nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
A randomized comparison of modified intermediate-dose Ara-C versus high-dose ara-c in post-remission therapy for acute myeloid leukemia.

We conducted a prospective, multicenter cooperative study to compare two courses of modified intermediate-dose cytarabine (Ara-C) (mIDAC; Ara-C at a dose of 1.0 g/m(2) every 12 hours for 5 days) versus high-dose Ara-C (HDAC; Ara-C at a dose of 2.0 g/m(2) every 12 hours for 5 days) in post-remission therapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) to confirm the post-remission antileukemic efficacy and safety of mIDAC.



Twenty-six newly diagnosed patients with AML underwent remission induction therapy consisted of behenoyl Ara-C, mitoxantrone, etoposide, and 6-mercaptopurine. Post-remission therapy included four courses of consolidation and four courses of intensification. Patients who achieved complete remission (CR) were randomly assigned to mIDAC or HDAC for the second course of consolidation. The third course of intensification was the same as the second course of consolidation. Other post-remission therapies were the same in each group.



Twenty-two patients (84.6%) achieved CR and 21 patients were randomly assigned to receive either mIDAC (n=11) or HDAC (n=10). The predicted 4-year relapse-free survival for the mIDAC group and for the HDAC group were 49% and 56%, respectively (p=0.86). Although HDAC developed severe leukocytopenia compared to mIDAC, there were no significant differences between HDAC and mIDAC in the incidence of ≥grade 3 and ≥grade 4 documented infections. The mean lowest white blood cell count (WBC) after HDAC was significantly lower than that after mIDAC (0.208±0.120×10(3)/mm(3) and 0.459±0.333×10(3)/mm(3), respectively, p<0.05). The time to WBC recovery to 2.0×10(3)/mm(3) after HDAC was significantly longer than that after mIDAC (34.3±12.1 days and 27.1±9.5 days, respectively, p<0.05).



This study suggests that mIDAC may have an equivalent post-remission antileukemic efficacy to HDAC with less myelosuppression for AML patients.
Efficacy and safety of prescription omega-3 fatty acids for the prevention of recurrent symptomatic atrial fibrillation: a randomized controlled trial.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common, yet there remains an unmet medical need for additional treatment options. Current pharmacological treatments have limited efficacy and significant adverse events. Limited data from small trials suggest omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids may provide a safe, effective treatment option for AF patients.



To evaluate the safety and efficacy of prescription omega-3 fatty acids (prescription omega-3) for the prevention of recurrent symptomatic AF.



Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group multicenter trial involving 663 US outpatient participants with confirmed symptomatic paroxysmal (n = 542) or persistent (n = 121) AF, with no substantial structural heart disease, and in normal sinus rhythm at baseline were recruited from November 2006 to July 2009 (final follow-up was January 2010).



Prescription omega-3 (8 g/d) or placebo for the first 7 days; prescription omega-3 (4 g/d) or placebo thereafter through week 24.



The primary end point was symptomatic recurrence of AF (first recurrence) in participants with paroxysmal AF. Secondary analyses included first recurrence in the persistent stratum and both strata combined. Participants were followed up for 6 months.



At 24 weeks, in the paroxysmal AF stratum, 129 of 269 participants (48%) in the placebo group and 135 of 258 participants (52%) in the prescription group had a recurrent symptomatic AF or flutter event. In the persistent AF stratum, 18 participants (33%) in the placebo group and 32 (50%) in the prescription group had documented symptomatic AF or flutter events. There was no difference between treatment groups for recurrence of symptomatic AF in the paroxysmal stratum (hazard ratio [HR], 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90-1.46; P = .26), in the persistent stratum (HR, 1.64; 95% CI, 0.92-2.92; P = .09), and both strata combined (HR, 1.22; 95% CI, 0.98-1.52; P = .08). Other, secondary end points were supportive of the primary result. A total of 5% of those receiving placebo and 4% of those receiving prescription omega-3 discontinued due to adverse events. Eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid blood levels were significantly higher in the prescription group than in the placebo group at weeks 4 and 24.



