tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Molecular Basis of Factor H R1210C Association with Ocular and Renal Diseases
Authors: Sergio Recalde, Agustin Tortajada, Marta Subias, Jaouad Anter, Miquel Blasco, Ramona Maranta, Rosa Coco, Sheila Pinto, Marina Noris, Alfredo García-Layana, Santiago Rodríguez de Córdoba
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2015)

The complement factor H (FH) mutation R1210C, which was described in association with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS), also confers high risk of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and associates with C3 glomerulopathy (C3G). To reveal the molecular basis of these associations and to provide insight into what determines the disease phenotype in FH-R1210C carriers, we identified FH-R1210C carriers in our aHUS, C3G, and AMD cohorts. Disease status, determined in patients and relatives, revealed an absence of AMD phenotypes in the aHUS cohort and, vice versa , a lack of renal disease in the AMD cohort. These findings were consistent with differences in the R1210C-independent overall risk for aHUS and AMD between mutation carriers developing one pathology or the other. R1210C is an unusual mutation that generates covalent complexes between FH and HSA. Using purified FH proteins and surface plasmon resonance analyses, we demonstrated that formation of these FH-HSA complexes impairs accessibility to all FH functional domains. These data suggest that R1210C is a unique C-terminal FH mutation that behaves as a partial FH deficiency, predisposing individuals to diverse pathologies with distinct underlying pathogenic mechanisms; the final disease outcome is then determined by R1210C-independent genetic risk factors.
Can high quality spirometry according to ERS criteria be obtained regardless of age
Authors: Daniel Schuermans, Jan Vandevoorde, Sylvia Verbanck, Walter Vincken
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Aim: to assess the influence of age on quality of spirometry

Methods: 

A retrospective analysis was performed on the personal best spirometry of every patient referred to our lung function lab in the last 5 years and coached by the same experienced lung function technician. The quality of spirometry was evaluated using e-code (on a scale of 0 to 6) for each of the following items: 1. the best FVC and another FVC agree within 5% (FVC), 2. the best FEV1 and another FEV1 agree within 5% (FEV1), 3. best PEF and another PEF agree within 10% (PEF), 4. extrapolated volume was less than 5% of FVC (EV), 5. meeting “end of test” criterium “volume change is less  (25ml/s), and 6. expiratory effort exceeded 6 seconds (6 sec).

Results: spirometric test results of 2598 subjects were evaluated, 49% male, 37% current smokers, 40% obstructed, age range 20-91 yr, mean 53 yr (SD+17).

View this table:



Conclusion: Although overall high spirometry quality was reached regardless of age (total e-code: 0.9 – 1.3), younger patients failed more often to exhale for 6 sec. and PEF was less repeatable in the oldest group. The end of test criterion 25ml/s was hard to reach for the majority of the subjects.
Textbook of sports medicine
Authors: C Milne
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2004)

Edited by M Kjaer, M Krogsgaard, P Magnusson, et al . Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2003, £89.50, pp 808. ISBN 0632065095

I have long been impressed by the Scandinavian contribution to sports medicine and exercise science. Therefore a textbook that is the product of leading Scandinavian authors is eagerly awaited. This one does not disappoint. It should appeal to both sports scientists and clinicians.

The first section of the book is devoted to basic science—exercise physiology, biomechanics, and tissue repair processes. The chapters are well written and up to date, but, as a clinician, I found the …
THE LANGUAGE OF HEALTH CARE: Chronic fatigue syndrome
Authors: E. M Goudsmit
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (2006)

I have just read the review of treatments for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in the October issue of the JRSM.1 It included my study, but some of the details were inaccurate and the overall judgement was unfair and potentially misleading.

In the original ‘York’ review of the various treatments for CFS, my study received a validity score of two. However, after clarification regarding the statistical analysis, this was changed to three (Kleijnen, personal communication). Chambers et al. were clearly not aware of the ‘correction’ and published the original score. It's a minor issue, but it wasn't the only one.

Another example relates to the assessment of the results. According to the table (p. 511), the programme had no overall effect—but as the authors noted in their recent review for NICE (http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=368933, appendix 1, p. 423), there were ‘significant differences between groups for fatigue... and somatic symptoms’. They would also have been aware that 82% of the patients rated themselves as ‘better’ or ‘much better’ and that 23% had improved to such a degree that they were discharged.

To summarize, patients reported less fatigue, fewer somatic symptoms, less anxiety and depression after six months compared to the controls, and the improvements were maintained at follow-up. Yet the authors judged the treatment had ‘no overall effect’.

