nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
A randomized controlled study of single-session behavioural treatment of earthquake-related post-traumatic stress disorder using an earthquake simulator.

Brief interventions are needed in dealing with traumatic stress problems in large survivor populations after devastating earthquakes. The present study examined the effectiveness of a single session of exposure to simulated tremors in an earthquake simulator and self-exposure instructions in reducing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).



Participants were consecutively recruited from among survivors screened during field surveys in the disaster region in Turkey. Thirty-one earthquake survivors with PTSD were assigned either to a single session of behavioural treatment (n=16) or to repeated assessments (RA; n=15). Assessments in the treatment group were at 4, 8, 12, 24 weeks and 1-2 years post-treatment. The RA cases were assessed at baseline and 4 and 8 weeks after trial entry, after which they received the same treatment and were followed up at 4, 12, 24 weeks and 1-2 years.



Between-group treatment effects at week 8 were significant on measures of fear, PTSD and self- and assessor-rated global improvement. Improvement rates were 40% at week 4, 72% at week 12, 80% at week 24, and 80% at 1-2-years' follow-up, with large effect sizes on fear and PTSD measures. Post-session reduction in fear of earthquakes and increased sense of control over fear at follow-up related to improvement in PTSD.



The study provided further evidence of the effectiveness of a single session of behavioural treatment in reducing fear and PTSD in earthquake survivors. Future research needs to examine the usefulness of earthquake simulators in increasing psychological preparedness for earthquakes.
Daily steps threshold to improve cardiovascular disease risk factors during the year after an acute coronary syndrome.

To evaluate the daily steps threshold associated with improved cardiovascular disease risk factors during the first year following an acute coronary syndrome.



Subjects (N = 41) were recruited during hospitalization for an acute coronary syndrome. A blinded pedometer with a 7-day memory (NL-2000) was used at baseline, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months following hospitalization. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were measured at baseline, 6, and 12 months after discharge. Subjects who maintained a mean of 7500 steps per day or more at each time period were classified into the active group, whereas those who did not maintain this threshold were classified into the less active group.



The active group included 25 subjects, whereas 16 subjects were included in the less active group. Daily steps mean ± SEM was different between groups at 6 and 12 months followup (11 320 ± 3380 vs 5503 ± 1502 and 10 507 ± 2861 vs 6624 ± 3295 steps per day, respectively; both P < .001). Based on the analysis of variance for repeated measures (ANOVA-RM), the active group showed lower triglycerides (P < .01), lower waist circumference (P < .01), and higher high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (P = .04) at 12 months. Interaction effects (group × followup) were also significant for HDL-C (P = .01) and triglycerides (P = .01) after adjustment for age, gender, and baseline waist circumference.



Targeting $7500 daily steps during 1 year may be efficient to maintain lowest waist circumference and to improve lipid profile during the year following an acute coronary syndrome. It could be considered a starting target point to initiate changes in physical activity behavior.
Validation of hippocampal volumes measured using a manual method and two automated methods (FreeSurfer and IBASPM) in chronic major depressive disorder

