nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Elastic Provisioning of Virtual Machines for Container Deployment

Docker containers enable to package an application together with all its dependencies and easily run it in any environment. Thanks to their ease of use and portability, containers are gaining an increasing interest and promise to change the way how Cloud platforms are designed and managed. For their execution in the Cloud, we need to solve the container deployment problem, which deals with the identification of an elastic set of computing machines that can host and execute those containers, while considering the diversity of their requirements.
 In this paper, we provide a general formulation of the Elastic provisioning of Virtual machines for Container Deployment (for short, EVCD) as an Integer Linear Programming problem, which takes explicitly into account the heterogeneity of container requirements and virtual machine resources. Besides optimizing multiple QoS metrics, EVCD can reallocate containers at runtime, when a QoS improvement can be achieved. Using the proposed formulation as benchmark, we evaluate two well-known heuristics, i.e., greedy first-fit and round-robin, that are usually adopted for solving the container deployment problem.
Guided self-help concreteness training as an intervention for major depression in primary care: a Phase II randomized controlled trial

The development of widely accessible, effective psychological interventions for depression is a priority. This randomized trial provides the first controlled data on an innovative cognitive bias modification (CBM) training guided self-help intervention for depression.



One hundred and twenty-one consecutively recruited participants meeting criteria for current major depression were randomly allocated to treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU plus concreteness training (CNT) guided self-help or to TAU plus relaxation training (RT) guided self-help. CNT involved repeated practice at mental exercises designed to switch patients from an unhelpful abstract thinking habit to a helpful concrete thinking habit, thereby targeting depressogenic cognitive processes (rumination, overgeneralization).



The addition of CNT to TAU significantly improved depressive symptoms at post-treatment [mean difference on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) 4.28, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.29-7.26], 3- and 6-month follow-ups, and for rumination and overgeneralization post-treatment. There was no difference in the reduction of symptoms between CNT and RT (mean difference on the HAMD 1.98, 95% CI -1.14 to 5.11), although CNT significantly reduced rumination and overgeneralization relative to RT post-treatment, suggesting a specific benefit on these cognitive processes.



This study provides preliminary evidence that CNT guided self-help may be a useful addition to TAU in treating major depression in primary care, although the effect was not significantly different from an existing active treatment (RT) matched for structural and common factors. Because of its relative brevity and distinct format, it may have value as an additional innovative approach to increase the accessibility of treatment choices for depression.
The effect of long term and high dose interferon treatment in Chronic hepatitis C

The results of 43 interferon treatments of 35 patients (23 male, 12 female) are reported. The duration of the treatment was 6–18 months, the dose of interferon was 3x3-5 MU weekly. Complete response (HCV RNA became negative) was found in 11, relapse was observed in 3 patients. Partial response (transaminase levels became normal, or less than twice normal value, but patients remained HCV RNA positive) occurred in 23 cases, relapse was obeserved in 16. The therapy had no effect in 9 cases. The higher dose and longer term interferon therapy resulted in a higher rate of response to the treatment and a reduction in the number of relapses.
Efficacy and safety of ipratropium bromide/albuterol delivered via Respimat inhaler versus MDI.

We compared the efficacy and safety of ipratropium bromide/albuterol delivered via Respimat inhaler, a novel propellant-free inhaler, versus chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)-metered dose inhaler (MDI) and ipratropium Respimat inhaler in patients with COPD. This was a multinational, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, 12-week, parallel-group, active-controlled study. Patients with moderate to severe COPD were randomized to ipratropium bromide/albuterol (20/100mcg) Respimat inhaler, ipratropium bromide/albuterol MDI [36mcg/206mcg (Combivent Inhalation Aerosol MDI)], or ipratropium bromide (20mcg) Respimat inhaler. Each medication was administered four times daily. Serial spirometry was performed over 6h (0.15min, then hourly) on 4 test days. The primary efficacy variable was forced expiratory volume in 1s (FEV(1)) change from test day baseline at 12 weeks. A total of 1209 of 1480 randomized, treated patients completed the study; the majority were male (65%) with a mean age of 64 yrs and a mean screening pre-bronchodilator FEV(1) (percent predicted) of 41%. Ipratropium bromide/albuterol Respimat inhaler had comparable efficacy to ipratropium bromide/albuterol MDI for FEV(1) area under the curve at 0-6h (AUC(0-6)), superior efficacy to ipratropium Respimat inhaler for FEV(1) AUC(0-4) and comparable efficacy to ipratropium Respimat inhaler for FEV(1) AUC(4-6). All active treatments were well tolerated. This study demonstrates that ipratropium bromide/albuterol 20/100mcg inhaler administered four times daily for 12 weeks had equivalent bronchodilator efficacy and comparable safety to ipratropium bromide/albuterol 36mcg/206mcg MDI, and significantly improved lung function compared with the mono-component ipratropium bromide 20 mcg Respimat inhaler.
Strategies to improve repeat fecal occult blood testing cancer screening.

