bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Calibration of Myocardial T2* Values in Post-Mortem Hearts.
Authors: Pennell Dudley J. , Anderson Lisa J. , Paul Kirk , Forni Gian Luca , Ellis Gareth , Walker J. M. , Porter John B. 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Introduction:. Myocardial iron can now be rapidly and reproducibly assessed using a validated cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) T2* technique. However, the calibration of T2* value to absolute myocardial iron concentration is currently unknown in humans.
Purpose: To calibrate myocardial T2* values in post-mortem hearts.
Methods: Two patients’ hearts have been examined. Each was scanned at 37 Celsius using optimised T2* MR sequences. Iron assays were performed with 100 samples per heart, from 5 short axis slices of the left ventricle. For each slice, 6 segments were cut and a sample taken from the endocardium, mid-wall and epicardium, and 2 from the right ventricular free wall (20 samples per slice). This trial was supported by NIH grant R01 DK66084-01.
Results: Heart 1 from Genova Italy, was from a patient with beta-thalassemia major who had been transfused from age 2 to his death at age 47 from a stroke. The patient had heart failure aged 21 years, from which he had recovered. At age 46, the patient had bradycardia and arrhythmia, and his long-term deferoxamine treatment was augmented with deferiprone for 6 months, and then switched to deferiprone alone at 69mg/kg/day for 7 days per week, starting 1 year prior to death. Ex vivo mid-ventricle full thickness septum T2* was 45ms.
Heart 2 from London was from a transfusion dependent patient with sideroblastic anemia with poor compliance with deferoxamine. The patient died in heart failure. Further clinical details are awaited. Pre-mortem mid-ventricle septum T2* was 5.2ms, and the T2* value in the same region post-mortem was identical at 5.2ms. The results of the ex-vivo comparison of segmental myocardial T2* and matching segmental absolute iron level are shown in figure 1. Calibration is shown on a log-log scale in accord with previous liver sample evidence showing this allows fitting with a linear function (Anderson LJ. Eur Heart J2001; 22: 2171.9).
Conclusion: These are the first human data calibrating human myocardial T2* against absolute iron levels. Myocardial T2* clearly decreases as myocardial iron increases. Of interest was the identical myocardial T2* result between the in-vivo and post-mortem scans in patient 2. Further hearts are now needed to complete the calibration and to determine the consistency of calibration between hearts.
Figure Figure
Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM) in Children with Thalassemia Major (TM).
Authors: Kuskonmaz Baris , Unal Sule , Duzova Ali , Bilginer Yelda Yilmaz , Bakkaloglu Aysin , Gumruk Fatma 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
In TM chronic anemia, blood transfusions and iron over load result in impairments in many organs. Little is known about the changes in blood pressure (BP) patterns of children with TM. To evaluate ABPM changes and associated laboratory and clinical features in children with TM. ABPM was performed in 20 TM patients with no cardiac or renal dysfunction (12M, 8F; 11.3+/−3.8 years), and 20 healthy children (11M, 9F; 11.6+/−2.4 years). Blood and timed urine samples were collected for hematological and biochemical tests. [Dipping: a fall in the mean systolic (diastolic) BP during nighttime of more than 10% of the mean daytime systolic (diastolic) BP]. Mean daytime (8AM–8PM) and nighttime (midnight to 6AM) systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressures were comparable. No patient in TM and control group had mean 24-h, day time, nighttime SBP or DBP above 90th percentile. SBP and DBP- loads were always less than 20% in control group. In TM group: SBP-load was more than 20% in 1, and 1 patient during daytime and nighttime, respectively; and DBP- load was more than 20% in 1, and 2 patients during daytime and nighttime, respectively. The percentage of systolic (60% vs 35%; p:0.102) and diastolic (30% vs 20%; p:0.118) non-dippers among TM patients were higher, compared to control group. In TM group: the percentage of systolic (80% vs 40%; p:0.063) and diastolic (50% vs 10%; p:0.044) non-dippers among older (12–16 years) patients were higher, compared to younger (5–11 years) patients. There was no association between non-dipping pattern and hemoglobin, ferritin or albuminuria level. Our preliminary results suggest that BP anomalies in TM occur before the development of cardiac or renal dysfunction. There is an association between non-dipping and the age of the patient. Long-term follow-up will make clear whether abnormalities in ABPM patterns have a predictive value in the development of renal and cardiac dysfunction in TM patients.
