nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Effect of glucose tablets on craving for cigarettes

Clients attending a smokers clinic were randomly allocated to two groups to assess the effects of glucose tablets in reducing craving for cigarettes. Smokers who had already been abstinent for 1 week were eligible to take part in the study. All subjects completed ratings relating to urge to smoke and craving. Then subjects in one group were given packets of dextrose tablets and those in the other group were given packets of tablets containing sorbitol (a low calorie sweetener). Ratings of urges to smoke and craving were taken after 1 week, during which time the subjects had been asked to chew their tablets ad lib. Eight out of ten smokers in each group maintained abstinence. The remaining two smokers either did not abstain or did not turn up for the second measurement session. There was a significant reduction in ratings of urges to smoke and craving in the glucose group compared with the sorbitol group. These results support a theory postulating a link between glucoregulation and cigarette craving. If the results are replicated and it is shown that the reduction in craving translates into improved abstinence rates, oral glucose could be of assistance to smokers wishing to give up.
Using Rasch analysis to evaluate the validity of the diabetes-specific version of the Illness Perception Questionnaire--Revised.

This study used Rasch analysis to examine the psychometric validity of the Illness Perception Questionnaire--Revised to assess beliefs about diabetes in 470 participants with Type 2 diabetes and 71 participants with Type 1 diabetes. All Illness Perception Questionnaire--Revised scales had psychometric issues, which included poorly utilised response categories, poor scale precision and multidimensionality. Following re-engineering, only four of the eight scales (Consequences, Illness coherence, Timeline cyclical and Emotional representations) were psychometrically adequate according to the Rasch model. The diabetes-specific version of the Illness Perception Questionnaire--Revised provides suboptimal assessment of beliefs held by patients with diabetes.
Neuromuskuläres Defizit bei chronischer Sprunggelenkinstabilität

Die peroneale Reaktionszeit (PRT) dient zur Beurteilung eines neuromuskulären Defizits bei der chronisch funktionellen Sprunggelenkinstabilität. Ziel dieser Studie ist es, die PRT an einem großen Patientenkollektiv mit chronischer Sprunggelenkinstabilität zu bestimmen, da unklar ist, ob bei diesen Patienten dieser Parameter als Ausdruck eines neuromuskulären Defizits grundsätzlich erhöht ist. 186 Patienten durchliefen einen diagnostischen Algorithmus aus Anamnese, klinischer Untersuchung, Röntgendiagnostik und Bestimmung der PRT auf einer Kippplattform. Eine verlängerte PRT ließ sich bei der überwiegenden Mehrzahl der Patienten (n = 143; 77 %) nachweisen. Bei 41 % (n = 77) zeigte sich im Rahmen der radiologischen Stressdiagnostik ein signifikanter Seitenunterschied zwischen betroffenem und gesundem Bein bei der Taluskippung (p = 0,002) und beim Talusvorschub (p = 0,04). Von diesen 77 Patienten hatten nur 15 Patienten (8 %) ein radiologisch nachgewiesenes rein mechanisches Problem. Als eine Folge von rezidivierenden Umknicktraumen der Sprunggelenke ist in den meisten Fällen von einem posttraumatischen Defizit der Propriozeptivität auszugehen. Als Konsequenz ergibt sich ein konservativer Therapieansatz mit gezieltem Training zur Schulung der neuromuskulären und propriozeptiven Defizite. The peroneal reaction time (PRT) is used in the assessment of neuromuscular deficits in chronic functional ankle instability. Powered by the Editorial Manager® and Preprint Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation the present study was conducted to determine the PRT in a large collective of patients with chronic ankle instability because it is unclear if this parameter of neuromuscular deficit is prolonged. In this study 186 patients underwent a diagnostic algorithm consisting of anamnesis, clinical examination, X-ray and determination of the PRT on a tilting platform. A prolonged PRT as a manifestation of a neuromuscular deficit could be detected in the majority of the patients (n = 143, 77 %). Comparing the affected and healthy legs 77 patients (41 %) showed a significant difference in talar shift (p = 0.002) and talar tilt (p = 0.04) in the radiological stress views. Of these 77 patients only 15 (8 %) showed radiological evidence of a mechanical problem. As a consequence of recurring ankle sprains a post-traumatic deficit in proprioception has to be expected in most cases. In general a conservative therapy approach should be followed including specific training to improve neuromuscular and proprioceptive deficits.
A randomized prospective trial of airway pressure release ventilation and low tidal volume ventilation in adult trauma patients with acute respiratory failure.

Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) is a mode of mechanical ventilation, which has demonstrated potential benefits in trauma patients. We therefore sought to compare relevant pulmonary data and safety outcomes of this modality to the recommendations of the Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network.



Patients admitted after traumatic injury requiring mechanical ventilation were randomized under a 72-hour waiver of consent to a respiratory protocol for APRV or low tidal volume ventilation (LOVT). Data were collected regarding demographics, Injury Severity Score, oxygenation, ventilation, airway pressure, failure of modality, tracheostomy, ventilator-associated pneumonia, ventilator days, length of stay (LOS), pneumothorax, and mortality.



Sixty-three patients were enrolled during a 21-month period ending in February 2006. Thirty-one patients were assigned to APRV and 32 to LOVT. Patients were well matched for demographic variables with no differences between groups. Mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score was higher for APRV than LOVT (20.5 ± 5.35 vs. 16.9 ± 7.17) with a p value = 0.027. Outcome variables showed no differences between APRV and LOVT for ventilator days (10.49 days ± 7.23 days vs. 8.00 days ± 4.01 days), ICU LOS (16.47 days ± 12.83 days vs. 14.18 days ± 13.26 days), pneumothorax (0% vs. 3.1%), ventilator-associated pneumonia per patient (1.00 ± 0.86 vs. 0.56 ± 0.67), percent receiving tracheostomy (61.3% vs. 65.6%), percent failure of modality (12.9% vs. 15.6%), or percent mortality (6.45% vs. 6.25%).



For patients sustaining significant trauma requiring mechanical ventilation for greater than 72 hours, APRV seems to have a similar safety profile as the LOVT. Trends for APRV patients to have increased ventilator days, ICU LOS, and ventilator-associated pneumonia may be explained by initial worse physiologic derangement demonstrated by higher Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores.
Portomesenteric thrombosis following laparoscopic bariatric surgery: incidence, patterns of clinical presentation, and etiology in a bariatric patient population.

To describe the incidence of, the patterns of clinical presentation of, and the reasons for portomesenteric vein thrombosis among patients who underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery.



Retrospective, multicenter study.



Six academic bariatric centers.



Morbidly obese patients diagnosed with portomesenteric vein thrombosis following laparoscopic bariatric surgery between January 2007 and June 2012.



Clinical presentation, diagnostic measures used, treatments employed, outcome, and hematologic workup of patients.



Of 5706 patients who underwent laparoscopic bariatric surgery, 17 (0.3%) had portomesenteric vein thrombosis, 16 after sleeve gastrectomy and 1 following adjustable gastric banding. Seven patients were women, the mean age was 38 years, and the mean body mass index was 44.3. The median time to presentation was 10.1 days, and the median time to diagnosis was 11.7 days. New-onset epigastric pain was present in all patients, whereas other signs and symptoms were sporadically found. Computed tomography was performed and was diagnostic in 16 cases. Ultrasonography was used for 9 patients, and positive results were found for 8 of these patients. Patients were treated by anticoagulation with subcutaneous low-molecular-weight heparin (n = 15) or intravenous heparin (n = 2), followed by warfarin sodium. One patient underwent transhepatic portal infusion of streptokinase. Three patients required surgery: laparoscopic splenectomy due to infarct and abscess for 1 patient and laparotomy for 2 patients (with necrotic small-bowl resection for 1 of these patients). There were no deaths.



