nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Fructan supplementation and infection affect food intake, fever, and epithelial sloughing from Salmonella challenge in weanling puppies.

Our objective was to examine the effects of fructan supplementation on the immune response of weanling puppies subjected to bacterial challenge. Previous studies in bacterial challenged neonatal piglets have reported benefits of fructan supplementation. Thirty hound-cross puppies (12 wk of age) were used in a 2 x 3 factorial randomized complete block design. Following a 7-d baseline period, puppies were assigned to diets containing: 1) no prebiotic, 2) 1% short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS), or 3) 1% inulin. After 14 d on treatment diet, dogs received an oral gavage of: 1) Salmonella typhimurium DT104 (5 x 10(8) colony forming units) or 2) 0.9% saline. Food intake, fecal and activity scores, body temperature, body weight, blood chemistry, intestinal nutrient transport, intestinal morphology and pathology, and gut microbiota were measured. Food intake decreased (P < 0.01) and body temperature increased (P < 0.05) in infected puppies. However, the decrease in food intake was less (P < 0.05) in those consuming fructans. Infected puppies consuming fructans also had decreased (P = 0.05) severity of enterocyte sloughing than those fed the control diet. Ileal Na+-dependent glucose transport was decreased (P = 0.02) in infected vs. noninfected puppies consuming CON, whereas no changes occurred in fructan-supplemented animals. Puppies consuming inulin also had increased fecal acetate (P = 0.03) and total short-chain fatty acid (P = 0.06) concentrations than scFOS-fed puppies and controls. Finally, puppies fed inulin had an increase (P = 0.05) in Lactobacillus concentrations compared with scFOS and CON. In summary, fructan supplementation appeared to attenuate some of the negative responses associated with Salmonella challenge and may provide protection against infection in weanling puppies.
Reduced pre-hospital and in-hospital survival rates after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus: an observational prospective community-based study.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a major cause of death. We aimed to determine whether type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with reduced pre-hospital and in-hospital survival rates after OHCA.



An observational community-based cohort study was performed among 1549 OHCA patients with ECG-documented ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF). We compared pre-hospital and in-hospital survival rates between T2DM patients and non-diabetic patients. Analyses among T2DM patients were stratified according to current T2DM treatment, used as proxy for T2DM severity. Proportions of neurologically intact survival were analysed. Pre-hospital survival rates were lower in T2DM patients (n = 275) than in non-diabetic patients (n = 1274); 48.7 vs. 55.8% (univariate P = 0.032). Type-2 diabetes mellitus was associated with lower pre-hospital survival [OR 0.75 (0.58-0.98); after evaluation of the risk factors, we found no relevant confounding]. Patients treated with insulin only had lower pre-hospital survival rates than patients treated with oral glucose-lowering drugs only (37.3 vs. 53.3%, univariate P = 0.034), partially explained by location of OHCA and EMS response time [ORadj 0.62 (0.33-1.17)]. In-hospital survival rates were also lower in T2DM patients (n = 134) than in non-diabetic patients (n = 711); 40.3 vs. 57.7%, univariate P < 0.001. In those patients whose cause of OHCA was retrieved (n = 771), T2DM was significantly associated with lower in-hospital survival [ORadj 0.57 (0.37-0.87)]. Neurologically intact status at discharge was similarly high among T2DM and non-diabetic patients (94.4 vs. 94.6%, P = 0.954).



T2DM is associated with lower pre-hospital and in-hospital survival rates after OHCA. Neurologically intact status at hospital discharge is high both among T2DM and non-diabetic patients.
Perinatal factors associated with clinical presentation of osteosarcoma in children and adolescents.

Osteosarcoma typically develops during puberty with tumors arising at sites of rapid bone growth, suggesting a role for growth-regulating pathways in tumor etiology. Birthweight is one measure of perinatal growth that has been investigated as an osteosarcoma risk factor. Whether birthweight affects clinical features of osteosarcoma remains unexplored.



Six hundred seventy patients with osteosarcoma, aged 0-19 years, were identified through the California Cancer Registry. We analyzed birth certificate data from the California Department of Public Health vital statistics unit for these patients and 2,860 controls, matched by sex, birth-year, and race/ethnicity. We examined the impact of birthweight on the risk, timing, and clinical presentation of pediatric osteosarcoma including tumor location, size, extension, differentiation, presence of metastasis, and age at onset. Regression models were adjusted for race, sex, gestational age, socioeconomic status, and tumor site.



Higher birthweight was associated with more advanced tumor stage (P = 0.017), a trend toward greater tumor extension into surrounding tissues (P = 0.083), and with occurrence of tumors in sites other than the long bones of the arms/legs (P = 9.7 × 10-3 ). Higher birthweight was also associated with an increased likelihood of metastases present at diagnosis (P = 0.047), with each 200 g increase in birthweight associated with a 1.11-fold increase in the odds of having metastatic disease (95% confidence interval: 1.01-1.22).



