nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
CT angiography and Doppler sonography for emergency assessment in acute basilar artery ischemia.

Both Doppler sonography (DS) and spiral CT angiography (CTA) are noninvasive vascular assessment tools with a high potential for application in acute cerebral ischemia. The usefulness of CTA for vascular diagnosis in acute basilar artery (BA) ischemia has not yet been studied.



We prospectively studied 19 patients (mean+/-SD age, 58+/-11 years) with clinically suspected acute BA occlusion by DS and CTA. Prior extracranial and transcranial DS was performed in all but 1 patient, with DS 4 hours after CTA. In 6 of 19 patients, we performed digital subtraction angiography.



CTA was diagnostic in all but 1 patient. CTA revealed complete BA occlusion in 9 patients and incomplete BA occlusion with some residual flow in 2 patients. A patent BA was shown in 7 patients. Because of severe BA calcification, CTA results were inconclusive in 1 patient. DS was diagnostic in only 7 of 19 patients, indicating certain BA occlusion in 3 patients and BA patency in 4 patients. In an additional 9 patients, the results of DS were inconclusive. DS was false-negative in 2 patients with distal BA occlusion shown by CTA and digital subtraction angiography. In 1 patient with DS performed after CTA, recanalization was demonstrated. In addition to the diagnosis or exclusion of BA occlusion, CTA provided information on the exact site and length of BA occlusion and collateral pathways. In our series, CTA results prompted indication for intra-arterial thrombolysis in 5 patients.



CTA was superior to DS in the assessment of BA patency in patients with the syndrome of acute BA ischemia in terms of feasibility and conclusiveness, particularly in cases with distal BA occlusion. Our study confirmed the usefulness of combined extracranial and transcranial DS in the diagnosis and exclusion of proximal BA occlusion.
Physician-based emergency medical service deployment characteristics in severe traumatic brain injury: a Dutch multicenter study.

Prehospital guidelines advise advanced life support in all patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the Netherlands, it is recommended that prehospital advanced life support is particularly provided by a physician-based helicopter emergency medical service (P-HEMS) in addition to paramedic care (EMS). Previous studies have however shown that a substantial part of severe TBI patients is exclusively treated by an EMS team. In order to better understand this phenomenon, we evaluated P-HEMS deployment characteristics in severe TBI in a multicenter setting.



The database included patient demographics, prehospital and injury severity parameters and determinants of EMS or EMS/P-HEMS dispatch in 334 patients with severe TBI admitted to level 1 trauma centres in the Netherlands.



P-HEMS was deployed in 62% of patients with severe TBI. Patients treated by the P-HEMS had a higher injury severity score (29 (20-38)) vs. (25 (16-30); P<0.001), more frequently required blood product transfusions (41% vs. 29%; P=0.03) and recurrently suffered from TBI with extracranial injuries (33% vs. 6%; P<0.001) than patients solely treated by an EMS. The prehospital endotracheal intubation rate was higher in the P-HEMS group in isolated TBI (93% vs. 19%; P<0.001) or TBI with extracranial injuries (96% vs. 43%; P<0.001) compared to the EMS group. In the EMS group, more patients were secondary referred to a level 1 trauma centre (32% vs. 4%; P<0.001 vs. P-HEMS). Despite higher injury severity levels in P-HEMS patients, 6-month mortality rates were similar among groups, irrespective of the presence of extracranial injuries in addition to TBI. Deployment of P-HEMS estimated 52% and 72% (P<0.001) in urban and rural regions, respectively, with comparable endotracheal intubation rates among regions.



This study shows that a physician-based HEMS was more frequently deployed in patients with severe TBI in the presence of extracranial injuries, and in rural trauma regions. Treatment of severe TBI patients by a paramedic EMS only was associated with a higher incidence of secondary referrals to a level I trauma centre. Our data support adjustment of local prehospital guidelines for patients with severe TBI to the geographical context.
Effect of ischaemic preconditioning on regional release of inflammatory markers.

