nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Two-year behavior outcomes of project towards no tobacco use.

The article presents 2-year follow-up data from a school-based tobacco use prevention project designed to test the effectiveness of 3 primary components in social influence programs. The components either teach refusal skills, awareness of social value misperceptions, or physical consequences. Curricula were tested with a randomized experiment involving 48 junior high schools. These data suggested that (a) a physical-consequences curriculum is successful at attenuating increases in adolescent smokeless tobacco use, (b) cigarette experimentation may be attenuated by various approaches, and (c) a comprehensive program with all 3 components was necessary to attenuate increases in weekly use of both forms of tobacco. These results also indicate that school-based tobacco use interventions can be effective at least 2 years postprogram, after students make their transition to high school.
Community trends in the use and characteristics of persons with acute myocardial infarction who are transported by emergency medical services.

Limited data exist on recent trends in ambulance use and factors associated with ambulance use in patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI), particularly from the more generalizable perspective of a community-wide investigation. This population-based prospective epidemiologic study describes the decade-long trends (1997-2007) in the use of emergency medical services (EMS) by residents of the Worcester, Massachusetts, metropolitan area who are hospitalized for AMI and the characteristics of patients with AMI who are transported to the hospital by EMS (n = 3789) compared with those transported by other means (n = 1505).



The study population consisted of 5294 patients hospitalized for AMI at 11 greater Worcester medical centers in 5 annual periods between 1997 and 2007. Information on the use of EMS and the factors associated with EMS use was obtained through the review of hospital medical records.



There was a progressive increase in the proportion of greater Worcester residents with AMI who were transported to central Massachusetts hospitals by ambulance over time (66.9% transported in 1997; 74.9% transported in 2007). Patients transported by EMS were older, more likely to be women, and more likely to have a greater prevalence of previously diagnosed comorbidities.



Our findings provide encouragement for the use of EMS in residents of a large central New England community hospitalized with AMI. Despite increasing trends in ambulance use, more research is needed to explore the reasons why patients with AMI do not use EMS in the setting of an acute cardiac emergency.
Fucosylated surfactant protein-D is a biomarker candidate for the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

We previously reported that knockout mice for α1,6-fucosyltransferase (Fut8), which catalyzes the biosynthesis of core-fucose in N-glycans, develop emphysema and that Fut8 heterozygous knockout mice are more sensitive to cigarette smoke-induced emphysema than wild-type mice. Moreover, a lower FUT8 activity was found to be associated with a faster decline in lung function among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. These results led us to hypothesize that core-fucosylation levels in a glycoprotein could be used as a biomarker for COPD. We focused on a lung-specific glycoprotein, surfactant protein D (SP-D), which plays a role in immune responses and is present in the distal airways, alveoli, and blood circulation. The results of a glycomic analysis reported herein demonstrate the presence of a core-fucose in an N-glycan on enriched SP-D from pooled human sera. We developed an antibody-lectin enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for assessing fucosylation (core-fucose and α1,3/4 fucose) in COPD patients. The results indicate that fucosylation levels in serum SP-D are significantly higher in COPD patients than in non-COPD smokers. The severity of emphysema was positively associated with fucosylation levels in serum SP-D in smokers. Our findings suggest that increased fucosylation levels in serum SP-D are associated with the development of COPD.



It has been proposed that serum SP-D concentrations are predictive of COPD pathogenesis, but distinguishing between COPD patients and healthy individuals to establish a clear cut-off value is difficult because smoking status highly affects circulating SP-D levels. Herein, we focused on N-glycosylation in SP-D and examined whether or not N-glycosylation patterns in SP-D are associated with the pathogenesis of COPD. We performed an N-glycomic analysis of human serum SP-D and the results show that a core-fucose is present in its N-glycan. We also found that the N-glycosylation in serum SP-D was indeed altered in COPD, that is, fucosylation levels including core-fucosylation are significantly increased in COPD patients compared with non-COPD smokers. The severity of emphysema was positively associated with fucosylation levels in serum SP-D in smokers. Our findings shed new light on the discovery and/or development of a useful biomarker based on glycosylation changes for diagnosing COPD. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: HUPO 2014.
Comparative study of intramuscular gold and methotrexate in a rheumatoid arthritis population from a socially deprived area.

