nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Predicting HIV disease progression in children using measures of neuropsychological and neurological functioning. Pediatric AIDS clinical trials 152 study team.

Neuropsychological testing and 2 measures of neurological status, cortical atrophy, and motor dysfunction were assessed for their usefulness in predicting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression in infants, children, and adolescents who participated in Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 152 (PACTG 152).



A cohort of 722 antiretroviral therapy-naive children with symptomatic HIV infection were assessed at study entry and at later intervals. Assessments included neurodevelopmental testing, neuroradiologic imaging, and neurological examination of motor function. CD4 cell count and plasma RNA viral load also were measured.



Children with the lowest neuropsychological functioning (IQ < 70) at baseline had the highest risk for later HIV disease progression (56%), compared with those with borderline/low (IQ = 70-89) functioning (26%), or with average or above (IQ > 90) functioning (18%). This was also true of week 48 neuropsychological functioning. Motor dysfunction (especially reduced muscle mass) at entry also predicted disease progression. Furthermore, motor dysfunction and week 48 neuropsychological functioning provided predictive information beyond that obtainable from surrogate markers of HIV disease status (eg, CD4 count, HIV RNA level). Children with cortical atrophy also were at higher risk for later disease progression, but when CD4 count and RNA viral load were known, cortical atrophy information provided no additional predictive information.



Measures of neuropsychological and motor function status provide unique information regarding pediatric HIV disease progression. As such, these findings have important implications for predicting long-term outcomes (eg, longevity) in pediatric patients.
On-body interaction: armed and dangerous

Recent technological advances in input sensing, as well as ultra-small projectors, have opened up new opportunities for interaction -- the use of the body itself as both an input and output platform. Such on-body interfaces offer new interactive possibilities, and the promise of access to computation, communication and information literally in the palm of our hands. The unique context of on-body interaction allows us to take advantage of extra dimensions of input our bodies naturally afford us. In this paper, we consider how the arms and hands can be used to enhance on-body interactions, which is typically finger input centric. To explore this opportunity, we developed Armura, a novel interactive on-body system, supporting both input and graphical output. Using this platform as a vehicle for exploration, we proto-typed many applications and interactions. This helped to confirm chief use modalities, identify fruitful interaction approaches, and in general, better understand how interfaces operate on the body. We highlight the most compelling techniques we uncovered. Further, this paper is the first to consider and prototype how conventional interaction issues, such as cursor control and clutching, apply to the on-body domain. Finally, we bring to light several new and unique interaction techniques.
Effects of chromium supplementation to feedlot steers on growth performance, insulin sensitivity, and carcass characteristics.