My study is one of the few which has assessed an alternative to the CBT-based programmes. It's also one of the few controlled trials to include pacing, a strategy which many patients regard as a particularly helpful way of managing their limited energy. In my opinion, it deserved an accurate evaluation and a fair summary of the outcome. It didn't get that.
Taking the “I” out of IPF
Authors: Susan K. Mathai, David A. Schwartz
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2015)

This issue of the European Respiratory Journal contains a comprehensive review by Kropski et al. [1] that supports a genetic basis for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and encourages us to think differently about this perplexing disease. The data linking inherited factors to disease development suggest that "idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis" is a misnomer <http://ow.ly/LUrOw>
Viral Reverse Transcriptase Suppression Associated With Erythroid Differentiation of Friend Leukemia Cells
Authors: Paul S. Ebert, Donald N. Buell
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1977)

The Friend erythroleukemia cell line T3-C12, which produces Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV) and can be induced to synthesize hemoglobin by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), was monitored for viral RNA-dependent DNA polymerase reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. The amount of viral 60-70S RNA released from DMSO-treated cells was unaffected or increased compared to that from control cells, while RT activity from treated cells was decreased. Accordingly, the specific activity in F-MuLV from DMSO-treated cells expressed as RT/70S RNA was decreased to 8% of the control activity. The 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine added to cultures containing DMSO reversed the differentiation process, and the F-MuLV thus treated did not exhibit the reduced RT activity normally observed in DMSO-treated virus. Cell-free F-MuLV incubated with and without DMSO showed the same RT activity, indicating that DMSO itself did not inhibit RT activity. However, when F-MuLV-containing pellets from control and DMSO-treated culture fluids were mixed, there was marked inhibition of the control RT activity, suggesting that RNase hybrid activity was stimulated or that an inhibitor was produced. Assays of F-MuLV-RNase hybrid released from control and DMSO-treated cells showed no difference in activity, indicating that a specific inhibitor of RT was produced or activated. Additions of certain nucleotide triphosphates to RT incubation mixtures did not result in any stimulation of RT activity in DMSO-treated F-MuLV, suggesting that phosphatase was not responsible for the observed inhibition. The results suggested that DMSO treatment of T3-C12 cells caused a reduction in viral RT activity by stimulating the production of an inhibitor, the nature of which is unknown.
PfAlba1: master regulator of translation in the malaria parasite
Authors: Evelien M. Bunnik, Karine G. Le Roch
Journal: Genome biology (2015)

During the asexual replication cycle of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the RNA-binding protein PfAlba1 binds and stabilizes a subset of transcripts for translation at a later time point. Please see related Research article: http://www.genomebiology.com/2015/16/1/212
Evaluation of the Predictive Value of Her-2/neu Overexpression and p53 Mutations in High-Risk Primary Breast Cancer Patients Treated With High-Dose Chemotherapy and Autologous Stem-Cell Transplantation
Authors: Yago Nieto, Pablo J. Cagnoni, Samia Nawaz, Elizabeth J. Shpall, Ronit Yerushalmi, Bret Cook, Peggy Russell, Janet McDermit, James Murphy, Scott I. Bearman, Roy B. Jones
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2000)

To ascertain the predictive value of Her-2/neu overexpression and p53 mutations, assessed by immunohistochemistry, in high-risk primary breast cancer (HRPBC) treated with high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT).We obtained paraffin-embedded tumor blocks from 146 HRPBC patients previously enrolled at our program onto clinical trials of HDCT for four to nine involved axillary lymph nodes, > or = 10 involved axillary nodes, or inflammatory carcinoma. All patients received the same HDCT regimen, with cyclophosphamide, cisplatin, and carmustine (STAMP-I), followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation. Median follow-up was 42 months (range, 5 to 90 months). The same pathologist, blinded to clinical outcome, reviewed all immunostained slides.Positive results for Her-2/neu and p53 were found in 44.5% and 34% of the patients, respectively. Positivity for Her-2/neu was significantly associated with increased risk of relapse and death. No correlation was found between p53 mutations and relapse-free survival (RFS) or overall survival (OS). Multivariate analyses included Her-2/neu overexpression and the following variables previously identified as independent predictors of outcome in this population: tumor size, nodal ratio (number of involved nodes/number of dissected nodes), and hormone receptor status. All four variables had independent value.Her-2/neu overexpression is an independent negative predictor of RFS and OS in HRPBC treated with HDCT. Its inclusion in our previously described predictive model increases the predictive capacity of this model for the low-risk subgroup. In contrast, p53 mutations lack predictive value in this setting.
Abstract 2566: Late and Very Late Stent Thrombosis following Elective Drug Eluting Stent Implantation in Unprotected Left Main Coronary Artery: a Multicentre Registry
Authors: Alaide Chieffo, Young H Kim, Emanuele Meliga, Seung J Park, Marco Valgimigli, Valeria Magni, Renata Rogacka, Seong W Park, Duk W Park, Flavio Airoldi, Matteo Montorfano, Patrick W Serruys, Antonio Colombo
Journal: Circulation (2007)