Among participants with paroxysmal AF, 24-week treatment with prescription omega-3 compared with placebo did not reduce recurrent AF over 6 months.
Randomised controlled trial of cognitive-behavioural therapy in early schizophrenia: acute-phase outcomes.

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) improves persistent psychotic symptoms.



To test the effectiveness of added CBT in accelerating remission from acute psychotic symptoms in early schizophrenia.



A 5-week CBT programme plus routine care was compared with supportive counselling plus routine care and routine care alone in a multi-centre trial randomising 315 people with DSM-IV schizophrenia and related disorders in their first (83%) or second acute admission. Outcome assessments were blinded.



Linear regression over 70 days showed predicted trends towards faster improvement in the CBT group. Uncorrected univariate comparisons showed significant benefits at 4 but not 6 weeks for CBT v. routine care alone on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale total and positive sub-scale scores and delusion score and benefits v. supportive counselling for auditory hallucinations score.



CBT shows transient advantages over routine care alone or supportive counselling in speeding remission from acute symptoms in early schizophrenia.
Serum hCG Levels following the Ovulatory Injection: Associations with Patient Weight and Implantation Time

To test if serum hCG levels the morning after the ovulatory hCG injection correlate with (1) retrieval efficiency, (2) oocyte maturity, (3) embryo quality, (4) pregnancy, and/or (5) time to implantation in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).  Retrospective cohort analysis.  University-based IVF clinic. . All IVF/ICSI cycles from April 2005 to February 2008 whose hCG administration was confirmed (n = 472 patients). Intervention(s). Serum hCG was measured the morning following the ovulatory injection, on the 16th day following retrieval, and repeated on day 18 for those with positive results.  Number of follicles on the day of hCG injection, number of oocytes retrieved, maturity of oocytes, embryo quality, pregnancy outcome, and time to implantation. Result(s). hCG levels did not correlate with retrieval efficiency, oocyte maturity, embryo quality, or pregnancy. Postinjection hCG levels were inversely associated with patient weight and time to implantation. Conclusion(s). No correlation was found between hCG level and any parameter of embryo quality. Patient weight affected hCG levels following hCG injection and during the early period of pregnancy following implantation. No association between postinjection hCG level and time of implantation (adjusted for patient weight) was apparent.
Youth tobacco product use in the United States.

Noncigarette tobacco products are increasingly popular among youth, especially cigarette smokers. Understanding multiple tobacco product use is necessary to assess the effects of tobacco products on population health. This study examines multiple tobacco product use and associated risk factors among US youth.



Estimates of current use were calculated for cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, hookah, e-cigarettes, pipes, bidis, kreteks, snus, and dissolvable tobacco by using data from the 2012 National Youth Tobacco Survey (n = 24 658), a nationally representative sample of US middle and high school students. Associations between use patterns and demographic characteristics were examined by using multinomial logistic regression.



Among youth, 14.7% currently use 1 or more tobacco products. Of these, 2.8% use cigarettes exclusively, and 4% use 1 noncigarette product exclusively; 2.7% use cigarettes with another product (dual use), and 4.3% use 3 or more products (polytobacco use). Twice as many youth use e-cigarettes alone than dual use with cigarettes. Among smokers, polytobacco use was significantly associated with male gender (adjusted relative risk ratio [aRRR] = 3.71), by using flavored products (aRRR = 6.09), nicotine dependence (aRRR = 1.91), tobacco marketing receptivity (aRRR = 2.52), and perceived prevalence of peer use of tobacco products (aRRR = 3.61, 5.73).



More than twice as many youth in the United States currently use 2 or more tobacco products than cigarettes alone. Continued monitoring of tobacco use patterns is warranted, especially for e-cigarettes. Youth rates of multiple product use involving combustible products underscore needs for research assessing potential harms associated with these patterns.
How to Drive a London Bus: Measuring Performance in a Mobile and Remote Workplace

This paper examines how London bus drivers have responded to performance monitoring via a telematics device called Drivewell. This device calculates a score based on various recordable driving-related events like abrupt braking or irregular turning actions. Our qualitative methodology incorporated semi-structured interviews and ethnographic fieldwork, in order to explore drivers' attitudes towards the system and its effect on driving behaviour and working conditions. Our findings illustrate how bus operators simultaneously accommodate and resist the demands Drivewell places upon them. Our work also demonstrates how this digital intervention acts in conjunction with other driver-related technologies, creating a unique digital ecosystem on the modern London bus. Our research contributes to HCI understandings of digital surveillance and performance monitoring in the modern workplace.
Stereotactic body radiotherapy for prostate cancer: current results of a phase II trial.