To validate the usefulness of the packages available for automated hippocampal volumetry, we measured hippocampal volumes using one manual and two recently developed automated volumetric methods. The study included T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 21 patients with chronic major depressive disorder (MDD) and 20 normal controls. Using coronal turbo field echo (TFE) MRI with a slice thickness of 1.3 mm, the hippocampal volumes were measured using three methods: manual volumetry, surface-based parcellation using FreeSurfer, and individual atlas-based volumetry using IBASPM. In addition, the intracranial cavity volume (ICV) was measured manually. The absolute left hippocampal volume of the patients with MDD measured using all three methods was significantly smaller than the left hippocampal volume of the normal controls (manual P = 0.029, FreeSurfer P = 0.035, IBASPM P = 0.018). After controlling for the ICV, except for the right hippocampal volume measured using FreeSurfer, both measured hippocampal volumes of the patients with MDD were significantly smaller than the measured hippocampal volumes of the normal controls (right manual P = 0.019, IBASPM P = 0.012; left manual P = 0.003, FreeSurfer P = 0.010, IBASPM P = 0.002),. In the intrarater reliability test, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were all excellent (manual right 0.947, left 0.934; FreeSurfer right 1.000, left 1.000; IBASPM right 1.000, left 1.000). In the test of agreement between the volumetric methods, the ICCs were right 0.846 and left 0.848 (manual and FreeSurfer), and right 0.654 and left 0.717 (manual and IBASPM). The automated hippocampal volumetric methods showed good agreement with manual hippocampal volumetry, but the volume measured using FreeSurfer was 35% larger and the agreement was questionable with IBASPM. Although the automated methods could detect hippocampal atrophy in the patients with MDD, the results indicate that manual hippocampal volumetry is still the gold standard, while the automated volumetric methods need to be improved.
Density and shape as CT predictors of intracerebral hemorrhage growth.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) growth predicts mortality and functional outcome. We hypothesized that irregular hematoma shape and density heterogeneity, reflecting active, multifocal bleeding or a variable bleeding time course, would predict ICH growth.



Three raters examined baseline sub-3-hour CT brain scans of 90 patients in the placebo arm of a Phase IIb trial of recombinant activated Factor VII in ICH. Each rater, blinded to growth data, independently applied novel 5-point categorical scales of density and shape to randomly presented baseline CT images of ICH. Density and shape were defined as either homogeneous/regular (Category 1 to 2) or heterogeneous/irregular (Category 3 to 5). Within- and between-rater reliability was determined for these scales. Growth was assessed as a continuous variable and using 3 binary definitions: (1) any ICH growth; (2) >or=33% or >or=12.5 mL ICH growth; and (3) radial growth >1 mm between baseline and 24-hour CT scan. Patients were divided into tertiles of baseline ICH volume: "small" (0 to 10 mL), "medium" (10 to 25 mL), and "large" (25 to 106 mL).



Inter- and intrarater agreements for the novel scales exceeded 85% (+/-1 category). Median growth was significantly higher in the large-volume group compared with the small group (P<0.001) and in heterogeneous compared with homogeneous ICH (P=0.008). Median growth trended higher in irregular ICHs compared with regular ICHs (P=0.084). Small ICHs were more regularly shaped (43%) than medium (17%) and large (3%) ICHs (P<0.001). Small ICHs were more homogeneous (73%) compared with medium (37%) and large (17%) ICHs (P<0.001). Adjusting for baseline ICH volume and time to scan, density heterogeneity, but not shape irregularity, independently predicted ICH growth (P=0.046) on a continuous growth scale.



Large ICHs were significantly more irregular in shape, heterogeneous in density, and had greater growth. Density heterogeneity independently predicted ICH growth using some definitions.
Does silent myocardial infarction add prognostic value in ST-elevation myocardial infarction patients without a history of prior myocardial infarction? Insights from the Assessment of Pexelizumab in Acute Myocardial Infarction (APEX-AMI) Trial.

ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with a prior MI history have worse outcomes. The prognostic significance of silent MI (pathologic Q waves outside the ST-elevation territory) in STEMI is unclear.



A total of 5,733 STEMI patients from 296 clinical centers in 17 countries were classified as (1) silent MI-baseline Q waves outside the infarct-related artery territory and no history of prior MI, (2) history of prior MI (HxMI), or (3) no prior MI.



Of 5,733 STEMI patients, 419 (7.3%) had silent MI, 693 (12.1%) had HxMI, and 4,621 (80.6%) had no prior MI. Ninety-day death and death/congestive heart failure/shock were higher in patients with HxMI (8.4% and 15.3%, respectively) and silent MI (6.7% and 13.9%, respectively) compared with patients with no prior MI (4.0% and 9.1%, respectively) (P ≤ .001 for all). After baseline adjustment, patients with HxMI were at increased risk for 90-day death (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.62, 95% CI 1.18-2.21), whereas both those with HxMI and those with silent MI had increased risk of 90-day death/congestive heart failure/shock compared with those with no prior MI (adjusted HR 1.54, 95% CI 1.23-1.93 and adjusted HR 1.46, 95% CI 1.10-1.93, respectively).