Systemic markers of inflammation may be increased in patients after percutaneous coronary intervention. In the present study, we evaluated whether IP (ischaemic preconditioning) attenuated inflammation by activating KATP (ATP-sensitive potassium) channels in patients undergoing coronary angioplasty. Patients (n=36) undergoing angioplasty of a major left coronary artery were allocated randomly to one of four groups: a control group, a group receiving nicorandil (an agonist of KATP channels), an IP group or an IP group pretreated with glibenclamide (an antagonist of KATP channels). To measure the release of sCD40L, P-selectin and myeloperoxidase from the ischaemic region, blood samples were drawn simultaneously from the ascending aorta and the great cardiac vein before and 15 min after coronary angioplasty. At 15 min after angioplasty, a significant increase in sCD40L and P-selectin levels in the great cardiac vein in the control group was observed. IP- and nicorandil-treated patients did not show a significant change in sCD40L and P-selectin levels in response to angioplasty. However, the IP-induced attenuation of sCD40L and P-selectin release was abolished by administering glibenclamide. The change in myeloperoxidase levels mirrored those of sCD40L and P-selectin. The levels of inflammatory markers in the aorta remained stable throughout the study. Patients undergoing angioplasty had increased sCD40L and P-selectin levels in the ischaemic region. In conclusion, IP abolished angioplasty-induced myeloperoxidase release by preventing activated platelet-induced P-selectin release via a KATP-channel-initiated pathway. Therefore, in addition to its primary effect on cardioprotection, IP may also provide beneficial anti-inflammatory effects on the interaction between platelets and neutrophils.
Risk prediction of ventricular arrhythmias and myocardial function in Lamin A/C mutation positive subjects.

Mutations in the Lamin A/C gene may cause atrioventricular block, supraventricular arrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias (VA), and dilated cardiomyopathy. We aimed to explore the predictors and the mechanisms of VA in Lamin A/C mutation-positive subjects.



We included 41 Lamin A/C mutation-positive subjects. PR-interval and occurrence of VA were recorded. Left ventricular (LV) myocardial function was assessed as ejection fraction and speckle tracking longitudinal strain by echocardiography. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed to assess fibrosis in a selection of subjects. Ventricular arrhythmias were documented in 21 patients (51%). Prolonged PR-interval was the best predictor of VA (P < 0.001). Myocardial function by strain was reduced in the interventricular septum compared with the rest of the LV segments (-16.7% vs. -18.7%, P = 0.001) and correlated to PR-interval (R = 0.41, P = 0.03). Myocardial fibrosis was found exclusively in the interventricular septum and only in patients with VA (P = 0.007). PR-interval was longer in patients with septal fibrosis compared with those without (320 ± 66 vs. 177 ± 40 ms, P < 0.001).



Prolonged PR-interval was the best predictor of VA in Lamin A/C mutation-positive subjects. Electrical, mechanical, and structural cardiac properties were related in these subjects. Myocardial function was most reduced in the interventricular septum and correlated to prolonged PR-interval. Myocardial septal fibrosis was associated with prolonged PR-interval and VA. Localized fibrosis in the interventricular septum may be the mechanism behind reduced septal function, atrioventricular block and VA in Lamin A/C mutation-positive subjects.
Effect of acarbose on glycemic control, serum lipids and lipoproteins in type 2 diabetes.

To assess the efficacy of acarbose monotherapy during 12-weeks treatment on the fasting glycemic level, lipid and lipoproteins profiles, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.



Type 2 diabetics were selected from out patient department of Baqai Diabetes and Endocrine Centre, and one other diabetic clinic of Karachi, during 1996-97.



A prospective intervention trial, and a 10 days screening period with a follow-up of 12 weeks.



