nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Medial-to-lateral versus Traditional Lateral-to-medial Laparoscopic Dissection Sequences for Resection of Rectosigmoid Cancers: Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

This study aimed to compare medial-to-lateral versus lateral-to-medial laparoscopic dissection sequences for resecting rectosigmoid cancers. We hypothesized that the medial-to-lateral approach was a more efficient procedure and with potentially better oncologic results. Between January 1997 and June 1999, a total of 67 patients of rectosigmoid cancer treated by one surgeon using the laparoscopic approach were recruited for this prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical trial. Using the blocked randomization method, 36 patients were allocated to a medial-to-lateral (M) group and the other 31 to a lateral-to-medial (L) group; the groups were well matched in age, gender, symptoms, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class, tumor location, tumor distance above the anal verge, tumor gross morphology, TNM stage of the tumor, and accuracy of preoperative TNM staging (p > 0.05). All patients were followed up until June 2001. We found that the M group had a significantly shorter operating time and lower overall costs than the L group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between these two groups in terms of intraoperative complications, conversion rate, postoperative ileus, hospitalization, postoperative pain, postoperative complications, wound length, or disability (p > 0.05). The postoperative proinflammatory response, evaluated by the C-reactive protein level and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, was significantly lower in the M group (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between these two groups regarding postoperative immunosuppression, as evaluated by the alterations of total lymphocyte counts and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio (p > 0.05). The extent of dissection of these two dissection approaches was similar, as the harvested lymph nodes were equivalent (p > 0.05). During the whole follow-up period (median 32 months, range 24–54 months), the tumor recurrence rate was similar for these two groups of patients (5.6% in the M group vs. 6.5% in the L group; p > 0.05). These findings indicated that the medial-to-lateral approach was quicker, less expensive and possibly less invasive; moreover, it gave oncologic results similar to those achieved with the traditional lateral-to-medial dissection sequence. We thus concluded that the medial-to-lateral dissection sequence may currently be the most appropriate procedure for laparoscopic resection of rectosigmoid cancers.
No effect of insulin treatment or glycemic improvement on plasma carnitine levels in type 2 diabetic patients

Carnitine is an essential factor for the transport of long-chain fatty acids and is important for the heart muscle. A longitudinal study in type 2 diabetic patients was carried out. Carnitine levels were observed before and during metabolic intervention with dietary measures and either sulfonylurea or insulin treatment. In both treatment groups a significant glycemic improvement was observed after 3 months (insulin treatment group hemoglobin A1c 11.3 ± 2.8 versus 7.0±1.0; sulfonylurea treatment group; hemoglobin A1c 11.3±1.4 versus 7.3±0.9). Carnitine levels did not differ from a control group and did not change significantly during the observed period.
Indications, management, and complications of temporary inferior vena cava filters

We describe the results of a preliminary prospective study using different recently developed temporary and retrievable inferior vena cava (IVC) filters.  Fifty temporary IVC filters (Günther, Günther Tulip, Anthéor) were inserted in 47 patients when the required period of protection against pulmonary embolism (PE) was estimated to be less than 2 weeks. The indications were documented deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and temporary contraindications for anticoagulation, a high risk for PE, and PE despite DVT prophylaxis.  Filters were removed 1–12 days after placement and nine (18%) had captured thrombi. Complications were one PE during and after removal of a filter, two minor filter migrations, and one IVC thrombosis.  Temporary filters are effective in trapping clots and protecting against PE, and the complication rate does not exceed that of permanent filters. They are an alternative when protection from PE is required temporarily, and should be considered in patients with a normal life expectancy.
The effect of exemestane and tamoxifen on bone health within the Tamoxifen Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational (TEAM) trial: a meta-analysis of the US, German, Netherlands, and Belgium sub-studies

We performed a meta-analysis of three sub-studies of the randomized Tamoxifen Exemestane Adjuvant Multinational (TEAM) trial to determine the effects of exemestane and tamoxifen on bone health. Patients received exemestane or tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy for hormone receptor–positive breast cancer. Bone mineral density (BMD) was assessed at baseline and after 12 and 24 months of treatment. Bone turnover markers were also measured. Patients receiving tamoxifen showed a mean increase from baseline in lumbar spine BMD of 1.2% at month 12 and 0.2% at month 24. Patients receiving exemestane showed a mean decrease from baseline of 2.6% after 12 months and 3.5% after 24 months. There were significant differences in the changes in lumbar spine BMD between treatment groups (P < 0.0001 at both time points). Changes in BMD from baseline at the total hip were also significantly different between exemestane and tamoxifen (P < 0.05 at both time points). Bone turnover markers decreased from baseline with tamoxifen and increased with exemestane. Exemestane resulted in decreases in BMD and increases in bone turnover markers. BMD increased and bone turnover markers decreased with tamoxifen.
Unravelling the potential mechanisms behind hospitalization-associated disability in older patients; the Hospital-Associated Disability and impact on daily Life (Hospital-ADL) cohort study protocol

Over 30 % of older patients experience hospitalization-associated disability (HAD) (i.e., loss of independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs)) after an acute hospitalization. Despite its high prevalence, the mechanisms that underlie HAD remain elusive. This paper describes the protocol for the Hospital-Associated Disability and impact on daily Life (Hospital-ADL) study, which aims to unravel the potential mechanisms behind HAD from admission to three months post-discharge.