Seven percent of STEMI patients had a silent MI. They represent a novel subgroup at increased risk comparable to those with known prior MI. Hence, in future studies, acquiring baseline Q wave data outside the distribution of acute injury should broaden the prognostic insights from STEMI patients with a prior MI.
Quantifying mediating effects of endogenous estrogen and insulin in the relation between obesity, alcohol consumption, and breast cancer.

Increased exposure to endogenous estrogen and/or insulin may partly explain the relationship of obesity, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption and postmenopausal breast cancer. However, these potential mediating effects have not been formally quantified in a survival analysis setting.



We combined data from two case-cohort studies based in the Women's Health Initiative-Observational Study with serum estradiol levels, one of which also had insulin levels. A total of 1,601 women (601 cases) aged 50 to 79 years who were not using hormone therapy at enrollment were included. Mediating effects were estimated by applying a new method based on the additive hazard model.



A five-unit increase in body mass index (BMI) was associated with 50.0 [95% confidence interval (CI), 23.2-76.6] extra cases per 100,000 women at-risk per year. Of these, 23.8% (95% CI, 2.9-68.4) could be attributed to estradiol and 65.8% (95% CI, 13.6-273.3) through insulin pathways. The mediating effect of estradiol was greater (48.8%; 95% CI, 18.8-161.1) for BMI when restricted to estrogen receptor positive (ER(+)) cases. Consuming 7+ drinks/wk compared with abstinence was associated with 164.9 (95% CI, 45.8-284.9) breast cancer cases per 100,000, but no significant contribution from estradiol was found. The effect of alcohol on breast cancer was restricted to ER(+) breast cancers.



The relation of BMI with breast cancer was partly mediated through estradiol and, to a greater extent, through insulin.



The findings provide support for evaluation of interventions to lower insulin and estrogen levels in overweight and obese postmenopausal women to reduce breast cancer risk.
Clinical effects of actarit in rheumatoid arthritis: improvement of early disease activity mediated by reduction of serum concentrations of nitric oxide.

We previously reported the presence of high serum concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study we evaluated the effect of actarit on patients with early and advanced stages of RA and the relationship between RA activity and serum NO levels.



Thirty-seven RA patients who were undergoing care at Sasebo Chuo Hospital were entered into the study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the severity of their disease: group I (stages I and II) and group II (stages III and IV). NO concentrations in serum samples were measured by the chemiluminescence method.



Morning stiffness, the number of tender and swollen joints, grip strength, pain score, modified Health Assessment Questionnaire score (mHAQ), ESR, CRP and the Lansbury index significantly improved during 24 weeks of treatment in group I. Patients in group II did not show improvement in morning stiffness, pain score, ESR or CRP during treatment. The concentrations of NO in group I were significantly reduced at 8 weeks after administration of actarit. Those in group II showed a delayed response; a significant decrease in NO occurred at 20 weeks. The improvement in the number of tender and swollen joints, grip strength, pain score, mHAQ and Lansbury index noted in group I preceded the fall in NO concentrations.



Our results demonstrate that actarit improves disease activity in early phase RA by suppressing serum NO levels. The results suggest that NO is a useful marker for monitoring improvement in the early stages of RA.
Application of a continuous regression model of restenosis to saphenous vein grafts after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty or directional coronary atherectomy.

To evaluate a quantitative model of restenosis in patients with vein graft disease undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or directional coronary atherectomy (DCA).



A quantitative relationship between acute gain and late loss has been developed to describe the late changes in lumen dimension after native vessel coronary intervention. This same relationship may also be seen after treatment of saphenous vein graft disease.



