LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
Annual report: Surveillance of adverse events following immunisation in Australia, 2011.

This report summarises Australian passive surveillance data for adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) for 2011, and describes reporting trends over the 12-year period 2000 to 2011. There were 2,327 AEFI records for vaccines administered in 2011, a decrease of 40% from 3,894 in 2010. The decrease in 2011 was attributable to a decline in reporting following seasonal influenza (2,354 to 483) and pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) influenza vaccines (514 to 2). However, reporting rates for some other vaccines were higher in 2011 compared with 2010. The 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (13vPCV) replaced the 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (7vPCV) and was suspected of involvement in 236 AEFI cases (48 per 100,000 doses). An increase in the number of reports following rotavirus (from 40 to 56 per 100,000 doses), and the hexavalent infant vaccine (from 27 to 40 per 100,000 doses), may have been due at least in part to co-administration with 13vPCV. Reports following DTPa-IPV also increased (from 94 to 139 per 100,000 doses), continuing a trend since 2009. AEFI reports following receipt of the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine also increased markedly in those aged ≥65 years, from 155 to 288 records. In response to the increase in reports following 23vPPV, boosters are no longer recommended for those without medical risk factors. The most commonly reported reactions were injection site reactions, fever, allergic reactions and malaise. Only 7% of all the reported adverse events were categorised as serious, as per the database definitions, although some events classified as non-serious may have caused severe illness. Three deaths were temporally associated with vaccination; however, all were attributed to causes other than vaccination. The increase in 2011 was predominately due to reports of injection site reactions (49% increase in 2011). Increases in some instances may also be partly attributable to an increasing propensity to report AEFI.
The long-term effects of lifestyle change on blood pressure: One-year follow-up of the ENCORE study.

BACKGROUND
There is a paucity of data describing the sustained benefits of lifestyle interventions on health behaviors and blood pressure (BP).


METHODS
We examined the persistence of changes in health habits and BP in the ENCORE study, a trial in which 144 overweight individuals with above-normal BP were randomized to one of the following 16-week interventions: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet alone (DASH-A), DASH diet plus a behavioral weight management intervention (DASH-WM), or Usual Care. Follow-up assessments were conducted 8 months after the end of treatment.


RESULTS
At 16 weeks, systolic BP was reduced by 16.1 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 13.0-19.2) mm Hg in the DASH-WM group, 11.2 (95% CI = 8.1-14.3) mm Hg in the DASH-A group, and 3.4 (95% CI = 0.4-6.4) mm Hg in the Usual Care group. A decrease in BP persisted for 8 months, with systolic BP lower than baseline by 11.7 (95% CI = 8.1-15.3) mm Hg in the DASH-WM group, 9.5 (95% CI = 6.7-12.1) mm Hg in the DASH-A group, and 3.9 (95% CI = 0.5-7.3) mm Hg in the Usual Care group (P < 0.001 for active treatments vs. Usual Care). DASH-WM subjects lost 8.7 kg during the intervention and remained 6.3 kg lighter on follow-up examination. Changes in diet content were sustained in both DASH intervention groups. Among those who participated in DASH-WM, however, caloric intake was no longer lower, and only 21% reported still exercising regularly 8 months after completing the intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Changes in dietary habits, weight, and BP persisted for 8 months after completion of the 16-week ENCORE program, with some attenuation of the benefits. Additional research is needed to identify effective methods to promote long-term maintenance of the benefits of lifestyle modification programs.


CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT00571844.
Factors associated with severe preeclampsia and eclampsia in Jahun, Nigeria

OBJECTIVE
To explore traditional herbal medicines as potential risk factors of severe preeclampsia and eclampsia in Nigeria.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective case-control study from October 2010 to May 2011. The cases were all pregnant women admitted to the Jahun Hospital during the study period with severe preeclampsia or eclampsia and women presenting with normal pregnancy after 22 weeks.


RESULTS
During the study period, a total of 1,257 women (44%) were recorded as having normal pregnancy, and 419 (16%) women had severe preeclampsia/eclampsia (175 with severe preeclampsia and 244 with eclampsia). The risk factors found to be associated with a greater risk of severe preeclampsia/eclampsia included personal history of preeclampsia (odds ratio [OR] = 21.5; P < 0.001), personal history of preexisting hypertension (OR = 10.5; P < 0.001), primiparity (OR = 2.5; P = 0.001), occupation as housewife (OR = 1.9; P = 0.008), and fewer than four antenatal care visits (OR = 1.6; P = 0.02). Use of traditional treatments during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of developing severe preeclampsia/eclampsia (OR = 1.6 95%; confidence interval [CI]: 1.2-2.1) by univariate analysis only.