The association between higher birthweight and more aggressive osteosarcoma, frequently occurring at sites other than the long bones, suggests that growth pathways active during gestation may play an important role in future osteosarcoma progression, especially at anatomic sites with diminished rates of osteoblastic proliferation.
Parametric analysis and modeling of video signals

Video modeling and analysis have been of great interest in the video research community, due to their essential contribution to systematic improvements concerned in a wide range of video processing techniques. Parametric modeling and analysis of video provides appropriate means for processing the signal and the necessary mining of information for efficient representation of the signal. Video comparison, human action recognition, video retrieval, video abstraction, video transmission, and video clustering are some applications that can benefit from video modeling and analysis.
Multiple-center evaluation of mortality associated with acute kidney injury in critically ill patients: a competing risks analysis

In this study, we aimed to assess the association between acute kidney injury (AKI) and mortality in critically ill patients using an original competing risks approach.



Unselected patients admitted between 1997 and 2009 to 13 French medical or surgical intensive care units were included in this observational cohort study. AKI was defined according to the RIFLE criteria. The following data were recorded: baseline characteristics, daily serum creatinine level, daily Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score, vital status at hospital discharge and length of hospital stay. Patients were classified according to the maximum RIFLE class reached during their ICU stay. The association of AKI with hospital mortality with "discharge alive" considered as a competing event was assessed according to the Fine and Gray model.



Of the 8,639 study patients, 32.9% had AKI, of whom 19.1% received renal replacement therapy. Patients with AKI had higher crude mortality rates and longer lengths of hospital stay than patients without AKI. In the Fine and Gray model, independent risk factors for hospital mortality were the RIFLE classes Risk (sub-hazard ratio (SHR) 1.58 and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.32 to 1.88; P < 0.0001), Injury (SHR 3.99 and 95% CI 3.43 to 4.65; P < 0.0001) and Failure (SHR 4.12 and 95% CI 3.55 to 4.79; P < 0.0001); nonrenal SOFA score (SHR 1.19 per point and 95% CI 1.18 to 1.21; P < 0.0001); McCabe class 3 (SHR 2.71 and 95% CI 2.34 to 3.15; P < 0.0001); and respiratory failure (SHR 3.08 and 95% CI 1.36 to 7.01; P < 0.01).



By using a competing risks approach, we confirm in this study that AKI affecting critically ill patients is associated with increased in-hospital mortality.
Title A randomized controlled trial of a specific reminiscence approach to promote the well-being of nursing home residents with dementia

To date, no firm conclusions can be reached regarding the effectiveness of reminiscence for dementia. Researchers have emphasized that there is an urgent need for more systematic research in the area.  A single-blinded, parallel-groups (one intervention, one comparison, and one no-intervention group) randomized controlled trial (RCT) was adopted to investigate whether a specific reminiscence program leads to higher levels of psychosocial well-being in nursing home residents with dementia. The intervention adopted a life-story approach, while the comparison group provided friendly discussions to control for any changes in outcome as a result of social contacts and attention. The Social Engagement Scale (SES) and Well-being/Ill-being Scale (WIB) were the outcome measures used. The outcomes of the groups were examined with reference to the baseline (T0), immediately (T1), and six weeks (T2) after intervention. The final sample had 101 subjects (control group: n = 30; comparison group: n = 35; intervention group: n = 36). Using multivariate analysis with repeated measures, no significant differences in outcome were found between groups at either T1 or T2. Wilcoxon signed rank tests were performed for each group comparing outcomes between T1 and T0, T2 and T1, and T2 and T0. Significant differences were observed in the intervention group when comparing T1 and T0 WIB (p = .014), but not for the other groups. Correspondence should be addressed to: Claudia K. Y. Lai. School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Yuk Choi Road, Hunghom, Hong Kong, SAR, China.  Date returned to authors for revision: 26 Jul 03; Date revised version received: 3 Sep 03;  3 Sep 03.
Internal consistency, reproducibility, responsiveness, and construct validity of the Chinese (HK) version of the asthma quality of life questionnaire

The purpose of this study was to test the acceptability, psychometric properties and construct validity of a Chinese translation of the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQOL) and to determine whether it has any advantage over the Chinese (HK) version of the generic MOS SF-36 Health Survey that has been validated on Chinese in Hong Kong. Fifty-two patients with asthma were interviewed using the Chinese (HK) AQOL and the Chinese (HK) SF-36. Thirty-four of the 52 patients were interviewed a second time 6 months later using the same questionnaires. The Cronbach's α coefficients were above 0.7 for all four domains of the AQOL questionnaire. Significant correlations were found between the scores of each of the four domains of the Chinese (HK) AQOL and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (%predicted) during the initial visit and between changes in the mean scores of most of the domains of Chinese (HK) AQOL and changes in FEV1 between visits. The Chinese (HK) AQOL was found to be reproducible in those with stable asthma, and for those whose asthma severity changed between visits, there was significant change in one of the domains. It can detect differences in quality of life in asthma patients of varying severity. We conclude that the Chinese (HK) translation of the AQOL is reliable, valid, reproducible and discriminative and can be used to supplement generic instruments in evaluating the quality of life of patients with asthma.
Web-based instrument to assess skills in visual inspection of the cervix among healthcare providers.