To compare the risk-benefit ratio of intramuscular gold (gold sodium thiomalate (GST)) and methotrexate (MTX) in a population with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from a deprived area.



Patients with active RA were randomly assigned to open treatment with GST or MTX. Clinical and laboratory assessment was performed at 0, 12, 24, and 48 weeks. Results were analysed on an intention to treat basis.



141 patients were recruited-72 were randomly allocated to GST and 69 to MTX. There were no statistically significant differences found in either the clinical or demographic variables at baseline. At 48 weeks 31 (43%) patients continued to receive GST and 43 (62%) MTX. The median MTX dose achieved was 10 mg. Gold caused significantly more withdrawals for toxicity (43% GST v 19% MTX, p=0.0026, log rank test). Both groups experienced a significant improvement in erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein, Ritchie Articular Index, and pain score by 24 weeks (p<0.001, Friedman test). Although a trend towards an improved Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score and global wellbeing was seen in both groups, this did not reach statistical significance. No differences in efficacy were found when the two groups were compared (Mann-Whitney).



GST and low dose MTX showed equivalent efficacy, but toxicity was more common in patients treated with GST. GST, although more toxic, remains a useful alternative for patients in whom MTX is contraindicated.
Family-based association analysis of alcohol dependence in the COGA sample and replication in the Australian twin-family study

Family, twin, and adoption studies have indicated that genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of alcohol dependence (AD). We conducted a low-density genome-wide association analysis to identify genetic variants influencing AD. We used 11,120 SNPs from the Affymetrix 10K Genechips genotyped in 116 Caucasian pedigrees (272 nuclear families) from Genetic Analysis Workshop 14, a subset from the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism (COGA). Family-based association analyses for AD were performed by the PBAT program for autosomal SNPs and by the FBAT program for X-chromosome SNPs. We identified 37 SNPs associated with AD (P < 10−3), thirteen of which were located in known genes. The most significant association with AD was observed with SNP rs1986644 (P = 8.51 × 10−6) at 13q22 near EDNRB gene. The next best signal was at 1q41 in USH2A (rs532342, P = 1.07 × 10−5) and the third region was at 3q25.31 in TIPARP (rs1367311, P = 2.31 × 10−5). Furthermore, we found support for association of MAOA gene (P = 4.14 × 10−4 for rs979606). Six of the 37 AD associated SNPs were confirmed to be associated with AD in Australian twin-family study sample (P < 0.05). Interestingly, four SNPs in DSCAML1 at 11q23 reached the genome-wide significance (the top SNP is rs10892169 with P = 5.31 × 10−9), while rs637547 in NKAIN2 at 6q21 showed strong association with AD (P = 5.11 × 10−7) in the replication sample. These findings offer the potential for new insights into the pathogenesis of AD and will serve as a resource for replication in other populations to elucidate the potential role of these genetic variants in AD.
Predicting response of vitreous hemorrhage after intravitreous injection of highly purified ovine hyaluronidase (Vitrase) in patients with diabetes.

To develop a predictive model for patients with diabetes who are most likely to have vitreous hemorrhage clearing by 3 months after a single, intravitreous injection of highly purified, preservative-free, ovine hyaluronidase (Vitrase; ISTA Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Irvine, CA).



Post hoc data analysis was performed on two randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled, phase 3 clinical trials of a single intravitreous injection of Vitrase for severe vitreous hemorrhage. Vitreous hemorrhage density was scored using a 0 to 4 vitreous hemorrhage grading scale in 12 radial segments of the fundus ("clock hours"). Reduction in total hemorrhage point score (DeltaTHPS) between baseline and 1 month after injection was analyzed as a predictor of vitreous hemorrhage outcome at 3 months.



