nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Noncontrast and perfusion CT provides accurate assessment of head deceleration injury.

To investigate the feasibility of noncontrast computed tomography (NcCT) and perfusion CT (PCT) in the assessment of head deceleration injury (HDI).



A small animal HDI device was developed. A total of 20 healthy adult rabbits with frontal impacts resulting from a 3.5 m drop were included in this study. All subjects underwent NcCT and PCT scans 12 hours before injury and three to four hours after head injury. Brain injuries were evaluated by traditional macroscopic and microscopic examination after CT scans.



Microscopic examination revealed hemorrhagic cerebral contusions in 14 subjects and cerebral parenchyma hyperemia in 6 subjects. Contrecoup injuries were more severe than the coup injuries in this study. As verified by pathoanatomical observations, NcCT effectively revealed all of the calvarial fractures and basal skull fractures in 12 subjects. Furthermore, most rabbits suffered acute scalp contusions, subarachnoid hemorrhages and cerebral contusions. PCT analysis revealed much larger and more severe contusions when compared to those observed via NcCT.



The combination of NcCT and PCT could be an effective approach for detection of acute cerebral contusions, which can provide sufficient experimental evidence for accurate clinical diagnosis and prognosis of HDI.
High risk behaviour and fertility desires among heterosexual HIV-positive patients with a serodiscordant partner--two challenging issues.

To evaluate fertility intentions and condom use among HIV-positive persons.



Multicentre study based on anonymous data collection (questionnaire).



114 questionnaires providing complete information were evaluated. 45% of HIV-positive women and 38% of HIV-positive men expressed the desire for children. Irrespective of this wish, half the study participants felt that health care providers would not sufficiently address their concerns regarding relationship, sexuality and fertility intentions. In HIV-discordant heterosexual couples, consistent condom use was mentioned by 73% of respondents. Among study participants no significant relationship between HAART, viral load and inconsistent condom use was found. In contrast, information on condom use obtained from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS), where the information is obtained by interview, gave higher estimates (88%) of consistent condom use.



A significant proportion of HIV-infected individuals express a wish for parenthood. Issues related to fertility intentions and sexual relations need to be addressed more frequently by health care providers. Non-anonymous data collection on condom use may underestimate high risk behaviour.
Weekly combination of topotecan and gemcitabine in early recurrent ovarian cancer patients: a French multicenter phase II study.

The aim of this phase II study was to assess the benefits of a weekly administration of topotecan and gemcitabine in patients with ovarian carcinoma having relapsed after platinum/taxane-based first-line chemotherapy.



Seventy-seven patients with progression of disease </=12 months after first-line chemotherapy were enrolled to receive topotecan (2.5 mg/m(2)) and gemcitabine (1000 mg/m(2)) on days 1, 8 and 15 (q 28 d). Primary endpoint was the response rate. Stabilization rate and symptom improvement were also assessed.



All patients received the combination and 66 were evaluable (>/=2 cycles administered). The only major severe toxicity was neutropenia grades 3 (17%) and 4 (6%). Approximately 60% of the patients received the complete schedule of treatment, dose interruptions/delays being mainly due to moderate thrombocytopenia or neutropenia. The objective response rate was 14%, the values for patients having relapsed within 6 (n=30) and 6-12 (n=36) months being 7% and 20%, respectively. Median durations of response were 4.9 and 6.4 months and clinical benefit rates including stabilizations reached 63% and 69% in patients having relapsed within 6 or 6-12 months, respectively. Corresponding median overall survival was 7.5 and 15.6 months. Symptoms and pain were reduced in 64% and 39% of the patients concerned, respectively.



In early relapse ovarian cancer, weekly combination of gemcitabine and topotecan has a modest objective response rate. However, a high proportion of patients experienced stable disease and symptom control leading to acceptable quality of life.
Early postoperative mortality after surgery for rectal cancer in Sweden, 2000-2011.

