nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Assessing the translational feasibility of pharmacological drug memory reconsolidation blockade with memantine in quitting smokers

Preclinical reconsolidation research offers the first realistic opportunity to pharmacologically weaken the maladaptive memory structures that support relapse in drug addicts. N-methyl D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonism is a highly effective means of blocking drug memory reconsolidation. However, no research using this approach exists in human addicts. The objective of this study was to assess the potential and clinical outcomes of blocking the reconsolidation of cue-smoking memories with memantine in quitting smokers. Fifty-nine dependent and motivated to quit smokers were randomised to one of three groups receiving the following: (1) memantine with or (2) without reactivation of associative cue-smoking memories or (3) reactivation with placebo on their target quit day in a double-blind manner. Participants aimed to abstain from smoking for as long as possible. Levels of smoking and FTND score were assessed prior to intervention and up to a year later. Primary outcome was latency to relapse. Subjective craving measures and attentional bias to smoking cues were assessed in-lab. All study groups successfully reduced their smoking up to 3 months. Memantine in combination with smoking memory reactivation did not affect any measure of smoking outcome, reactivity or attention capture to smoking cues. Brief exposure to smoking cues with memantine did not appear to weaken these memory traces. These findings could be due to insufficient reconsolidation blockade by memantine or failure of exposure to smoking stimuli to destabilise smoking memories. Research assessing the treatment potential of reconsolidation blockade in human addicts should focus on identification of tolerable drugs that reliably block reward memory reconsolidation and retrieval procedures that reliably destabilise strongly trained memories.
Non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in three hospital settings in South Africa: does geography influence management and outcome? A retrospective cohort study

Guidelines advise early angiography in non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) to ensure an optimal outcome. Resource limitations in secondary hospitals in the Western Cape dictate a local guideline to treat NSTEMIs medically with out-patient assessment for angiography, unless mandatory indications for early angiography occur.



A retrospective cohort study assessed NSTEMIs at Tygerberg Hospital (TBH), Karl Bremer Hospital (KBH) and Worcester Hospital (WH) over one year. Two cohorts were analysed, secondary hospitals (KBH and WH; SH) and secondary service within a tertiary hospital (TBH). Where differences were found, sub-analysis compared WH and KBH.



TBH and SH were similar at baseline and in clinical presentation. Cases at TBH were more likely to receive in-patient angiography (94 vs 51%, p < 0.0001), and had a lower in-patient mortality rate (6 vs 23%, p = 0.0326). There was no difference between KBH and WH in sub-analysis.



This study confirmed that the management and mortality of NSTEMIs in the public health sector in the Western Cape, South Africa is not influenced by geography, but rather by the level of service available in the hospital of first presentation.
Treatment- and Cost-Effectiveness of Early Intervention for Acute Low-Back Pain Patients: A One-Year Prospective Study

In an attempt to prevent acute low-back pain from becoming a chronic disability problem, an earlier study developed a statistical algorithm which accurately identified those acute low-back pain patients who were at high risk for developing such chronicity. The major goal of the present study was to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of employing an early intervention program with these high-risk patients in order to prevent the development of chronic disability at a 1-year follow-up. Approximately 700 acute low-back pain patients were screened for their high-risk versus low-risk status. On the basis of this screening, high-risk patients were then randomly assigned to one of two groups: a functional restoration early intervention group (n = 22), or a nonintervention group (n = 48). A group of low-risk subjects (n = 54) who did not receive any early intervention was also evaluated. All these subjects were prospectively tracked at 3-month intervals starting from the date of their initial evaluation, culminating in a 12-month follow-up. During these follow-up evaluations, pain disability and socioeconomic outcomes (such as return-to-work and healthcare utilization) were assessed. Results clearly indicated that the high-risk subjects who received early intervention displayed statistically significant fewer indices of chronic pain disability on a wide range of work, healthcare utilization, medication use, and self-report pain variables, relative to the high-risk subjects who do not receive such early intervention. In addition, the high-risk nonintervention group displayed significantly more symptoms of chronic pain disability on these variables relative to the initially low-risk subjects. Cost-comparison savings data were also evaluated. These data revealed that there were greater cost savings associated with the early intervention group versus the no early intervention group. The overall results of this study clearly demonstrate the treatment- and cost-effectiveness of an early intervention program for acute low-back pain patients.
A randomized, double-blind trial comparing a pulse of 1000 with 250 mg methylprednisolone in rheumatoid arthritis

