tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Hospices still outperform hospitals on quality of care at end of life
Authors: Ingrid Torjesen
Journal: BMJ (2015)

Bereaved people in England rate the care provided by hospitals at the end of their relative’s life lower than that provided by hospices, care homes, and services in the community, show the results of a survey published by the Office for National Statistics.1

Overall, 75% of bereaved people rated the quality of care of their relative or friend in the last three months of life as outstanding, excellent, or good and 10% as poor, found the annual national survey of bereaved people, VOICES (Views of Informal Carers—Evaluation of Services).

However, quality of care was rated lower when the patient died in hospital than when they died in other settings: …
Abstract 16157: Connexin 43 Acts as a Counter Regulatory Molecule of Caveolin- 1 in the Control of Angiogenesis
Authors: Muhammad Arshad, Muhammad Aslam, Charlotte Conzelmann, Frauke V Hartel, Michael Staedele, Imran Hussain, Daniel G Sedding, Hans M Piper, Thomas Noll, Dursun Guenduez
Journal: Circulation (2011)

Background: Apart from an important component of the gap junction, connexin 43 (Cx43) has been known to regulate other cellular functions like cell proliferation. This regulatory role of Cx43 could...
The prevalence of COPD in an African city: Results of the BOLD study, Ile-Ife, Nigeria
Authors: Daniel Obaseki, Gregory Erhabor, Peter Burney, Sonia Buist, Olayemi Awopeju, Louisa Gnatiuc
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Background: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is an increasing public health problem worldwide. However there is gross paucity of spirometry-based general population data on its prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa.  Methods: Using the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) protocol and study design, we undertook a multistage population sample of adults aged 40 years and above in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Post-bronchodilator spirometry was conducted and information on smoking history, biomass or occupational exposures and reported respiratory disease and symptoms were collected using standardized questionnaires. COPD was defined as post- bronchodilator FEV1/FVC below the lower limit of normal (LLN) (95th percentile) of the population distribution for FEV1/FVC. Population-weighted estimates were calculated for Ile-Ife population.  Results: The prevalence of COPD using the modified Stage 1 criteria (post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC  Conclusion: COPD is hugely under diagnosed and consequently under treated in Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
Complete Remission of Primary High-Grade B-Cell Gastric Lymphoma After Cure of Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Andrea Morgner, Stephan Miehlke, Wolfgang Fischbach, Wolfgang Schmitt, Hans Müller-Hermelink, Axel Greiner, Christian Thiede, Johannes Schetelig, Andreas Neubauer, Manfred Stolte, Gerhard Ehninger, Ekkehard Bayerdörffer
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2001)

PURPOSE: Treatment of low-grade gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma by eradication of Helicobacter pylori is reported to result in complete lymphoma remission in approximately 75% of cases. The effect that cure of the infection has on the course of a primary high-grade gastric lymphoma is largely uncertain. The aim of this study was to report the effect of cure of H pylori infection exerted in patients with high-grade B-cell gastric lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eight patients (4 males and 4 females; age range, 26 to 85 years) with H pylori infection and high-grade lymphoma received eradication therapy before planned treatment. The effect of H pylori eradication on the course of high-grade lymphoma was assessed by analysis of surgical specimens (n = 2) or endoscopic biopsies (n = 6). RESULTS: H pylori eradication was successful in all patients and led to complete remission of the lymphoma in seven patients. One patient has experienced partial remission. Two patients were referred to surgery, one of whom (stage II 1E ) had lymph node involvement, and the histologic work-up of the resected stomach revealed residual infiltrates of a low-grade lymphoma, which prompted consolidation chemotherapy. In one patient (initially stage I 1E ), abdominal lymphoma developed 6 months after eradication therapy, which regressed completely after chemotherapy. In four patients, no further treatment was given. Six patients continue in complete remission (range, 6 to 66 months). CONCLUSION: Primary high-grade B-cell gastric lymphoma in stages I E through II E1 associated with H pylori may regress completely after successful cure of the infection. Prospective trials are needed to investigate this treatment in larger numbers of patients.
Isolation and characterization of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAggEC) by genotypic and phenotypic markers, isolated from diarrheal children in Congo
Authors: Sheikh Jalaluddin, Patrick de Mol, Wim Hemelhof, Ngoy Bauma, Daniel Brasseur, Philippe Hennart, Robert Emery Lomoyo, Bernard Rowe, Jean-Paul Butzler
Journal: Clinical Microbiology and Infection (1998)
Cognition, quality of life and adherence to CPAP after 18-months treatment in obstructive sleep apnea patients
Authors: Vincenza Castronovo, Sara Marelli, Mark S. Aloia, Marco Zucconi, Alessandro Oldani, Mauro Manconi, Luigi Ferini Strambi
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) determines cognitive dysfunctions and diminished quality of life (QoL). Adherence to PAP treatment although effective, still remains a challenge for patients.