The hypofractionation of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for prostate cancer has become a broad topic, and there are many aspects to consider before accepting this treatment into our clinics. Among the considerations are the data from the Stanford phase II trial, a seminal investigation into this area, which will be presented and reviewed here. A single-arm, prospective phase II trial was initiated at Stanford in December of 2003. This trial uses SBRT as monotherapy for 'low-risk' prostate cancer patients, and 69 patients have been entered to date. We have analyzed the patient data for the first 5 years of this study. For study entry, patients were required to have clinical stage T1c or T2a disease, prostate-specific antigen (PSA) ≤ 10 and a Gleason score of 3 + 3 (or 3 + 4 if the higher grade portion was of small volume, usually <25% of the cores involved). No prior treatment was permitted, including the use of transurethral resections or androgen deprivation therapies. A low urinary IPSS score of < 20 was required for study entry as well. The prescription dose was 7.25 Gy for 5 fractions for a total dose of 36.25 Gy. This was normalized to cover ≥ 95% of the planning target volume with 100% of the prescription dose. Patients were treated using CyberKnife technology. To date, excellent PSA responses have been observed in patients with lower-risk disease selected for treatment and receiving 36.25 Gy in 5 fractions. To date, sexual quality of life outcomes have also been approximately comparable to other radiotherapy approaches. Rates of late GI and GU toxicity have been relatively low and generally comparable to dose-escalated approaches using conventional fractionation.
Acceptability and effectiveness for withdrawal symptom relief of a novel oral nicotine delivery device: a randomised crossover trial

Existing nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) improve the chances of smoking cessation but are limited by either relatively slow nicotine absorption rates or unpleasant side effects, leaving scope for the development of more effective and acceptable products. This study aimed to test the acceptability and effectiveness for withdrawal symptom relief of a novel nicotine delivery device, the ‘Nicotine Cannon’ (NC), compared with three existing, equivalent products: the nicotine lozenge, mini-lozenge and nicotine inhalator. A repeated-measures crossover trial where participants were randomised to one of two conditions (1- or 10-h abstinence) and in each condition to one of 24 possible sequence permutations to test each product for 10 min was carried out. Standard sociodemographic and smoking characteristics were assessed as well as withdrawal and NRT use symptoms before, during and after NRT use and product satisfaction after use. The results were similar across both durations of abstinence. The NC was significantly more effective than the inhalator in reducing withdrawal symptoms (F(3, 196) = 3.5, p = 0.015) and together with the mini-lozenge performed better than other NRT in alleviating urges to smoke (F(3, 563) = 9.6, p < 0.001) and desire for cigarettes within 10 min of use (F(3, 727) = 26.1, p < 0.001). The NC induced fewer adverse side effects than other NRT and was judged to be more enjoyable (F(3, 87) = 13.56, p < 0.001) and satisfying to use (F(3, 92) = 12.35, p < 0.001). The ‘Nicotine Cannon’ is at least as effective as equivalent NRT in reducing withdrawal symptoms and more acceptable to users, suggesting that it would be a useful addition to existing NRT. The acceptability profile could make it particularly useful as a ‘harm reduction’ tool.
Validation of urinary calcium isotope excretion from bone for screening anabolic therapies for osteoporosis

