Kornimate/medical-research-clean huggingface dataset:
ams study: inflammatory and biomechanical contributors to arthritis development following arthroscopic meniscectomy

Conditions: Osteoarthritis

Summary: the purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between muscle activation and heart rate on joint generalized inflammation and arthritis development.

this study will test the hypothesis that knee trauma (as exemplified by the arthroscopy procedure) causes inflammation that alters muscle activation patterns locally and also disrupts the balance between parasympathetic-sympathetic reflexes. it is hypothesized that these factors contribute to development and progression of knee osteoarthritis.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * age 40 or older * potential candidate for knee arthroscopy for medial * meniscal tear confirmed on mri * prior meniscal resection at least 1 year prior with a persistent knee effusion * body mass index between 25-35 kg/m2 exclusion criteria: * knee injury in the 1 month before the initial study evaluation * knee surgery within 1 year before the initial study evaluation * pace-maker or defibrillator, 2nd or 3rd degree heart block, or other abnormal rhythms * current diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, a fasting glucose\>100mg/dl or \>140 mg/dl 2 hour after a glucose challenge * current diagnosis of an inflammatory condition (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, gout, etc) * untreated thyroid disease * morbid obesity (body mass index \>35) * neuropathy or nerve damage * stroke or transient-ischemic attacks (mini-stroke) * recent diagnosis of congestive heart failure or heart attack * use of prednisone or chemotherapy, steroid or other joint or ant-inflammatory agents in the past 3 months * current use of medications that influence heart rate * cognitive impairment that limits your ability to provide informed consent * pregnancy

Keywords: arthroscopic
dopaminergic enhancement of learning and memory in healthy adults and patients with dyslexia

Conditions: Dyslexia

Summary: this study aims to determine whether levodopa, in combination with a high frequency training of (grammatical) rules, is effective in boosting learning success in healthy subjects and whether this kind of training in combination with levodopa improves reading and spelling abilities of patients with dyslexia.

prior work by our group shows that d-amphetamine and the dopamine precursor levodopa markedly improve word learning success in healthy subjects. in this randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, we probe whether daily administration of levodopa, coupled with a training of grammatical rules, improves the training success in healthy adults as compared to placebo administration. in the second step of this study, patients with dyslexia will be trained with the identical protocol. we postulate that the combination of intensive training in language rules and levodopa improves the reading, writing, and spelling abilities of patients with dyslexia.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * right-handedness * age between 18-35 years * primary language: german exclusion criteria: * known allergy to levodopa or tetrazine * history of medication/drug abuse * acute nicotine withdrawal or \> 10 cigarettes per day * \>6 cups/glasses of coffee, caffeine drinks or energy drinks per day * \>50 grams of alcohol per day * hypertonia * arteriosclerosis * diabetes, asthma, or glaucoma * psychiatric disease * neurologic disease * other medication

Keywords: artificial grammar learning dyslexia healthy subjects levodopa drug treatment intervention
virtual acoustic localization experiment

Conditions: Hearing Loss

Summary: the present study has the evaluation of a test to measure the localization performance goal . it is about the perception of danger audio signals in everyday listening environments nearby which are reproduced in controlled laboratory conditions. in addition, a dereverberation algorithm regarding speech intelligibility and localization ability is evaluated . the research hypothesis is that the dereverberation of the audio signals can improve speech intelligibility for both normal hearing and hearing-impaired persons. in addition, the binaural dereverberation algorithm should not affect the localization ability in everyday situations.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * adults , in general healthy (no diagnosis of dementia and/or stroke known), mother tongue: (swiss) german, normal hearing or with hearing aid wearers both sides or with ci support on both sides, symmetrical hearing loss exclusion criteria: * deviation of inclusion criteria, known fluctuating, rapidly progressive hearing loss, test person is not able to come one time a week to the university hospital of zurich or to handle 1-2 hours appointments or is not able to use touchscreen
development of a screening tool by utilising cervical length measurement in relation to body mass index (bmi) for early identification and intervention of preterm birth