The Hospital-ADL study is a multicenter, observational, prospective cohort study aiming to recruit 400 patients aged ≥70 years that are acutely hospitalized at departments of Internal Medicine, Cardiology or Geriatrics, involving six hospitals in the Netherlands. Eligible are patients hospitalized for at least 48 h, without major cognitive impairment (Mini Mental State Examination score ≥15), who have a life expectancy of more than three months, and without disablement in all six ADLs. The study will assess possible cognitive, behavioral, psychosocial, physical, and biological factors of HAD. Data will be collected through: 1] medical and demographical data; 2] personal interviews, which includes assessment of cognitive impairment, behavioral and psychosocial functioning, physical functioning, and health care utilization; 3] physical performance tests, which includes gait speed, hand grip strength, balance, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and an activity tracker (Fitbit Flex), and; 4] analyses of blood samples to assess inflammatory and metabolic markers. The primary endpoint is additional disabilities in ADLs three months post-hospital discharge compared to ADL function two weeks prior to hospital admission. Secondary outcomes are health care utilization, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), physical performance tests, and mortality. There will be at least five data collection points; within 48 h after admission (H1), at discharge (H3), and at one (P1; home visit), two (P2; by telephone) and three months (P3; home visit) post-discharge. If the patient is admitted for more than five days, additional measurements will be planned during hospitalization on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (H2).



The Hospital-ADL study will provide information on cognitive, behavioral, psychosocial, physical, and biological factors associated with HAD and will be collected during and following hospitalization. These data may inform new interventions to prevent or restore hospitalization-associated disability.
A 5-year randomized controlled study of learning, problem solving ability, and quality of life modifications in people with type 2 diabetes managed by group care.

To study time course changes in knowledge, problem solving ability, and quality of life in patients with type 2 diabetes managed by group compared with individual care and education.



We conducted a 5-year randomized controlled clinical trial of continuing systemic education delivered by group versus individual diabetes care in a hospital-based secondary care diabetes unit. There were 120 patients with non-insulin-treated type 2 diabetes enrolled and randomly allocated to group or individual care. Eight did not start and 28 did not complete the study. The main outcome measures were knowledge of diabetes, problem solving ability, quality of life, HbA1c, BMI, and HDL cholesterol.



Knowledge of diabetes and problem solving ability improved from year 1 with group care and worsened among control subjects (P<0.001 for both). Quality of life improved from year 2 with group care but worsened with individual care (P<0.001). HbA1c level progressively increased over 5 years among control subjects (+1.7%, 95% CI 1.1-2.2) but not group care patients (+0.1%, -0.5 to 0.4), in whom BMI decreased (-1.4, -2.0 to -0.7) and HDL cholesterol increased (+0.14 mmol/l, 0.07-0.22).



Adults with type 2 diabetes can acquire specific knowledge and conscious behaviors if exposed to educational procedures and settings tailored to their needs. Traditional one-to-one care, although delivered according to optimized criteria, is associated with progressive deterioration of knowledge, problem solving ability, and quality of life. Better cognitive and psychosocial results are associated with more favorable clinical outcomes.
Open-wedge osteotomy of the proximal tibia with hemicallotasis.

Conventional high tibial osteotomy for losteoarthritis of the medial compartment of the knee with closed-wedge or dome osteotomy (DMO) may produce shortening of the patellar tendon and loss of inclination of the proximal tibial plateau or of the offset of the tibial condyle relative to its bony axis. This can make subsequent total knee arthroplasty technically demanding. We undertook a prospective study comparing these changes after DMO with those after using open-wedge osteotomy hemicallotasis (HCO). A total of 50 knees with arthritis of the medial compartment in 46 consecutive patients was randomly allocated to either DMO or HCO. There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to age, gender, femorotibial angle before operation or the angle of correction. Radiological studies showed that HCO caused little change in the length of the patellar tendon or the inclination angle of the tibial plateau, while after DMO both gradually decreased. The degree of tibial condylar offset increased in both groups, but less so in the HCO group.
A comparative crossover evaluation of amlodipine and nifedipine GITS before and after a missed dose: 48-h blood pressure profiles.