A comparative effectiveness intervention by this team improved initial fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) rates from 3% to 53% among community clinic patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness and costs associated with a literacy-informed intervention on repeat FOBT testing.



Between 2008 and 2011, a three-arm quasi-experiential comparative effectiveness evaluation was conducted in eight community clinics in Louisiana. Clinics were randomly assigned to receive: enhanced care, a screening recommendation, and FOBT kit annually; a brief educational intervention where patients additionally received a literacy appropriate pamphlet and simplified FOBT instructions; or nurse support where a nurse manager provided the education and followed up with phone support. In year 2, all materials were mailed. The study consisted of 461 patients, ages 50 to 85 years, with a negative initial FOBT.



Repeat FOBT rates were 38% enhanced care, 33% education, and 59% with nurse support (P = 0.017). After adjusting for age, race, gender, and literacy, patients receiving nurse support were 1.46 times more likely to complete repeat FOBT screening than those receiving education [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.14-1.06; P = 0.002] and 1.45 times more likely than those in enhanced care but this was not significant (95% CI, 0.93-2.26; P = 0.10). The incremental cost per additional person screened was $2,450 for nurse over enhanced care.



A mailed pamphlet and FOBT with simplified instructions did not improve annual screening.



Telephone outreach by a nurse manager was effective in improving rates of repeat FOBT, yet this may be too costly for community clinics.
The Nature of Attachment Relationships and Grief Responses in Older Adults: An Attachment Path Model of Grief

Various researchers have theorized that bereaved adults who report non-secure attachment are at higher risk of pathological grief. Yet past findings on avoidant attachment representations and grief have yielded limited and contradictory outcomes. Little research has been conducted with older adults to identify the psychological processes that mediate between self-reported attachment representations and the patterns of grief.



To examine the impacts of avoidant attachment and anxious attachment dimensions on emotion and non-acceptance, in response to the loss of a conjugal partner, and the mediating effect of yearning thoughts.



Men (N = 21) and women (N = 68) aged 60 years and above who had lost a partner within the last 12 to 72 months were invited to participate. Participants rated their levels of yearning thoughts about the deceased, emotions and non-acceptance on the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief (TRIG-Present), and their type and level of general romantic attachment on the Experiences In Close Relationship questionnaire (ECR).



Structural equation modelling (SEM) indicated that individuals who reported higher levels of avoidant attachment reported less emotional responses and less non-acceptance. SEM also showed that individuals who reported higher levels of anxious attachment reported greater emotional responses and greater non-acceptance. SEM further indicated that these relationships were mediated by yearning thoughts.