Conditions: Cervical Length; Preterm Birth

Summary: this is a prospective study where pregnant women between 16-24 weeks gestation attending the antenatal clinic, fetomaternal clinic or obstetrics \& gynaecology admission centre (ogac) at hospital serdang or hospital pengajar upm will be recruited. bmi will be taken both during booking of pregnancy and at recruitment. cervical length will be measured via transvaginal scan at recruitment time. we aim to assess the association between body mass index, cervical length and risk of preterm birth.

general objective to assess the association between body mass index, cervical length and risk of preterm birth. specific objectives 1. to examine the relationship between body mass index and cervical length 2. to identify cut-off value of cervical length leading to high risk of spontaneous preterm birth among malaysian women 3. to assess the association between different cervical length and preterm birth 4. to examine the association between body mass index and preterm birth 5. to develop an individualised screening tool for assessing risk of preterm birth

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: 1. singleton pregnancy between 16-24 weeks gestation 2. no history of previous spontaneous preterm birth (gestation between 24-36+6 weeks) 3. agreement to follow up and consented for the study exclusion criteria: 1. major fetal anomaly 2. multiple pregnancy 3. uterine anatomic malformation 4. those require iatrogenic preterm delivery due to various condition

Keywords: body mass index preterm labour preterm birth cervical length
reducing urinary tract infection rates using a controlled aseptic protocol for catheter insertion

Conditions: Urinary Tract Infections; Catheter Infection; Catheter-Related Infections

Summary: urinary tract infection (uti) complications following catheter use in surgical patients remains high. using an aseptic protocol has been shown to drastically reduce uti incidence by 50%. reducing utis will prevent extended hospital stays, readmission, and antibiotic use associated with this complication and improve cost-effectiveness of care. the investigators hypothesize that they can reduce the incidence of utis after catheter placement with the implementation of a quality improvement (qi) protocol to prevent excess exposure to the environment exposure of the catheter before, during and after insertion.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: 1. women 18-89 years of age 2. admitted for surgery lasting \>1 hour and requiring urinary catheter, 3. have normal urine analysis within 24 hours pre-surgery, and 4. able to provide informed consent. exclusion criteria: 1. currently on dialysis, 2. chronic urinary infection, 3. hyperthyroidism, 4. current infection, 5. a history of allergy or sensitivity to iodine. 6. women who are pregnant or breast feeding 7. men due to their lower incidence of utis compared to the female population.
effect of cataract hyperemulsification surgery on meibomian gland morphology and function

Conditions: Meibomian Gland Dysfunction

Summary: 50 participants at eye hospital of wenzhou medical university during august, 2017 to july, 2020 will be enrolled in this study. to study the effect of cataract supermammary surgery on the morphology and function of meibomian glands


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * previously untreated patients with xerophthalmia * undergoing cataract hyperemulsification surgery exclusion criteria: * no history of ocular surgery and trauma * any eye diseases except xerophthalmia * no treated for xerophthalmia before * successful completion of follow-ups

Keywords: meibomian gland cataract surgery
post stroke ambulation recovery using robotic exoskeletons

Conditions: Hemiparesis After Stroke

Summary: the purpose of this research study is to evaluate and compare different robotic exoskeletons (re) and identify which is most appropriate for gait training for each patient based off their specific needs. this will help guide clinicians in prescribing the appropriate re for rehabilitation.

this study will systematically compare various commercially available res and aid in identifying the appropriate devices for gait training prescription in individuals post-stroke based on their deficits. the objective of this study is to evaluate and compare the four groups (3 res and standard of care treatment) using biomechanical, functional and community participation \& quality of life metrics. the robotic exoskeletons being used in this study are the atalantex (wandercraft), ekso nr (ekso bionics), and restore (lifeward).

