nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Vascular disrupting therapy-induced mobilization of circulating endothelial progenitor cells.

Vascular disrupting therapy-induced mobilization of circulating endothelial progenitor cells Antivascular therapies are currently intensively studied approaches in clinical oncology. Low molecular weight vascular disrupting agents (VDA) aim to cause rapid and selective shutdown of the established tumor vasculature, leading to massive cancer cell death in the central areas of tumor . However, a common feature of VDA that is poorly understood is the sparing of a relatively intact viable rim at the periphery of the tumor. This viable rim leads to rapid regrowth of tumors and consequently poor responses to VDA when given as a single agent . Combination therapy with chemo-or radiotherapy has produced promising responses in preclinical models and is currently being evaluated in early clinical developments.
Enhanced peritubular capillary flow and renal function can be accomplished in normoalbuminuric type 2 diabetic nephropathy.

Under common practice, treatment of diabetic nephropathy (DN) is usually initiated at late stage of CKD due to the insensitiveness of the available diagnostic markers. Such treatment fails to restore renal perfusion and function. This is due to the defective mechanism of vascular homeostasis and impaired nitric oxide production observed in late stage of DN. In contrast, the mechanism of vascular repair is adequately functional in early stage of DN (normoalbuminuria). In this study, we treated 50 normoalbuminuric diabetic patients with multidrug vasodilators, namely ACE inhibitor, angiotensin receptor blocker, ± calcium channel blocker in conjunction with correction of metabolic disorders for 24-36 months. Following the treatment, increment in peritubular capillary flow in response to vasodilators was observed, and thus supports the adequate role of vascular repair. In addition, increase in renal function documented in this study also implies that an effective preventive strategy to minimize end-stage renal disease can be accomplished in normoalbuminuric DN.
An Exercise in Program Explanation

An algorithm tha t computes the set of prime numbers less than or equal to some given n _ 2 is developed and explained in this paper. The algorithm employs a variation of the sieve technique; however, every nonprime is generated and removed precisely once from the set, resulting in an algorithm with running time linear in n. This efficiency is achieved at the expense of maintaining a more complex data structure and assuming tha t multiplication (of positive integers smaller than n) requires unit time. The algorithm is simpler to explain and prove than a linear algorithm appearing in . The purpose of this note is to show how a combinat ion of program-proving ideas and stepwise refinement can be used to describe and explain an algori thm completely. The explanation is given by first postulating a suitable invariant. Hypothesizing an invariant is one of the most creative tasks in program construction; however, program construction becomes almost purely mechanical given a suitable invariant. The explanation given here is adequate for a reader to construct his own formal proof. For this problem Pri tchard [4] reports an asymptotical ly sublinear algorithm which uses no multiplication.
Rethinking clinical language mapping approaches: discordant receptive and expressive hemispheric language dominance in epilepsy surgery candidates.

Neuroimaging studies have shed light on cortical language organization, with findings implicating the left and right temporal lobes in speech processing converging to a left-dominant pattern. Findings highlight the fact that the state of theoretical language knowledge is ahead of current clinical language mapping methods, motivating a rethinking of these approaches. The authors used magnetoencephalography and multiple tasks in seven candidates for resective epilepsy surgery to investigate language organization. The authors scanned 12 control subjects to investigate the time course of bilateral receptive speech processes. Laterality indices were calculated for left and right hemisphere late fields ∼150 to 400 milliseconds. The authors report that (1) in healthy adults, speech processes activated superior temporal regions bilaterally converging to a left-dominant pattern, (2) in four of six patients, this was reversed, with bilateral processing converging to a right-dominant pattern, and (3) in three of four of these patients, receptive and expressive language processes were laterally discordant. Results provide evidence that receptive and expressive language may have divergent hemispheric dominance. Right-sided receptive language dominance in epilepsy patients emphasizes the need to assess both receptive and expressive language. Findings indicate that it is critical to use multiple tasks tapping separable aspects of language function to provide sensitive and specific estimates of language localization in surgical patients.
Psychosocial factors predicted nonrecovery in both specific and nonspecific diagnoses at arm, neck, and shoulder.