A strong predictive model was demonstrated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis; area under the curve (AUC) = 0.845 (P < 0.0001). The DeltaTHPS was higher in hyaluronidase-treated subjects than in saline-treated control subjects. Median DeltaTHPS was 8.0 and 6.0 in subjects treated with 55 IU (68 USP) and 75 IU (93 USP) of hyaluronidase respectively, versus 2.0 in saline control subjects (P < 0.0001). discussion. The DeltaTHPS at 1 month provides quantitative guidance for predicting the outcome of a single intravitreous ovine hyaluronidase injection in patients with diabetes and severe vitreous hemorrhage (ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT00198510 and NCT00198497).
Design and implementation of an agent-based intermediary infrastructure for electronic markets

This paper describes MARI (Multi-Attribute Resource Intermediary), a project which proposes to improve online marketplaces, specifically those that involve the buying and selling of non-tangible goods and services. MARI is an intermediary architecture intended as a generalized platform for the specification and brokering of heterogeneous goods and services. MARI makes it possible for both buyers and sellers alike to more holistically and comprehensively specify relative preferences for the transaction partner, as well as for the attributes of the product in question, making price just one of a multitude of possible factors influencing the decision to trade. Ultimately, we expect that the ability to make such specifications will result in a more efficient, richer, and integrative transaction experience.
Divergent effects of ACE-inhibition and calcium channel blockade on NO-activity in systemic and renal circulation in essential hypertension.

Nitric oxide is a vasodilating and blood pressure lowering substance. To investigate whether calcium antagonists or angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors increase vascular nitric oxide activity, we assessed systemic and renal vascular sensitivity to nitric oxide synthase inhibition in hypertensives on and off medication.



Ten essential hypertensive patients, aged 22-51 years, were studied 3 times: > or = 4 weeks off medication, after 3 weeks treatment with enalapril 20 mg twice a day and after 3 weeks nifedipine 60 mg/day. Each time, 24-h blood pressure registration was performed, followed by a clearance study to obtain a 3-h dose-response curve for intravenously infused NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA, respectively 0.75, 1.5 and 3.0 mg/kg/h).



L-NMMA dose-dependently increased mean arterial pressure with 5 +/- 2 mmHg and systemic vascular resistance with 24 +/- 5% at maximum dose, whereas cardiac output decreased (all P < 0.001). Enalapril and nifedipine treatment decreased blood pressure, while the L-NMMA-induced increase in systemic vascular resistance was potentiated (enalapril: 45 +/- 7% and nifedipine: 46 +/- 8%; both P < 0.01). L-NMMA also dose-dependently decreased renal blood flow by 58 +/- 8% at maximum dose (P < 0.001), but neither drug potentiated these effects.



These results indicate that, in essential hypertensives, antihypertensive therapy with enalapril or nifedipine increases nitric oxide dependency of systemic vascular tone, which may play a role in the blood pressure lowering effect of these drugs. However, this phenomenon cannot be observed in the renal circulation, suggesting a different regulation of endothelium-dependent vasomotion in the hypertensive kidney.
Short-term efficacy of sevelamer versus calcium acetate in patients with chronic kidney disease stage 3–4

The relative effectiveness and safety of sevelamer, a mineral-free phosphate binder, for treatment of hyperphosphatemia in children with chronic kidney disease is uncertain. This study was designed to compare the efficacy and acceptability of sevelamer hydrochloride to calcium acetate as a phosphate binder in pediatric patients with chronic kidney disease. A 12-week open-label trial of sevelamer hydrochloride vs calcium acetate was initiated in 22 patients, aged 2–18, with CKD stages 3 and 4. After a 2-week washout of phosphate binders and vitamin D, patients were randomized to receive sevelamer hydrochloride or calcium acetate. The effect of therapy was adjusted for baseline blood levels of calcium, phosphorus, calcium-phosphate product, alkaline phosphatase, PTH and GFR using ANOVA. The primary end point was the decrease in serum phosphorus levels after 12 weeks of treatment. Of the 22 patients enrolled, data of 19 patients were used for analysis. The adjusted mean serum phosphate levels at 12 weeks did not differ significantly between calcium acetate- (5.3 mg/dl) and sevelamer-treated subjects (6.1 mg/dl) (P adjusted means = 0.6). The adjusted blood level of calcium at 12 weeks was significantly lower in the sevelamer-treated patients (8.2 mg/dl) compared to those treated with calcium acetate (9.1 mg/dl) (P adjusted means = 0.01). In the sevelamer group, there was a non-significant decrease in serum bicarbonate, whereas the total and LDL cholesterol significantly decreased at 12 weeks (P = 0.04). Sevelamer hydrochloride was well tolerated and without adverse effects related to the drug. Compared to calcium acetate, use of sevelamer in children with chronic kidney disease is associated with similar reduction in serum phosphate levels, lower risk of hypercalcemia, and marked decrease in serum lipid levels.
Glyceryl trinitrate ointment in angina pectoris.