Differential Activation of Stress Kinases Pathways and Elaboration of Inflammatory Cytokines MCP-1 and RANTES by Major and Minor Group Rhinovirus.
Authors: Wilson Megan , Nakahara Shashima , Benson Laurel , Hall David 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Given that virus-induced asthma has been resistant to therapy, knowledge concerning the cellular and physiological processes that are critical in the development of virus-induced asthma is likely to lead to the generation of new forms of intervention. In this regard, previous studies have implicated the macrophage as playing an important role in the elaboration of the inflammatory environment observed in rhinovirus-induced exacerbation of asthma. However, little is known about the cell signaling events that are initiated upon macrophage infection with rhinovirus. Major and minor group rhinovirus are genetically similar although they bind to two different cellular receptors. To determine if the attachment of major (HRV16) and minor group (HRV1a) rhinovirus to the human monocyte-derived macrophages elicits different kinetics of activation for ERK5 and p38, macrophages cells were exposed to HRV16 or HRV1a at an MOI of 10 for 15,30,60, 90 and 120 min. Cell lysates were generated, separated by SDS-PAGE and immunoblotted with anti-phospho-ERK5 or p38. For MAP kinase p38, major and minor group rhinovirus stimulated phosphorylation occurred after 15 min and sustained phosphorylation up to 60 min. Interestingly at the 90 and 120 min time points, there was no p38 phosphorylation for the major group rhinovirus and sustained phosphorylation stimulated by the minor group rhinovirus. A similar kinetics profile holds true for the MAP kinase ERK5. Furthermore, activation of these two MAP kinases and the small molecular weight G-protein RAC are important in the elaboration of the inflammatory mediators MCP-1 and RANTES.
Enhancement of Lymphokine-Activated Killer Cell Cytotoxicity by Mistletoe Plant Extracts.
Authors: Seifert Georg , Lode Holger N. , Lobitz Stephan , Seeger Karl , Laengler Alfred , Henze Guenter 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Anthroposophical cancer therapies focus on the use of mistletoe (MT) preparations and extracts from European mistletoe (Viscum album l.) belong to the complementary therapeutic regimens. Although widely used in Europe as an additional therapy in the treatment of patients suffering from different malignancies, these cancer therapies have remained relatively unknown in North America. To date, mistletoe is the most commonly used complementary cancer drug in Germany, applied as monotherapy or in combination with conventional therapies. ABNOBAviscum fraxini is a standardized extract from all parts of fresh mistle, obtained from the ash tree. This study aims to investigate the effects of MT on the activity of lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cell cytotoxicity in vivo.
Here, we demonstrate that in vivo treatment of mice with a standardized MT plant extract results in activation and function of LAK cells. We show an enhanced cytotoxicity against the NK-sensitive target cell line YAC-1 by flow cytometry. Our data show that in vivo application of MT can double the cytotoxic activity against malignant disease and suggest that one mechasim of action of MT is the induction of LAK-cell mediated immune response.
Alterations in the Umbilical Cord Blood NK Cells Related to the Mode and the Time of Delivery.
Authors: Królak-Olejnik Barbara , Olejnik Igor 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells take part in the early immunological response to infection. Their lower cytotoxic activity in the neonates, especially premature ones, compared to children and adults, is assumed to be one of the factors responsible for high susceptibility to infections. Moreover, alterations in every components of immune response during anesthesia and surgery have been suggested. The numbers of natural killer cells are decreased postoperatively. The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of the mode and time of delivery on the number of leukocytes, number and percentage of lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells. The NK cells were examined by the three-color flow cytometry with the use of monoclonal antibodies of Becton Dickinson in the following study groups: (1) full-term neonates born by normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (n=19); (2) preterm neonates born by normal spontaneous vaginal delivery (n=15); (3) full-term neonates born by elective cesarean section under epidural anesthesia (n=23); (4) preterm neonates born by cesarean section under epidural anesthesia (n=22). The number of leukocytes was similar in all examined neonates. The numbers of leukocytes were lower albeit not significantly in preterm neonates born by cesarean section. The numbers of lymphocytes were also similar in all examined neonates but the percentage of lymphocytes was higher in the preterm neonates than in the full-term ones (p<0,05). The number and percentage of natural killer (NK) cells were higher in the neonates born by normal spontaneous vaginal delivery both full-term and preterm ones. The significant lowest value of NK cells was in the preterm neonates born by cesarean section under epidural anesthesia. These results suggest that either mode of delivery or time of delivery might influence the NK cell numbers in the umbilical cord blood of the neonates.