Portomesenteric vein thrombosis is rare after laparoscopic bariatric surgery. Familiarity with this dangerous entity is important. Prompt diagnosis and care, initiated by a high index of suspicion, is crucial.
Effect of respiratory muscle endurance training in patients with COPD undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation.

Respiratory muscle endurance training (hyperpnea training) has been shown to have beneficial effects in patients with COPD.



The purpose of this study was to determine whether hyperpnea training, when added to an endurance exercise training program, would lead to additional benefits compared with endurance training alone in patients with COPD.



Patients with COPD entering an 8-week outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program. Fifteen patients (mean [+/- SE] FEV1, 45 +/- 6% predicted) were randomized to combined therapy, and 14 patients (mean FEV1, 44 +/- 4% predicted) were randomized to endurance training.



Peak exercise capacity, exercise endurance time during constant workload cycle exercise, 6-min walk distance, quality of life as measured by the chronic respiratory questionnaire, respiratory muscle strength and endurance, and quadriceps fatigability were measured before and after endurance or combined training.



After rehabilitation, peak exercise capacity, exercise endurance time, 6-min walk distance, and quality of life all increased in both groups, but there was no significant difference in the extent of improvement between groups. Mean respiratory muscle endurance increased to a significantly greater extent in the combined therapy group (17.5 +/- 2.7 vs 8.5 +/- 2.5 min, respectively; p = 0.02). Respiratory muscle strength was significantly increased, and quadriceps fatigability was significantly reduced after rehabilitation in the combined therapy group but not in the endurance training group, but the difference between groups did not reach statistical significance.



The endurance of the respiratory muscles can be improved by specific training beyond that achieved by endurance training alone in patients with COPD. However, this improvement did not translate into additional improvement in quality of life or exercise performance.
In vivo dosimetry for prostate cancer patients using an electronic portal imaging device (EPID); demonstration of internal organ motion.

To investigate the use of a commercially available video-based EPID for in vivo dosimetry during treatment of prostate cancer patients.



For 10 prostate cancer patients, the inter-fraction variation within measured portal dose images (PDIs) was assessed and measured PDIs were compared with corresponding predicted PDIs based on the planning CT scan of the patient.



For the lateral fields, the average standard deviation in the measured on-axis portal doses during the course of a treatment was 0.9%; for the anterior fields this standard deviation was 2.2%. The difference between the average on-axis measured portal dose and the predicted portal dose was 0.3+/-2.1% (1 SD) for the lateral fields and 0.7+/-3.4% (1 SD) for the anterior fields. Off-axis differences between measured and predicted portal doses were regularly much larger (up to 15%) and were caused by frequently occurring gas pockets inside the rectum of the patients during treatment or during acquisition of the planning CT scan. The detected gas pockets did sometimes extend into the gross tumour volume (GTV) area as outlined in the planning CT scans, implying a shift of the anterior rectum wall and prostate in the anterior direction (internal organ motion).



The developed procedures for measurement and prediction of PDIs allow accurate dosimetric quality control of the treatment of prostate cancer patients. Comparing measured PDIs with predicted PDIs can reveal internal organ motion.
Classification using partial least squares with penalized logistic regression

One important aspect of data-mining of microarray data is to discover the molecular variation among cancers. In microarray studies, the number n of samples is relatively small compared to the number p of genes per sample (usually in thousands). It is known that standard statistical methods in classification are efficient (i.e. in the present case, yield successful classifiers) particularly when n is (far) larger than p. This naturally calls for the use of a dimension reduction procedure together with the classification one.



In this paper, the question of classification in such a high-dimensional setting is addressed. We view the classification problem as a regression one with few observations and many predictor variables. We propose a new method combining partial least squares (PLS) and Ridge penalized logistic regression. We review the existing methods based on PLS and/or penalized likelihood techniques, outline their interest in some cases and theoretically explain their sometimes poor behavior. Our procedure is compared with these other classifiers. The predictive performance of the resulting classification rule is illustrated on three data sets: Leukemia, Colon and Prostate.
A French validation study of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R).