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * stroke survivors 3 - 8 months from a recent stroke. * age: 50 - 80 years * unilateral hemiparesis * medical clearance by the medical director * be able to physically fit into the exoskeleton device: height between 60\&#34; and 76\&#34; and weight below 220 lbs * patient cognitive status and ability to communicate in english must be at a level consistent with that required to participate in standard motor rehabilitation (e.g. can follow directions). * adequate cognitive function to give informed consent, understand the training, instructions, use investigational devices and give adequate feedback. * have a joint range of motion within normal functional limits for ambulation. * have sufficient strength to use the hemiwalker, cane or walker (etc. assistive device) while wearing the re. * no history of injury or pathology to the unaffected limb. * have an appropriate walking speed as determined by the study staff. exclusion criteria: * any medical issue that precludes full weight-bearing and ambulation (e.g. orthopedic injuries, pain, severe spasticity). * skin issues that would prevent wearing the device. * pre-existing condition that caused exercise intolerance (documented uncontrolled hypertension, coronary artery disease, cardiac arrhythmia, or congestive heart failure). * hospitalization for heart attack, heart surgery, or acute heart failure within 3 months of enrollment in the study. * uncontrolled seizure disorder, spasticity, or joint contracture that would interfere with walking. * neuromuscular, neurological, or orthopedic pathologies that interfere with neuromuscular function, ambulation, or limit the range of motion of the lower limbs.
comparison of the efficacy of oral sucrose administration at two different times of a painful procedure in neonates.

Conditions: Pain

Summary: the objective of this study is to compare the use of 24% sucrose in pain control in neonates from 32 weeks of gestation onwards according to the time of administration of sucrose in venous and arterial puncture for blood collection.


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * neonates whose parents and/or guardians have signed the informed consent form. exclusion criteria: * neonates connected to invasive mechanical ventilation. * neonates presenting any type of neurological alteration or showing signs of irritability prior to the puncture. * neonates who have received sedation. * neonates presenting withdrawal syndrome.
inflammatory biomarkers in psychogenic non-epileptic seizure

Conditions: Localization-Related (Focal) (Partial) Idiopathic Epilepsy and Epileptic Syndromes With Seizures of Localized Onset; TRAIL: Tumor Necrosis Factor Related Apoptosis Inducing Ligand MCP-2; MCP-2: Monocyte Chemo-attractant Protein-2

Summary: 1. evaluation of the role of trail and mcp-2 in differentiation between epileptic seizure and psychogenic non-epileptic seizure. 2. possible role to predict the prognosis of patients with epileptic seizure.

epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological disorders characterized by frequent somatic and psychiatric co-morbidities(1). accurate diagnosis of epilepsy is challenging because clinicians rarely observe the actual clinical seizure outside of the hospital. furthermore, psychogenic nonepileptic seizures (pnes) can mimic epileptic seizures (es), leading to erroneous diagnosis and inappropriate treatments. a critical gap in the diagnostic assessment of seizures is a blood test that can distinguish es from pnes (2). both diagnoses were confirmed by the gold standard diagnostic method video/electroencephalogram (eeg) monitoring (3). taking all in to account, the notion that neuro-inflammation is the key pathology behind focal epileptic seizure initiation and maintenance and the dynamic and adaptative process of neuro -inflammation is associated with blood-brain-barrier disruption and glial activation is no longer a surprise (4). tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (trail) regulates immune responses via apoptosis, with lower levels associated with severe infection, including sepsis (5). monocyte chemoattractant protein-2 (mcp-2) has been well recognized to participate in immune regulation via binding to chemokine receptors and activation chemotaxis in lymphocytes t, natural killer (nk) cells, and monocytes therefore contributing to the pathogenesis of monocyte-dependent tissue injury (6). hence, mcp-2 overexpression could result in an increased immune response. further, since increased levels of mcp-2 have been observed in patients with alzheimer's disease, this may further support the existence of the biodirections relationship between neurodegeneration and seizures/epilepsy (7).