Objectives were to determine the effects of chromium propionate supplementation on growth performance, insulin and glucose metabolism, and carcass characteristics of beef cattle. Steers ( = 34) were stratified by BW and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) no supplemental Cr (Cont) or 2) 3 mg supplemental Cr·steer·d (CrP). Both supplements, Cont and CrP, were delivered via 0.454 kg ground corn top-dressed on the basal diet. There was no effect ( ≥ 0.45) of CrP on ADG, DMI, G:F, or final BW. However, steers fed CrP needed more ( = 0.10) days on feed (DOF) to achieve the same carcass back fat (BF) as steers fed Cont. There were no effects ( ≥ 0.41) of CrP on HCW, BF, or KPH. Steers fed CrP had increased ( = 0.01) dressing percentage (DP) and tended to have a 4.21 cm greater LM area ( = 0.15), decreased marbling scores ( = 0.11), and decreased intramuscular fat ( = 0.11) compared to steers fed Cont. There were no differences ( ≥ 0.25) in quality or yield grade distributions. A glucose tolerance test was conducted early (21 DOF) and late (98 DOF) in the finishing phase. There was a feedlot treatment (FT) × time × DOF interaction ( = 0.08) for glucose concentrations, but no other interactions ( ≥ 0.21) for glucose or insulin concentrations. There were no FT × DOF interactions ( ≥ 0.21) for insulin area under the curve (iAUC), insulin:glucose ratio, insulin or glucose baseline, or peak insulin or glucose concentrations. At 21 DOF, steers fed CrP had decreased glucose area under the curve (gAUC; = 0.01), decreased glucose clearance rate (; = 0.02), and increased glucose half-life (T; = 0.07) compared to steers fed Cont; however, by 98 DOF, no differences were observed between treatments. At 98 DOF, all steers, regardless of treatment, had increased ( < 0.01) peak glucose and insulin, , iAUC, insulin:glucose ratio, and baseline insulin when compared to values at 21 DOF, but gAUC and T decreased ( < 0.01). Although steers fed CrP tended ( = 0.11) to have increased baseline glucose concentrations compared to steers fed Cont, CrP supplementation did not affect ( ≥ 0.17) other measures of glucose or insulin. Results of this study indicate that CrP increased DP and tended to increase LM area but tended to decrease intramuscular fat, with no effect on growth performance. With increased DOF, all steers became more insulin resistant, using more insulin to clear less glucose, and these effects were not mitigated by CrP supplementation.
Standardized MRD flow and ASO IGH RQ-PCR for MRD quantification in CLL patients after rituximab-containing immunochemotherapy: a comparative analysis

Rituximab-containing regimens are becoming a therapeutic standard in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), so that a validation of flow cytometric minimal residual disease (MRD) quantification (MRD flow) in the presence of this antibody is necessary. We therefore compared results obtained by real-time quantitative (RQ)-PCR to MRD flow in 530 samples from 69 patients randomized to receive chemotherapy or chemotherapy plus rituximab. Quantitative MRD levels assessed by both techniques were closely correlated irrespective of therapy (r=0.95). The sensitivity and specificity of MRD flow was not influenced by the presence of rituximab. With 58.9% positive and 26.4% negative samples by both techniques, 85.3% of assessments (452/530) were qualitatively concordant between MRD flow and RQ-PCR. Discordant samples were typically negative by MRD flow and simultaneously positive close to the detection limit of the PCR assays, indicating a higher sensitivity of PCR for very low MRD levels. However, 93.8% of all samples were concordantly classified by both methods using a threshold of 10−4 to determine MRD positivity. MRD flow and PCR are equally effective for MRD quantification in rituximab-treated CLL patients within a sensitivity range of up to 10−4, whereas PCR is more sensitive for detecting MRD below that level.
Hospital-admitted COPD patients treated at home using telemedicine technology in The Virtual Hospital Trial: methods of a randomized effectiveness trial

Recent reviews suggest that telemedicine solutions for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may prevent hospital readmissions and emergency room visits and improve health-related quality of life. However, the studies are few and only involve COPD patients who are in a stable phase or in-patients who are ready for discharge. COPD patients hospitalized with an acute exacerbation may also benefit from telemedicine solutions. The overall aim is to investigate a telemedicine-based treatment solution for patients with acute exacerbation of COPD at home as compared to conventional hospital treatment measured according to first treatment failure, which is defined as readmission due to COPD within 30 days after discharge.



COPD patients with acute exacerbation who fulfilled the eligibility criteria and were from two university hospitals in Denmark were randomized (1:1) by computer-generated tables that allocated treatments in blocks of four to receive either standard treatment at the hospital or the same standard treatment at home using telemedicine technology (that is, a video conference system with a touch screen and webcam and monitoring equipment (spirometer, thermometer, and pulse oximeter)). Patients treated in the telemedicine group were backed up by an organizational setting securing 24/7/365 online access to the hospital, as well as access to oxygen, nebulizer therapy, oral medical therapy and surveillance of vital parameters from home monitoring devices. Patients in both groups were discharged when clinically stable and when fulfilling five pre-specified discharge criteria. Follow-up was performed at 1, 3 and 6 months after discharge.