People adopt different grief coping patterns according to their self-reported attachment representations, with the nature of their yearning thoughts influencing the process. Grief therapy may be organized according to individual differences in attachment representations.
Characterization of Endogenous G-CSF and the Inverse Correlation to Chemotherapy-Induced Neutropenia in Patients with Breast Cancer Using Population Modeling

Neutropenia is a severe adverse-event of chemotherapeutics. Neutrophils (ANC) are mainly regulated by granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). The aim was to characterize the dynamics between endogenous G-CSF and ANC over time following chemotherapy. Endogenous G-CSF and ANC were monitored in forty-nine breast cancer patients treated with sequential adjuvant 5-fluorouracil–epirubicin–cyclophosphamide and docetaxel. During treatment courses ANC was transiently decreased and was reflected in an endogenous G-CSF increase, which was well described by a semi-mechanistic model including control mechanisms; when G-CSF concentrations increased the proliferation rate increased and the bone maturation time reduced for ANC. Subsequently, ANC in the circulation increased leading to increased elimination of G-CSF. Additionally, a non-specific elimination for G-CSF was quantified. The ANC-dependent elimination contributed to 97% at baseline and 49% at an ANC of 0.1 · 109/L to the total G-CSF elimination. The integrated G-CSF–myelosuppression model captured the initial rise in endogenous G-CSF following chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and the return to baseline of G-CSF and ANC. The model supported the self-regulatory properties of the system and may be a useful tool for further characterization of the biological system and in optimization of chemotherapy treatment.
Gender Differences in Clinical Outcomes among HIV-Positive Individuals on Antiretroviral Therapy in Canada: A Multisite Cohort Study

Cohort data examining differences by gender in clinical responses to combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) remain inconsistent and have yet to be explored in a multi-province Canadian setting. This study investigates gender differences by injection drug use (IDU) history in virologic responses to ART and mortality.



Data from the Canadian Observational Cohort (CANOC) collaboration, a multisite cohort study of HIV-positive individuals initiating ART after January 1, 2000, were included. This analysis was restricted to participants with a follow-up HIV-RNA plasma viral load measure and known IDU history. Weibull hazard regression evaluated time to virologic suppression (2 consecutive measures <50 copies/mL), rebound (>1000 copies/mL after suppression), and all-cause mortality. Sensitivity analyses explored the impact of presumed ART use in pregnancy on virologic outcomes.



At baseline, women (1120 of 5442 participants) were younger (median 36 vs. 41 years) and more frequently reported IDU history (43.5% vs. 28.8%) (both p<0.001). Irrespective of IDU history, in adjusted multivariable analyses women were significantly less likely to virologically suppress after ART initiation and were at increased risk of viral load rebound. In adjusted time to death analysis, no differences by gender were noted. After adjusting for presumed ART use in pregnancy, observed gender differences in time to virologic suppression for non-IDU, and time to virologic rebound for IDU, became insignificant.



HIV-positive women in CANOC are at heightened risk for poor clinical outcomes. Further understanding of the intersections between gender and other factors augmenting risk is needed to maximize the benefits of ART.
Effects of bilateral posteroventral pallidotomy on gait of subjects with Parkinson disease.

Most studies documenting the effect of pallidotomy on parkinsonian gait have reported unilateral surgery and used qualitative scales or timed tests that only provide measures of walking speed.



To document the effect of bilateral posteroventral pallidotomy on the walking patterns of patients with Parkinson disease (PD).



Case series of gait evaluations performed 1 month before and 1 month after surgery, with antiparkinson medication withheld for 8 hours overnight.



Movement analysis laboratory of a clinical research center.



Consecutive sample of 8 men and 3 women with a diagnosis of PD scheduled for bilateral pallidotomy.



Bilateral posteroventral pallidotomy.



A 3-dimensional motion-capture system allowed calculation of temporal and spatial measurements and joint angular displacements of the lower extremities and trunk during gait.



Pallidotomy significantly increased average walking speed from 0.214 statures/s preoperatively to 0.440 statures/s postoperatively (where stature indicates body height) (P = .03). A faster postoperative walking speed was achieved almost exclusively by increasing average stride length from 0.24 to 0.47 statures (P = .03) rather than changing average gait cycle time (1.32 to 1.37 seconds; P = .08). A forward stepwise multiple regression analysis (P<.001) revealed that 96% of the change in stride length postoperatively could be explained by the combination of changes in foot-floor angle, knee, and hip excursion during gait.