Patients with native coronary artery stenoses (CAVEAT-I) or saphenous vein graft lesions (CAVEAT-II) were randomized to either DCA or PTCA, and data from these trials were analyzed retrospectively. Angiographic results of the target lesions were reviewed, and each lesion was assessed for vessel caliber and reference diameter, absolute minimal lumen diameter, percent diameter stenosis, percent stenosis of the cross-sectional area, acute gain and late loss. Linear regression models were used to determine late loss and to detect differences in angiographic outcomes.



Vein grafts had significantly larger reference vessel diameters than native coronary arteries; they also had significantly more acute gain and more late loss. Directional coronary atherectomy was associated with a larger acute gain in both studies. Patients undergoing DCA also experienced greater late loss although the effect was statistically significant only in the CAVEAT-I study. After adjusting for the acute gain, the treatment effect on late loss became nonsignificant in both studies.



In patients undergoing DCA or PTCA of saphenous vein graft narrowings, the relationship between late loss and acute gain is also demonstrated, similar to the device-independent relationships seen in native coronary lesions. In CAVEAT-II, larger degrees of acute gain were also associated with higher degrees of late lumen loss.
Nocturnal peak in atrial tachyarrhythmia occurrence as a function of arrhythmia burden.

We examined circadian periodicity of atrial tachyarrhythmias (AT/AF) in a large group of patients with implantable devices, which allow continuous collection of the event data over prolonged periods of time.



A total of 16,130 AT/AF events were recorded in 236 patients (age: 63 ± 12 years, 27% female, 90% had a history of cardiovascular disease, 33% ischemic, LVEF: 49 ± 18%) over a period of 12 months. To exclude interactions with therapy, the patterns of arrhythmia occurrence were examined for all events and for those episodes that were preceded by at least 1, 6, and 24 hours of sinus rhythm. To prevent biasing toward patients with more frequent episodes, the patterns of AT/AF onset were analyzed both in absolute and patient-normalized (i.e., divided by the total number of events in each patient) units per hour per patient and then summarized for the entire group. In patients with <4 AT/AF events, the onset times were randomly distributed over 24-hour period. However, as the number of AT/AF events increased, a nocturnal pattern of occurrence (determined by the occurrence of a trough around noon) gradually emerged and became highly statistically significant (P < 10(-4) ). The magnitude of nocturnal peak of AT/AF events was well explained by a single-exponential function (R(2) = 0.97, P < 10(-2) ).



Patients with more frequent atrial tachyarrhythmias are more likely to develop AT/AF at night. Knowledge of patient-specific circadian patterns of arrhythmia occurrence can be useful for personalized management of individuals with significant arrhythmia burden.
A reexamination of a childhood cancer stereotype.

To examine whether young adults have stereotypical beliefs toward children who have been treated for cancer.



Undergraduate participants read a vignette describing a child labeled either healthy (HL), in remission from cancer and no longer undergoing treatment (RCL), or in remission and still undergoing treatment (RCTL) and rated the child on the Ratings of the Child Questionnaire (ROCQ). Univariate and multivariate analyses of variance were conducted.



Participants rated the HL child more positively than the RCL or RCTL child; the RCL and RCTL child ratings did not differ. Females evaluated the child more positively than did males.



These results support previous findings of a childhood cancer stereotype. However, effect sizes were small, which may indicate a weak stereotype with these specific participants.
Five-year outcome of catheter ablation of persistent atrial fibrillation using termination of atrial fibrillation as a procedural endpoint.

This study aimed to determine 5-year efficacy of catheter ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) using AF termination as a procedural end point.