Enrollment of patients started in June 2010 and ended in December 2011. Follow-up ended in May 2012. Results were analyzed in 2013.



The results may have implications on future hospital treatment modalities for patients with severe exacerbations in COPD where telemedicine may be used as an alternative to conventional admission.
Substitution of immediate-release valproic acid for divalproex sodium for adult psychiatric inpatients.

In a prospective open-label study, the substitution of immediate-release valproic acid for divalproex sodium was evaluated in the treatment of 47 adult psychiatric inpatients who had been stabilized on divalproex for at least one month. After two weeks, no significant change in Clinical Global Impressions scale (CGI) scores or in seizure frequency occurred, and serum valproate concentrations decreased by 14.4 percent (p=.001). One patient was restarted on divalproex because of gastrointestinal complaints. Among the 19 patients remaining hospitalized at six months, mean CGI scores did not significantly change. Costs were reduced 83 percent; annual savings per patient was approximately $905. These preliminary results suggest that many chronic psychiatric inpatients stabilized on divalproex may be safely switched to valproic acid.
Short-term vs conventional glucocorticoid therapy in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the REDUCE randomized clinical trial.

International guidelines advocate a 7- to 14-day course of systemic glucocorticoid therapy in acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, the optimal dose and duration are unknown.



To investigate whether a short-term (5 days) systemic glucocorticoid treatment in patients with COPD exacerbation is noninferior to conventional (14 days) treatment in clinical outcome and whether it decreases the exposure to steroids.  (Reduction in the Use of Corticosteroids in Exacerbated COPD), a randomized, noninferiority multicenter trial in 5 Swiss teaching hospitals, enrolling 314 patients presenting to the emergency department with acute COPD exacerbation, past or present smokers (≥20 pack-years) without a history of asthma, from March 2006 through February 2011.



Treatment with 40 mg of prednisone daily for either 5 or 14 days in a placebo-controlled, double-blind fashion. The predefined noninferiority criterion was an absolute increase in exacerbations of at most 15%, translating to a critical hazard ratio of 1.515 for a reference event rate of 50%.



Time to next exacerbation within 180 days.



Of 314 randomized patients, 289 (92%) of whom were admitted to the hospital, 311 were included in the intention-to-treat analysis and 296 in the per-protocol analysis. Hazard ratios for the short-term vs conventional treatment group were 0.95 (90% CI, 0.70 to 1.29; P = .006 for noninferiority) in the intention-to-treat analysis and 0.93 (90% CI, 0.68 to 1.26; P = .005 for noninferiority) in the per-protocol analysis, meeting our noninferiority criterion. In the short-term group, 56 patients (35.9%) reached the primary end point; 57 (36.8%) in the conventional group. Estimates of reexacerbation rates within 180 days were 37.2% (95% CI, 29.5% to 44.9%) in the short-term; 38.4% (95% CI, 30.6% to 46.3%) in the conventional, with a difference of -1.2% (95% CI, -12.2% to 9.8%) between the short-term and the conventional. Among patients with a reexacerbation, the median time to event was 43.5 days (interquartile range [IQR], 13 to 118) in the short-term and 29 days (IQR, 16 to 85) in the conventional. There was no difference between groups in time to death, the combined end point of exacerbation, death, or both and recovery of lung function. In the conventional group, mean cumulative prednisone dose was significantly higher (793 mg [95% CI, 710 to 876 mg] vs 379 mg [95% CI, 311 to 446 mg], P < .001), but treatment-associated adverse reactions, including hyperglycemia and hypertension, did not occur more frequently.