To validate a web-based instrument for assessing healthcare providers' skills in visual inspection with acetic acid or Lugol iodine (VIA/VILI) for the diagnosis and management of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.



An observational cross-sectional study enrolled healthcare providers in a web-based assessment of VIA/VILI skills between August and November 2014. Participants participated in a four-module training course, followed by a multiple-choice test with 70 questions based on cervical photographs of HPV-positive women participating in cervical screening. Logistic regression was used to identify relationships between independent variables and success on the test.



Overall, 255 participants completed the test and 99 (38.8%) passed. No correlation was found between age or sex and test performance. Compared with other healthcare workers, physicians (odds ratio [OR] 1.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-3.63; P=0.048), and participants with more colposcopy experience (OR 3.62, 95% CI 1.91-6.85; P<0.001) and postgraduate VIA/VILI training (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.16-3.29; P=0.012) were more likely to pass the test. Participants who repeated the test (31/255 [12.2%]) were five times more likely to succeed on their second repeat (OR 5.89, 95% CI 1.46-23.73; P=0.013).



Web-based training for VIA/VILI is feasible and can identify healthcare workers who are proficient in this technique.
Patterns of Gray Matter Abnormalities in Schizophrenia Based on an International Mega-analysis.

Analyses of gray matter concentration (GMC) deficits in patients with schizophrenia (Sz) have identified robust changes throughout the cortex. We assessed the relationships between diagnosis, overall symptom severity, and patterns of gray matter in the largest aggregated structural imaging dataset to date. We performed both source-based morphometry (SBM) and voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses on GMC images from 784 Sz and 936 controls (Ct) across 23 scanning sites in Europe and the United States. After correcting for age, gender, site, and diagnosis by site interactions, SBM analyses showed 9 patterns of diagnostic differences. They comprised separate cortical, subcortical, and cerebellar regions. Seven patterns showed greater GMC in Ct than Sz, while 2 (brainstem and cerebellum) showed greater GMC for Sz. The greatest GMC deficit was in a single pattern comprising regions in the superior temporal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus, and medial frontal cortex, which replicated over analyses of data subsets. VBM analyses identified overall cortical GMC loss and one small cluster of increased GMC in Sz, which overlapped with the SBM brainstem component. We found no significant association between the component loadings and symptom severity in either analysis. This mega-analysis confirms that the commonly found GMC loss in Sz in the anterior temporal lobe, insula, and medial frontal lobe form a single, consistent spatial pattern even in such a diverse dataset. The separation of GMC loss into robust, repeatable spatial patterns across multiple datasets paves the way for the application of these methods to identify subtle genetic and clinical cohort effects.
Long-term effectiveness of lithium in bipolar disorder: a multicenter investigation of patients with typical and atypical features.

Poor response to long-term lithium treatment has been reported to be associated with atypical features of bipolar disorder. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of atypical symptoms on the effectiveness and stability of long-term lithium treatment in a prospective, multicenter cohort of bipolar patients in a naturalistic setting.



Patients were initially selected according to International Classification of Diseases, 8th Revision, criteria for bipolar disorder and required long-term treatment. Their diagnoses were reconfirmed according to DSM-IV upon its publication. They were prospectively followed for an approximately 20-year period ending in 2004 in 5 centers participating in the International Group for the Study of Lithium-Treated Patients. Examinations included a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation, an assessment of typical and atypical features on an 8-item scale, and an evaluation of clinical course using the morbidity index. Unbalanced repeated-measures regression models with structured covariance matrices were used to assess the extent to which the morbidity index was influenced by atypical symptoms, duration of treatment, and pretreatment features.



A total of 242 patients were followed for a mean period of 10 years. In 142 patients, the number of typical features was greater than the number of atypical features, whereas in 100 patients the number of atypical features was greater than or equal to the number of typical features. The mean morbidity index remained stable over a period of 20 years in both groups of patients and was not significantly associated with the presence of atypical features, the duration of lithium treatment, the number or frequency of episodes, or latency from the onset of bipolar disorder to the start of lithium treatment.