Postoperative mortality has traditionally been defined as death within 30 days of surgery. Such mortality after rectal cancer resection has declined significantly during the last decades. However, it is possible that this decline can be explained merely by a shift towards an increase in 90-day mortality.



A nationwide cohort study was based on data from the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry and the Swedish Patient Registry concerning patients who had undergone surgical resection for rectal cancer in 2000-2011. Unconditional logistic regression was used to calculate ORs with 95% CIs regarding mortality in different calendar periods (2000-2003, 2004-2007 and 2008-2011) in two different postoperative time periods (0-30 days and 31-90 days).



Some 15,437 patients were included in this surgical cohort. Mortality within 30 days of surgery decreased from 2.1% in 2000-2003 to 1.6% in 2008-2011, whilst the corresponding mortality within the 31- to 90-day time window decreased from 2.1% to 1.4%. The adjusted risk of 30-day mortality in 2008-2011 was statistically significantly decreased compared with that in 2000-2003 (OR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.48-0.93) and mortality in the 31- to 90-day time window was also reduced for 2008-2011 compared with 2000-2003 (OR = 0.71; 95% CI: 0.51-0.99).



This population-based, nationwide Swedish study indicates that postoperative mortality, as measured within 30 days and 31-90 days after surgery, has decreased with time. However, no relevant shift from earlier to later postoperative mortality was discerned.
Evaluation of tissue blood flow of the gastric tube after vessel anastomosis for esophageal reconstruction.

Impaired blood flow of the upper end of the gastric tube is one of the major causes of anastomotic leak following esophageal reconstruction after esophagectomy for cancer. We applied an additional microvascular anastomosis procedure--the supercharging technique--to improve blood flow. We investigated blood flow improvement in 15 patients who underwent the supercharging technique after total excision of the thoracic esophagus and gastric tube reconstruction through the posterior mediastinal route from August 2003 to March 2005.



Tissue blood flow was measured with laser Doppler flowmetry during surgery and was improved after microvascular anastomosis. Patency and blood flow of anastomosed arteries were evaluated with computed tomography and ultrasonography, respectively. Patency and stable blood flow of anastomosed arteries were confirmed more than 1 month after surgery. Therefore, microvascular anastomosis improved the tissue blood flow of the upper end of the gastric tube. Long-term blood flow improvement was confirmed, which suggests that microvascular anastomosis contributes to reducing the risk of anastomotic leak.
Ocular fundus auto-fluorescence observations at different wavelengths in patients with age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy

Post-translational protein modification by lipid peroxidation products or glycation is a feature of aging as well as pathologic processes in postmitotic cells at the ocular fundus exposed to an oxidative environment. The accumulation of modified proteins such as those found in lipofuscin and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) contribute greatly to the fundus auto-fluorescence. The distinct fluorescence spectra of lipofuscin and AGE enable their differentiation in multispectral fundus fluorescence imaging. A dual-centre consecutive case series of 78 pseudo-phacic patients is reported. Digital colour fundus photographs as well as auto-fluorescence images were taken from 33 patients with age related macular degeneration (AMD), 13 patients with diabetic retinopathy (RD), or from 32 cases without pathologic findings (controls). Fluorescence was excited at 475–515 nm or 476–604 nm and recorded in the emission bands 530–675 nm or 675–715 nm, respectively. Fluorescence images excited at 475–515 nm were taken by a colour CCD-camera (colour-fluorescence imaging) enabling the separate recording of green and red fluorescence. The ratio of green versus red fluorescence was calculated within a representative region of each image. The 530–675 nm auto-fluorescence in AMD patients was dominated by the red emission (green vs. red ratio, g/r = 0.861). In comparison, the fluorescence of the diabetics was green-shifted (g/r = 0.946; controls: g/r = 0.869). Atrophic areas (geographic atrophy, laser scars) showed massive hypo-fluorescence in both emission bands. Hyper-fluorescent drusen and exudates, unobtrusive in the colour fundus images as well as in the fluorescence images with emission >667 nm, showed an impressive green-shift in the colour-fluorescence image. Lipofuscin is the dominant fluorophore at long wavelengths (>675 nm or red channel of the colour fluorescence image). In the green spectral region, we found an additional emission of collagen and elastin (optic disc, sclera) as well as deposits in drusen and exudates. The green shift of the auto-fluorescence in RD may be a hint of increased AGE concentrations.
Characterization of 1577 primary prostate cancers reveals novel biological and clinicopathologic insights into molecular subtypes.

