Kornimate/medical-research-clean huggingface dataset:
efficacy of caffeine, with and without biperiden, as a maintenance treatment for cocaine dependence

Conditions: Cocaine Dependence

Summary: the aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of caffeine compared to placebo as a maintenance treatment for cocaine dependence. caffeine potentiation with biperiden will be also studied. ninety patients with snorted/sniffed cocaine dependence will be randomized to receive caffeine (300 - 1200 mg t.i.d.) plus biperidene (8 mg b.i.d.) caffeine (300 - 1200 mg t.i.d.) with placebo or placebo during 10 days in an in-hospital setting.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * diagnosis of cocaine dependence, according to dsm-iv-tr criteria * age between 18 and 60 years * current cocaine use, confirmed by a positive urine drug screen for cocaine the week prior to admission. * demonstrated capacity to grant informed consent and sign the pertinent informed consent form. * place of residence compatible with attendance at the center. * for women, willingness to use effective contraceptive measures during the study. exclusion criteria: * diagnosis of a severe medical disorder that could interfere with the study * presence of an organic pathology for which methylxanthines or biperidene administration is contraindicated * serum liver transaminase levels 3 times higher than normal values * pregnancy and breast-feeding * neuroleptic medication treatment in the past 6 weeks * current treatment, or anticipation that the patient may need to initiate treatment during the study, with drugs that may interact with study medication. * current diagnosis of a major mental disorder. * awareness of a situation that could prevent the patient's participation in the study (e.g. serving a sentence) * current participation in another research project.

Keywords: cocaine dependence cocaine use cns stimulants caffeine biperiden placebo
the efficacy of zinc-biofortified rice in bangladeshi children

Conditions: Zinc Deficiency; Growth; Stunting, Nutritional

Summary: to assess the efficacy of the zinc biofortified rice on plasma zinc concentrations in infants from a rural area of bangladesh.

rationale: around the world and estimated 30% of the population is at risk of zinc deficiency, mainly due to monotonous plant base diets and the poor bioavailability of this sources. one staple food crop which is low in zinc content is rice. therefore, zinc deficiency is highly common in asia. zinc plays a major role in child growth and neurobehavioral development. furthermore, it is linked to infection control and normal immune response. one way to add extra zinc to someone's diet is zinc bio fortification of staple crops, which can be a cost saving sustainable approach to improve zinc nutrition. however, data on long-term intake of biofortified crops with zinc is scarce and efficacy of newly developed rice crops high in zinc are not well known. objective: the objective is to assess the efficacy of a newly developed zinc biofortified rice variety on plasma zinc concentrations in children in a rural area of bangladesh when compared to their controls in a 9 month randomized controlled trial (rct). study design: a double randomized control trial. study population: stunted children whom are zinc deficient at start of the study intervention determined by plasma zinc levels \<9.9 µmol/l. main study parameters/endpoints: the difference in zinc status between the intervention and control group expressed in blood plasma zinc levels. plasma zinc will be measured 4 times during the intervention period. besides plasma zinc other zinc biomarkers will be tested for their usefulness.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * 12-36 months of age (at baseline assessment) * low plasma zn concentration (\<10.71 µmol/l) * marginally stunted (height for age z-score \<-1.75) * the informed consent form has been read and signed by the caregiver (or has been read out to the caregiver in case of illiteracy) exclusion criteria: * severe anemia (hb\< 70 g/l) * chronic or acute illness or other conditions that in the opinion of the principle investigator (pi) or co-researchers would affect zn metabolism or would render the participant unable to comply with the protocol (based on self-reporting or diagnosed during screening) * participants taking part in other studies requiring the drawing of blood * not planning long-term residence in study site * regular intake (\>2 days) of iron-containing mineral and vitamin supplements or fortified foods within the last 2 months * chronic use of drugs that affect the metabolism of zn, including reducing absorption or increasing excretion; e.g., tuberculosis medications (ethambutal and isoniazides), drugs used as treatment for entamoeba hystolica (diiodohydroxyquin), drugs that reduce stomach acidity (h2 blockers and proton pump inhibitory), antidepressants (nialamide and socarboxazid), anti-inflammatory drugs (corticosteroids), diuretics (thiazides).