Missing one or more days of medication on these “drug holidays” can disrupt the steady level of the drug and lead to rebound reactions when the dose is suddenly stopped, and restarting the full dose of the drug can evoke exaggerated effects. 2 A number of ways to compensate for these missed doses have been suggested, including antihypertensive drugs with 36, 48, and even 72 h of action prescribed every 24 h.
Is a double-blind clinical trial really double-blind?

In a double-blind trial of meprobamate and placebo, carried out with 138 anxious neurotic outpatients, psychiatrists performed medication guesses after 2, 4, and 6 weeks of therapy. At the same time, physician and patient independently completed several improvement measures and the physician recorded the presence or absence of side reactions as spontaneously reported by the patient. The results may be summarized as follows: a) Clinical improvement and side effects often enable the physician to make reliable medication guesses and thus break the double-blind design in drug trials. b) Clinical improvement seems to exert the most important influence in determining physician medication guesses, at least with anti-anxiety drugs in studies of only 4 to 6 weeks duration. c) The correlation between side effects and medication guesses increases with the duration of therapy.
Prostatic Response to Supranutritional Selenium Supplementation: Comparison of the Target Tissue Potency of Selenomethionine vs. Selenium-Yeast on Markers of Prostatic Homeostasis

Prostate cancer is the product of dysregulated homeostasis within the aging prostate. Supplementation with selenium in the form of selenized yeast (Se-yeast) significantly reduced prostate cancer incidence in the Nutritional Prevention of Cancer Trial. Conversely, the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT) showed no such cancer-protective advantage using selenomethionine (SeMet). The possibility that SeMet and Se-yeast are not equipotent in promoting homeostasis and cancer risk reduction in the aging prostate has not been adequately investigated; no direct comparison has ever been reported in man or animals. Here, we analyzed data on prostatic responses to SeMet or Se-yeast from a controlled feeding trial of 49 elderly beagle dogs-the only non-human species to frequently develop prostate cancer during aging-randomized to one of five groups: control; low-dose SeMet, low-dose Se-yeast (3 μg/kg); high-dose SeMet, high-dose Se-yeast (6 μg/kg). After seven months of supplementation, we found no significant selenium form-dependent differences in toenail or intraprostatic selenium concentration. Next, we determined whether SeMet or Se-yeast acts with different potency on six markers of prostatic homeostasis that likely contribute to prostate cancer risk reduction-intraprostatic dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone (T), DHT:T, and epithelial cell DNA damage, proliferation, and apoptosis. By analyzing dogs supplemented with SeMet or Se-yeast that achieved equivalent intraprostatic selenium concentration after supplementation, we showed no significant differences in potency of either selenium form on any of the six parameters over three different ranges of target tissue selenium concentration. Our findings, which represent the first direct comparison of SeMet and Se-yeast on a suite of readouts in the aging prostate that reflect flux through multiple gene networks, do not further support the notion that the null results of SELECT are attributable to differences in prostatic consequences achievable through daily supplementation with SeMet, rather than Se-yeast.
Is stickiness profitable for electronic retailers?

Is stickiness the Holy Grail for e-tailing? In general, stickiness refers to the amount of time a person spends on a Web site during a visiting session (such as, session stickiness) or over a specified time period (such as, site stickiness). Zauberman equates stickiness and "within-site lock-in" and uses it to approximate visitors' loyalty to a Web site. The conventional wisdom suggests that stickiness is crucial and can contribute to e-tailers' bottom lines considerably. However, the direct economic impacts of stickiness have not been duly examined empirically, particularly from the perspective of consumers' within-session visiting behaviors.
 E-tailing offers an exciting global virtual channel for marketing and exchanges. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the e-retailing industry has grown at a 29% compounded annual rate between 2000 and 2004, amounting to $81 billion in sales in 2005 and projected to reach $144 billion by 2010. Accompanied by this impressive growth is the increasingly fierce market competition that results from greatly reduced search costs, diminished product/service differentiation, and rapidly eroding customer loyalty. To survive and excel in this highly competitive market, e-tailers must be effective in converting their Web site visitors into paying customers. Such conversions are challenging, as manifested by the dismal conversion rate (for example, estimated at 2.3% by e-tailing.com) that is likely to continue to decline.
 Stickiness serves as a common indicator of customer loyalty to e-tailers. Accordingly, firms have focused on effective Web site design and business strategies to "lock in" visitors by making their Web sites increasingly sticky. Despite the salient beliefs about the business value of stickiness in e-tailing, empirical evidence of its direct economic impacts is surprisingly limited. Moe and Fader discuss the importance of stickiness for business profits and advocate the use of visiting behaviors to investigate the relationship. Straub et al. also highlight the importance of analyzing prominent visitors' behaviors and particularly suggest the use of click-stream data to examine the effects of essential visiting behaviors on business outcomes, such as online purchases. However, few (if any) studies have examined these effects empirically.
 In this study, we use within-session visiting behaviors, recorded by a designated client-side monitoring program, to examine the relationship between stickiness and conversion, an outcome metric directly affecting e-tailers' bottom lines. We respond to the call by Moe and Fader by examining session stickiness through analyses of visitors' within-session behaviors. We measure session stickiness using both visiting session duration and total number of pages accessed during a visiting session. We empirically test whether stickiness significantly affects conversion, and further investigate whether product category moderates the focal stickiness--conversion relationship.
Widespread positive but weak assortative mating by diet within stickleback populations