Prostate cancer (PCa) molecular subtypes have been defined by essentially mutually exclusive events, including ETS gene fusions (most commonly involving ERG) and SPINK1 overexpression. Clinical assessment may aid in disease stratification, complementing available prognostic tests.



To determine the analytical validity and clinicopatholgic associations of microarray-based molecular subtyping.



We analyzed Affymetrix GeneChip expression profiles for 1577 patients from eight radical prostatectomy cohorts, including 1351 cases assessed using the Decipher prognostic assay (GenomeDx Biosciences, San Diego, CA, USA) performed in a laboratory with Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendment certification. A microarray-based (m-) random forest ERG classification model was trained and validated. Outlier expression analysis was used to predict other mutually exclusive non-ERG ETS gene rearrangements (ETS(+)) or SPINK1 overexpression (SPINK1(+)).



Associations with clinical features and outcomes by multivariate logistic regression analysis and receiver operating curves.



The m-ERG classifier showed 95% accuracy in an independent validation subset (155 samples). Across cohorts, 45% of PCas were classified as m-ERG(+), 9% as m-ETS(+), 8% as m-SPINK1(+), and 38% as triple negative (m-ERG(-)/m-ETS(-)/m-SPINK1(-)). Gene expression profiling supports three underlying molecularly defined groups: m-ERG(+), m-ETS(+), and m-SPINK1(+)/triple negative. On multivariate analysis, m-ERG(+) tumors were associated with lower preoperative serum prostate-specific antigen and Gleason scores, but greater extraprostatic extension (p<0.001). m-ETS(+) tumors were associated with seminal vesicle invasion (p=0.01), while m-SPINK1(+)/triple negative tumors had higher Gleason scores and were more frequent in Black/African American patients (p<0.001). Clinical outcomes were not significantly different among subtypes.



A clinically available prognostic test (Decipher) can also assess PCa molecular subtypes, obviating the need for additional testing. Clinicopathologic differences were found among subtypes based on global expression patterns.



Molecular subtyping of prostate cancer can be achieved using extra data generated from a clinical-grade, genome-wide expression-profiling prognostic assay (Decipher). Transcriptomic and clinical analysis support three distinct molecular subtypes: (1) m-ERG(+), (2) m-ETS(+), and (3) m-SPINK1(+)/triple negative (m-ERG(-)/m-ETS(-)/m-SPINK1(-)). Incorporation of subtyping into a clinically available assay may facilitate additional applications beyond routine prognosis.
Reduction in drug requirements for hypertension by means of a cognitive-behavioral intervention.

The purpose of the present study was to test the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral intervention as an adjunctive treatment of hypertension. To qualify for the study, subjects had to have an unmedicated clinic diastolic blood pressure > or = 95 mm Hg. After qualification, minimal drug requirements were established using a diuretic and a beta-blocker to control blood pressure at < or = 90 mm Hg. Subjects were then randomized into a 6-week cognitive-behavioral intervention or a measurements-only control group. After the treatment phase, medication levels were reduced in all subjects by means of a systematic stepdown procedure. Subjects were followed for 1 year after the stepdown was completed. Addition of the cognitive-behavioral intervention was twice as effective as the control procedure in reducing drug requirements. At 12-months follow-up, 73% of the treatment group were at lower levels of medication than at the time of randomization, compared to 35% in the control group. Moreover, 55% of the treatment group remained completely free of medication, compared to 30% of the control group, at the 12-month follow-up. The reductions in medication were associated with maintained controlled levels of clinic, ambulatory, and home blood pressure. The addition of a standardized and inexpensive group-administered cognitive-behavioral intervention to the drug treatment of hypertension is beneficial as an adjunctive treatment in reducing drug requirements for patients with hypertension, thereby reducing the costs and potential side effects of antihypertensive medications.
Cryoballoon ablation in young patients with lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Long-term efficacy following cryoballoon ablation of lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation remains unknown. We describe long-term follow-up results of the single cryoballoon ablation procedure.