Keywords: zinc biofortification zinc status zinc biomarker
cardiovascular magnetic resonance for the occluded infarct-related artery treatment

Conditions: Cardiovascular Diseases; Heart Diseases; Myocardial Infarction; Heart Failure

Summary: the purpose of this study is to determine whether opening an occluded infarcted artery 3-28 days after an acute myocardial infarction in high-risk asymptomatic patients with preserved infarct zone viability improves left ventricular systolic function and volumes at 6 months follow-up. the secondary purpose is to assess the changes in myocardial tissue characteristics after late percutaneous coronary intervention (pci).

rapid restoration of blood flow in the infarct-related artery (ira), one of the cornerstones of contemporary treatment of acute myocardial infarction (mi) prevents myocardial necrosis and its consequences. however, due to late presentation or failed fibrinolytic therapy up to one third of patients have persistently occluded ira after mi. recently, the occluded artery trial (oat) has demonstrated that percutaneous coronary intervention (pci) with optimal medical therapy does not reduce the frequency of major adverse events compared to optimal medical therapy alone when performed on days 3-28 post mi in stable patients. assessment of infarct zone viability was not used as an inclusion/exclusion criterion in the main oat trial. several studies confirm that patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and preserved myocardial viability (necrosis transmurality\<50% in most segments of the infarct zone) assessed with magnetic resonance imaging benefit from revascularization. late opening of the occluded infarct-related artery only in patients with preserved myocardial tissue viability may lead to improvement of left ventricular volumes and function.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * enrollment 3-28 days after an acute myocardial infarction. * infarct related artery occlusion (timi 0 or 1). * high risk: left ventricular ejection fraction (lvef)\ 50% and proximal coronary occlusion. * preserved infarct zone viability (necrosis transmurality \<50% in at least 4 segments out of 17 according to aha classification). exclusion criteria: * unstable clinical condition

Keywords: acute coronary syndrome myocardial infarction infarct related artery percutaneous coronary intervention medical treatment tissue viability magnetic resonance
support needs and preferences of family caregivers of lung cancer patients

Conditions: Lung Cancer

Summary: this study is being done to learn what the needs are in relation to the family members. some family members seek counseling; others do not. the institution wants to try to understand why and wants to see if they can improve our support services for family members.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * primary family caregiver identified by a patient who is approximately within 4 to 6 weeks of a new visit to a thoracic clinic and receiving cancer care at memorial sloan-kettering cancer center or queens cancer center * caregiver is at least 18 years of age. * caregiver has adequate english fluency for completion of data collection. the surveys were designed and validated in english and are not currently available in other languages. translation of questionnaires into other languages would require reestablishing the reliability and validity of these measures. therefore, participants must be able to communicate in english to complete the surveys. * clinically meaningful distress defined as a score of 8 or greater on the anxiety or depression subscale of the hads (see bjelland et al., 2002; zigmond \& snaith, 1983). exclusion criteria: * patients or caregivers exhibiting significant psychiatric or cognitive impairment (dementia/delirium, retardation, active psychosis) that in the judgment of the investigators would preclude providing informed consent and study participation * patient has lung cancer recurrence * currently participating in a psychosocial intervention trial

Keywords: quality of life questionnaires interviews family members care givers 09-104
effects of l-arginine supplementation in adults with moderate to severe asthma