Skin absorption of glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) has been recognized for a long time. The effect of GTN and a placebo ointment in prevention of chest pain has been assessed and compared by studying the exercise capacity in 17 patients with angina pectoris. The placebo cream was ineffective but the GTN ointment was found to have beneficial effect in relief of pain in 16 cases. This was established by the patients' capacity to exercise on a bicycle ergometer without chest pain. The beneficial effect was sustained for up to 3 hr in 12 patients. This preparation appears to act as a long-acting nitrate and may be valuable for patients in whom beta-blocking agents are ineffective or contra-indicated, and surgery is not feasible.
Abortion of acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction after reperfusion: incidence, patients' characteristics, and prognosis.

To study the incidence and patient characteristics of aborted myocardial infarction in both prehospital and in-hospital thrombolysis.



Retrospective, controlled, observational study.



Two cities in the Netherlands, one with prehospital thrombolysis, one with in-hospital treatment.



475 patients with suspected acute ST elevation myocardial infarction treated before admission to hospital, 269 patients treated in hospital.



Aborted myocardial infarction, defined as the combination of subsiding of cumulative ST segment elevation and depression to < 50% of the level at presentation, together with a rise of creatine kinase of less than twice the upper normal concentration. A stepwise regression analysis was used to test independent predictors for aborted myocardial infarction.



After correction for "unjustified" thrombolysis, 17.1% of the 468 prehospital treated patients and 4.5% of the 264 in-hospital treated patients fulfilled the criteria for aborted myocardial infarction. There was no difference in age, sex, risk factors, haemodynamic status, and infarct location of aborted myocardial infarction compared with established myocardial infarction. Time to treatment was shorter in the patients with aborted myocardial infarction (86 versus 123 minutes, p = 0.05). A shorter time to treatment, lower ST elevation at presentation, and higher incidence of preinfarction angina were independent predictors for aborted myocardial infarction. Aborted myocardial infarction had a 12 month mortality of 2.2%, significantly less than the 11.6% of established myocardial infarction.



Prehospital thrombolysis is associated with a fourfold increase of aborted myocardial infarction compared with in-hospital treatment. A shorter time to treatment, a lower ST elevation, and a higher incidence of preinfarction angina were predictors of aborted myocardial infarction.
Age-dependent prognostic value of exercise capacity and derivation of fitness-associated biologic age.

Given the aging population and prevalence of sedentary behaviour in the USA, we investigated the impact of differences in exercise capacity associated with age on long-term outcomes. We derived fitness-associated 'biologic age' as a tool to encourage positive lifestyle changes.



This retrospective cohort study included 57085 patients without established coronary artery disease or heart failure (median age 53 years, 49% women, 29% black) who underwent clinically-referred treadmill stress testing at the Henry Ford Health System from 1991 to 2009. Patients were followed for 10.4±5 and 5.4±4 years for all-cause mortality and myocardial infarction (MI), respectively. We calculated hazard ratios associated with exercise capacity by age deciles using Cox regression models, adjusting for demographic and haemodynamic data, medical history, and medication use. Fitness-associated 'biologic age' was derived as the chronologic age with equivalent mortality or MI risk.