Forty-four patients (36 men and 8 women, mean age 55.09 +/- 1.72 years) were included of whom 25 (56.81%) patients were previously treated with diet alone, 11(25%) with diet and glibenclamide, 5(11.36%) with diet and gliclazide, and 3(6.81%) with diet and chlorpropamide, more than at least 3 months known duration of diagnosed type 2 diabetes, body mass index (BMI) 23.69 +/- 0.49 kg/m2, were insufficiently controlled on diet alone, or diet plus sulfonylureas, were studied. The dosage of acarbose was started with 50 mg t.i.d with each meal, if necessary, was titrated upward on subsequent visits to 100 mg t.i.d with each meal, based on tolerability and efficacy. Fasting blood glucose, lipid and lipoprotein profiles were determined at the baseline and at the end of the study.



Acarbose treatment was associated with significant reduction in fasting blood glucose from (mean +/- SE) 173.89 +/- 3.89 mg/dl at day 0 to 161.29 +/- 3.41 mg/dl at day 90 (P < 0.01). The serum total triglyceride level was (mean +/- SE) 188.85 +/- 5.91 mg/dl at entry, and was also significantly decreased to 158.57 +/- 4.48 mg/dl at day 90, this reduction was found statistically significant (P < 0.01). Whereas very-low density lipoprotein cholesterol reduced significantly from 33.08 +/- 1.09 mg/dl at day 0 to 31.02 +/- 0.95 mg/dl at day 90 (P < 0.01). Acarbose had no significant effect on serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and High-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Almost, all adverse experiences, as reported by patients on acarbose, were related to the digestive system and included diarrhea, flatulence, bloating and nausea. Most symptoms were of mild to moderate intensity and tended to improve with time. Overall, acarbose was well tolerated and the adverse experience profile was clinically acceptable.



In type 2 diabetic patients, acarbose as monotherapy for 12 weeks resulted in beneficial effects on glycemic control, fasting blood glucose, mean serum total triglyceride and very-low density lipoprotein cholesterol decreased significantly. Perhaps attainment of normoglycemia on a long-term basis would result in more normal lipid and lipoprotein levels. Furthermore use of acarbose can be considered as a useful alternative in such type 2 patients, if they are difficult to control with diet alone or diet plus sulfonylureas (JPMA 50:152, 2000).
FiPaWeb: A method for filtering web pages based on user needs

The rapid evolution of technology and the widespread use of Internet have provided a wealth of information sources available on the Web. These sources present problems: heterogeneity of content, availability of information, lots of irrelevant information. Recent work has suggested different ways to group similar sources of information, trying to solve the problems. However, there are more complex than other domains, where to find the solution is even more complex problem. In this paper, we propose a method to retrieve and group web information sources based on the information provided to allow users to get accurate answers, reducing time and complexity in the search. To validate the proposed model, a case study is presented in the domain of tourism.
A staged approach with vincristine, adriamycin, and dexamethasone followed by bortezomib, thalidomide, and dexamethasone before autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma

Bortezomib-based regimens have significant activities in multiple myeloma (MM). In this study, we tested the efficacy of a total therapy with a staged approach where newly diagnosed MM patients received vincristine/adriamycin/dexamethsone (VAD). VAD-sensitive patients (≥75% paraprotein reduction) received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT), whereas less VAD-sensitive patients (<75% paraprotein reduction) received bortezomib/thalidomide/dexamethasone (VTD) for further cytoreduction prior to auto-HSCT. On an intention-to-treat analysis, a progressive increase of complete remission (CR) rates was observed, with cumulative CR rates of 48% after HSCT. Seven patients progressed leading to three fatalities, of which two had central nervous system disease. The 3-year overall survival and event-free survival were 75.1% and 48.3%, respectively. Six patients developed oligoclonal reconstitution with new paraproteins. In the absence of anticoagulant prophylaxis, no patients developed deep vein thrombosis. The staged application of VAD+/–VTD/auto-HSCT resulted in an appreciable response rate and promising survivals. Our approach reduced the use of bortezomib without compromising the ultimate CR rate and is of financial significance for less affluent communities.
Distinct vascular and metabolic effects of different classes of anti-hypertensive drugs.