Conditions: Asthma

Summary: nitric oxide is an important marker of airway inflammation in asthma. nitric oxide may have a protective role in patients with moderate to severe asthma. the investigators believe that a natural amino acid, l-arginine, that augments nitric oxide levels can decrease asthma exacerbations and improve the asthma care of moderate to severe asthma patients. this study is a randomized, placebo controlled trial in which subjects will receive either 3 months of l-arginine supplementation or a placebo. the investigators will monitor subjects' symptoms, the number of asthma exacerbations, and lung function. in addition, we will draw blood, obtain induced sputum samples and measure exhaled breath nitric oxide levels at each monthly visit.

the primary objective of this 3 month clinical study is to determine if supplemental l-arginine can decrease the number of asthma exacerbations in patients with severe asthma. l-arginine, a natural amino acid, produces nitric oxide (no) when it is converted to l-citrulline in the presence of the nitric oxide synthase enzymes. we and others have found that no can protect against allergic airway inflammation, airway hyperresponsiveness and airway fibrosis in various animal models. in addition, we have found that arginase i expression correlates strongly with the lymphocyte and eosinophil influx into the lung and this enzyme may regulate the airway inflammatory response. our central hypothesis is that l-arginine will increase no levels in the lung and decrease the number of acute exacerbations of asthma. it may do this by either decreasing the number of th2 lymphocytes or down-regulating arginase i expression or both. our specific aims are, therefore, 1. to test the hypothesis, in a randomized, double-blinded, placebo controlled trial, that 3 months of l-arginine supplementation will decrease the number of acute asthma exacerbations in severe asthmatic patients, 2. to determine whether l-arginine decreases the ratio of peripheral blood th2 to th1 lymphocytes and 3. to determine whether l-arginine will modulate serum arginase i/ii levels and their downstream products. patients will be recruited primarily from the uc davis asthma network (ucan) clinics, which focus on the care of severe asthmatics, and the study will be performed at the uc davis/va general clinical research center.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * moderate to severe persistent asthma * subject is stable on same asthma medications for at least one month * if the subject is a woman of child-bearing age, a negative pregnancy test exclusion criteria: * less than 18 yrs/ age * baseline forced expiratory volume in 1 second (fev1) \<40% predicted * known or suspected allergy to l-arginine * pregnant women, nursing women, or women actively trying to achieve pregnancy * current smokers * subjects with more than a 15 pack-year history of smoking

Keywords: airway inflammation moderate persistent asthma severe persistent asthma
interferon-alpha2a versus cyclosporin a for severe ocular behcet's disease (incytob)

Conditions: Behcet's Disease; Panuveitis; Posterior Uveitis; Retinal Vasculitis

Summary: the purpose of this study is to investigate if interferon-alpha2a is superior to the standard treatment with cyclosporin a for the treatment of severe ocular manifestations of behcet's disease.

behcet's disease is a multisystem vasculitis often involving ocular (retinal) blood vessels (in 70% of all cases). this form of uveitis or retinal vasculitis still leads to blindness in 25 to 50% of the patients irrespective of immunosuppressive treatment. the aim of the study is to evaluate if interferon-alpha2a is superior to the present standard treatment (cyclosporin a (csa)) for severe ocular (panuveitis, posterior uveitis, retinal vasculitis) behçet's disease (bd) and significantly improves visual prognosis and quality of health and life of the patients with ocular bd and is acting more rapidly than standard treatment. furthermore, we want to evaluate if ifn-α induces long term remissions of ocular bd which can be maintained without further medical treatment. the patients are randomised into two treatment groups (ifn/csa) and treated for one year according to an algorithm which adapts dosages to clinical course. a crossover from one treatment arm to the other is planned in case of inefficacy.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * behçet's disease fulfilling the international study group criteria with active pan- or posterior uveitis (according to the posterior uveitis scoring system) or retinal vasculitis and active disease according to the behcet's disease activity scoring system. exclusion criteria: * previous treatment with interferon-α or cyclosporin a * pregnancy, breast feeding women, malignancy * renal impairment (creatinine \> 1.5 mg/dl) * uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes * depression or other psychic disorders(also history of depression) * history of acute or chronic inflammatory joint or autoimmune disease * organ or bone marrow transplant recipient, cardiac failure \> nyhaiii * acute liver disease with sgpt 2x above normal * white blood cell count \< 3500/mm3 * platelet count \< 100000/mm3 * hgb \< 8.5g/dl * body weight \<45 kg * alcohol abuse or drug abuse * mental impairment * uncooperative attitude