CONCLUSION
Use of traditional treatment, which increases delays before consulting the official health sector, might be a marker for harmful behavior. Community-based studies could provide additional information on the practice of herbal therapy in this population.
Uncontrolled persistent allergic asthma in practice: eXpeRience registry baseline characteristics.

BACKGROUND
Medical registries can be used to assess and monitor the effectiveness and safety of approved therapy, and provide insights into how quality of care can be optimized.


METHODS
The post-marketing, non-interventional, observational registry (eXpeRience) aims to collect data on the treatment effectiveness and safety of omalizumab in 'real-world' practice. The baseline characteristics of patients with uncontrolled allergic asthma receiving omalizumab therapy and included in the first interim analysis of this observational registry are reported.


RESULTS
A total of 294 patients were included in the first interim analysis. Of these patients, 271 (92.2%) were active in the registry at the time of reporting. At baseline, the mean duration of allergic asthma was approximately 19 years, with over 87% of patients testing positive for a perennial allergen. Mean % predicted FEV(1) and serum total IgE levels were 62.4% and 316.7 IU/mL, respectively. Asthma was uncontrolled for approximately 62% of patients, while around 23% were partly controlled. The majority of patients were being treated with multiple asthma controller medications, including inhaled-corticosteroids, long-acting β(2)-agonists and leukotriene receptor antagonists, and 28% of patients were also receiving maintenance oral corticosteroids. Concomitant diseases were present in many patients, the most common being perennial allergic rhinitis (42.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Demographic and disease characteristics highlight the unmet clinical need in patients with uncontrolled allergic asthma. Future analyses from this study will further determine the real-life effectiveness and safety of omalizumab.
Ninja on a Plane: Automatic Discovery of Physical Planes for Augmented Reality Using Visual SLAM

Most work in visual augmented reality (AR) employs predefined markers or models that simplify the algorithms needed for sensor positioning and augmentation but at the cost of imposing restrictions on the areas of operation and on interactivity. This paper presents a simple game in which an AR agent has to navigate using real planar surfaces on objects that are dynamically added to an unprepared environment. An extended Kalman filter (EKF) simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM) framework with automatic plane discovery is used to enable the player to interactively build a structured map of the game environment using a single, agile camera. By using SLAM, we are able to achieve real-time interactivity and maintain rigorous estimates of the system's uncertainty, which enables the effects of high quality estimates to be propagated to other features (points and planes) even if they are outside the camera's current field of view.
Stock Market Prediction with Multiple Regression, Fuzzy Type-2 Clustering and Neural Networks

Stock market forecasting research offers many challenges and opportunities, with the forecasting of individual stocks or indexes focusing on forecasting either the level (value) of future market prices, or the direction of market price movement. A three-stage stock market prediction system is introduced in this article. In the first phase, Multiple Regression Analysis is applied to define the economic and financial variables which have a strong relationship with the output. In the second phase, Differential Evolution-based type-2 Fuzzy Clustering is implemented to create a prediction model. For the third phase, a Fuzzy type-2 Neural Network is used to perform the reasoning for future stock price prediction. The results of the network simulation show that the suggested model outperforms traditional models for forecasting stock market prices. © 2011 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Risk factors for unplanned and unwanted teenage pregnancies occurring over two years of follow-up among a cohort of young South African women

Background Although teenage pregnancies in South Africa have declined, the short and longer term health and social consequences are a potential public health concern. This longitudinal study aimed to describe the range of risk and protective factors for incident unwanted and unplanned pregnancies occurring over 2 years of follow-up among a cohort of adolescent women in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. It also investigated the relationship between gender inequality and gender-based violence and subsequent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies among the cohort. Objective Teenage girls, aged 15-18 years (n=19), who were volunteer participants in a cluster randomized controlled trial and who had data from at least one follow-up were included in this analysis. To assess risk and protective factors for incident unwanted or unplanned pregnancies, we constructed multivariate polytomous regression models adjusting for sampling clusters as latent variables. Covariates included age, having a pregnancy prior to baseline, education, time between interviews, study intervention arm, contraceptive use, experience of intimate partner violence, belief that the teenage girl and her boyfriend are mutual main partners, and socioeconomic status. Results Overall, 174 pregnancies occurred over the 2-year follow-up period. Beliefs about relationship control were not associated with unwanted and unplanned pregnancies, nor were experiences of forced first sex or coerced sex under the age of 15. Hormonal contraception was protective against unplanned pregnancies (OR 0.40; 95% CI 0.21-0.79); however, using condoms was not protective. Physical abuse (OR 1.69; 95% CI 1.05-2.72) was a risk factor for, and having a pregnancy prior to baseline was protective against an unwanted pregnancy (OR 0.25; 95% CI 0.07-0.80). Higher socioeconomic status was protective for both unplanned and unwanted pregnancies (OR 0.69; 95% CI 0.58-0.83 and OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.64-0.96). Believing that the teenage girl and her boyfriend were mutual main partners doubled the odds of reporting both an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy (OR 2.58 95% CI 1.07-6.25, and OR 2.21 95% CI 1.13-4.29). Conclusion Although some of the measures of gender inequity were not associated with unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, there is evidence of the role of both gender power and socioeconomic status. This was evident in teenage girls who experienced physical violence being more likely to have an unwanted pregnancy. Interventions to prevent teenage pregnancies need to be tailored by socioeconomic status because some teenagers may see having a pregnancy as a way to have a more secure future. Interventions that engage with relationship dynamics of teenagers are essential if unwanted and unplanned pregnancies are to be prevented.
Location Based Services and GIS in Perspective