The aim of the present study was to explore the concurrent validity, inter-rater agreement and diagnostic sensitivity of a French adaptation of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) as compared to other coma scales such as the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), the Full Outline of UnResponsiveness scale (FOUR) and the Wessex Head Injury Matrix (WHIM).



Multi-centric prospective study.


METHOD AND PROCEDURES
To test concurrent validity and diagnostic sensitivity, the four behavioural scales were administered in a randomized order in 77 vegetative and minimally conscious patients. Twenty-four clinicians with different professional backgrounds, levels of expertise and CRS-R experience were recruited to assess inter-rater agreement.



Good concurrent validity was obtained between the CRS-R and the three other standardized behavioural scales. Inter-rater reliability for the CRS-R total score and sub-scores was good, indicating that the scale yields reproducible findings across examiners and does not appear to be systematically biased by profession, level of expertise or CRS-R experience. Finally, the CRS-R demonstrated a significantly higher sensitivity to detect MCS patients, as compared to the GCS, the FOUR and the WHIM.



The results show that the French version of the CRS-R is a valid and sensitive scale which can be used in severely brain damaged patients by all members of the medical staff.
An evaluation of a dentifrice containing salivary peroxidase elements for the control of gingival disease in patients with irradiated head and neck cancer.

Patients who have undergone irradiation for head and neck tumors commonly have xerostomia. Loss of the protective constituents normally found in saliva leaves patients at greater risk for development of significant dental pathologic disorders, including gingival and periodontal disease. Periodontal disease and tooth extractions are currently accepted as etiologic factors for the development of osteoradionecrosis. This double-blind crossover trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of a dentifrice containing salivary peroxidase elements in the reduction of gingivitis in a population of patients with irradiated cancer. Subjects were instructed to brush with the dentifrice provided. Plaque and gingival index values were obtained and statistically compared with baseline values. A weak positive effect was found between use of the dentifrice and a reduction in gingival inflammation. Patient compliance was a limiting factor in this treatment effect. The results suggest possible efficacy for the dentifrice in augmenting traditional measures of postradiation oral health maintenance.
Defining the effects of age and gender on immune response and outcomes to melanoma vaccination: a retrospective analysis of a single-institution clinical trials’ experience

The impacts of patient age and gender on immune response (IR) and clinical outcome after cancer vaccines are not known. We hypothesized younger and female patients would have higher IR rates and better survival. Patients with resected stage IIB–IV melanoma in three clinical trials (Mel43, Mel44, Mel48) were vaccinated with 12 melanoma-associated peptides restricted by class I MHC. The cumulative incidence rate of CD8+ T cell responses (direct interferon-gamma ELIspot assay) by week 7 was compared by age and gender. Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) landmark analyses were compared by Kaplan–Meier estimates and in multivariate analyses. T cell responses were evaluated in 327 patients and detected in 50 % of males and 48 % of females, with no difference in IR by gender or menopausal status. Males had trends toward longer DFS (p = 0.12) and OS (p = 0.09). Cumulative incidence of IR was higher in patients <64 years of age versus older patients (p = 0.03). OS and DFS were similar by age group (p > 0.50). In multivariate modeling, younger age was associated with better IR (OR 0.40, p value 0.003), without an impact of age or gender on clinical outcomes. These data support the hypothesis that older patients are less likely to develop T cell responses to a cancer vaccine. Nonetheless, significant proportions of older patients mount immune responses with comparable survival outcomes. Thus, these data support including older patients in cancer vaccine trials, but suggest value in stratifying patients by age </>64 years.
Baseline characteristics of patients in the treatment of preserved cardiac function heart failure with an aldosterone antagonist trial.

Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function with an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT) is an ongoing randomized controlled trial of spironolactone versus placebo for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We sought to describe the baseline clinical characteristics of subjects enrolled in TOPCAT relative to other contemporary observational studies and randomized clinical trials of HFpEF.



