nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Calculation of coronary age using calcium scores in multiple ethnicities

Coronary artery calcium (CAC) accumulation, a marker of atherosclerosis burden, differs significantly among patients of different ethnicities. It has been proposed that CAC scores can be used to assess the number of life years lost or gained by an individual with a given amount of coronary artery calcium. Therefore, we sought to develop a method to calculate the coronary age of an individual based on the extent of CAC in this subject compared to that of individuals of the same race, age and sex. We used median CAC scores from previously published data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) to derive the predicted coronary age of subjects from 4 ethnic groups (White, Black, Hispanic and Chinese) of both sexes. With this method a 50-year-old white man with a CAC score of 40 has a coronary age of a 61-year-old white man; for a black man with a score of 40 the coronary age is 70. This method should allow patients to better understand the prognostic significance of their test results and may ensure a better compliance with preventive regimens.
A randomised controlled trial of postal versus interviewer administration of a questionnaire measuring satisfaction with, and use of, services received in the year before death.

To develop a short form of an interview schedule used successfully in previous national surveys of care for the dying, and to investigate the effect of administering it by post on response rate, response bias and on the nature of responses to questions.



Randomised controlled trial.



An inner London health authority.



Informants (person registering death) of random sample of cancer deaths between June 1995 and July 1996.



The shortened questionnaire (VOICES) has 158 questions. Response rate did not differ significantly between postal and interview groups (interview; 56% (69 of 123), postal: 52% (161 of 308). Responders in the two groups did not differ in terms of their sociodemographic characteristics. Postal questionnaires had significantly more missing data, particularly on questions about service provision and satisfaction with services. Responses to questions differed between the groups on 11 of 158 questions. Interview group respondents were more likely to give top ranking responses to questions on service satisfaction and symptom control.



Postal questionnaires are an acceptable alternative to interviews in retrospective post-bereavement surveys of care for the dying, at least in terms of response rate and response bias. However, the increased costs of interview surveys need to be balanced against the fact that postal questionnaires result in more missing data, and possibly less reliable answers to some questions. Caution is needed in combining results from the two data collection methods as interview respondents gave more positive answers to some questions.
Neuromuscular Exercise post Partial Medial Meniscectomy: Randomized Controlled Trial.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 12-wk, home-based, physiotherapist-guided neuromuscular exercise program on the knee adduction moment (an indicator of mediolateral knee load distribution) in people with a medial arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) within the past 3-12 months.



An assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial including people age 30-50 yr with no to mild pain after medial APM was conducted. Participants were randomly allocated to either a 12-wk neuromuscular exercise program that targeted neutral lower limb alignment or a control group with no exercise. The exercise program included eight individual sessions with one of seven physiotherapists in private clinics, together with home exercises. Primary outcomes were the peak external knee adduction moment during normal-paced walking and during one-leg sit-to-stand. Secondary outcomes included additional measures of knee joint load distribution, patient-reported outcomes, maximal knee and hip muscle strength, and physical function measures.



Of 62 randomized participants, 60 (97%) completed the trial. There were no significant between-group differences in the change in peak knee adduction moment during normal-paced walking (mean difference (95% confidence interval), 0.22 (-0.11 to 0.55) N·m/body weight × height %, P =0.19) or during one-leg sit-to-stand (-0.01 (-0.33 to 0.31) N·m/body weight × height %, P = 0.95). There were also no significant between-group differences for any of the secondary outcomes.



In patients 3-12 months after a medial APM, a neuromuscular exercise program did not alter the peak knee adduction moment, a key predictor of osteoarthritis structural disease progression.
Endogenous endothelin maintains coronary artery tone by endothelin type A receptor stimulation in patients undergoing coronary arteriography.

To examine the contribution of endothelin type A (ET(A)) receptor stimulation by endogenously generated endothelin-1 (ET-1) to the maintenance of coronary vascular tone in humans.



Controlled clinical study.



Tertiary cardiovascular referral centre.