Urinary excretion of calcium tracers in labeled individuals decreases in response to antiresorptive therapy, providing a tool to rapidly screen potential therapies. Using teriparatide, we demonstrate in this study that anabolic therapy also decreases tracer excretion, confirming that this method can also be used to screen potential anabolic therapies. Changes in urinary excretion of calcium tracers from a labeled skeleton may be a rapid and sensitive method to screen potential therapies for osteoporosis. This method has been used to screen antiresorptive therapies, but the effect of anabolic therapies on tracer excretion is unknown. Eight-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats (n = 11) were given 50 μCi 45Ca iv. After a 1-month equilibration period, baseline urinary 45Ca excretion and total bone mineral content (BMC) were measured. Rats were then treated with 30 μg/kg teriparatide sc per day, a bone anabolic agent, for 80 days. Urine was collected throughout the study and analyzed for 45Ca and total Ca, and BMC was measured at the beginning and end of the study. Teriparatide decreased urinary 45Ca excretion by 52.1 % and increased BMC by 21.7 %. The change in bone calcium retention as determined by the ratio of 45Ca to total Ca excretion in urine from day 6 through 15 of teriparatide treatment was significantly correlated (p = 0.036) with the change in BMC after 80 days of teriparatide treatment. Urinary excretion of calcium tracers from labeled bone is an effective method to rapidly screen potential anabolic therapies for osteoporosis.
Outcomes and transfer patterns for first Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI): comparisons between community and tertiary care hospitals.

Transfer patterns, procedure rates, and outcomes of patients with non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) presenting to Canadian community hospitals are not well understood.



We documented all patients admitted to British Columbia (BC) hospitals with a primary diagnosis of NSTEMI between 2007 and 2008. Patients were divided by admitting hospital type into tertiary care hospitals, nonremote community hospitals, and remote community hospitals. The aims were to compare transfer rates and time to transfer to a tertiary hospital as well as procedure rates and outcomes at index admission, at 30 days, and at 1 year.



The mean transfer rates to a tertiary hospital were 72.6% for nonremote and 57.1% for remote community hospitals (P < 0.001). Times to and rates of cardiac procedures differed significantly among these 3 hospital types. Admission to a nonremote or remote community hospital was associated with similar 1-year mortality compared with admission to a tertiary care hospital (nonremote hospitals, adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.87; P = 0.26; remote hospitals, adjusted OR, 1.19; P = 0.33). At 1 year, admission to a nonremote community hospital was associated with a lower composite outcome of death or readmission for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (adjusted OR, 0.80; P = 0.04).



One-year mortality rates were not different between patients with NSTEMI admitted to BC community and tertiary care hospitals; however, the rate of readmission for AMI/death was significantly less in patients admitted to nonremote community hospitals. This should prompt the evaluation of key outcomes in NSTEMI in other community hospital settings.
A Nation-Wide multicenter 10-year (1999-2008) retrospective clinical epidemiological study of female breast cancer in china

According to the very limited cancer registry, incidence and mortality rates for female breast cancer in China are regarded to be increasing especially in the metropolitan areas. Representative data on the breast cancer profile of Chinese women and its time trend over years are relatively rare. The aims of the current study are to illustrate the breast cancer profile of Chinese women in time span and to explore the current treatment approaches to female breast cancer. This was a hospital-based nation-wide and multi-center retrospective study of female primary breast cancer cases. China was divided into 7 regions according to the geographic distribution; from each region, one tertiary hospital was selected. With the exception of January and February, one month was randomly selected to represent each year from year 1999 to 2008 at every hospital. All inpatient cases within the selected month were reviewed and related information was collected based on the designed case report form (CRF). The Cancer Hospital/Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CICAMS) was the leading hospital in this study. Four-thousand two-hundred and eleven cases were randomly selected from the total pool of 45,200 patients and were included in the analysis. The mean age at diagnosis was 48.7 years (s.d. = 10.5 yrs) and breast cancer peaked in age group 40-49 yrs (38.6%). The most common subtype was infiltrating ductal carcinoma (86.5%). Clinical stage I & II accounted for 60.6% of 4,211 patients. Three-thousand five-hundred and thirty-four cases had estrogen receptor (ER) and progestin receptor (PR) tests, among them, 47.9% were positive for both. Two-thousand eight-hundred and forty-nine cases had human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER-2) tests, 25.8% of them were HER-2 positive. Among all treatment options, surgery (96.9% (4,078/4,211)) was predominant, followed by chemotherapy (81.4% (3,428/4,211). Much less patients underwent radiotherapy (22.6% (952/4,211)) and endocrine therapy (38.0% (1,599/4,211)). The younger age of breast cancer onset among Chinese women and more advanced tumor stages pose a great challenge. Adjuvant therapy, especially radiotherapy and endocrine therapy are of great unmet needs.
Surveillance of transmitted HIV drug resistance among women attending antenatal clinics in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

In resource-limited settings where antiretroviral treatment (ART) access is being scaled-up, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends surveillance of transmitted HIV drug resistance (HIVDR). We used the WHO HIVDR threshold survey method to assess transmitted HIVDR in Dar es Salaam where ART was introduced in 1995 and where approximately 11,000 people are currently on ART.