This paper examines location-based services (LBS) from a broad perspective involving deWnitions, characteristics, and application prospects. We present an overview of LBS modeling regarding users, locations, contexts and data. The LBS modeling endeavors are cross-examined with a research agenda of geographic information science. Some core research themes are brieXy speculated. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Problem behavior, parental stress and enuresis.

PURPOSE
We determined maternal and paternal ratings of problem behavior in 5 to 13-year-old children with (non)monosymptomatic enuresis and investigated parental stress and the association between parental ratings of child behavior and parental stress.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
We compared problem behavior in 78 children with (non)monosymptomatic enuresis vs that in 110 without enuresis using the Child Behavior Checklist and the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale. Parental stress was measured using the Parenting Stress Index.


RESULTS
Maternal results replicated previous findings of significantly higher Child Behavior Checklist scores for externalizing and total problems compared with those in the control group, whereas no significant differences were found for paternal ratings. Mothers and fathers of enuretic children reported significantly higher scores on the Disruptive Behavior Disorders Rating Scale inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity and oppositional defiant disorder subscales than parents of children without enuresis. The Parenting Stress Index revealed significantly higher overall stress in mothers and fathers of children with (non)monosymptomatic enuresis compared with that in parents of controls. Especially parental stress related to child characteristics was associated with a greater report of child behavior problems.


CONCLUSIONS
Each parent but especially mothers reported more problem behavior in children with (non)monosymptomatic enuresis than in controls. They also reported more stress, which correlates highly with parental ratings of problem behavior in children with (non)monosymptomatic enuresis.
A note on Ingham's summation method

Abstract Ingham's (nonregular) summation method (I) is closely connected with prime number theory. An easy limitation theorem for (I) (observed by Hardy) is if Σc n is summable (I) then c n = o (loglog n ). We show this result to be best possible.
The effects of Ginger on spermatogenesis and sperm parameters of rat

Background: Ginger rhizome (Zingiber officinale R., family: Zingiberaceae) is used medicinally and as a culinary spice. Objective: Medicinal use of ginger dates back to ancient China and India. Ginger and its constituents are stated to have antiemetic, antithrombotic, antihepatotoxic, antiinflammatory, stimulant, cholagogue and antioxidant. It has been used since ancient time as medicinal and food origins it contain antioxidative and androgenic activities and have well effect in diseases treatment in more countries world-wide. As an antioxidant’s ginger has a useful effect on spermatogenesis and sperm parameters. Materials and Methods: Wistar male rat (n=30) were allocated into three groups, control (n=10) and test groups (n=20), that subdivided into groups of 2 that received ginger rhizome powder (50 and 100mg/kg/day) for 20 consequence day. Animals were kept in standard conditions. In twentieth day the testes tissue of Rats in whole groups were removed and sperm was collected from epididymis and prepared for analysis. Results: Serum total testosterones significantly increased in experimental group that has received 100 mg/kg/day Ginger (p<0.05) in comparison to control group. Besides, the percentage of sperm viability and motility in both test groups significantly increased (p<0.05) in comparison to control group, Whereas, LH, FSH hormones, sperm concentration, morphology and testes weights in both experimental and control group were similar. Conclusion: Results revealed that administration of 100 mg/kg/day of ginger significantly increased sperm percentage, viability, motility and serum total testosterones. This suggested that ginger may be promising in enhancing sperm healthy parameters.
Does treatment of Helicobacter pylori with antibiotics alone heal duodenal ulcer? A randomised double blind placebo controlled study.

BACKGROUND
Treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection prevents duodenal ulcer relapse. It has not been established if treatment of the infection heals duodenal ulcer.


AIM
To test the hypothesis that treatment of the infection was associated with healing of duodenal ulcer.


METHODS
A randomised, double blind placebo controlled trial was performed to study the efficacy of an antibiotic only regimen consisting of 300 mg metronidazole, 500 mg amoxycillin, and 250 mg clarithromycin, each given four times daily for two weeks, in the healing of duodenal ulcer as assessed by endoscopy. Symptoms were controlled with acetaminophen and antacids.