Aims: To evaluate neurocognitive functions, adherence to PAP and QoL in a consecutive group of OSA patients at baseline (BL) compared to age and education-matched normal controls and to assess changes after 18-months of fixed PAP treatment (FU) with C-flex (Philips/Respironics).

Methods: 67 males (mean age 50.3±10.4) with severe OSA (mean AHI=55.1±22.8) and 15 controls. Neurocognitive functions (attention, vigilance, memory, executive functions, visuo-constructional abilities), sleepiness, mood and QoL (SF36 and FOSQ) were evaluated at BL and at FU. At FU objective compliance to PAP (hours of use per night and% of days of use) was assessed by EncorePro software.

Results: 10 patients were excluded for low compliance to PAP within the 18-months observation period. At BL patients showed significantly lower scores than controls in all neurocognitive domains (p<.001) as well as in FOSQ (p<.001) and in the general health subscale of SF36. At FU an overall significant improvement of cognition (all domains), QoL, sleepiness and mood was observed. At FU mean compliance to PAP was 6.1±1.1 hrs and% of days of use 88.5±15.1.

Conclusion: Our data showed that cognitive functions and QoL, all impaired when compared to controls at BL, significantly improved at FU when patients, if adherent to the device, were able to reach the same scores of controls. Adherence to PAP can be considered the trigger of improvement both in QoL and cognition but still remains a challenge for both patients and physicians.
pH-weighted molecular imaging of gliomas using amine chemical exchange saturation transfer MRI
Authors: Robert J. Harris, Timothy F. Cloughesy, Linda M. Liau, Robert M. Prins, Joseph P. Antonios, Debiao Li, William H. Yong, Whitney B. Pope, Albert Lai, Phioanh L. Nghiemphu, Benjamin M. Ellingson
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2015)

Interstitial tissue acidosis resulting from abnormal perfusion and metabolism is a hallmark of cancer. The current study demonstrates that chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI can be used as a noninvasive pH-weighted molecular imaging technique by targeting the chemical exchange between amine protons and protons in extracellular bulk water. First, the sensitivity of amine CEST was validated in phantoms under a variety of conditions, including different magnetic field strengths, amino acid concentrations, and pH values. Amine CEST was compared with histology in both a preclinical GL261 intracranial glioma model at 7T and human patients at 3T. The association between physiologic and pH-weighted MRI was explored, along with the ability to predict time to progression to radiochemotherapy in 20 glioblastoma patients. z-Spectral asymmetry increased at 3 ppm (amine range) on CEST MRI with decreasing pH within the range observed in tumors for both 3T and 7T scanners. Lesions with acidic signatures showed active tumor and pseudopalisading tumor on histology and showed elevated FDOPA PET uptake, lactate on MR spectroscopy, and perfusion abnormalities. Patients with acidic lesions after surgery or stable/growing acidic lesions had a shorter time to progression following radiochemotherapy compared with patients with lesions demonstrating relatively low acidity (P < .001). Results suggest pH-weighted MRI may provide new insight into brain tumor physiology beyond traditional imaging technologies.
Nod1, Nod2 and Nalp3 receptors, new potential targets in treatment of allergic rhinitis?
Authors: J. Bogefors, C. Rydberg, R. Uddman, M. Fransson, A. Månsson, M. Benson, M. Adner, L. O. Cardell
Journal: Allergy (2010)