There were 6356 deaths and 1646 MIs during follow-up. Exercise capacity declined with increasing age. Higher exercise capacity was strongly associated with greater survival, with per-MET HR ranging from 0.82 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.86) in patients under 40 years of age, to 0.88 (95% CI 0.87 to 0.90) in those over 70 years of age. Biologic age varied markedly-up to three decades-within each age decile, and was a stronger predictor of mortality (C-statistic 0.81 vs 0.77) and MI (C-statistic 0.72 vs 0.68) than chronologic age.



Higher exercise capacity remained a powerful predictor of survival despite lower average exercise capacity at older ages, reinforcing its importance in patients of all ages. Fitness-associated biologic age was a stronger predictor of survival than chronologic age, and may be a useful clinical tool for facilitating patient discussions regarding the impact of exercise capacity on long-term risk.
Treatment failure in pneumonia: impact of antibiotic treatment and cost analysis.

The aim of this study was to investigate treatment failure (TF) in hospitalised community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) patients with regard to initial antibiotic treatment and economic impact. CAP patients were included in two open, prospective multicentre studies assessing the direct costs for in-patient treatment. Patients received treatment either with moxifloxacin (MFX) or a nonstandardised antibiotic therapy. Any change in antibiotic therapy after >72 h of treatment to a broadened antibiotic spectrum was considered as TF. Overall, 1,236 patients (mean ± SD age 69.6 ± 16.8 yrs, 691 (55.9%) male) were included. TF occurred in 197 (15.9%) subjects and led to longer hospital stay (15.4 ± 7.3 days versus 9.8 ± 4.2 days; p < 0.001) and increased median treatment costs (€2,206 versus €1,284; p<0.001). 596 (48.2%) patients received MFX and witnessed less TF (10.9% versus 20.6%; p < 0.001). After controlling for confounders in multivariate analysis, adjusted risk of TF was clearly reduced in MFX as compared with β-lactam monotherapy (adjusted OR for MFX 0.43, 95% CI 0.27-0.68) and was more comparable with a β-lactam plus macrolide combination (BLM) (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.38-1.21). In hospitalised CAP, TF is frequent and leads to prolonged hospital stay and increased treatment costs. Initial treatment with MFX or BLM is a possible strategy to prevent TF, and may thus reduce treatment costs.
Consumption of a plant sterol-based spread derived from rice bran oil is effective at reducing plasma lipid levels in mildly hypercholesterolaemic individuals.

To establish the effectiveness of a new phytosterol-containing spread derived from rice bran oil (RBO), a randomised, double-blind, cross-over human clinical trial was conducted over 12 weeks. A total of eighty mildly hypercholesterolaemic (total blood cholesterol level ≥ 5 and ≤ 7·5 mmol/l with a serum TAG level of ≤ 4·5 mmol/l) individuals were randomised into two groups (n 40). Group 1 consumed spread only daily for 4 weeks. They were randomised to consume 20 g RBO spread (RBOS), 20 g standard spread (SS) or 20 g phytosterol-enriched spread (PS). After a 4-week period, individuals changed to the next randomised treatment until all three treatments had been consumed. Group 2 consumed spread plus oil daily for 4 weeks. They consumed 20 g RBOS plus 30 ml RBO, 20 g SS plus 30 ml sunflower oil or 20 g RBOS. Blood samples were collected for the analysis of lipid parameters, and 3 d diet records were collected. Compared with SS, RBOS significantly reduced total cholesterol by 2·2 % (P = 0·045), total cholesterol:HDL by 4·1 % (P = 0·005) and LDL-cholesterol by 3·5 % (P = 0·016), but was not as effective overall as PS, which reduced total cholesterol by 4·4 % (P = 0·001), total cholesterol:HDL by 3·4 % (P = 0·014) and LDL-cholesterol by 5·6 % (P = 0·001). In group 2, the addition of RBO to the RBOS produced no differences in cholesterol levels. These results confirm that RBOS is effective in lowering serum cholesterol when consumed as part of a normal diet.