To evaluate the differences in predictors of nonrecovery between patients with a specific diagnosis at arm, neck, and/or shoulder, vs. patients with a nonspecific diagnosis in general practice at 6 months after the first consultation.



New consulters with nontraumatic arm, neck, or shoulder complaints entered the cohort. Patient, complaint, and physical, psychosocial, and work characteristics were evaluated as possible predictors. Logistic regression analyses were conducted for the specific and nonspecific groups separately.



At 6 months, 38% (n=298) of the specific-group members and 49% (n=249) of the nonspecific-group members reported nonrecovery. Univariately, similar variables were related in both groups, although their strength sometimes differed. Multivariately, duration of complaints was predictive of nonrecovery in both groups. Other predictors in the specific group were as follows: more somatization, low social support, older age, high body mass index, and unemployment. In the nonspecific group, the predictors were as follows: musculoskeletal comorbidity, recurrent complaint, poor perceived general health, multiple-region complaints, and high level of kinesiophobia.



At 6 months, nonrecovery was reported more frequently in the group of patients with a nonspecific diagnosis. The predictive value of psychosocial factors on nonrecovery is at least of equal importance in patients with a specific diagnosis compared with patients with a nonspecific diagnosis.
Comparison of costs of care between patients with Alzheimer's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies

The objective of this study was to compare total costs of care and its major components for community-living patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). This cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Predictors II Study took place in three university-based AD centers in the U.S.



Community-living patients clinically diagnosed with probable AD (n = 170) or DLB (n = 25) with a modified Mini-Mental State examination (mMMS) score > or =30, equivalent to a score of approximately > or =16 on the Folstein Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), participated in this study. Patient and informant reported on patients' use of direct medical care, direct nonmedical care, and informal care. Patients' clinical and demographic characteristics included global cognitive status (measured by MMSE), functional capacity (measured by Blessed Dementia Rating Scale), psychotic symptoms, behavioral problems, depressive symptoms, extrapyramidal signs, comorbidities, age, and sex. Costs were compared by using covariate matching methods.



Unadjusted total costs and direct medical costs were not significantly different between AD and DLB patients. Compared with AD patients, unadjusted indirect costs were significantly higher and unadjusted direct nonmedical costs were significantly lower among DLB patients. After adjusting for age, sex, cognitive and functional status, differences in all cost components between DLB and AD patients were no longer statistically significant.



Apparent cost differences were largely attributed to differences in patients' cognitive and functional status. However, the small sample size for DLB patients might have limited power to detect statistically significant differences in costs of care between these groups.
Towards Supporting Caregivers to Monitor the Whereabouts of People with Dementia

Dementia is a complex neurodegenerative syndrome that is accompanied by a progressive decline in cognitive abilities. People with dementia develop problems in coping with activities of daily living, including orientation and way-finding tasks. People with moderate to severe dementia are withdrawn and sensitive, which can make caring for and working with them challenging, especially for caregivers. Our work focusses on people with moderate to severe dementia and nursing homes. Building upon previous work in supporting way-finding for people with dementia, we propose an integrated platform to support caregivers and other stakeholders in localizing people and monitoring their whereabouts. Real-time monitoring, a history of location data and heat maps help caregivers to quickly locate people, identify critical situations and learn about preferred locations of residents. Doctors, technology and architectural designers receive valuable data on movement patterns that support diagnosis and intervention planning.
Raloxifene modifies the insulin sensitivity and lipid profile of postmenopausal insulin resistant women.

To investigate the effects of raloxifene on the insulin sensitivity and lipid profile in insulin-sensitive and insulin-resistant postmenopausal women.



This placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized study involved 64 postmenopausal women aged between 45 and 55 years. All subjects were screened with the insulin resistance homeostasis model assessment (IR-HOMA) and those patients in the lowest quartile (n = 16) were assigned as insulin sensitive and those in the highest quartile as insulin resistant (n = 16). Patients in both groups received either raloxifene hydrochloride (60 mg/day) or a placebo for a period of 12 weeks. Insulin sensitivity, the serum lipid profile and anthropometric measurements were established before and after therapy.



Women with the highest IR-HOMA scores were associated with a significantly higher weight, body mass index, waist and waist-to-hip ratio (p < 0.05). Raloxifene significantly reduced the IR-HOMA scores from 5.76 ± 2.91 to 1.93 ± 0.96 (p = 0.02) and modified the lipid profile in insulin-resistant patients when compared with the placebo group and those patients receiving raloxifene in the insulin-sensitive group.



Raloxifene reduced insulin resistance and modified the lipid profile in insulin-resistant postmenopausal women.
Recovery from depression among clients transitioning out of poverty.

The objective of this study was to investigate whether a program designed to change the economic conditions of clients' lives could also have an impact on reducing their level of depression. The study focused on a sample of men and women attending a program designed to transition clients out of poverty through microlending and peer support. Results revealed that 40.5% of participants who met diagnostic criteria for major depression before beginning the program were no longer clinically depressed after participating in the program for 6 months. The results also revealed that the clients who reported that they felt a strong sense of interpersonal connection within the program were the most likely to recover from depression.
Low-dose continuous infusion of landiolol can reduce adrenergic response during tracheal intubation in elderly patients with cardiovascular disease

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of low-dose infusion of landiolol on hemodynamics during tracheal intubation in elderly patients with cardiovascular disease. The study population consisted of 30 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status II and III, aged 65–77 years, who were scheduled to undergo elective surgery under general anesthesia. Patients were randomly divided into two groups (n = 15 each): a control group, receiving normal saline, and a landiolol group, receiving landiolol at 30 μg/kg/min. After oxygenation, 1 μg/kg of fentanyl was injected intravenously, followed by continuous infusion of normal saline or landiolol for 5 min. General anesthesia was induced and maintained with target-controlled infusion of propofol at a blood concentration of 4 μg/ml and tracheal intubation was performed 3 min after vecuronium injection. Heart rate, blood pressure, and bispectral index were measured before and after tracheal intubation. Results showed that low-dose continuous infusion of landiolol is an effective and relatively safe method of preventing an intubation-induced adrenergic response in elderly patients with cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin C as an adjuvant for treating major depressive disorder and suicidal behavior, a randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial

There are some animal studies suggesting the possible role of vitamin C for treating depression. However, the efficacy of vitamin C for treating adult patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) has never been examined.



This 8-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial included adult patients with major depressive disorder according to DSM-IV diagnostic criteria. Twenty-one patients in the treatment group received citalopram plus vitamin C and the 22 patients in the control group received citalopram plus placebo. The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms at baseline, week 2, week 4, and week 8. We also checked for the presence of adverse effects.



While depression symptoms decreased in both groups during this trial, there was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (P = .5). The rate of remission, partial response, and complete response was not different between the two groups. The rate of adverse effects were not different between the two groups.



Adding vitamin C to citalopram did not increase the efficacy of citalopram in MDD patients. Vitamin C plus citalopram is as effective as placebo plus citalopram for treating adult patients with suicidal behavior. No serious adverse effect for this combination was identified during this trial.