We compared, in a double blind, randomized, 3-center study, a pulse of 1000 mg methylprednisolone with a pulse of 250 mg methylprednisolone, in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Improvement of patients was similar in both groups and lasted up to 3 weeks. Side effects were minor.
Effect of personal health record booklet (PHRB) to knowledge, self-efficacy and healthy behaviors among Thai population at risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

To investigate an effect of a personal health record booklet (PHRB) to knowledge, self-efficacy and healthy behaviors among Thai population at risk of CVD.



The present study was a quasi-experimental study conducted in a primary care unit during November 2008 and January 2009. A random sample of 204 CVD risk population were recruited as a comparison group (n = 102), who received a regular follow-up and recorded routine blood pressure using booklet and an experimental group (n = 102), who received the regular follow-up and the intervention consisting of health education for CVD information and self-monitoring practice. Data were collected by using self-administered questionnaires at the baseline, the 4th week and the 8th week. These data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, Chi-square test and GLM repeated measures.



Knowledge score was significantly decreased although self-efficacy was increased over a time in the experimental group. However except the figure of sweet/cookies consumption, the mean score of healthy behaviors were not improved in the experimental group when compared to the comparison group.



CVD information, activity illustrations with caption, health record section and daily self-monitoring tables in desired behaviors should be considered for inclusion in the booklet.
Effects of cilostazol on serum lipid concentrations and plasma fatty acid composition in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral vascular disease

Cilostazol is an anti-thrombotic and vasodilating agent, reported to have both anti-thrombotic and cerebral vasodilating effects. We investigated the effects of cilostazol on serum lipid concentrations and plasma fatty acid composition in type 2 diabetic patients with peripheral vascular disease. The serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, lipoprotein (a), remnant-like particles-cholesterol, apolipoproteins, and plasma fatty acid composition were measured in 17 diabetic patients with peripheral vascular disease before and 1, 3, and 6 months after administration of cilostazol (200 mg/day). Serum triglyceride concentrations were significantly decreased after cilostazol (from 1.31±0.17 mmol/l to 0.86±0.07 mmol/l at 6 months, P<0.01). Plasma docosahexaenoic acid levels were significantly increased after cilostazol (4.11±0.26% to 4.94±0.26% at 6 months, P<0.01). Our findings show that cilostazol can induce some beneficial changes in serum lipid profile and plasma fatty acid composition.
Lessons Learned about Behavioral Science and Acute/Early HIV Infection. The NIMH Multisite Acute HIV Infection Study: V

Acute/early HIV infection is a period of heightened HIV transmission and a window of opportunity for intervention to prevent onward disease transmission. The NIMH Multisite Acute HIV Infection (AHI) Study was an exploratory initiative aimed at determining the feasibility of recruiting persons with AHI into research, assessing their psychosocial and behavioral characteristics, and examining short-term changes in these characteristics. This paper reports on lessons learned in the study, including: (1) the need to establish the cost-effectiveness of AHI testing; (2) challenges to identifying persons with AHI; (3) the need to increase awareness of acute-phase HIV transmission risks; (4) determining the goals of behavioral interventions following AHI diagnosis; and (5) the need for “rapid response” public health systems that can move quickly enough to intervene while persons are still in the AHI stage. There are untapped opportunities for behavioral and medical science collaborations in these areas that could reduce the incidence of HIV infection.
Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners and recognition of depression in primary care.