One hundred fifty patients (57±10 years) underwent persistent AF ablation using a stepwise ablation approach (pulmonary vein isolation, electrogram-guided, and linear ablation) with the desired procedural end point being AF termination. Repeat ablation was performed for recurrent AF or atrial tachycardia. AF was terminated by ablation in 120 patients (80%). Arrhythmia-free survival rates after a single procedure were 35.3%±3.9%, 28.0%±3.7%, and 16.8%±3.2% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Arrhythmia-free survival rates after the last procedure (mean 2.1±1.0 procedures) were 89.7%±2.5%, 79.8%±3.4%, and 62.9%±4.5%, at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. During a median follow-up of 58 (interquartile range, 43-73) months after the last ablation procedure, 97 of 150 (64.7%) patients remained in sinus rhythm without antiarrhythmic drugs. Another 14 (9.3%) patients maintained sinus rhythm after reinitiation of antiarrhythmic drugs, and an additional 15 (10.0%) patients regressed to paroxysmal recurrences only. Failure to terminate AF during the index procedure (hazard ratio 3.831; 95% confidence interval, 2.070-7.143; P<0.001), left atrial diameter≥50 mm (hazard ratio 2.083; 95% confidence interval, 1.078-4.016; P=0.03), continuous AF duration≥18 months (hazard ratio 1.984; 95% confidence interval, 1.024-3.846; P<0.04), and structural heart disease (hazard ratio 1.874; 95% confidence interval, 1.037-3.388; P=0.04) predicted arrhythmia recurrence.



In patients with persistent AF, an ablation strategy aiming at AF termination is associated with freedom from arrhythmia recurrence in the majority of patients over a 5-year follow-up period. Procedural AF nontermination and specific baseline factors predict long-term outcome after ablation.
Cholesterol-lowering ability of a phytostanol softgel supplement in adults with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia

Plant sterols, incorporated into spreads and other food sources, have been shown to lower serum cholesterol concentrations. The effect of phytostanol supplementation in softgel form has not been assessed. Our objective was to examine the effects of sitostanol as sitostanol ester in softgel form on serum lipid concentrations in hypercholesterolemic individuals. Thirty hypercholesterolemic adults were supplemented with 1.6 g of free phytostanol equivalents as phytostanol ester (2.7 g stanol esters) or placebo per day for 28 d in a randomized, double-blind, parallel study design. Phytostanol supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC) (−8%) and LDL-cholesterol (−9%). There were no alterations in concentrations of HDL-cholesterol or TG. Nor were the ratios of LDL/HDL or TC/HDL altered significantly. Thus, use of phytostanol ester softgel supplements improved serum total and LDL-cholesterol concentrations in hypercholesterolemic individuals.
Investigation of two Wnt signalling pathway single nucleotide polymorphisms in a breast cancer-affected Australian population.

In the mammary gland, Wnt signals are strongly implicated in initial development of the mammary rudiments and in the ductal branching and alveolar morphogenesis that occurs during pregnancy. Previously, we identified two Wnt signaling pathway-implicated genes, PPP3CA and MARK4, as having a role in more aggressive and potentially metastatic breast tumors. In this study, we examined two SNPs within PPP3CA and MARK4 in an Australian case-control study population for a potential role in human breast cancers. 182 cases and 180 controls were successfully genotyped for the PPP3CA SNP (rs2850328) and 182 cases and 177 controls were successfully genotyped for the MARK4 SNP (rs2395) using High Resolution Melt (HRM) analysis. Genotypes of randomly selected samples for both SNPs were validated by dye terminator sequencing. Chi-square tests were performed to determine any significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies between the cases and controls. Chi-square analysis showed no statistically significant difference (p > .05) for genotype frequencies between cases and controls for rs2850328 (chi2 = 1.2, p = .5476) or rs2395 (chi2 = .3, p = .8608). Similarly, no statistical difference was observed for allele frequencies for rs2850328 (chi2 = .68, p = .4108) or rs2395 (chi2 = .02, p = .893). Even though an association of the polymorphisms rs2850328 and rs2395 and breast cancer was not detected in our case-control study population, other variants within the PPP3CA and MARK4 genes may still be associated with breast cancer, as both genes are implicated with processes involved in the disease as well as their mutual partaking in the Wnt signaling pathway.