Recently, a new set of pattern-recognition receptors, the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (Nod)-like receptors (NLRs), have emerged. Their activation, either by allergens or microbes, triggers an inflammatory response. The knowledge about NLRs in human airways is limited.To investigate presence of NLRs in the human nose of healthy individuals and patients with intermittent allergic rhinitis outside and during pollen season.The expression of Nod1, Nod2, and Nalp3 in nasal biopsies was determined with real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Cultured primary human nasal epithelial cells (HNECs) were analyzed using real-time RT-PCR and flow cytometry to further verify the presence of NLRs in the epithelium.Immunohistochemical analysis revealed presence of Nod1, Nod2, and Nalp3 in the nasal epithelium. This was corroborated in cultured HNECs. Patients suffering from symptomatic allergic rhinitis exhibited lower Nod1 and Nalp3 mRNA levels than both controls and patients during pollen season. Nod2 expression was found in all specimens tested, but no differences were seen between the three groups.Nod1, Nod2, and Nalp3 receptors were found to be present in the human nose. The expression of Nod1 and Nalp3 were down-regulated during pollen season among patients with allergic rhinitis. This opens up for new insights and novel therapeutic strategies in inflammatory airway disease.
Dose-response relation between obesity and breast cancer risk is identified
Authors: J. Wise
Journal: BMJ (2015)

Postmenopausal women who are overweight or obese have a raised risk of invasive breast cancer, follow-up data from the Women’s Health Initiative trials have shown. Research published in JAMA Oncology highlighted a dose-response relation where higher body mass index (BMI) was associated with greater relative risk.[1]

The study found no notable modification of risk with the use of hormone replacement therapy. And risk did not vary according to race or ethnicity, the researchers found.

Another interesting finding was …
Role of obesity and race in predicting recurrence rates and survival in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: C. Ritch, D. J. Lee, M. Desai, J. M. McKiernan
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2009)

e16052 Background: Two in three Americans are obese or overweight, and African-Americans are 1.4 times as likely to be obese than whites. However, the relationship between obesity, race, and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is highly debated. We sought to explore the relationship between BMI and race, and determine the predictors for survival and recurrence after nephrectomy (Nx) for RCC. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the Columbia Urologic Oncology Database found that 1118 consecutive patients underwent partial or radical Nx for RCC between 1988 and 2008. Of these, 499 patients had BMI and race data available. 379 (76%) were white, 51 (10.2%) were black, 37 (7.4%) were Hispanic, and 32 (6.4%) were Asian. 341 (68.3%) were male compared to 158 (31.7%) females; 215 (50.3%) had partial Nx while 284 (56.9%) had a radical Nx. Overweight and obesity were defined as having a BMI &gt; 25 kg/m2 and a BMI &gt; 30 kg/m2, respectively. Cox proportional hazards models were used to assess the relationship between BMI, race, and recurrence- free survival (RFS). Results: The 499 patients had a median age of 63 years were followed for a mean of 25 months. Asians had significantly lower BMI than the other races (p=0.02), but the other ethnicities had similar BMI distributions. The two year cancer-specific survival was 89.6%, 92.7%, and 96.1% for normal weight, overweight, and obese patients, respectively (p=0.036). Race did not have a significant impact on predicting RFS. A multivariate Cox regression found that male sex, BMI, size of tumor removed, tumor stage, and margin were independent predictors of RFS. Overweight and obese patients were more likely to survive from RCC without recurrence than normal weight patients (p=0.04). An analysis assessing the effect of an interaction between race and BMI demonstrated that hazard ratios for increased BMI did not differ significantly by race. Conclusions: BMI is an independent predictor of RFS in patients undergoing partial or radical Nx for RCC. Recurrence free-survival did not differ significantly among the different ethnicities, and the impact of race on recurrence-free survival did not vary among different BMI classes. The importance of these findings needs to be addressed in large multi- institutional analyses. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Viral mimetic Poly(I:C) exacerbates cigarette smoke-induced pulmonary inflammation by facilitating the release of neutrophil-derived elastase
Authors: Annika Borde, Tomas Ottosson, Cecilia Wikell, Alexander Vidal
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Neutrophil-derived elastase (NE) has been suggested to play an important role in COPD disease progression. The role of NE was here investigated in a model of combined cigarette smoke (CS) and Poly(I:C) (PIC) induced lung inflammation.

Methods: Mice were exposed to CS during four days. Saline or PIC was administered intranasally. Mice receiving combined CS+PIC were treated orally once daily with vehicle or Prednisolone (10 mg/kg). Mice were terminated on day five and neutrophil numbers, NE activity (NEA), Myeloperoxidase activity (MPOA) and desmosine were measured in BAL fluid.