 The registration number of this trial was: IRCT201312263930N31 .
Postoperative hemostatic efficacy of gauze soaked in tranexamic acid, fibrin sponge, and dry gauze compression following dental extractions in anticoagulated patients with cardiovascular disease: a prospective, randomized study

Oral anticoagulants are widely prescribed drugs. Interruption of anticoagulant therapy prior to oral surgery has been an issue of great controversy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence of bleeding complications after dental extractions in patients on anticoagulant therapy (warfarin) in whom different local hemostatic methods were used. Patients using warfarin and requiring extractions of at least two teeth were screened to participate in this prospective, randomized study. Extraction sites were considered as sampling units (statistically representative sample size) and were allocated to one of the three study groups (G1—4.8 % tranexamic acid; G2—fibrin sponge; and G3—no local hemostatic agents). Eighty-four extraction sites were obtained from patients with mitral valve prolapse (47.4 %), prosthetic cardiac valve (23.7 %), venous thromboembolism (21.1 %), and pulmonary embolism (5.2 %). International normalized ratio (INR) values ranged between 2.1 and 3.1 (mean 2.51 ± 0.1). Postoperative bleeding was observed in four surgical sites (p < 0.001) and was mainly in older patients (p = 0.005). The three local hemostatic protocols were similarly effective in controlling postoperative bleeding in patients undergoing anticoagulant therapy with warfarin. The majority of teeth could be extracted with minimal problems in patients with cardiovascular diseases receiving treatment with anticoagulant therapy.
Mid- to Long-term Results of Supramalleolar Osteotomy.

Good clinical and radiographic short-term results have been reported for patients who underwent realignment surgery of the hindfoot for treatment of early- and mid-stage ankle osteoarthrosis (OA). However, no mid- to long-term results have been reported. The aim of this study was to gain a better insight into the indications and contraindications for realignment surgery.



Two hundred ninety-four patients (298 ankles) underwent realignment surgery between December 1999 and June 2013. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed with total ankle replacement and arthrodesis of the ankle joint as endpoints. A Cox proportional hazards model was performed to identify risk factors for failure. The mean time to follow-up was 5.0 ± 3.7 years.



The overall 5-year survival rate was 88%. Thirty-eight patients (12.9%) underwent either secondary total ankle replacement or ankle arthrodesis (30 total ankle replacements, 8 ankle arthrodesis). Risk factors for failure following realignment surgery were age at the time of surgery and a Takakura score of 3b preoperatively.



Realignment surgery of the hindfoot was an excellent treatment option for young and physically active patients with early to mid-stage ankle OA.
A randomized controlled trial of cell salvage in routine cardiac surgery.

Previous trials have indicated that cell salvage may reduce allogeneic blood transfusion during cardiac surgery, but these studies have limitations, including inconsistent use of other blood transfusion-sparing strategies. We designed a randomized controlled trial to determine whether routine cell salvage for elective uncomplicated cardiac surgery reduces blood transfusion and is cost effective in the setting of a rigorous transfusion protocol and routine administration of antifibrinolytics.



Two-hundred-thirteen patients presenting for first-time coronary artery bypass grafting and/or cardiac valve surgery were prospectively randomized to control or cell salvage groups. The latter group had blood aspirate during surgery and mediastinal drainage the first 6 h after surgery processed in a cell saver device and autotransfused. All patients received tranexamic acid and were subjected to an algorithm for red blood cell and hemostatic blood factor transfusion.



There was no difference between the two groups in the proportion of patients exposed to allogeneic blood (32% in both groups, relative risk 1.0 P = 0.89). At current blood products and cell saver prices, the use of cell salvage increased the costs per patient by a minimum of $103. When patients who had mediastinal re-exploration for bleeding were excluded (as planned in the protocol), significantly fewer units of allogeneic red blood cells were transfused in the cell salvage compared with the control group (65 vs 100 U, relative risk 0.71 P = 0.04).



In patients undergoing routine first-time cardiac surgery in an institution with a rigorous blood conservation program, the routine use of cell salvage does not further reduce the proportion of patients exposed to allogeneic blood transfusion. However, patients who do not have excessive bleeding after surgery receive significantly fewer units of blood with cell salvage. Although the use of cell savage may reduce the demand for blood products during cardiac surgery, this comes at an increased cost to the institution.
Antiretroviral therapy and congenital abnormalities in infants born to HIV-infected women in the UK and Ireland, 1990-2007.