14 subjects were studied, seven with normal coronary arteries and seven with coronary artery disease, mean (SEM) age, 53 (2) years.



After diagnostic coronary arteriography, BQ-123 (a selective ET(A) receptor antagonist; 100 nmol/min) in 0.9% saline, was infused into the left coronary artery at a rate of 1 ml/min for 60 minutes. Eight control subjects received saline alone.



Blood flow velocity in the left anterior descending coronary artery, measured using a Doppler flow guidewire; coronary arteriography performed at baseline and immediately at the end of the BQ-123 or saline infusion to measure the diameter of proximal and distal left anterior descending coronary artery segments.



The diameter of the proximal segment increased by 6 (2)%, while that of the distal segment increased by 12 (3)% after BQ-123 (both p < 0.05 v baseline). Coronary blood flow increased from 75 (10) to 92 (10) ml/min and coronary vascular resistance decreased from 1.99 (0.36) to 1.44 (0. 22) mm Hg/ml/min after BQ-123 (both p < 0.05 v baseline). The response to BQ-123 of patients with and without coronary artery disease was similar. There was no effect of saline in the controls.



Endogenously produced ET-1 contributes to the maintenance of basal coronary artery tone in humans by ET(A) receptor stimulation. The role of ET(B) receptors remains to be defined.
PKCα is genetically linked to memory capacity in healthy subjects and to risk for posttraumatic stress disorder in genocide survivors.

Strong memory of a traumatic event is thought to contribute to the development and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Therefore, a genetic predisposition to build strong memories could lead to increased risk for PTSD after a traumatic event. Here we show that genetic variability of the gene encoding PKCα (PRKCA) was associated with memory capacity--including aversive memory--in nontraumatized subjects of European descent. This finding was replicated in an independent sample of nontraumatized subjects, who additionally underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). fMRI analysis revealed PRKCA genotype-dependent brain activation differences during successful encoding of aversive information. Further, the identified genetic variant was also related to traumatic memory and to the risk for PTSD in heavily traumatized survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Our results indicate a role for PKCα in memory and suggest a genetic link between memory and the risk for PTSD.
Injection therapy of lumbar facet syndrome: a prospective study

Chronic low back pain remains a major health problem. Facet joint injection therapy is an easy to perform therapeutic option. However, few prospective studies use a standardized protocol to investigate injection therapy. The aim of our study was to evaluate quantity and duration of clinical improvement after this protocol, and to identify the best time for additional repetitive injection therapy.  Thirty-nine patients (21 men, 18 women; mean age 55.2 years [range, 29–87 years]) with lumbar facet syndrome were treated with injection using a standardized protocol (prednisolone acetate, lidocaine 1%, phenol 5%) under fluoroscopic control. Follow-up was based on a specially designed questionnaire. Analysis included MacNab criteria, visual analogue scale, and pain disability index.  Reduction of pain was found up to 6 months after treatment. The outcome was assessed excellent or good by 62% (24 patients) of the patients after 1 month, by 41% (16 patients) after 3 months, and by 36% (14 patients) after 6 months. There was no influence of age, body mass index, or previous lumbar spinal surgery on improvement after treatment. There were no severe side effects. Short-lasting self limiting mild side effects were found in 26% (increased back pain, numbness, heartburn, headache, allergy).  Facet joint injection therapy using a standardized protocol is safe, effective, and easy to perform. The clinical effect is limited, and we recommend repetitive injection according to this protocol after 3 months.
Effect of an Oral Hygienic Care Program for Stroke Patients in the Intensive Care Unit

The effects of an oral hygienic care program (OHCP) have been reported in several diseases. However, no study exists investigating the influence of an OHCP on stroke patients or patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) has been reported, thus we sought to investigate the potential effect of an OHCP.