Our study suggests that long-term response to lithium maintenance treatment is stable both in patients with typical and in patients with atypical features. The predominance of either typical or atypical features did not result in different responses to long-term lithium treatment in this sample of bipolar patients.
Early Hepatic Dysfunction Is Associated with a Worse Outcome in Patients Presenting with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Post-Hoc Analysis of the ACURASYS and PROSEVA Studies

Bilirubin is well-recognized marker of hepatic dysfunction in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Multiple organ failure often complicates acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) evolution and is associated with high mortality. The effect of early hepatic dysfunction on ARDS mortality has been poorly investigated. We evaluated the incidence and the prognostic significance of increased serum bilirubin levels in the initial phase of ARDS.



The data of 805 patients with ARDS were retrospectively analysed. This population was extracted from two recent multicenter, prospective and randomised trials. Patients presenting with ARDS with a ratio of the partial pressure of arterial oxygen to the fraction of inspired oxygen < 150 mmHg measured with a PEEP ≥ 5 cm of water were included. The total serum bilirubin was measured at inclusion and at days 2, 4, 7 and 14. The primary objective was to analyse the bilirubin at inclusion according to the 90-day mortality rate.



The 90-day mortality rate was 33.8% (n = 272). The non-survivors were older, had higher Sepsis-related Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score and were more likely to have a medical diagnosis on admission than the survivors. At inclusion, the SOFA score without the liver score (10.3±2.9 vs. 9.0±3.0, p<0.0001) and the serum bilirubin levels (36.1±57.0 vs. 20.5±31.5 μmol/L, p<0.0001) were significantly higher in the non-survivors than in the survivors. Age, the hepatic SOFA score, the coagulation SOFA score, the arterial pH level, and the plateau pressure were independently associated with 90-day mortality in patients with ARDS.



Bilirubin used as a surrogate marker of hepatic dysfunction and measured early in the course of ARDS was associated with the 90-day mortality rate.
Perception of epilepsy in Turkey in the light of two different cities.

The aim of this study was to investigate the perception of epilepsy in Turkey, from west to east, in Kutahya and Yuksekova, two cities of different sociocultural and ethnic status. This was a retrospective comparison study which evaluated the results of two prior studies investigating stigmatization of patients diagnosed with epilepsy and their first-degree relatives in two different cities of Turkey, Kutahya and Yuksekova. The Survey of Epileptic Patient Relatives on the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Regarding the Disorder was used and included questions on descriptive characteristics, familiarity with epilepsy, attitudes toward epilepsy, and understanding of epilepsy. Data collected by use of the SPSS 15.0 software were analyzed with chi2-test. In Yuksekova group, 88.5% of first-degree relatives of people with epilepsy felt primarily fear when they heard the diagnosis of epilepsy in their relatives; in Kutahya group, the respective rate was 19.1% (p < 0.05). The number of participants who objected their child marrying someone with epilepsy was significantly higher in Yuksekova group (p < 0.05); however, if married, the Yuksekova group significantly stated that they should have a baby, revealing the importance of children as an indicator of power and dignity in the eastern region of Turkey (p < 0.05). Although understanding of epilepsy was favorable, educating the community about epilepsy and personal contacts are the major strategies against epileptic stigmatization.
Therapeutic hypothermia after pediatric cardiac arrest trials: the vanguard phase experience and implications for other trials.

To determine whether an 18-month vanguard phase, in the Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest trials, confirmed study feasibility and patient safety, a prerequisite to continued funding by the sponsor.



Randomized controlled trial.



Pediatric intensive care and pediatric cardiac care units in 15 clinical sites in the United States and Canada.



Children aged 48 hrs to 18 yrs of age, with return of circulation after cardiac arrest.



Therapeutic hypothermia vs. therapeutic normothermia.



The first 15 of 20 potential sites to obtain Institutional Review Board and subcontract approvals were selected as vanguard sites. Institutional Review Board approvals were obtained 92 days (median, interquartile range 65-114) and subcontracts signed 34 days (interquartile range 20-48) after distribution. Sites screened subjects at 13 days (interquartile range 9-21) and enrolled the first subjects 64 days (interquartile range 13-154) after study launch. The recruitment milestone was reached 4 months ahead of schedule, with no safety concerns identified. Overall recruitment in this ongoing trial remains on target.



The Therapeutic Hypothermia after Pediatric Cardiac Arrest vanguard phase proved beneficial for the investigators and funding agency. Because complex multicenter trials are rarely ready to launch when grant funds are received, the vanguard allowed time to refine the protocol and recruitment approaches. Competition for vanguard positions led to expedient Institutional Review Board and subcontract completion. Early success and sustained momentum contributed to recruitment at or above goals. Financial risks to the sponsor were minimized by tying funding for the full trial to achieving prespecified milestones. A vanguard phase may be a desirable strategy for the successful conduct of other complex clinical trials.