ASCOT-BPLA study demonstrates that in hypertensive subjects, atenolol+bendroflumethiazide therapy is associated with higher incidence of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and developing diabetes than an amlodipine+perindopril regimen. This is not explained by changes in blood pressure alone. We hypothesized that distinct vascular and metabolic effects of anti-hypertensive drugs may explain these differential effects.



Either placebo or one class of anti-hypertensive drug (atenolol 100 mg, amlodipine 10 mg, hydrochlorothiazide 50 mg, ramipril 10 mg, or candesartan 16 mg) was given daily during 8 weeks to 31 patients in each of 6 arms of a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study.



Atenolol, amlodipine, and candesartan therapies significantly reduced systolic blood pressure when compared with ramipril (P<0.05 by ANOVA). Atenolol and thiazide therapies increased triglycerides levels greater than ramipril or candesartan (P=0.005 by ANOVA). Amlodipine significantly increased HDL cholesterol levels greater than atenolol (P=0.011 by ANOVA). Ramipril and candesartan therapies improved FMD and increased adiponectin levels and insulin sensitivity to a greater extent than atenolol or thiazide therapies (P<0.001 and P<0.015 by ANOVA). Amlodipine therapy increased adiponectin levels greater than atenolol therapy (P<0.05 by ANOVA). Ramipril, candesartan, and amlodipine therapies significantly decreased leptin levels to a greater extent when compared with atenolol or thiazide therapies (P<0.001 by ANOVA). Amlodipine therapies significantly decreased resistin levels greater than ramipril or candesartan therapies (P=0.001 by ANOVA).



We observed differential effects of anti-hypertensive drugs on endothelial dysfunction and plasma adipocytokines.
Trajectories of receptive language development from 3 to 12 years of age for very preterm children.

The goal was to examine whether indomethacin use, gender, neonatal, and sociodemographic factors predict patterns of receptive language development from 3 to 12 years of age in preterm children.



A total of 355 children born in 1989-1992 with birth weights of 600 to 1250 g were evaluated at 3, 4.5, 6, 8, and 12 years with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised. Hierarchical growth modeling was used to explore differences in language trajectories.



From 3 to 12 years, preterm children displayed catch-up gains on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised. Preterm children started with an average standardized score of 84.1 at 3 years and gained 1.2 points per year across the age period studied. Growth-curve analyses of Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised raw scores revealed an indomethacin-gender effect on initial scores at 3 years, with preterm boys assigned randomly to receive indomethacin scoring, on average, 4.2 points higher than placebo-treated boys. However, the velocity of receptive vocabulary development from 3 to 12 years did not differ for the treatment groups. Children with severe brain injury demonstrated slower gains in skills over time, compared with those who did not suffer severe brain injury. Significant differences in language trajectories were predicted by maternal education and minority status.



Although indomethacin yielded an initial benefit for preterm boys, this intervention did not alter the developmental trajectory of receptive language scores. Severe brain injury leads to long-term sequelae in language development, whereas a socioeconomically advantaged environment supports better language development among preterm children.
Coenzyme Q 10 and exercise training in chronic heart failure