Pulmonary vein isolation was performed in 103 patients (72 male; median age 52 years) with symptomatic lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The end-point of this observational cohort study was first electrocardiogram-documented recurrence of arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, atrial tachycardia, or atrial flutter) during the 5-year follow-up, in the absence of anti-arrhythmic treatment.



Acute complete pulmonary vein isolation was achieved in 86% of the patients with a single cryoballoon. The 6-month, 1-year, and 5-year success rate after a single procedure was 94%, 91%, and 77%, respectively. Arrhythmia recurrence was observed in 24 cases at a median of 14.8 months [range, 8.0-16.8 months]. Thirteen symptomatic patients were well controlled on beta-blockers only. Seven symptomatic patients had anti-arrhythmic treatment (class IC in 5 patients; dronedarone in 2 patients) introduced during the blanking period. Two of them had early arrhythmia recurrence within the blanking period only; they were arrhythmia-free in further follow-up on dronedarone. The rate of complications was relatively low and included a 4.8% incidence of transient phrenic nerve palsy.



A single cryoballoon ablation procedure for lone paroxysmal atrial fibrillation resulted in high rates of acute, medium-term, and long-term efficacy. The rate of complications is relatively low and includes a 4.8% incidence of transient phrenic nerve palsy.
Near-bedside whole-blood cardiac troponin I assay for risk assessment of patients with acute coronary syndromes.

cohort of middle-aged men. Circulation 1995;91:23–7. 14. Rosner BA. Fundamentals of biostatistics, 5th ed. Pacific Grove, CA: Duxbury Thomson Learning, 2000:563. 15. Nilsson L, Hedner U, Nilsson IM, Robertson B. Shelf-life of bank blood and stored plasma with special reference to coagulation factors.  Evaluating novel cardiovascular risk factors: can we better predict heart attacks?  1999;130:933–7. 18. Mondoro TH, Shafer BC, Vostal JG. Restoration of in vitro responses in platelets stored in plasma.  genotype, and donor cardiovascular disease.  21. Evans RW, Sankey SS, Hauth BA, Sutton-Tyrrell K, Kamboh MI, Kuller LH. Effect of sample storage on quantitation of lipoprotein(a) by an enzymelinked immunosorbent assay. Lipids 1996;31:1197–203. 22. Brey RL, Cote SA, McGlasson DL, Triplett DA, Barna LK. Effects of repeated freeze-thaw cycles on anticardiolipin antibody immunoreactivity.  Kayaba K, Ishikawa S, Gotoh T, Nago N, Kajii E, Nakamura Y, et al. Five-year intra-individual variability in C-reactive protein levels in a Japanese population-based study: the Jichi Medical School Cohort Study at Yamato, 1993– 1998.
Shot Orientation Controls for Interactive Cinematography with 360 Video

Virtual reality filmmakers creating 360-degree video currently rely on cinematography techniques that were developed for traditional narrow field of view film. They typically edit together a sequence of shots so that they appear at a fixed-orientation irrespective of the viewer's field of view. But because viewers set their own camera orientation they may miss important story content while looking in the wrong direction. We present new interactive shot orientation techniques that are designed to help viewers see all of the important content in 360-degree video stories. Our viewpoint-oriented technique reorients the shot at each cut so that the most important content lies in the the viewer's current field of view. Our active reorientation technique, lets the viewer press a button to immediately reorient the shot so that important content lies in their field of view. We present a 360-degree video player which implements these techniques and conduct a user study which finds that users spend 5.2-9.5% more time viewing the important points (manually labelled) of the scene with our techniques compared to the traditional fixed-orientation cuts. In practice, 360-degree video creators may label important content, but we also provide an automatic method for determining important content in existing 360-degree videos.
Pneumonia in multiple injured patients: a prospective controlled trial on early prediction using clinical and immunological parameters