Results: CS exposure or PIC treatment alone led to a significant rise in neutrophil numbers. A significant additive effect was observed in the CS+PIC group. NEA was not affected by CS exposure but was increased by PIC and even further by combined CS+PIC treatment (115- and 490-fold, respectively, vs. control, p<0.001). Similar data was obtained for MPOA. Desmosine was only increased in the CS+PIC group (195% vs control, p<0.001). In the CS+PIC group, treatment with Prednisolone reduced NEA activity by 75% (p<0.001) and desmosine by 40% (p<0.01). Prednisolone had no effect on neutrophil numbers or MPOA.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that viral infections may enhace CS-induced lung inflammation via an increased release of NE, a process which can be reversed by oral steroid treatment. Because NE is believed to play an important role in COPD exacerbations, the described animal model may be useful for investigating the effects of anti-inflammatory agents aimed as treatments for COPD.
A prospective evaluation of hepatic resection for colorectal carcinoma metastases to the liver: Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group Protocol 6584.
Authors: G Steele, R Bleday, R J Mayer, A Lindblad, N Petrelli, D Weaver
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1991)

We report here the results of the first multiinstitutional prospective evaluation of patients considered to have potentially resectable hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma. One hundred fifty-six patients were enrolled from 15 institutions. Six patients were subsequently excluded. One hundred fifty patients underwent surgery and are evaluable for analysis (median follow-up time, 3.1 years; range, 4 months to 5.1 years). Curative resection could be performed on 46% of patients (69 of 150), noncurative resection on 12% (18 of 150), while 42% were found to be unresectable (63 of 150). Thirty-day surgical mortality and morbidity rates in patients with attempted resection were 2.7% and 13%, respectively. The curative resection group was observed to have an improved median survival (37.1 months) compared with the noncurative resection group (21.2 months) and the unresectable group (16.5 months) (P less than .01). Computed tomographic (CT) scan was a poor predictor for resectability, and age was not a contraindication to curative resection. Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) values were also a poor predictor for resectability. However, the median CEA value 61 to 180 days postsurgery was significantly higher in unresectable patients compared with median CEA levels in noncuratively and curatively resected groups (P less than .01). Our results imply that curative resection leads to an increase in median survival. Noncurative resection provides no benefit to asymptomatic patients, since unresectable and noncurative resection groups have similar life expectancies. Longer follow-up will be needed to demonstrate the ultimate impact of curative resection on survival.
Abstract 3687: Microcirculatory Changes in Diabetic Subjects
Authors: Jenny Freeman, Aksone Nouvong, Emile Mohler, Brian Davis, Elizabeth Medenilla, Azita Tajaddini, Martha Cornejo, Wendy Arriga, Svetlana Panasyuk, Kevin Schomacker, Aristidis Veves
Journal: Circulation (2007)

INTRODUCTION: Hyperspectral Technology cutaneous Oxygenation Monitoring (HTcOM) quantifies oxyhemoglobin (HT-Oxy) &amp; deoxyhemoglobin (HT-Deoxy) on a pixel by pixel basis, providing a scan that shows microcirculatory patterns of tissue oxygenation. Here, we test the use of HTcOM to define patients at higher risk of diabetic complications based on systemic microcirculatory changes. METHODS: Data were extracted from an ongoing NIH/NIDDK study, following 210 type 1 &amp; type 2 diabetic subjects at high risk for foot ulceration &amp; 66 with ulcers for 18 months. HTcOM values were measured from volar forearm, palm &amp; foot dorsum. Subjects with diabetic foot ulcers during the study were compared to high risk diabetics without ulcers. HT-Oxy and HT-Deoxy data was used as the primary basis for determining systemic microvascular disease in diabetic subjects. RESULTS: Interim data was analyzed from 162 type 1 &amp; 2 diabetics. Subjects with ulcers were compared to those without ulcers. Diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c, HDL &amp; neuropathy disability scores were different between the 2 groups. Lower HT-Oxy was found in forearms &amp; palms for the ulcer group when compared to the group without ulcers. Significant differences were also seen for the dorsum, but only when analyzing paired difference. CONCLUSIONS: Previous work demonstrated that HTcOM could differentiate between subjects without diabetes, low risk diabetics &amp; high risk diabetics. The current work demonstrates additional capabilities of HTcOM to discriminate even within the high risk group. Subjects with poorer systemic microcirculation as manifested by lower HTcOM readings on the forearm were significantly more likely to have or develop a foot ulcer than other subjects considered at high risk by standard clinical assessment. HTcOM provides for the first time, the possibility to perform a non-invasive assessment of the severity of systemic microvascular disease associated with diabetes progression. Linear Regression Mixed Effects Model Results
Low-Stage Medulloblastoma: Final Analysis of Trial Comparing Standard-Dose With Reduced-Dose Neuraxis Irradiation
Authors: Patrick R. M. Thomas, Melvin Deutsch, James L. Kepner, James M. Boyett, Jeffrey Krischer, Patricia Aronin, Leland Albright, Jeffrey C. Allen, Roger J. Packer, Rita Linggood, Raymond Mulhern, James A. Stehbens, James Langston, Philip Stanley, Patricia Duffner, Lucy Rorke, Joel Cherlow, Henry S. Friedman, Jonathan L. Finlay, Teresa J. Vietti, Larry E. Kun
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2000)