There is evidence that plasma coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) levels decrease in patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF). However, it is not known whether oral CoQ10 supplementation may improve cardiocirculatory efficiency and endothelial function in patients with CHF.  We studied 23 patients in NYHA class II and III (20 men, three women, mean age 59+9 years) with stable CHF secondary to ischaemic heart disease [ejection fraction 37+ 7%], using a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design. Patients were assigned to each of the following treatments: oral CoQ10 (100 mg tid), CoQ10 plus supervised exercise training (ET) (60% of peak VO2, five times a week), placebo, and placebo plus ET. Each phase lasted 4 weeks. Both peak VO2 and endothelium-dependent dilation of the brachial artery (EDDBA) improved significantly after CoQ10 and after ET as compared with placebo. CoQ10 main effect was: peak VO2þ 9%, EDDBA þ38%, systolic wall thickening score index (SWTI) 212%; ET produced comparable effects. CoQ10 supplementation resulted in a four-fold increase in plasma CoQ10 level, whereas the combination with ET further increased it. No side effects were reported with CoQ10.  Oral CoQ10 improves functional capacity, endothelial function, and LV contractility in CHF without any side effects. The combination of CoQ10 and ET resulted in higher plasma CoQ10 levels and more pronounced effects on all the abovementioned parameters. However, significant synergistic effect of CoQ10 with ET was observed only for peak SWTI suggesting that ET amplifies the already described effect of CoQ10 on contractility of dysfunctional myocardium.
Implementing home blood glucose and blood pressure telemonitoring in primary care practices for patients with diabetes: lessons learned.

Prior telemonitoring trials of blood pressure and blood glucose have shown improvements in blood pressure and glycemic targets. However, implementation of telemonitoring in primary care practices may not yield the same results as research trials with extra resources and rigid protocols. In this study we examined the process of implementing home telemonitoring of blood glucose and blood pressure for patients with diabetes in six primary care practices.



Grounded theory qualitative analysis was conducted in parallel with a randomized controlled effectiveness trial of home telemonitoring. Data included semistructured interviews with 6 nurse care coordinators and 12 physicians in six participating practices and field notes from exit interviews with 93 of 108 randomized patients.



The three stakeholder groups (patients, nurse care coordinators, and physicians) exhibited some shared themes and some unique to the particular stakeholder group. Major themes were that practices should (1) understand the capabilities and limitations of the technology and the willingness of patient and physician stakeholders to use it, (2) understand the workflow, flow of information, and human factors needed to optimize use of the technology, (3) engage and prepare the physicians, and (4) involve the patient in the process. Although there was enthusiasm for a patient-centered medical home model that included between-visit telemonitoring, there was concern about the support and resources needed to provide this service to patients.



As with many technology interventions, careful consideration of workflow and information flow will help enable effective implementations.
Genetic determinants of anti-malarial acquired immunity in a large multi-centre study

Many studies report associations between human genetic factors and immunity to malaria but few have been reliably replicated. These studies are usually country-specific, use small sample sizes and are not directly comparable due to differences in methodologies. This study brings together samples and data collected from multiple sites across Africa and Asia to use standardized methods to look for consistent genetic effects on anti-malarial antibody levels. Sera, DNA samples and clinical data were collected from 13,299 individuals from ten sites in Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, and Sri Lanka using standardized methods. DNA was extracted and typed for 202 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms with known associations to malaria or antibody production, and antibody levels to four clinical grade malarial antigens [AMA1, MSP1, MSP2, and (NANP)4] plus total IgE were measured by ELISA techniques. Regression models were used to investigate the associations of clinical and genetic factors with antibody levels. Malaria infection increased levels of antibodies to malaria antigens and, as expected, stable predictors of anti-malarial antibody levels included age, seasonality, location, and ethnicity. Correlations between antibodies to blood-stage antigens AMA1, MSP1 and MSP2 were higher between themselves than with antibodies to the (NANP)4 epitope of the pre-erythrocytic circumsporozoite protein, while there was little or no correlation with total IgE levels. Individuals with sickle cell trait had significantly lower antibody levels to all blood-stage antigens, and recessive homozygotes for CD36 (rs321198) had significantly lower anti-malarial antibody levels to MSP2. Although the most significant finding with a consistent effect across sites was for sickle cell trait, its effect is likely to be via reducing a microscopically positive parasitaemia rather than directly on antibody levels. However, this study does demonstrate a framework for the feasibility of combining data from sites with heterogeneous malaria transmission levels across Africa and Asia with which to explore genetic effects on anti-malarial immunity.