patients with septic shock

INTRODUCTION
In seriously ill patients, etomidate gives cardiovascular stability at induction of anaesthesia, but there is concern over possible adrenal suppression. Etomidate could reduce steroid synthesis and increase the need for vasopressor and steroid therapy. The outcome could be worse than in patients given other induction agents.


METHODS
We reviewed 159 septic shock patients admitted to our intensive care unit (ICU) over a 40-month period to study the association between induction agent and clinical outcome, including vasopressor, inotrope, and steroid therapy. From our records, we retrieved induction agent use; vasopressor administration at induction; vasopressor, inotrope, and steroid administration in the ICU; and hospital outcome.


RESULTS
Hospital mortality was 65%. The numbers of patients given an induction agent were 74, etomidate; 25, propofol; 26, thiopental; 18, other agent; and 16, no agent. Vasopressor, inotrope, or steroid administration and outcome were not related to the induction agent chosen. Corticosteroid therapy given to patients who received etomidate did not affect outcome. Vasopressor therapy was required less frequently and in smaller doses when etomidate was used to induce anaesthesia. We found no evidence that either clinical outcome or therapy was affected when etomidate was used. Etomidate caused less cardiovascular depression than other induction agents in patients with septic shock.


CONCLUSION
Etomidate use for critically ill patients should consider all of these issues and not simply the possibility of adrenal suppression, which may not be important when steroid supplements are used.
The Effect of Failure Rate on Repair and Maintenance Costs of Four Agricultural Tractor Models

In economical evaluation literature, although the combination of some variables such as repair and maintenance costs and accumulated use hours has been widely considered in determining of optimum life for tractor, no investigation has indicated the influence of failure rate on repair and maintenance costs. In this study, the owners of three hundred tractors, which include Massey Ferguson, John Deere and Universal, were interviewed, from five regions of Khouzestan Province. A regression model was used to predict the tractors annual repair and maintenance costs based on failure rate. Results showed that the maximum percentage of annual repair and maintenance costs occurred in engine parts for MF285, JD3140 and U650 tractors while these costs for tire, ring, ball bearing and operator seat were higher compared to other MF399 tractor systems. According to the results of the regression, the failure rate increase would lead to annual repair and maintenance costs increase for all tractors. But, of all the tractors, repair and maintenance costs of JD3140 tractors extremely affected by the failure rate increase. Keywords—Failure rate, tractor, annual repair and maintenance costs, regression model, Khouzestan.
ACGs: Adaptive Course Generation System - An Efficient Approach to Build E-Learning Course

Recently, adaptive course generation has been focusing by several researchers. We have built ACGs system to create adaptive courses for each learner based on evaluating demand, ability, background and learning style of them. ACGs is also separated content from model of course and extended learning objects in order to using intelligent agent to help them choice effectively adaptive course.
A Novel Approach for Characterizing Microsatellite Instability in Cancer Cells

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is characterized by the expansion or contraction of DNA repeat tracts as a consequence of DNA mismatch repair deficiency (MMRD). Accurate detection of MSI in cancer cells is important since MSI is associated with several cancer subtypes and can help inform therapeutic decisions. Although experimental assays have been developed to detect MSI, they typically depend on a small number of known microsatellite loci or mismatch repair genes and have limited reliability. Here, we report a novel genome-wide approach for MSI detection based on the global detection of insertions and deletions (indels) in microsatellites found in expressed genes. Our large-scale analyses of 20 cancer cell lines and 123 normal individuals revealed striking indel features associated with MSI: there is a significant increase of short microsatellite deletions in MSI samples compared to microsatellite stable (MSS) ones, suggesting a mechanistic bias of repair efficiency between insertions and deletions in normal human cells. By incorporating this observation into our MSI scoring metric, we show that our approach can correctly distinguish between MSI and MSS cancer cell lines. Moreover, when we applied this approach to primal tumor samples, our metric is also well consistent with diagnosed MSI status. Thus, our study offers new insight into DNA mismatch repair system, and also provides a novel MSI diagnosis method for clinical oncology with better reliability.
Meetings in a distributed group of experts: comparing face-to-face, chat and collaborative virtual environments

Focus for this report is the Collaborative Virtual Environments potential to support work meetings for geographically distributed experts. Research question concerns the difference in face-to-face-, chat-, and CVE-meetings on efficiency, communication, technology, enjoyment and, competence development. A small group of experts were observed during their natural work meetings. Six of the groups scheduled meetings were held three times in a chat environment and three times in a CVE. Results point at that chat and CVE meetings are more task oriented than face-to-face meetings, that avatars support turn taking and are enjoyable. BACKGROUND Technology enables today both distributed storing of information and communication. It is possible to build Collaborative Virtual Environments (CVE) which could include relevant information for a specific group i.e. experts in one domain. The future aim here is to build a CVE for distributed experts within the area of Human-Computer Interaction (HCI). Experts often sit very lonely in their organisation at work but still they have the need of meeting colleagues for discussions, knowledge exchange and competence development. Not many groups of experts use this technique today although it is available relatively easy. Before starting to build the planned CVE mentioned above more input regarding its usefulness was necessary. Questions like how is it to communicate i.e. have meetings in a CVE compared with real face-to-face meetings or chat environment, and, what is the role the different parts (chat facility, 3D-environment, avatar) of the CVE, were raised.