PURPOSE: To evaluate prospectively the effects on survival, relapse-free survival, and patterns of relapse of reduced-dose (23.4 Gy in 13 fractions) compared with standard-dose (36 Gy in 20 fractions) neuraxis irradiation in patients 3 to 21 years of age with low-stage medulloblastoma, minimal postoperative residual disease, and no evidence of neuraxis disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The Pediatric Oncology Group and Children’s Cancer Group randomized 126 patients to the study. All patients received posterior fossa irradiation to a total dose of 54 Gy in addition to the neuraxis treatment. Patients were staged postoperatively with contrast-enhanced cranial computed tomography, myelography, and CSF cytology. Of the registered patients, 38 were ineligible. RESULTS: The planned interim analysis that resulted in closure of the protocol showed that patients randomized to the reduced neuraxis treatment had increased frequency of relapse. In the final analysis, eligible patients receiving standard-dose neuraxis irradiation had 67% event-free survival (EFS) at 5 years (SE = 7.4%), whereas eligible patients receiving reduced-dose neuraxis irradiation had 52% event-free survival at 5 years (SE = 7.7%) (P = .080). At 8 years, the respective EFS proportions were also 67% (SE = 8.8%) and 52% (SE = 11%) (P = .141). These data confirm the original one-sided conclusions but suggest that differences are less marked with time. CONCLUSION: Reduced-dose neuraxis irradiation (23.4 Gy) is associated with increased risk of early relapse, early isolated neuraxis relapse, and lower 5-year EFS and overall survival than standard irradiation (36 Gy). The 5-year EFS for patients receiving standard-dose irradiation is suboptimal, and improved techniques and/or therapies are needed to improve ultimate outcome. Chemotherapy may contribute to this improvement.
Abstract 598: Forkhead transcription factor FOXF1 is a novel p53 target gene and regulates cancer cell migration and invasion
Authors: Takashi Tokino, Miyuki Tamura, Masashi Idogawa, Yasushi Sasaki
Journal: Cancer Research (2014)

Abstract p53 is an established tumor suppressor that can activate the transcription of multiple target genes. Recent evidence suggests that p53 may contribute to the regulation of cell invasion and migration. In this study, we show that the forkhead box transcription factor FOXF1 is a novel target of p53 because FOXF1 is upregulated by p53. We show that FOXF1 is induced upon DNA damage in a p53-dependent manner. Furthermore, we identified a response element located within the FOXF1 gene that is responsive to wild-type p53, TAp73 as well as TAp63. The ectopic expression of FOXF1 inhibited cancer cell invasion and migration, whereas the inactivation of FOXF1 stimulated cell invasion and migration. We also show that FOXF1 regulates the transcriptional activity of E-cadherin (CDH1) by acting on its FOXF1 consensus binding site located upstream of the E-cadherin gene. Collectively, our results show that FOXF1 is a p53 family target gene, and our data suggest that FOXF1 and p53 form a portion of a regulatory transcriptional network that appears to play an important role in cancer cell invasion and migration. Citation Format: Takashi Tokino, Miyuki Tamura, Masashi Idogawa, Yasushi Sasaki. Forkhead transcription factor FOXF1 is a novel p53 target gene and regulates cancer cell migration and invasion. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 598. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-598