Comparison of Cationic Propyl Gallate and Adenosine Diphosphate for the Meassurement of Aspirin Effectivity with Optical Aggregometry.
Authors: Motovska Zuzana , Sujanova Zdenka , Wimmerova Sona , Ardo Jan , Skrakova Marcela , Widimsky Petr 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Background. The goal of our interest is to bring attention to standardisation of the aspirin effectiveness examination in patients profiting from (life)long antithrombotic terapy. Optical platelet aggregation tests have been most widely used. Examination with endogenous inductors of platelet aggregation - thrombin, colagen, arachidonic acid, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) has a low specificity and reproducibility. Aim. To compare a newer inductor of platelets aggregation cationic propyl gallate (CPG) with ADP for the examination of aspirin (ASA) efffectivity with optical aggregometry.
Methods. We prospectively enrolled 116 consecutive patiens with a stable cardiovascular disease on ASA 100mg/day for ≥ 1 month. The controll group was formed from 62 healthy volunteers, without antithrombotic treatment. Analysis. We investigated platelet aggregation by optical aggregometry (aggregometer LASER 4x, BIOART). CPG and ADP were added as aggregating agents. The measured parameter were: CPG-slope (this parameter expresses steepness of the aggregation curve and also the speed of aggregation (%/minutes)) and ADP-max (the maximum percent change in light transmittance from baseline). Results. Definition. First, we determined the CPG-slope cut-off value for the definition of ASA-non-effective treated patient. We established it on the ground of CPG-slope values in the control group. The values from controll group followed a normal distribution (test Shapiro - Wilk). We calculated the cut-off value using the 95% - confidence interval. The CPG-slope cut-off value was 79 %/min for ASA-effective treated patient. We marked the patients as ASA-non efffective treated when the CPG-slope was ≥ 79%/min. The same way we used to define the cut-off value for ADP-max. We identified the aspirin treatment as uneffective when the value of ADP-max had been > 62%. Comparison. The values of CPG-slope and ADP-max were in a close correlation in the group of patients treated with aspirin. The correlation index (r = 0,671) was highly significant. By CPG-induced optical aggregation were 33,6% ASA-non-effective treated patients. While using both inductors (CPG, ADP) were the proportion of ASA-non-effective treated patients 25%. By both tests (CPG, ADP) were equally divided 71,6% patients. ASA-non-effective treated patients were more commonly obese (46,2%) with hypertension (94,9%) and hypercholesterolemia (73,7%) and were less commonly treated with statins (30,8%) as the aspirin effective treated patients (42,%, 88,2%, 59,2% resp.42,1%).
Conclusion. Meassurement of a platelet aggregation by CPG is reproducible with high sensitivity and specificity. The study has also brought attention to the importance of control the cardiovascular risk factors.
Figure. Statistical parameters Figure. Statistical parameters
Efficacy of Alphanate® (Human Factor VIII/Von Willebrand Factor Concentrate) in Preventing Excessive Bleeding during Surgery or Invasive Procedures in Patients with Congenital Von Willebrand Disease. A Multicenter Retrospective Study.
Authors: Eyster M. Elaine , Sexauer Charles L. , Brown Simon , Lipton Richard A. , Kessler Craig M. , Aledort Louis M. , Rivard Georges E. 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Objective: To assess the efficacy of Alphanate® as replacement therapy in subjects with congenital VWD undergoing surgical or invasive procedures.