Fifty-six consecutive stroke patients who were admitted to the ICU were randomly assigned to two groups: the intervention (29 patients) and control groups (27 patients). The OHCP included tooth brushing with an inter-dental brush and tongue cleaner and cleaning with chlorhexidine was administered to patients by one dentist once per day during admission in the ICU (mean, 2.2 weeks). The plague index, gingival index, clinical attachment loss, and colonization degree of candida albicans were assessed.



After OHCP, the plaque index, gingival index, and colonization degree of candida albicans in saliva showed a significant decrease in the intervention group compared to those of the control group (p<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in clinical attachment loss and the colonization degree of candida albicans on the tongue (p>0.05).



Our OHCP was effective in improving the oral hygienic status and periodontal health of stroke patients during their stay in the ICU. Therefore, we recommend administration of the OHCP for stroke patients during their stay in the ICU.
Efficacy and safety evaluation of once-daily fluticasone furoate/vilanterol in Asian patients with asthma uncontrolled on a low- to mid-strength inhaled corticosteroid or low-dose inhaled corticosteroid/long-acting beta2-agonist.

Response to inhaled corticosteroid (ICS)/long-acting beta2-agonist (LABA) combinations varies across ethnic groups.



To investigate the efficacy and safety of the ICS/LABA combination fluticasone furoate/vilanterol (FF/VI) 100/25 μg in Asian patients with asthma.



A randomized (1:1), 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, multicenter phase III study of once-daily FF/VI 100/25 μg versus placebo in patients of Asian ancestry ages ≥12 years with asthma, uncontrolled on a low- to mid-strength ICS or low-dose ICS/LABA. The primary end point was the mean change from baseline in the daily evening peak expiratory flow. Secondary end points were the mean change from baseline in percentage rescue-free 24-hour periods, daily morning peak expiratory flow, percentage symptom-free 24-hour periods, Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score, adverse events, and severe exacerbations.



The intent-to-treat population was 307 patients. There were significant (p < 0.001) improvements from baseline for FF/VI 100/25 μg versus placebo in evening peak expiratory flow (51.0 L/min [95% confidence interval {CI}, 42.2-59.7 L/min]) and all secondary end points (percentage rescue-free 24-hour periods 21.8% [95% CI, 14.6-29.1%]; morning peak expiratory flow 52.9 L/min [95% CI, 44.2-61.6 L/min]; percentage symptom-free 24-hour periods 15.8% [95% CI, 9.4-22.3%]; Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire score 0.52 [95% CI, 0.28, 0.75]). On-treatment adverse events were 35% with FF/VI (n = 2 [serious]), 31% with placebo; severe exacerbations were FF/VI (n = 1), placebo (n = 7).



In patients of Asian ancestry, once-daily FF/VI 100/25 μg produced statistically and clinically significant improvements in efficacy end points versus placebo, with a generally similar safety profile. Results were consistent with a global phase III study of FF/VI 100/25 μg. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01498679.
The Neural Substrates of Memory Suppression: A fMRI Exploration of Directed Forgetting

The directed forgetting paradigm is frequently used to determine the ability to voluntarily suppress information. However, little is known about brain areas associated with information to forget. The present study used functional magnetic resonance imaging to determine brain activity during the encoding and retrieval phases of an item-method directed forgetting recognition task with neutral verbal material in order to apprehend all processing stages that information to forget and to remember undergoes. We hypothesized that regions supporting few selective processes, namely recollection and familiarity memory processes, working memory, inhibitory and selection processes should be differentially activated during the processing of to-be-remembered and to-be-forgotten items. Successful encoding and retrieval of items to remember engaged the entorhinal cortex, the hippocampus, the anterior medial prefrontal cortex, the left inferior parietal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex and the precuneus; this set of regions is well known to support deep and associative encoding and retrieval processes in episodic memory. For items to forget, encoding was associated with higher activation in the right middle frontal and posterior parietal cortex, regions known to intervene in attentional control. Items to forget but nevertheless correctly recognized at retrieval yielded activation in the dorsomedial thalamus, associated with familiarity-based memory processes and in the posterior intraparietal sulcus and the anterior cingulate cortex, involved in attentional processes.
Atorvastatin in clinically-significant macular edema in diabetics with a normal lipid profile.