Bilateral posteroventral pallidotomy was associated with a 2-fold increase in walking speed. Previous studies have demonstrated that walking speed is an important indicator of locomotor performance and level of disability in patients with PD, so the increase in postoperative walking speed likely provided a functional benefit.
Lumbar Total Disc Replacement for Discogenic Low Back Pain: Two-year Outcomes of the activL Multicenter Randomized Controlled IDE Clinical Trial.

A prospective, multicenter, randomized, controlled, investigational device exemption (IDE) noninferiority trial.



The aim of this study was to evaluate the comparative safety and effectiveness of lumbar total disc replacement (TDR) in the treatment of patients with symptomatic degenerative disc disease (DDD) who are unresponsive to nonsurgical therapy.



Lumbar TDR has been used to alleviate discogenic pain and dysfunction while preserving segmental range of motion and restoring stability. There is a paucity of data available regarding the comparative performance of lumbar TDR.



Patients presenting with symptomatic single-level lumbar DDD who failed at least 6 months of nonsurgical management were randomly allocated (2:1) to treatment with an investigational TDR device (activL, n = 218) or FDA-approved control TDR devices (ProDisc-L or Charité, n = 106). The hypothesis of this study was that a composite effectiveness outcome at 2 years in patients treated with activL would be noninferior (15% delta) to that in controls.



The primary composite endpoint of this study was met, which demonstrated that the activL TDR was noninferior to control TDR (P < 0.001). A protocol-defined analysis of the primary composite endpoint also confirmed that activL was superior to controls (P = 0.02). Radiographic success was higher with activL versus controls (59% vs. 43%; P < 0.01). Mean back pain severity improved by 74% with activL and 68% with controls. Oswestry Disability Index scores decreased by 67% and 61% with activL and controls, respectively. Patient satisfaction with treatment was over 90% in both groups at 2 years. Return to work was approximately 1 month shorter (P = 0.08) with activL versus controls. The rate of device-related serious adverse events was lower in patients treated with activL versus controls (12% vs. 19%; P = 0.13). Surgical reintervention rates at the index level were comparable (activL 2.3%, control 1.9%).



The single-level activL TDR is safe and effective for the treatment of symptomatic lumbar DDD through 2 years.
Prevention of menstrual migraine with perimenstrual transdermal 17-β-estradiol: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind crossover study.

The effect of treatment with percutaneous E(2) (100 μg/24 h) during 2 weeks perimenstrually on the number and severity of menstrual migraine attacks was studied in 27 women in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial. We were not able to demonstrate any difference between E(2) supplementation and placebo on the number or severity of migraine attacks, but both regimens showed significant effects compared with before treatment.
Antihypertensive Effect of Green Coffee Bean Extract on Mildly Hypertensive Subjects

A water-soluble green coffee bean extract (GCE) has been shown to be effective against hypertension in both spontaneously hypertensive rats and humans. This multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study evaluated the dose-response relationship of GCE in 117 male volunteers with mild hypertension. Subjects were randomized into four groups: a placebo and three drug groups that received 46 mg, 93 mg, or 185 mg of GCE once a day. After 28 days, systolic blood pressure (SBP) in the placebo, 46 mg, 93 mg, and 185 mg groups was reduced by −1.3±3.0 mmHg, −3.2±4.6 mmHg, −4.7±4.5 mmHg, and −5.6±4.2 mmHg from the baseline, respectively. The decreases in SBP in the 93 mg group (p<0.05) and the 185 mg group (p<0.01) were statistically significant compared with the placebo group. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in the placebo, 46 mg, 93 mg, and 185 mg groups was reduced by −0.8±3.1 mmHg, −2.9±2.9 mmHg, −3.2±3.2 mmHg, and −3.9±2.8 mmHg from the baseline, respectively, and significant effects were observed in the 93 mg group (p<0.05) and the 185 mg group (p<0.01) compared with the placebo group. Both blood pressures were significantly reduced in a dose-related manner by GCE (p<0.001). Adverse effects caused by GCE were not observed. The results suggested that daily use of GCE has a blood pressure-lowering effect in patients with mild hypertension.
Correction: The detection of oral pre- malignant lesions with an autofluorescence based imaging system (VELscopeTM) – a single blinded clinical evaluation

The disease specific five-year survival rate especially for patients with advanced oral cancer has not improved significantly over the period of time. The most effective way of combating this dilemma is an early detection, diagnosis and eradication of early-stage lesions and their precursors. The use of VELscope® using an autofluorescence as a diagnostic tool might be useful in early detection of oral malignant lesions.