To determine the effect of membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) on recognition of depression, odds ratios, Lowess-smoothed plots, and regression models were produced for recognition rates in a representative sample of 20,818 patient contacts for members and non-members of the RCGP Membership of the RCGP did not appear to convey greater ability to discriminate between depressed and non-depressed patients, but members were more likely to recognise depression in both depressed and non-depressed individuals.
Validation of a questionnaire for assessment of asthma patient knowledge and behaviour.

For several years, educational programmes have been highlighted because care success depends on patient's knowledge and patient's asthma management. However, no tool is available to assess change in patient knowledge and behaviour before and after completing an educational programme.



To validate a questionnaire measuring the knowledge and behaviour of asthmatics participating in an educational programme and to gauge the benefit of such a programme.



The Asthma Behaviour Change (ABC) questionnaire was generated from literature, patient surveys and clinical situations. It was organized in eight dimensions assessing patient behaviour in seven different clinical situations and two assessing patient (pathophysiology and therapeutic) knowledge. A total of 139 asthmatics filled out the questionnaire before, during and after the educational programme.



The principal component analysis confirmed the structure empirically made by clinical situations. Internal consistency analysis yielded high Cronbach's alpha values. Different dimensions and the two global scores were able to discriminate patients according to asthma severity. Finally, the effect size of difference before and after educational programme was at least 0.47, and was larger than 0.74 for both global behaviour and knowledge scores. The difference between visit 1 and 3 for global behaviour and knowledge scores reached 18.84 +/- 20.83 (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 13.18-24.43) and 11.06 +/- 14.98 (P < 0.001, 95% CI: 7.10-15.03), respectively.



ABC questionnaire is a valid tool to assess asthmatics' knowledge and behaviour. Furthermore, this study confirmed that educational programmes lead to better awareness of asthma by patients.
Mapping of treatment-induced apoptosis in normal structures: 99mTc-Hynic-rh-annexin V SPECT and CT image fusion

The purpose of this study was to map treatment-induced 99mTc-Hynic-rh-annexin V uptake in normal tissues using co-registration of SPECT and CT. Nineteen patients (11 male, 8 female, mean age 57 years) with various malignant tumours (12 lymphomas, four non-small cell lung cancers and three head and neck squamous cell carcinomas) underwent 99mTc-Hynic-rh-annexin V scintigraphy and CT before and within 48 h after the start of anticancer therapy. SPECT and CT were performed separately, with the patient in a reproducible position. Volume-based automated and manual methods were used to match functional and anatomical data. SPECT/CT co-registration was used to evaluate treatment-induced changes in the normal structures. A significant radiation field-related increase in early post-treatment 99mTc-Hynic-rh-annexin V uptake in salivary glands and bone marrow was detected in eight of nine patients. Radiation field-related increase in bone marrow activity above the baseline value was detected in all 13 irradiated patients. A minimal, symmetrical increase in activity in the salivary glands was detected after the initial course of platinum-based chemotherapy, and a diffuse prominent increase in 99mTc-Hynic-rh-annexin V in the bone marrow was detected in all cases. Precise delineation between the tumour and normal tissue tracer accumulation was accomplished in all cases using SPECT/CT co-registered volumes, enhanced by the “colourwash” technique. Mapping of early treatment-related changes in annexin V uptake by SPECT/CT co-registration permits accurate evaluation of tracer distribution in normal structures and precise delineation from tumour uptake. The associations between tracer distribution in the normal tissues and treatment regimen found in this study may contribute to the evaluation of dose–effect relations in various treatment schedules.
Outpatient autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma

Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has emerged as a viable option for the treatment of relapsed follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. We report on the outpatient experience of 60 patients who underwent ASCT for this condition. The median age was 51 years (30–65). Pre-transplantation conditioning regimens consisted of either etoposide/melphalan/TBI, CBV or BEAM. Patients participated in this transplant program for a median of 20.5 days (14–78), and 58.4% of the total program days were spent in the outpatient setting. Six patients were well enough to be treated solely as outpatients. Ninety percent of patients required at least one inpatient admission (median 7 days), and 70% of first inpatient transfers occurred within the first week following transplant and always before day +12. There were no predictors for prolonged inpatient stays. Febrile neutropenia and gastrointestinal toxicity were the main reasons for inpatient transfers. No outpatient required an urgent admission to the ICU or died in the outpatient setting. The treatment-related mortality at days 30 and 100 was 0 and 1.7%, respectively. The overall and progression-free survivals at 5 years were 65.7 and 56.1%, respectively. Outpatient ASCT with total body irradiation is feasible, safe, and effective for patients with relapsed follicular lymphoma.
Effect of eptifibatide on platelet-mediated inflammation in acute coronary syndromes.

administration of the combination perindopril/indapamide was associated with a consistent reduction of CV mortality in diabetic patients [11]. Our hypothesis may be verified by post-monitoring follow-up of large trials investigating effects of RAAS blockade compared with other anti-hypertensive classes in diabetic patients. The authors of this manuscript have certified that they comply with the Principles of Ethical Publishing in the International Journal of Cardiology (Shewan and Coats 2010;144:1–2).
Development and evaluation of a questionnaire for assessment of health-related quality of life in cats with cardiac disease.

To develop, validate, and evaluate a questionnaire (Cats' Assessment Tool for Cardiac Health [CATCH] questionnaire) for assessing health-related quality of life in cats with cardiac disease.



Prospective study.



275 cats with cardiac disease.


PROCEDURES
The questionnaire was developed on the basis of clinical signs of cardiac disease in cats. A CATCH score was calculated by summing responses to questionnaire items; possible scores ranged from 0 to 80. For questionnaire validation, owners of 75 cats were asked to complete the questionnaire (10 owners completed the questionnaire twice). Disease severity was assessed with the International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council (ISACHC) classification for cardiac disease. Following validation, the final questionnaire was administered to owners of the remaining 200 cats.



Internal consistency of the questionnaire was good, and the CATCH score was significantly correlated with ISACHC classification. For owners that completed the questionnaire twice, scores were significantly correlated. During the second phase of the study, the CATCH score ranged from 0 to 74 (median, 7) and was significantly correlated with ISACHC classification.



Results suggested that the CATCH questionnaire is a valid and reliable method for assessing health-related quality of life in cats with cardiac disease. Further research is warranted to test the tool's sensitivity to changes in medical treatment and its potential role as a clinical and research tool.
[Late-onset lupus in the elderly after 65 years: retrospective study of 18 cases].

The aim of our study was to investigate characteristics of late-onset lupus after 65 years compared to younger ones.



Patients with lupus revealed after 65 years were investigated in four French hospitals between 1985 and 2013. Patients with 4 ACR criteria or more were included. Clinical and biological characteristics, prognosis, treatment, comorbidities were described retrospectively and compared to the cohort of 1000 lupus patients of Cervera et al.



Eighteen patients were included (14 women and 4 men). The most frequent features were arthritis (13/18), skin involvement (9/18). Hemolytic anemia and thrombosis were more frequently found in elderly lupus (p<0.05). During evolution, only cutaneous involvement were less frequent than in young subjects (p <0.05). Corticosteroids were often used (16/18), but iatrogenic complications were frequent (10/16).