Methodology: Retrospective data from 5 hospitals and accounting for 8 years of chart review has been collected. The study protocol and the subject’s informed consent were approved by the local Institutional Review Boards. To date, 35 treated events (27 subjects) have been evaluated. Events were classified by local investigators and an independent referee committee as major or minor surgery, and invasive procedures. Treatment efficacy was rated using a 4-point verbal rating scale. Replacement therapy was considered effective if the treatment outcome was rated as excellent or good, and non-effective when the outcome was rated as poor or none.
Results: Efficacy results (number and percentage) obtained by local investigators and the referee committee are presented in Tables 1 and 2.
Conclusions: Since there may be bias in the interpretation of responses made by the participating physicians, it was felt that true responses might better be assessed retrospectively by an adjudication committee. Therefore, both Tables were presented here. Much of the discrepancies between these 2 tables was generated by oral surgery. There was a high level of efficacy agreement between investigators and the referree committee. Therefore, it is concluded that Alphanate® is effective in preventing excessive bleedings during surgeries and invasive procedures in subjects with congenital VWD.
Table 1. Efficacy Results Obtained by Investigators Major surgery (n=9) Minor surgery (n=17) Invasive procedure (n=9) Total (n=35) Excellent 6 (66.7%) 14 (82.4%) 8 (88.9%) 28 (80.0%) Good 3 (33.3%) 1 (5.9%) 1 (11.1%) 5 (14.3%) Poor 0 (0.0%) 1 (5.9%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (2.9%) None 0 (0.0%) 1 (5.9%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (2.9%) Table 2. Efficacy Results Obtained by Referee Committee Major Surgery (n=12) Minor Surgery (n=11) Invasive Procedure (n=12) Total (n=35) Excellent 8 (66.7%) 11 (100%) 11 (91.7%) 30 (85.7%) Good 1 (8.3%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (2.9%) Poor 3 (25.0%) 0 (0.0%) 1 (8.3%) 4 (11.4%) None 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%) 0 (0.0%)
Littoral Cell Hemangioma of the Spleen.
Authors: Naik Seema , Chaudhri Farida , Yang Stephen 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Introduction: Splenic hemangiomas are rare, range from 0.03–14% in autopsy studies. The primary tumors of the spleen are benign and originate from the vascular endothelium and rarely from the lining cells of red pulp sinuses, giving rise to Littoral cell angiomas (LCA), first described by Falk et al in 1991. It usually is an incidental benign tumor presenting as mild to moderate splenic enlargement seen at any age in both sexes. Grossly it usually has multiple distinct nodules are spongy with dark bloody spaces ranging from 0.2 to 9.0 cm in diameter.
Case Report: 65 years old white male patient presented with thrombocytopenia, platelet count 84000/cmm, Hemoglobin 11.8 and WBC 5500. He had no significant past medical history. Review of systems was noncontributory. There were no other physical findings. The patient had normal upper gastrointestinal series. Colonoscopy revealed tubular adenomatous polyp. CT scan chest revealed thoracic vertebral hemangioma. CT scan of abdomen showed enlarged spleen measuring 15cm axially with multiple low attenuation areas throughout the spleen. FNA of spleen showed spindle cells positive for factor VIII and CD31. The patient had normal bone marrow biopsy as well as cytogenetics. The patient underwent splenectomy which showed littoral cell angioma with heterogeneous population of lymphocytes, histiocytes, eosinophila, neutrophils, platelets, and large polylobated cells. The patient had marked clinical improvement with normallization of platelet count post splenectomy.
Discussion: Littoral cell angiomas are seen as hypo echoic areas seen on ultrasonography and CT scan of abdomen. The natural history is benign and do not recur post splenectomy. Spontaneous rupture can occur in 25% of patients. On MRI, siderosis is seen due to hemophagocytosis by littoral cells. The lesions are of variable size and solitary or multinodular located in the red-pulp of the spleen. They are composed of anastomosing vascular channels with irregular lumina featuring cyst-like spaces. The LCA cells have a dual-endothelial/histiocytic characteristics, that react with F VIII Ag and are positive for CD68 antigen. Angiostatin inhibits angiogenesis and metastatic tumor growth. The mildly atypical cells, but not frankly malignant with low Ki 67 staining and diploid DNA histogram are in accordance with a low-grade malignancy. LCA has also been associated with synchronous malignancies such as lymphoma, colonic cancer, renal cancer, ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, seminoma and gastric leiomyosarcoma, a long-term follow-up for these patients is recommended.