In patients presenting to the emergency department with acute exacerbations of COPD, 5-day treatment with systemic glucocorticoids was noninferior to 14-day treatment with regard to reexacerbation within 6 months of follow-up but significantly reduced glucocorticoid exposure. These findings support the use of a 5-day glucocorticoid treatment in acute exacerbations of COPD.
Welcome to the New Environmental Health Perspectives

A total of 161 previously untreated patients with FIGO stage III or IV epithelial ovarian cancer were randomised after surgery to receive six courses of either carboplatin 400 mg m-2 alone (Arm A) or carboplatin 300 mg m-2 with chlorambucil 10 mg day-1 for 7 days (Arm B). The median progression free survival (PFS) was similar: arm A: 45 weeks; arm B: 61 weeks (P = 0.830). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the extent of residual disease and performance status were the most important prognostic factors for PFS. Fifty-two per cent of patients received dose escalations based on nadir blood counts, and 89% of all dose adjustments were made according to protocol. Failure to achieve a significant degree of leucopenia was associated with worse progression free survival (P less than 0.001). A total of 29.4% of patients fall into this category. The median survival was similar in both arms, i.e. 75 weeks. It is unlikely that there is any major clinical advantage to adding chlorambucil to single agent carboplatin for the management of advanced ovarian cancer, but whether used in combination or a single agent, the dose of carboplatin should be sufficient to cause at least grade I leucopenia. This may best be achieved by determining the initial dose based on renal function, and then adjusting subsequent doses according to nadir blood counts.
Influence of intraoperative cerebral oximetry monitoring on neurocognitive function after coronary artery bypass surgery: a randomized, prospective study.

Postoperative cognitive decline is common after cardiac surgery, but it is often unrecognized at the time of hospital discharge. However, it has a great impact on patient's quality of life. Cerebral oximetry with the INVOS (IN Vivo Optical Spectroscopy) system provides the possibility of non-invasive, continuous measurement of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2), which can improve patients' outcome. The aim of this study was to examine whether cerebral oximetry can decrease the incidence of cognitive decline after coronary artery bypass grafting.



We have performed a prospective, randomized study with 200 patients enrolled. Patients were divided into INVOS interventional group and CONTROL group without monitoring of cerebral oximetry. A standardized interventional protocol was performed in the INVOS group to maintain rSO2 above 80% of the patient's baseline value or above 50% of the absolute value. Cognitive evaluation was performed in all patients before and 7 days after surgery. Logistic regression was used to reveal predictors of cognitive decline.



The incidence of cognitive decline 7 days after surgery was significantly lower (P = 0.002) in the INVOS interventional group (28%) than in the CONTROL group (52%). Intraoperative use of INVOS monitoring was associated with lower incidence of cognitive decline (odds ratio 0.21). In addition, predictors of cognitive decline revealed by multivariate logistic regression were older age, higher EuroSCORE and SAPS II (Simplified Acute Physiology Score) values, lower educational level and persistence of preoperative atrial fibrillation. Patients with prolonged rSO2 desaturation, defined as rSO2 area under the curve (AUC) of more than 150 min% for desaturation below 20% of baseline or AUC of more than 50 min% for desaturation below 50% absolute value, had an increased risk of cognitive decline.



Postoperative cognitive outcome was significantly better in patients with intraoperative cerebral oximetry monitoring. Prolonged rSO2 desaturation is a predictor of cognitive decline and has to be avoided.
Dose reduction of meloxicam in dogs with osteoarthritis-associated pain and impaired mobility.

Progressive nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) dose reduction appears logical; however, there is no evidence-based medicine indicating that efficacy is maintained as dose is reduced.



To determine if NSAID dose can be reduced and pain relief and mobility can be maintained in dogs with osteoarthritis (OA).



Client-owned dogs (n = 59) with OA-associated impaired mobility and pain.



Prospective, randomized, blinded study. After 14 days wash-out, dogs were randomized to reducing dose (RDG) (n = 30) or maintenance dose (MDG) (n = 29). MDG received standard dose meloxicam. RDG received a reducing dose from D28 onward, reducing to 0% of maintenance for the final 2 weeks. Assessments were at D14, 28, 42, 56, 70, 84, 98 and 112 using subjective owner assessments, accelerometry (AM), and standing percent body weight distribution (%BW). A Kaplan-Meier survival curve described how dogs dropped out because of insufficient pain control. A Log-rank test compared the groups.