In a prospective trial 266 multiple injured patients were included to evaluate clinical risk factors and immune parameters related to pneumonia.¶Methods: Clinical and humoral parameters were assessed and multivariate analysis performed.¶Results: The multivariate analysis (odds ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI)) revealed male gender (3.65), traumatic brain injury (TBI) (2.52), thorax trauma (AISthorax≤ 3) (2.05), antibiotic prophylaxis (1.30), injury severity score (ISS) (1.03 per ISS point) and the age (1.02 per year) as risk factors for pneumonia. The main pathogens were Acinetobacter Baumannii (40%) and Staphylococcus aureus (25%). A tendency towards higher Procalcitonin (PCT) and Interleukin (IL)-6 levels two days after trauma was observed for pneumonia patients.¶Conclusion: The immune parameters (PCT, IL-6, IL-10, soluble tumor necrosis factor p-55 and p-75) could not confirm the diagnosis of pneumonia earlier than the clinical parameters.
Risedronate therapy for the prevention of steroid-induced osteoporosis in patients with minimal-change nephrotic syndrome.

Minimal-change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is treated by the administration of prednisolone (PSL) at high doses. Steroid-induced osteoporosis is a serious adverse effect of this drug.



Patients with MCNS were randomly assigned to two groups, the risedronate (2.5 mg/day) + alfacalcidol (0.25 µg/day) group (n=20) and the alfacalcidol (0.25 µg/day)-alone group (n=20). All the patients had received PSL and the clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups at baseline and at 12 months.



A significant decrease of the mean bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine from 0.710±0.162 (g/cm(2)) to 0.588±0.125 was observed in the alfacalcidol-alone group (p=0.02), while no such decrease of the bone mineral density was found in the risedronate + alfacalcidol group (0.663±0.169 at baseline and 0.626±0.129 at 12 months). No significant differences in the results of other biochemical tests performed at the baseline and at 12 months were observed between the two groups. The likelihood of development of steroid-induced osteoporosis was influenced by the cumulative dose of PSL, the mean BMD at the baseline, occurrence of disease relapse, and risedronate therapy.



Risedronate appears to be effective in preventing steroid-induced osteoporosis. It is necessary to use bisphosphonates to maintain the BMD in patients with MCNS receiving prolonged steroid therapy.
Exposure to virtual social interactions in the treatment of social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

This randomized controlled trial investigated the efficacy of a stand-alone virtual reality exposure intervention comprising verbal interaction with virtual humans to target heterogeneous social fears in participants with social anxiety disorder. Sixty participants (Mage = 36.9 years; 63.3% women) diagnosed with social anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to individual virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET), individual in vivo exposure therapy (iVET), or waiting-list. Multilevel regression analyses revealed that both treatment groups improved from pre-to postassessment on social anxiety symptoms, speech duration, perceived stress, and avoidant personality disorder related beliefs when compared to the waiting-list. Participants receiving iVET, but not VRET, improved on fear of negative evaluation, speech performance, general anxiety, depression, and quality of life relative to those on waiting-list. The iVET condition was further superior to the VRET condition regarding decreases in social anxiety symptoms at post- and follow-up assessments, and avoidant personality disorder related beliefs at follow-up. At follow-up, all improvements were significant for iVET. For VRET, only the effect for perceived stress was significant. VRET containing extensive verbal interaction without any cognitive components can effectively reduce complaints of generalized social anxiety disorder. Future technological and psychological improvements of virtual social interactions might further enhance the efficacy of VRET for social anxiety disorder.