Lipid-lowering drugs preserve vision and reduce the risk of hard exudates in clinically-significant macular edema(CSME) in diabetics with an abnormal lipid profile. But their role in reducing CSME in diabetics with a normal lipid profile is not yet known.



To evaluate the role of atorvastatin in CSME in diabetics with a normal lipid profile.



A prospective, randomized clinical trial was carried out. Thirty CSME patients with a normal lipid profile were randomly divided into Group A and B. Atorvastatin had been started in Group A four weeks prior to laser treatment. The main outcome measures were any improvement or deterioration in visual acuity and macular edema and hard exudates at six months follow-up.



Both the groups were compared using unpaired t test for quantitative parameters and chi-square test for qualitative parameters. A p value of less than 0.05 was taken as significant.



Visual acuity, macular edema and hard exudates resolution was not significantly different in the two groups (P = 0.14, 0.62, 0.39 respectively).



Atorvastatin does not affect treatment outcome in CSME with a normal lipid profile over a short term follow-up.
Prediction of an unfavourable course of low back pain in general practice: comparison of four instruments.

Several instruments can be used to identify patients with an unfavourable course of low back pain in general practice. However, it is unclear which instrument is the predictor of outcome.



To compare the predictive performance (that is, calibration and discrimination) of risk estimation by GPs with assessments using the Orebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire, the Low Back Pain Perception Scale (LBPPS), and a prediction rule developed for this purpose.



A prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up.



General practice in The Netherlands.



The outcome 'unfavourable course of low back pain' was defined as having no clinically important improvement at minimally 50% of the measurements at 6, 13, 26, and 52 weeks. Logistic regression analyses were used to study associations between potential predictors and outcome.



In total, 60 GPs recruited 314 patients to the study (16 patients were excluded from analysis due to missing data on the course of low back pain). Over a third of patients (112/298) showed an unfavourable course of low back pain on follow-up. Risk estimation by GPs, the Orebro questionnaire, the LBPPS, and the prediction rule had discriminative ability (area under the curve) of 0.59 (95% CI [confidence intervals] = 0.52 to 0.66); 0.61 (95% CI = 0.54 to 0.67); 0.59 (95% CI = 0.52 to 0.66); and 0.75 (95% CI = 0.69 to 0.81) respectively. The prediction rule included history of low back pain, self-perceived risk to develop chronic low back pain, no solicitous responses of the patient's partner (as reported by the patient), frequent walking at work, and 'pain catastrophising'.



Although the prediction rule performed best with regard to calibration and discrimination, it needs to be externally validated. Risk estimation by GPs performs as well as other instruments and, at present, seems to be the best available option.
Radiation exposure and image quality in staged low-dose protocols for coronary dual-source CT angiography: a randomized comparison

To evaluate staged low-dose approaches for coronary CT angiography (CTA) in which a standard sequence was added if the low-dose sequence did not allow reliable rule-out of coronary stenosis. A total of 176 consecutive patients referred for dual-source CTA were randomized to three protocols: group 1 using prospective ECG-triggering (100 kV, 330 mAs), group 2 a retrospectively gated “MinDose” sequence (100 kV, 330 mAs) and group 3 a standard spiral sequence (120 kV, 400 mAs). If image quality in low-dose groups 1 or 2 was non-diagnostic, an additional standard CT examination (as in group 3) was performed. Non-diagnostic image quality was found in 11/56, 4/55, and 2/65 patients (46/896, 4/880 and 3/1,040 coronary segments) in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Median (interquartile ranges) volumes of contrast material, CTDIvol, DLP and effective dose for low-dose groups 1 and 2 and for standard group 3 were 92.5 (11.3), 75.0 (2.5) and 75.0 (9.0) ml; 8.0 (1.4), 16.8 (4.8) and 48.1 (14.2) mGy; 108.0 (27.3), 246.0 (93.0) and 701.0 (207.8) mGy cm; and 1.5 (0.4), 3.4 (1.3) and 9.8 (2.9) mSv, respectively. A staged coronary CTA protocol with an initial low-dose approach and addition of a standard sequence—should image quality be too low—can lead to a substantial reduction in radiation exposure.
SociAl Agents For Communicative Tasks