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * patients diagnosed as epileptic seizure are aged \>12 years patients diagnosed as psychogenic non-epileptic seizure are aged \>12 years normal healthy control for comparison. heathy control are aged \>12 years with no history of lifetime seizures or suspected seizures or febrile seizure and no treatment with an antiepileptic drug (aed) prior to blood draw exclusion criteria: * neurological criteria: other cns disorders including parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ,cerebrovascular stroke, psychiatric disorders {major depression disorder , generalized anxiety, mania and other psychiatric diseases). others: tumors and cardiovascular
relax: a mobile application suite targeting obesity and stress

Conditions: Stress; Weight

Summary: this research is being done is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a novel weight loss mobile app that was designed to be less burdensome than traditional weight loss apps.

obesity and stress are highly comorbid and both increase risk for cardiovascular disease (cvd). stress is associated with disinhibited eating, junk food consumption and low consumption of produce and whole grains. both stress and stress-induced eating are not only associated with obesity but also predict worst outcomes in lifestyle interventions. stress and stress-induced eating should be targeted in interventions to maximize weight loss; however, this makes for a very intensive intervention. technology could be leveraged to reduce intervention burden. in this trial investigators propose to compare the feasibility, usability, acceptability, and burden of an traditional weight loss app that includes diet and physical activity self-monitoring features to an app (slip buddy) we developed that focuses on self-monitoring of stress eating. with slip buddy, the user is just asked to track overeating episodes, indicating when they are triggered by stress. the majority of weight loss apps are burdensome to users by requiring them to self-monitor diet and exercise. they also ignore major barriers to weight loss, such as stress. this work moves the field forward by addressing user burden and an important barrier to weight loss.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * have a bmi of 27-45 * currently use an android smartphone * have cell phone connectivity at home and work * uses a smartphone every day exclusion criteria: * under the age of 18 and over the age of 65; * bmi under 27 or over 45; * not interested in losing weight; * does not currently own a smartphone; * smartphone type and/or version not meeting app requirements; * no phone connectivity at home and work; * unable to walk unaided for ¼ mile without stopping; * has a condition that precludes dietary changes (i.e. ulcerative colitis, crohn's disease, active diverticulitis, renal disease); * on a medication affecting weight; * type 1 or 2 diabetes; * had gastric bypass surgery; * had or plans to have gastric bypass surgery during the study period; * pregnant/lactating; * has bipolar disorder, substance abuse, bulimia, or severe depression; * lost 5% or more body weight in the last 3 months; * has not experienced emotional eating over the last week; * on medication affecting weight; * has concerns about being audiotaped; * prisoner; * unable to provide consent; or * non-english speaking
introducing palliative care (pc) within the treatment of end stage liver disease (esld)

Conditions: End Stage Liver Disease

Summary: this is a comparative effectiveness study of two pragmatic models aiming to introduce palliative care for end stage liver disease patients. the 2 comparators are: model 1: consultative palliative care (i.e. direct access to palliative care provider), model 2: trained hepatologist- led pc intervention (i.e. a hepatologist will receive formal training to deliver palliative care services) primary outcome: the change in quality of life from baseline to 3 months post enrollment as assessed by fact-hep (functional assessment of cancer therapy- hepatobiliary). 14 clinical centers across us are recruited to participate in this study.

this is a two armed multicenter cluster randomized controlled trial (rct), to assess the effectiveness of two pragmatic pc models for patients with esld (consultative pc vs. trained hepatologist led pc). to prevent bias at the level of providers, randomization will take place at the level of clinical centers; however patients will be the unit of inference. parallel to this cluster-rct, a qualitative study will be undertaken to evaluate the patient/caregiver experiences in the two pc models, using semi structured interviews. to execute this project, we have identified 14 clinical centers to participate; 7 veterans health administration (vha) systems and 7 non-vha, academic medical centers. comparative approaches: 1. consultative pc led approach (model 1): the pc model will include: 1) routine pc consults, using a standardized checklist , 2) in-person visits at initial, 1, 2 and 3 months. . 2. trained hepatologist led pc (model 2): the hepatologist led pc model will comprise: 1) hepatologist training (through e learning modules), and 2) in person visits utilizing the same pc checklist as utilized in model 1. the in-person visits will occur at initial, 1, 2 and 3 months i.e. similar to model 1 and follow the same visit specified agenda. adult patients 18 years of age or older will be enrolled. with 14 clinical centers in different geographic locations and diversity in race/ ethnicity, 1260 patient/ caregiver dyads will be enrolled.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: patients with new onset or ongoing complications of end stage liver disease including hepatocellular cancer (hcc) (irrespective of their transplant status), with a caregiver willing to participate. exclusion criteria: meld\> 30 or expected life expectancy of less than 6 months