From November 2005 to February 2006, dried blood spot (DBS) specimens were made from remnant specimens collected during the national HIV serosurvey from 60 primagravidas <25 years old attending six antenatal clinics for routine syphilis testing. Genotyping was performed at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Protease and reverse transcriptase drug resistance mutations were identified using the Stanford University HIV drug resistance database. We used the National Institutes of Health genotyping tool for HIV-1 subtyping. HIVDR prevalence categorization was based on the WHO threshold survey binomial sequential sampling method.



Among the 60 eligible specimens collected, 50 DBS were successfully amplified using RT-PCR. Sequencing was performed on the first 39 specimens: 13 (33.3%) were subtype A1, 13 (33.3%) subtype C, and 4 (10.3%) subtype D, the remainder differed in the closest subtype based on protease versus reverse transcriptase. No resistance mutations were seen; HIVDR to all drug classes was categorized as <5%.



Our survey indicates that prevalence of transmitted HIVDR among recently infected pregnant women in Dar es Salaam is low (<5/%). The survey should be repeated during the next HIV sentinel survey in Dar es Salaam and extended to other regions where ART is being scaled up.
Validity of the Rome III Criteria in assessing constipation in women

A study was conducted to validate a constipation questionnaire based on the Rome III criteria. Women attending outpatient clinics completed a constipation questionnaire based on the Rome III Criteria. The internal reliability, the test–retest as well as the content and construct validity of the questionnaire were evaluated. Two hundred one women were studied. Of the women, 28% (56/201) reported constipation but only 14% of these (8/56) could be defined as constipated accordingly to the Rome III Criteria. Nine percent of women (13/145) who did not report constipation were classified as constipated accordingly to the Rome III Criteria. The questionnaire had good reliability (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.85 and ICC of 0.85). However, the questionnaire did not have significant construct validity with patients’ self-report of constipation, stool frequency and stool form (Pearson chi-square P > 0.05). The Rome III Criteria questionnaire is a reliable and reproducible tool but does not appear to be a valid instrument in diagnosing constipation.
Atherosclerotic coronary plaque in subjects with diabetic neuropathy: the prognostic cardiovascular role of Charcot neuroarthropathy—a case–control study

The aim of this study was to investigate the severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and the plaque composition in neuropathic type 2 diabetic subjects with and without Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN) undergoing multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography (MDCT-CA). The study was a single-center, observational, with unmatched case–control design. We selected 17 CN patients and 18 patients with diabetic neuropathy (DN) without CN. In all the patients, multidetector computed tomography was performed to assess the coronary artery calcium score (CACS) and degree of coronary artery stenosis. Patients were classified as positive in the presence of significant CAD if there was at least one stenosis >50 % on MDCT-CA. The invasive coronary angiography was performed in case of significant stenosis detected with MDCT-CA, both as reference to standard and eventually as treatment. Groups were matched for age, sex, and traditional CAD risk factors. As compared to DN individuals, CN exhibited higher rates of significant coronary stenoses (p = 0.027; OR 7.7 ). However, no significant differences were observed in the CACS, which reflects plaque burden, in the two groups (p = 0.759). No significant differences were observed comparing CACS distribution in all subjects for stenosis higher/equal or lower than 50 % (p = 0.320). Finally, no significant differences were observed comparing CACS distribution in CN and DN subjects for coronary stenoses higher/equal or lower than 50 %. Our results suggest that CN patients have a higher prevalence of severe coronary plaques compared to DN patients. Nevertheless, coronary plaques in CN patients did not exhibit an increased degree of calcification.