RESULTS
Of 100 consecutive patients with endoscopically established duodenal ulcer, 97 with positive rapid urease test on antral biopsy specimens were admitted into the study and 81 completed the trial. Of these, 40 were randomised to receive antibiotics and 41 to receive placebo. Treatment with antibiotics resulted in 92.5% (95% confidence interval (95% CI) 84.3-100) healing at four weeks and 100% at eight and 12 weeks; the corresponding healing rates for placebo treatment were respectively, 36.6%, 61%, and 63.4% (95% CIs 21.8-51.3, 46.0-75.9, and 48.7-78.2 respectively). The differences between the two treatment groups were significant at p < 0.001 at each time point and by life table analysis. Clearance of H pylori as assessed by urease test on antral biopsy specimens at four weeks and eradication of the organism as determined by 13C-urea breath test at eight weeks were achieved in 85% and 62.5% of patients respectively. Duodenal ulcer healed at four weeks in 87.2% and 86.2% (95% CIs 76.7-97.7 and 73.7-98.8) of patients in whom H pylori clearance or eradication, was achieved, versus 42.9% and 51.9% (95% CIs 27.9-57.8 and 38.3-65.5; p < 0.001 and < 0.003 respectively) in whom these processes failed. Stepwise discriminant analysis on 32 clinical, personal, and endoscopic characteristics as well as H pylori clearance and eradication identified H pylori clearance as the most discriminative variable for the healing of duodenal ulcer at four weeks, followed by ulcer depth and eradication of the organism.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with an antibiotic only regimen was effective for the healing of duodenal ulcer, and clearance as well as eradication of H pylori contributed significantly to the healing. The results constituted the strongest evidence to date that H pylori infection was aetiologically related to duodenal ulceration, and support the concept of treating duodenal ulcer associated with H pylori as an infection and relieving its symptoms with acid reducing agents such as antacids.
Research Guides: Industrial Engineering Technology: Careers in Industrial Engineering

The Industrial Engineering Technology curriculum prepares graduates to perform as technical leaders in manufacturing and service organizations. The study and application of methods and techniques for developing & implementing integrated systems.
Efficient feature selection filters for high-dimensional data

0167-8655/$ see front matter 2012 Elsevier B.V. A http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.patrec.2012.05.019 ⇑ Corresponding author at: Instituto Superior de E Portugal. E-mail address: arturj@cc.isel.ipl.pt (A.J. Ferreira). Feature selection is a central problem in machine learning and pattern recognition. On large datasets (in terms of dimension and/or number of instances), using search-based or wrapper techniques can be computationally prohibitive. Moreover, many filter methods based on relevance/redundancy assessment also take a prohibitively long time on high-dimensional datasets. In this paper, we propose efficient unsupervised and supervised feature selection/ranking filters for high-dimensional datasets. These methods use low-complexity relevance and redundancy criteria, applicable to supervised, semi-supervised, and unsupervised learning, being able to act as pre-processors for computationally intensive methods to focus their attention on smaller subsets of promising features. The experimental results, with up to 10 features, show the time efficiency of our methods, with lower generalization error than state-of-the-art techniques, while being dramatically simpler and faster. 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Weekly docetaxel and gemcitabine as first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer: results of a multicenter phase II study.

OBJECTIVES
We conducted a multicenter phase II study to evaluate the clinical efficacy, toxicity, and dose intensity of a new weekly schedule of docetaxel and gemcitabine as first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer patients.


METHODS
We enrolled 58 patients, 52% of whom had received a previous anthracycline-containing chemotherapy. The treatment schedule was: docetaxel 35 mg/m2 and gemcitabine 800 mg/m2 i.v. on days 1, 8, 15 every 28 days.


RESULTS
All patients were assessable for toxicity and 56 for efficacy. Overall response rate was 64.3% with 16.1% of complete responses and 48.2% of partial responses. Median survival was 22.10 months (95% CI: 15.53-28.67) and median time to tumor progression was 13.6 months (95% CI: 10.71-16.49). The most common hematological toxicity was neutropenia (no febrile neutropenia), which occurred in 28 patients (48.3%) but grade 3-4 in only 8 patients (14%). Alopecia, the most common nonhematological toxicity, occurred in 20 (34.5%) patients, but only 5 patients (8.6%) experienced grade 3 alopecia.


CONCLUSION
The activity of docetaxel and gemcitabine in metastatic breast cancer is confirmed. The promising results of the employed schedule, in agreement with other published studies, need to be further confirmed within a phase III study.
Data Semantics Revisited

The problem of data semantics is establishing and maintaining the correspondence between a data source and its intended subject matter. We review the long history of the problem in Databases, and contrast it with recent research on the Semantic Web. We then propose two new directions for research on the problem and sketch some open research questions.