Keywords: ocular behcet's disease panuveitis posterior uveitis retinal vasculitis treatment interferon-alpha cyclosporin a
analysis of clinical characteristics and study of diagnostic markers in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome

Conditions: Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Summary: the investigators collected clinical data and serum samples of patients with polycystic ovary syndrome in this study, used statistical software such as spss for data analysis, and used experimental techniques such as elisa to detect serum samples, aiming to explore the relationship between the body anthropometry, glucose and lipid metabolism, gonadal hormones and body fat distribution in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome and to discovery new biomarkers and promote the realization of more accurate personalized medicine.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * female aged 18- 45; * meet rotterdam criteria; exclusion criteria: * women who are pregnant or have a pregnancy plan within six months; * congenital adrenocortical hyperplasia; * hyperprolactinemia; * hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism; * abnormal liver function (≥ 3 times of the upper limit of normal range); * abnormal renal function (gfr\<60ml/min/1.73m2); * adrenal or ovarian tumors secreting androgens; * used contraceptives, metformin, glp-1ra, pioglitazone and contraceptives in the last 3 month.

Keywords: polycystic ovary syndrome clinical characteristics new biomarkers
integral cognitive remediation for depression

Conditions: Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

Summary: the goal of this clinical trial is to learn if increm intervention can improve psychosocial functioning in patients with remitted major depressive disorder. the main question it aims to answer are: does increm improve psychosocial functioning compared to psychoeducation? does the benefits of increm remain after six months of the intervention compared to psychoeducation? researchers will compare two arms: increm; psychoeducation to see if psychosocial functioning improves. participants will be allocated to: * increm * psychoeducation * tau.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * patients aged 18-60 y.o. and beyond with a remitted or active episode of major depression (dsm-5 criteria; maximum score of 18-20 on the hdrs-17) showing cognitive symptoms (scores below 80 on the scip) with functional difficulties (scores above 12 on the fast). exclusion criteria: * iq below 85; * any unstable or inadequately-treated medical condition that may affect neuropsychological performance; * being under drug treatment in the last 4 weeks with glucocorticoids, probiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, bile acid sequestrants, immunosuppressive drugs, anti-histamines, mast cell stabilizers, and antioxidant supplements; * use of systemic antibiotics the last 2 months; * presence of any comorbid psychiatric condition, other than personality disorders or nicotine use disorders, in the last three months; * accomplish criteria for severe treatment resistant depression; * patients who had received electroconvulsive therapy in the previous year; * patients receiving any other structured psychological intervention in the 3 months prior to the study; * not having the necessary electronic means (computer or tablet) or internet connection to be able to participate.

Keywords: cognitive symptoms cognitive remediation rehabilitation functional recovery major depressive disorder
influence of lifestyle modification program on meaningful participation and quality of life of independent taiwanese older adults

Conditions: Quality of Life

Summary: the goal of this clinical trial is to compare the differences between health-related quality of life and meaningful participation among two groups. the main question it aimed to answer are: whether the older adults from experimental group who received 24-week lifestyle modification program would have higher level of health-related quality of life and meaningful participation compared to those who did not receive the program from the control group. participants in experimental group had to attend in a 24-week lifestyle modification program. researchers will compare the experimental and control group to see if there were differences between their health-related quality of life and meaningful participation.