Keywords: palliative care hepatology
real-world outcomes in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients receiving acalabrutinib in romania

Conditions: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Summary: acalabrutinib received european medicines agency approval on november 2020 for for cll adult patients, either as monotherapy or in combination with obinutuzumab, in previously untreated patients or as monotherapy in patients who have received at least one prior therapy and is reimbursed in romania since january 2023. in the absence of disease registries or national datasets patient population receiving acalabrutinib in real life setting is not well characterized. the study aims to look into this population outcomes and clinical characteristics having as primary objective time to discontinuation by line of treatment and secondary objectives: reasons for discontinuation, effectiveness of acalabrutinib in real-life practice, baseline clinical and demographic characteristics, treatment patterns and major determinants of treatment discontinuation. the study will retrospectively collect longitudinal data from 250 patients at national level,at pre-defined timepoints for 3 years, from 2 sequential cohorts,1st one enrolled on december 2023 and 2nd one enrolled in december 2024 based on the acalabrutinib start year..


Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * adult patients (age \>18 years) with confirmed diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/ small lymphocytic lymphoma * patients initiating front-line or subsequent treatment with acalabrutinib between january 2023 and dec 2024 according to the national therapeutic protocol * patients able and willing to provide their written informed consent to participate in the study exclusion criteria: * the treatment with acalabrutinib was initiated during an interventional clinical trial * enrolment performed less than 30 days from start of treatment with acalabrutinib
dosing strategy of intravitreal ranibizumab for pathological myopia choroidal neovascularization

Conditions: Choroidal Neovascularization

Summary: the purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy (times of injection, change of visual acuity and cva/ i) and safety (macular visual function and choroidal thickness) of different dosing of ranibizumab intravitreal injection (1+prn vs. 3+prn) in treating with pathological myopia choroidal neovascularization (pm-cnv).

pm is a common disease in east asia, while pm-cnv affect 5%-10% pm patients.pm-cnv has specific characteristics, including small dimensions and limited exudative manifestations comparing with age-related macular degeneration. however, treatment regimen and re-treatment criteria follow the pronto protocol. the question of the optimal dose and treatment regimen in myopic cnv management is still unresolved. there is no unequivocal evidence suggesting hat prn treatment is more effective than a loading phase followed by an as-needed variable dosage regimen.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria: * older then 18 years old * refractive error ≥ -6.0 diopters or axial length ≥ 26.0mm * active cnv due to high myopic which is the only reason cause visual loss confirmed by fluorescein fundus angiography * bcva ≥ 24.0 and ≤73 letters at a starting distance of 4 meters using early treatment diabetic retinopathy study visual acuity chart. exclusion criteria: * history of (a) stroke,(b) laser photocoagulation involved macular area in study eye, (c) intraocular treatment with corticosteroids or intraocular surgery or anti vascular endothelial growth factor or verteporfin photodynamic therapy within 6 months in study eye, or (d) hypersensitivity to ranibizumab or fluorescein * presence of active infectious disease or confirmed intraocular pressure ≥ 21.0 mmhg * pregnant or nursing women * uncontrolled high blood pressure ≥ 150/90 mmhg or uncontrolled fasting blood glucose ≥ 7 mmol/l

Keywords: pm-cnv ,ranibizumab, dosing strategy