To explore the rate of reported congenital abnormalities in infants exposed to antiretroviral therapy in utero.



Comprehensive national surveillance study in the UK and Ireland.



Births to diagnosed HIV-infected women are reported to the National Study of HIV in Pregnancy and Childhood. Infants born between 1990 and 2007 were included.



The rate of reported major and minor congenital abnormality was 2.8% (232/8242) overall, and there was no significant difference by timing of ART exposure: 2.8% (14/498) in unexposed infants, 2.7% (147/5427) following second or third trimester exposure, and 3.1% (53/1708) following first trimester exposure (P = 0.690). There was no difference in abnormality rates by class of ART exposure in the first trimester (P = 0.363), and no category of abnormality was significantly associated with timing of ART, although numbers in these groups were small. There was no increased risk of abnormalities in infants exposed to efavirenz (P = 0.672) or didanosine (P = 0.816) in the first trimester.



These findings, based on a large, national, unselected population provide further reassurance that ART in utero does not pose a major risk of fetal anomaly.
Bone effect of adjuvant tamoxifen, letrozole or letrozole plus zoledronic acid in early-stage breast cancer: the randomized phase 3 HOBOE study.

To measure bone mineral density (BMD) reduction produced by letrozole as compared with tamoxifen and the benefit of the addition of zoledronic acid.



A phase 3 trial comparing tamoxifen, letrozole or letrozole+zoledronic acid in patients with hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer was conducted; triptorelin was given to premenopausal patients. Two comparisons were planned: letrozole versus tamoxifen and letrozole+zoledronic acid versus letrozole. Primary end point was the difference in 1-year change of T-score at lumbar spine (LTS) measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan.



Out of 483 patients enrolled, 459 were available for primary analyses. Median age was 50 (range 28-80). The estimated mean difference (95% confidence interval [CI]) in 1-year change of LTS was equal to -0.30 (95% CI -0.44 to -0.17) in the letrozole versus tamoxifen comparison (P<0.0001) and to +0.60 (95% CI +0.46 to +0.77) in the letrozole+zoledronic acid versus letrozole comparison (P<0.0001). Bone damage by letrozole decreased with increasing baseline body mass index in premenopausal, but not postmenopausal, patients (interaction test P=0.004 and 0.47, respectively).



In the HOBOE (HOrmonal BOne Effects) trial, the positive effect of zoledronic acid on BMD largely counteracts damage produced by letrozole as compared with tamoxifen. Letrozole effect is lower among overweight/obese premenopausal patients.
Increased CSF APPs-α levels in patients with Alzheimer disease treated with acitretin.

We investigated induction of α-secretase A disintegrin and metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) by the synthetic retinoid acitretin (Neotigason; Actavis, München-Riem, Germany) in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer disease (AD) via measurement of CSF content of α-secretase-derived amyloid precursor protein (APPs-α).



Twenty-one patients clinically diagnosed with mild to moderate AD received acitretin (30 mg per day) or placebo in a 4-week double-blind study. Primary endpoint was the difference of CSF APPs-α ratios calculated from the APPs-α levels after treatment and at baseline. We monitored safety and tolerability of the treatment. In addition, we assessed biomarkers such as β-amyloid 42 (Aβ42) under treatment conditions.



The acitretin group showed a significant increase in CSF APPs-α levels compared with the placebo group (difference 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.03-0.72, p = 0.035) within this rather short treatment period. The synthetic retinoid acitretin was overall safe and well tolerated.



Our pilot study highlights that acitretin is able to enhance the nonamyloidogenic APP processing in human patients. Clinical consequences of this regulation should be investigated in larger and longer trials in patients with AD to evaluate acitretin's potential to serve as a novel therapeutic drug.



This study provides Class III evidence that in patients with AD, oral acitretin increases CSF APPs-α levels.