More dogs in RDG (13) dropped out because of owner-evaluated insufficient pain control compared with MDG (5) (P = .029; odds ratio: 3.67; median dropout time: 84 days in each group). For the dogs that did not drop out (n = 41), there were no significant differences between groups in owner assessments (P > .2 for each), %BW placed on the index limb (P = .750), or accelerometer-measured activity (P = .14).



Dose reduction is a less effective means of pain control compared with maintained dosing. However, NSAID dose reduction with maintained efficacy is possible, but success appears to be individual dog dependent.
Risk of recurrence after a first unprovoked seizure in children.

This study aimed to evaluate the first episode of unprovoked epileptic seizure in children and assess recurrence risk factors.



This was a retrospective observational study, based on the analysis of medical records of patients admitted between 2003 and 2014, with first epileptic seizure, at the pediatric service of a secondary hospital. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 program.



Of the 103 patients, 52.4% were boys. The median age at the first seizure was 59 (1-211) months. About 93% of children were submitted to an electroencephalogram at the first episode and 47% underwent neuroimaging assessment. Treatment with an antiepileptic drug was started in 46% of patients. The recurrence rate was 38% and of these, 80% had the second seizure within six months after the first event. Of the assessed risk factors, there was a statistically significant association between seizure during sleep and recurrence (p=0.004), and between remote symptomatic etiology seizure and occurrence of new seizure (p=0.02). The presence of electroencephalogram abnormalities was also associated with the occurrence of new seizures (p=0.021). No association was found between age, duration of the seizure, and family history of epilepsy with increased risk of recurrence.



Most children with a first unprovoked epileptic seizure had no recurrences. The risk of recurrence was higher in patients with seizure occurring during sleep or remote symptomatic ones and those with abnormal electroencephalogram results.
Functional milestones and clinician ratings of everyday functioning in people with schizophrenia: overlap between milestones and specificity of ratings.

Everyday functioning is known to be impaired in people with schizophrenia, across multiple functional domains. It is not clear, however, how impairments across social, vocational, and residential domains overlap with each other, Further, although there are multiple ratings scales available to rate everyday functioning, it is also not clear how scores on these scales, particularly total scores, relate to milestone achievement. This is important, because efforts to reduce disability with pharmacological or rehabilitative interventions are ultimately evaluated in terms of their impact on everyday functioning, which is often indexed with total scores on rating scales. In this paper from the VALERO study, we report on 195 people with schizophrenia who were rated with a comprehensive process on 6 different functional status rating scales. Milestone achievements in social (ever married or equivalent), vocational (ever employed, currently employed), and residential (living independently, financially responsible) domains were examined for their overlap with each other and with ratings on the rating scales. Total scores on the 6 rating scales were minimally related to milestone achievements and milestone achievements were quite independent of each other. Subscales from two of the rating scales, specifically examining vocational and residential functioning, were specifically related to milestone achievements in their functional domains, but not other milestones. These data suggest that global scores on everyday functioning measures may not capture functional milestones and highlight the fact that functional milestones have multiple determinants other then the ability variables that these rating scales attempt to capture.
The design of a rotating associative array memory for a relational data base management application

There are significant advantages to tailoring hardware storage devices to support high level data models in very large data bases. A storage device that can assume some of the data selection functions traditionally performed by the CPU can substantially reduce the amount of data to be transferred to the CPU. This reduction together with increased concurrency of CPU and device operation result in increased data rates and lower response times. By designing the device to support one specific data model, greater efficiency can be achieved than in devices designed to be a compromise in their support of several different models. The number and complexity of the functions performed by the device can be drastically reduced, along with its development and production costs. In this paper we describe the design and usage of an associative array memory using a rotating storage device which is tailored to support the relational model of E.F. Codd.