Diagnosis is difficult because of non-specific clinical features. Treatment needed a rigourous follow-up because of iatrogenic complications.
Invasive Fungal Infections in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies (Aurora Project): Lights and Shadows During 18-Months Surveillance

The aim of this multicenter prospective study was to evaluate the incidence of invasive fungal infections (IFIs) in adult and pediatric patients with hematologic malignancies, involving nine nosocomial facilities in Southern Italy over a period of 18 months. Furthermore, results of an environmental microbial surveillance routinely carried out in some of the enrolled hospitals are reported. A total of 589 onco-hematological patients were enrolled and 27 IFIs were documented. The main infections were caused by yeasts, more than filamentous fungi (overall incidence of 2.7% and 1.9%, respectively). The yeasts were mainly represented by Candida spp. (87.5%), all isolated by blood cultures; C. parapsilosis was the most common species. Among mould infections, the most frequent site was the lung, with regard to aspergillosis (81.8%). In six of the 10 patients with suspected aspergillosis, the diagnosis was made by the detection of galactomannan and (1,3)-β-d-glucan antigens. The microbiological surveillance carried out on 156 air, 312 water and 312 surface samples revealed low environmental contamination: Alternaria alternata was the only fungus isolated from two surface samples. Our data, especially the low occurrence of filamentous fungi, suggest a particular local epidemiology. Further studies are needed to confirm this microbiological trend in onco-hematological patients in Southern Italy, the results of which might be helpful to improve the management of these patients.
Does macular laser alter the refraction in a diabetic with maculopathy? A pilot study

To determine whether macular photocoagulation has any effect on refraction in diabetics. This was a prospective study of 12 eyes of 12 diabetics with refraction at 2 weeks before and at 4 weeks and 4 months after argon laser. This was combined with a questionnaire survey of attitude among ophthalmologists on prescribing spectacles for diabetics awaiting macular laser. The main outcome measure was the spherical equivalents (SEQ) before and after treatment. Only 36% of ophthalmologists surveyed would prescribe corrective lenses in patients waiting for macular photocoagulation. The median change in magnitude of SEQ at 4-6 weeks post-laser compared to pre-laser was 0.36 D (interquartile range 0.18-0.50 D). The median change in SEQ at 4 months was 0.25 D (interquartile range 0.12-0.56 D). These changes in SEQ from pre-treatment values were not statistically significant on Wilcoxon signed-rank test (p = 0.17 and 0.10, respectively). The correlation coefficient between difference and average SEQ was 0.02 (95% CI -0.14 to 0.19, p = 0.75) at 4 weeks and 0.11 (95% CI -0.06 to 0.275, p = 0.17) at 4 months, indicating no tendency for change in refraction with increasing ametropia. This pilot study implies that argon laser photocoagulation in diabetic maculopathy does not alter refraction. Prescription of corrective lenses can be performed prior to laser therapy, if required.
Lateral wedges alter mediolateral load distributions at the knee joint in obese individuals.

Obesity is the primary risk factor for knee osteoarthritis (OA). Greater external knee adduction moments, surrogate measures for medial compartment loading, are present in Obese individuals and may predispose them to knee OA. Laterally wedged insoles decrease the magnitude of the external adduction moment in Obese individuals but it is unknown how they alter the center of pressure on the tibial plateau. A gait analysis was performed on 14 Obese (avg. 29.3 years; BMI range: 30.3-51.6 kg/m(2) ) and 14 lean women (avg. 26.1 years; BMI range: 20.9-24.6 kg/m(2) ) with and without a full-length, wedged insole. Computed joint angles, joint moments, and knee extensor strength values were input into a musculoskeletal model to estimate center of pressure of the contact force on the tibial plateau. Statistical significance was assessed using a two-way ANOVA to compare the main effects of group and insole condition (α = 0.05). The insole resulted in a significant (p < 0.01) lateral shift in the center of pressure location in both the Obese and Control groups (mean: 2.9 ± 0.7 and 1.5 ± 0.7 mm, respectively). The insole also significantly reduced the peak external knee adduction moment 1.88 ± 1.82 N m in the Control group (p < 0.01) and 3.62 ± 3.90 N m in the Obese group (p < 0.01). The results of this study indicate the effects of a prophylactic wedged insole for reducing the magnitude of the load on the knee's medial compartment in Obese women who are at risk for knee OA development.