Agents which interact with humans on behalf of humans need a model of human social interaction in order to act appropriately. This paper is a brief description of such a model used by an agent to generate e-mail messages. 1. The problem There is a great deal of research in AI on multi-agent systems [Tambe t al. 1995; Etzioni, Lesh, & Segal 1993]. But there seems to be a growing need for agents which can interact not only with other agents but with humans as well. For example, the rapidly growing popularity of email has already made it difficult for some people to respond appropriately to all the messages they receive. Reading a user’s e-mail and generating appropriate responses is a task seemingly wellsuited to intelligent, independent agents. Yet, if an agent is to act as an intermediary between people, the agent must have knowledge of how humans interact with each other in order for the agent’s messages to be socially appropriate and productive. Current research in multi-agent systems and in discourse processing does not offer a model of human social interaction. This paper presents a brief overview of such a model and of an agent (a "proxy") which uses the model generate socially appropriate e-mail messages. In order to clarify what I mean by "socially appropriate" messages and show how a proxy could fail to meet that criterion, I will start with an example of a message which is socially appropriate. The context for the example is that one has been invited to speak before an academic department about one’s research, but the scheduled time of the speech conflicts with a previous commitment, so one must decline. The note in Figure 1 is an appropriate response to such an invitation because it shows a fitting level of *This work was supported in part by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense, monitored by the Office of Naval Research under contract N00014-93-1-1212. The Institute for the Learning Sciences was founded in 1989 with the support of Andersen Consulting, part of the Arthur Andersen Worldwide Organization. gratitude for the offer, in addition to communicating the basic message that the writer cannot accept he offer. Without the knowledge that a human should show gratitude for offers he or she receives, an agent acting on behalf of such a person might respond merely, "I decline your offer." Upon receiving such a curt response, an inviter would probably feel insulted that the invitee did not value the invitation. One cannot entirely avoid the negative impact of declining, but there are a number of things one can say to lessen the negative impact, such as thanks, apologies, and excuses. Furthermore, an inviter expects such niceties to be observed, so even if the overtures do not change his mind, he is likely to believe that the invitee was acting in good faith. Thus, an agent which interacts with humans on behalf of a human must have some knowledge of appropriate social communication (even if that knowledge is implicit in a procedure or data structure, e.g. a decision tree of response-letter templates indexed by the category of message r ceived).
Effect of Ezetimibe on Insulin Sensitivity and Lipid Profile in Obese and Dyslipidaemic Patients

To evaluate the effect of ezetimibe on insulin sensitivity and lipid profile in obese and dyslipidaemic patients.  A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was carried out in 12 obese, dyslipidaemic patients, independently of their basal insulin sensitivity. At the beginning of the study, a metabolic profile was measured, and insulin sensitivity estimated using the euglycaemic-hyperinsulinaemic clamp technique. The volunteers were randomly assigned to receive ezetimibe (10 mg/day in the morning) or placebo for a period of 90 days. After intervention, a similar metabolic profile was measured and a second clamp study was performed.  Ezetimibe administration for 90 days decreased total (6.0 ± 0.5 vs. 4.2 ± 0.9 mmol/L, p = 0.011) and low-density lipoprotein (4.0 ± 0.7 vs. 2.2 ± 0.8 mmol/L, p=0.003) cholesterol concentrations without modification of insulin sensitivity (3.0 ± 0.6 vs. 2.9 ± 0.7 mg/kg/min, p = 0.345).  Ezetimibe significantly decreased total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations without affecting insulin sensitivity in obese and dyslipidaemic patients.