120 patients with suspicious oral premalignant lesions were examined with two examination methods. They were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 was examined conventional with white-light and group 2 was examined additionally to the white-light-examination with an autofluorescence visualization device, VELscope®. Biopsies were obtained from all suspicious areas identified in both examination groups (n = 52). The diagnostic strategies were compared regarding sensitivity and specificity.



Based upon the result, use of the VELscope® leads to a higher sensitivity (22.0%), but regarding specificity the additional use of the VELscope® is inferior (8.4%).



The VELscope device is a simple, non-invasive test of the oral mucosa, which can help the experienced clinician to find oral precursor malignant lesions.
Frequent polymorphism at drug resistance sites in HIV-1 protease and reverse transcriptase.

Failure of antiretroviral therapy may result from the selection of pre-existing, drug-resistant HIV-1 variants, but the frequency and type of such variants have not been defined.



We used single genome sequencing (SGS) to characterize the frequency of polymorphism at drug resistance sites in protease (PR) and reverse transcriptase (RT) in plasma samples from antiretroviral naive individuals.



A total of 2229 pro-pol sequences in 79 plasma samples from 30 patients were analyzed by SGS. A mean of 28 single genome sequences was obtained from each sample. The frequency of mutations at all PR and RT sites was compared to those associated with drug resistance.



We detected polymorphism at one or more drug resistance sites in 27 of 30 (90%) patients. Polymorphism at positions 179 and 215 of RT was most common, both occurring in 23% of patients. Most (68%) of other drug resistance sites were polymorphic with an average of 3.2% of genomes per sample containing at least one variant from wild type. Seven drug resistance sites were polymorphic in more than 1% of genomes: PR position 33; RT positions 69, 98, 118, 179, 210, and 215. Although frequencies of synonymous polymorphism were similar at resistance and nonresistance sites, nonsynonymous polymorphism were significantly less common at drug resistance sites, implying stronger purifying selection at these positions.



HIV-1 variants that are polymorphic at drug resistance sites pre-exist frequently as minor species in antiretroviral naive individuals. Standard genotype techniques have grossly underestimated their frequency.
Cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone followed by tositumomab and iodine-131-tositumomab in patients with untreated low-grade follicular lymphoma: eight-year follow-up of a multicenter phase II study.

The efficacy and safety of cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone (CVP) followed by tositumomab and iodine-131 ((131)I) -tositumomab therapy were evaluated in a multicenter phase II study in patients with untreated low-grade follicular lymphoma.



Patients received six cycles of CVP followed by one cycle of tositumomab and (131)I-tositumomab (one dosimetric dose and one therapeutic dose). The treatment was evaluated for efficacy and safety.



All 30 patients enrolled completed CVP as well as tositumomab and (131)I-tositumomab therapy. The overall response rate after completion of therapy was 100%, with 28 patients (93%) achieving a complete response (CR) and two patients achieving a partial response. Of the 17 patients with bone marrow involvement at enrollment, 15 achieved a confirmed CR. Fourteen of 15 patients with bulky disease (> or = 5 cm) had a CR after treatment completion. After a median follow-up of 8.4 years, the median response duration had not been reached (range, 3 to 111+ months). Five-year progression-free and overall survival rates were 56% and 83%, respectively. The most common grade > or = 3 hematologic adverse events were neutropenia (87%) and thrombocytopenia (37%). Nineteen patients received growth factor support, and three required blood product transfusions. No patients developed human antimurine antibodies. Two patients developed myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myeloid leukemia.



These mature data demonstrate that sequential therapy with a non-anthracycline-containing regimen comprising CVP followed by one cycle of tositumomab and (131)I-tositumomab produced high response rates with adequate safety and durable remissions and that this regimen represents a highly active treatment for first-line therapy of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.