this study investigates the impact of a lifestyle modification program (lmp) on the quality of life and meaningful participation of independent taiwanese older adults. as the global and taiwanese populations age rapidly, there's an urgent need to address the challenges posed by aging, including deteriorations in physical and mental health that affect independent living and well-being. inspired by usc's lifestyle redesign® program, this research aimed to adapt and evaluate a similar intervention in a taiwanese context, considering cultural differences and specific needs. participants in the experimental and control groups were required to be over 55 years old, independently living in the community, proficient in mandarin chinese or taiwanese, and showing no overt signs of psychosis or dementia. the study was conducted with ethical approval from kaohsiung medical university's irb, ensuring confidentiality and informed consent. the experimental group received the lmp which included 12 treatment modules delivered in 24 weekly group sessions, emphasizing active engagement, knowledge sharing, and personal exploration. the intervention aimed to foster psychophysical health, increase daily activity participation, and enhance overall quality of life through a large group format over a shorter timeframe than traditional interventions. the control group participants were selected from the same community without engaged in the lmp. the study used the sf-36 taiwan version to measure health-related quality of life and the taiwanese meaningful activity participation assessment (t-mapa) to evaluate the frequency and degree of meaningful participation, and then to compared the changed scores between the two groups in order to examine the efficacy of the lmp. additionally, individual semi-structured interviews were conducted to acquire qualitative insights into participants' subjective experiences before, during, and after the intervention among the experimental group.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * over 55 years old * independently community-dwelling * proficient in mandarin chinese or taiwanese exclusion criteria: -show overt signs of psychosis or dementia
n-acetylcysteine plus deferoxamine for patients with hypotension

Conditions: Hypotension; Acute Renal Failure

Summary: oxidative stress is associated with kidney damage in several different situations, including hypotension. in animal models it has been shown that the combination of n-acetylcysteine plus deferoxamine is superior to its isolate use in the treatment of several diseases. thus the investigators aimed to determine if the administration of n-acetylcysteine plus deferoxamine could prevent renal failure in critical ill patients who develops hypotension.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * patients admitted to the icu * presenting hypothesion (map \< 60mm hg or the needing to use vasoactive drugs) for at least 30 min in the last 12h before study inclusion exclusion criteria: * age lower than 18 years old * chronic renal failure * a known history of allergy to any of the study drugs * using n-acetylcysteine to paracetamol overdose * pregnant women * patients who used iodinated contrast medium * hemoglobin less than 6.5 mg/dl * cancer patients
study of danggui buxue decoction in preventing neutropenia

Conditions: Grade 3/4 Neutropenia; Febrile Neutropenia

Summary: to evaluate ec/tc (epirubicin and cyclophosphomide or docetaxel and cyclophosphomide) with ec/tc plus dbd (danggui buxue decoction) in adjuvant treatment of breast cancer patients. the aim is to evaluate whether dbd can decrease the incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenia induced by ec/tc regimen during chemotherapy.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: women aged ≥18 years and \< 70 years; histologically confirmed invasive breast cancer by core needle biopsy, suggested to receive ec/tc regiments for adjuvant chemotherapy by mdt; leukocyte ≥ 3\*109/l; neutrophil ≥ 1.5\*109/l; plt ≥ 100\*109/l; serum ast/sgot or alt/agpt ≤ 2.5 times of upper limit of normal (unl) range serum creatinine/bun ≤ upper limit of normal (unl) range; no dysphagia, be able to take the danggui buxue decoction(dbd) written informed consent according to the local ethics committee requirements. has ecog performance score 0-1; exclusion criteria: metastatic breast cancer; family history of endometrial cancer or any other kind of gynecologic cancer; patients with severe co-morbidity that indicate intolerant to adjuvant chemotherapy; patients with psychiatric disorder or other diseases leading to incompliance to the therapy; known severe hypersensitivity to any drugs in this study; prior adjuvant chemotherapy of any kind cancer; hematologic disorders relative to aplasia

Keywords: incidence of grade 3/4 neutropenia incidence of febrile neutropenia time to neutropenia recovery safety