Assortative mating - correlation between male and female traits - is common within populations and has the potential to promote genetic diversity and in some cases speciation. Despite its importance, few studies have sought to explain variation in the extent of assortativeness across populations. Here, we measure assortative mating based on an ecologically important trait, diet as inferred from stable isotopes, in 16 unmanipulated lake populations of three-spine stickleback. As predicted, we find a tendency toward positive assortment on the littoral-pelagic axis, although the magnitude is consistently weak. These populations vary relatively little in the strength of assortativeness, and what variation occurs is not explained by hypothesized drivers including habitat cosegregation, the potential for disruptive selection, costs to choosiness, and the strength of the relationship between diet and body size. Our results support recent findings that most assortative mating is positive, while suggesting that new approaches may be required to identify the environmental variables that drive the evolution of nonrandom mating within populations.
Clinicopathologic prognostic factors of pure myxoid liposarcoma of the extremities and trunk wall.

Myxoid liposarcoma is generally considered a low grade tumor but the presence of areas of round cells exceeding 5% is reportedly associated with a worse prognosis. Whether "pure" tumors without round cells are low grade has not been confirmed. While radiotherapy has been used for patients' myxoid liposarcoma it is unclear whether it reduces local recurrences.



We therefore determined the survival, roles of radiotherapy for local control, and prognostic factors of pure myxoid liposarcoma of the extremities and trunk wall.



We retrospectively reviewed 53 patients histologically diagnosed with pure myxoid liposarcoma arising in extremities and the trunk wall. Nine patients of the 53 received radiotherapy for primary tumors. Clinical features and prognosis was determined, and various factors were analyzed as to their usefulness as prognostic factors (age, gender, location, size, depth, surgical margin, and adjuvant radiotherapy). The minimum followup was 12 months (mean, 60 months; range, 12-226 months).



Seven (13%) and 6 (11%) patients developed a local recurrence and distant metastasis, respectively. The 5- and 10-year disease-specific and disease-free survival rates were 90% and 83% and 77% and 77%, respectively. Radiotherapy had no impact on either overall or disease free survival. Age (older than 60 years) independently predicted worse overall and disease-free survival.



In pure myxoid liposarcoma located in the extremities and trunk wall, relatively few patients developed distant metastasis suggesting the tumor is generally low grade. Local control could be achieved with wide surgical margins without radiotherapy. Age was associated with lower survival but size and depth were not. Myxoid liposarcoma in older patients requires special consideration for treatment and followup.
Estimated glomerular filtration rate as an independent predictor of atherosclerotic vascular disease in older women

Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels have been shown to predict atherosclerotic vascular disease hospitalization and mortality. We sought to investigate the role of renal function in the prediction of 10-year atherosclerotic vascular hospitalization and deaths in an unselected population of elderly women and compared these predictions to Framingham equations.



Complete 10-year verified mortality and hospitalization discharge records for atherosclerotic vascular disease were collected for a prospective study of 1,239 unselected female subject's ≥ 70 from the Calcium Intake Fracture Outcome Study (CAIFOS) with 10 years of follow-up. eGFR was compared to the current Framingham risk scores.



The eGFR at baseline using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease Study (MDRD) equation was 65.2 ± 14.5 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and 66.3 ± 13.5 mL/min/1.73 m(2) using the Chronic Kidney Disease EPIdemiology (CKD-EPI) equation. Over 10 years 30% of participants sustained an ASVD hospitalization or death. For every standard deviation (SD) reduction in eGFR using MDRD the odds ratio (OR) for ASVD hospitalization and deaths increased by 1.34 (1.18-1.53), P < 0.00 and 1.31 (1.14-1.50), P < 0.001 in a model adjusted for Framingham 10-year general cardiovascular risk. Addition of eGFR by the MDRD equation to Framingham risk factors improved the net reclassification index by 5.9%, P = 0.018 and the integrated discrimination improvement by 0.010 ± 0.003, P < 0.001 Similar results were seen using the CKD-EPI equation.



Estimated glomerular filtration rate predicts ASVD outcomes independently of Framingham risk score predictions in elderly women and improves clinical prediction particularly of early ASVD.