Between August 2006 and January 2012, 3445 patients with symptomatic HFpEF from 270 sites in 6 countries were enrolled in TOPCAT. At the baseline study visit, all subjects provided a detailed medical history and underwent physical examination, electrocardiography, quality of life, and laboratory assessment. Key parameters were compared with other large, contemporary HFpEF studies. The mean age was 68.6±9.6 years with a slight female predominance (52%); mean body mass index was 32 kg/m2; and comorbidities were common. History of hypertension (91% prevalence in TOPCAT) exceeded all other major HFpEF clinical trials. However, baseline blood pressure was well controlled (129/76 mm Hg; systolic blood pressure 7-16 mm Hg lower than other similar trials). Other common comorbidities included coronary artery disease (57%), atrial fibrillation (35%), chronic kidney disease (38%) and diabetes mellitus (32%). Self-reported activity levels were low, quality of life scores were comparable with those reported for patients with end-stage renal disease, and the prevalence of moderate or greater depression was 27%.



TOPCAT subjects share many common characteristics with contemporary HFpEF cohorts. Low activity level, significantly decreased quality of life, and depression were common at baseline in TOPCAT, underscoring the continued unmet need for evidence-based treatment strategies in HFpEF.
A statistical analysis of the interrelationships between disease activity in different systems in systemic lupus erythematosus.

To develop models for disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to examine the hypothesis that possible subsets exist within the disease, notably renal disease and little else, mucocutaneous and musculoskeletal disease in isolation and more multisystem disease.



Four hundred and forty patients with SLE were followed for a period of 10 yr. Socio-demographic data were obtained at the first visit with disease activity being recorded at subsequent visits and damage scores at 6-monthly intervals. Prognostic factors for active disease in each of the mucocutaneous, musculoskeletal and renal systems were examined statistically. The results were then validated using data collected over 5 yr on a further 295 SLE patients from a different centre.



Logistic regression analyses indicated that for all three systems studied a patient known to have an involvement in that system is more likely to present with active disease in that same system than a patient with no known prior involvement. Patients with a higher frequency of clinic visits with active disease in a system are more likely to represent with active disease than those with fewer visits. The results suggest that renal disease is most likely to occur on its own. Associations between activity in the mucocutaneous and musculoskeletal systems support the suggestion that patients with musculoskeletal and mucocutaneous disease alone represent a possible subset of SLE. None of the associations identified were modified by the medication a patient received.



Previous disease history and involvement of other systems determine a patient's chance of developing further episodes of active disease in SLE.
Double-blind randomized trial of risperidone versus divalproex in pediatric bipolar disorder: fMRI outcomes

The aim of this research was to determine the relative effects of risperidone and divalproex on brain function in pediatric mania. This is a double-blind 6-week functional magnetic resonance imaging trial with 24 unmedicated manic patients randomized to risperidone or divalproex, and 14 healthy controls (HCs) matched for IQ and demographic factors (mean age: 13.1±3.3years). A pediatric affective color matching task, in which subjects matched the color of a positive, negative or neutral word with one of two colored circles, was administered. The primary clinical measure was the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS). The risperidone group, relative to HC, showed an increase in activation from pre- to post-treatment in right pregenual and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex and decreased activation in bilateral middle frontal gyrus during the negative condition; and decreased activation in left inferior and medial, and right middle frontal gyri, left inferior parietal lobe, and right striatum with positive condition. In the divalproex group, relative to HC, there was an increased activation in right superior temporal gyrus in the negative condition; and in left medial frontal gyrus and right precuneus with the positive condition. Greater pre-treatment right amygdala activity with negative and positive condition in the risperidone group, and left amygdala activity with positive condition in divalproex group, predicted poor response on YMRS. Risperidone and divalproex yield differential patterns of prefrontal activity during an emotion processing task in pediatric mania. Increased amygdala activity at baseline is a potential biomarker predicting poor treatment response to both the risperidone and divalproex.