Ex Vivo Expanded Erythroid Progenitor Cells Augment Therapeutic Angiogenesis by Extensive Cytokine Production.
Authors: Muta Koichiro , Sasaki Shuzi , Zhang Min , Inoguchi Toyoshi , Abe Yasunobu 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
Alternative therapies for clinical limb ischemia have become very important for patients with peripheral ischemic disease (PAD), who cannot undergo surgical or percutaneous revascularization. Delivery of angiogenic growth factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α), and placental growth factor (PlGF), using recombinant proteins or gene transfer have been considered for alternative treatment of PAD and their efficacies have been demonstrated. Recent reports have demonstrated that erythroid progenitor cells contain and secrete various angiogenic cytokines. Although this suggest an important role for erythroid progenitor cells in angiogenesis, no studies have reported in vivo evidence of angiogenesis induction by erythroid progenitor cells. Here, the impact of purified human erythroid colony-forming cell (ECFC) implantation on therapeutic angiogenesis was investigated in murine models of hindlimb ischemia. ECFCs were purified from human peripheral blood and expanded ex vivo. ECFCs from day 5 to 7, those are considered as erythroid progenitors of colony-forming unit erythroid(CFU-E) level of maturation, showed the highest vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) productivity. THerefore, day-6 ECFCs were used for the following experiments. Day-6 ECFCs contained larger amounts of VEGF and fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) than peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs). In tubule formation assays with human umbilical vein endothelial cells, ECFCs stimulated 1.5-fold more capillary growth than PBMNCs, and this effect was suppressed by antibodies against VEGF and FGF-2. Using an immunodeficient hindlimb ischemia model and laser Doppler imaging, we evaluated the limb salvage rate and blood perfusion after intramuscular implantation of ECFCs. ECFC implantation increased both the salvage rate (38% vs. 0%, P<0.05) and the blood perfusion (82.8% vs. 65.6%, P<0.01). The capillary density was 1.6-fold higher in the ECFC group than in the control group. Implantation of ECFCs promoted angiogenesis in ischemic limbs by supplying angiogenic cytokines (VEGF and FGF-2), suggesting a possible novel strategy for therapeutic angiogenesis for the patients with PDA.
Rituximab Produces Long-Term Responses in Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP).
Authors: Case Delvyn C. , Hedlund Jacquelyn A. , Ebrahim Kurt S. , Boyd Marjorie A. 
Published: October 2019

Abstract
ITP in adults is an autoimmune disease characterized by antibody-mediated thrombocytopenia. A significant number of patients relapse after initial therapy with prednisone and splenectomy when necessary, and require other therapy for continuing thrombocytopenia. Rituximab, an anti-CD20 chimeric monoclonal antibody has been utilized in ITP refractory to other modes of treatment (Feurestein, M., et al. The use of Rituximab in 28 patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Proc. Am. Soc. Clin. Onc.22:187, 2003). We report on the long-term responses possible in ITP treated with Rituximab. Twenty-two patients with ITP refractory to initial conventional therapies with platelet counts &lt;30,000/ul were treated with Rituximab 375 mg/m2 IV weekly x4. Responses were characterized as partial response (PR; platelets &gt;50,000/ul but &lt;150,000/ul) and complete response (platelets &gt;150,000/ul). Patient characteristics included 5 males and 17 females with ages 24–83 years (median 58). Twenty had undergone splenectomy. Thirteen patients (59%) responded to Rituximab. Six responses were PR with durations lasting 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, and 6 months. Continuing Rituximab monthly after initial therapy of 4 weeks did not produce improved platelet counts in patients who failed Rituximab or who achieved PR. Seven responses were CR with durations of 12, 20+, 25+, 29+, 38+, 40+, and 48+ months. The one patient who relapsed at 12 months was retreated with Rituximab but did not respond. There was no correlation between response and age, sex, or duration of ITP. Neither of the patients who declined prior splenectomy responded. There were no serious complications of Rituximab infusions. Twenty-five percent of patients had mild first infusion reactions. Rituximab can produce long-term CR in 27% of patients with ITP refractory to initial therapy.