The long-term safety of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation in the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis is still a matter of debate. Some concerns have been recently raised regarding the risk of late and very late stent thrombosis (ST). Methods: All consecutive patients (pts) who had sirolimus (SES, Cypher, Cordis, Johnson and Johnson Company, Warren, NJ) or paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES, Taxus, Boston Scientific, Natick, MA) electively implanted in de novo lesions on LMCA between March 2002 and June 2006 were included in this multicentre registry. Stent thromboses were defined according to Academic Research Consortium (ARC) definitions. Results Five-hundred and thirty-four consecutive patients were analyzed: 357 patients were treated with SES, 168 with PES and 9 with both of them. One-hundred and thirty-eight (25.8%) patients were diabetics, 171 (32.0%) unstable angina, mean age 62.4 ± 11.4 years, EF 54.1 ± 11.2 %. Distal location occurred in 417 (78.0%) of the patients. Fifty-seven (10.6%) patients had a peri-procedural myocardial infarction (defined as CK-MB elevation ≥3 ULN). At 1044 ± 361 day clinical follow-up, 32 (5.9%) patients died: 23 (4.3%) were adjudicated as cardiac according to ARC definition. One patient had an acute ST (with cardiogenic shock treated with CABG), 1 a sub-acute ST (occlusion of circumflex artery treated with PCI) and 1 a late definite ST (in the left anterior descending artery with MI at 3 months while on antiplatelet therapy). None of the patients had a very late definite ST. In the Table are reported probable and possibile ST. Conclusions Treatment of LMCA stenosis with DES appears safe at long-term clinical follow-up with a 0.6% incidence of definite and probable ST at a median follow-up of almost 3 years. Table.
Suppression of an AKR Lymphoma by Antibody and Chlorambucil2
Authors: T. Ghose, A. Guclu, J. Tai
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1975)

A cell-surface localizing xenogeneic antibody against an AKR mouse lymphoma of spontaneous origin could be bound to chlorambucil without interference with either the alkylating activity of chlorambucil or the immunologic reactivity of the antibody. Exposure of the lymphoma cells to chlorambucil-bound antibody caused greater tumor inhibition both in vitro and vivo than did the synergistic effect of exposure seperately to the antibody and chlorambucil.
Three-Dimensional Confocal Microscopy of the Living Human Eye
Authors: Barry R. Masters, Matthias Böhnke
Journal: Annual Review of Biomedical Engineering (2002)

▪ Abstract Three-dimensional confocal microscopy of the living eye is a major development in instrumentation for biomicroscopy of the eye. This noninvasive optical technology has its roots in the application of optics to reflected light imaging of the eye. These instrument developments began with Leeuwenhoek's use of his single lens microscope to investigate the structure of the eye. There followed a series of connected instruments: the ophthalmoscope, the slit lamp, the specular microscope, and the clinical confocal microscope. In vivo confocal microscopy produces high contrast, reflected light images or optical sections through the depth of living ocular tissue. Stacks of registered optical sections can be transformed by computer visualization techniques into three-dimensional volume images of ocular tissues: cornea, ocular lens, retina, and optic nerve. The clinical confocal microscope has resulted in new diagnostic techniques and new cellular descriptions of ocular disorders and pathology.
The GOLD COPD categories are inaccurate in predicting future risk in a UK primary care dataset and the 2014 changes to cut-off values have not helped
Authors: Rupert Jones, David Price, Amanda Lee, Niels Chavannes
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Aims   To assess the effect of the alternative methods of calculating the categories on their distribution and future risk of exacerbations including the new cut-off values.   Methods   Data from 7,105 primary care patients in the Optimal Patient Care database in UK with valid data on modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale, exacerbations, FEV1% predicted values, admissions and future exacerbations. 3015 patients had valid COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and mMRC scores and a FEV1%. New cut-offs for the mMRC scale and the Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ) were examined.   Results   The distribution between categories using the preferred method of calculating risk was: A 18%, B 50%, C 4.2% and D 28%. Depending on the method used, the proportion in category D varies from 2.8% to 46%. The figure shows the percent of patients with 1 or more exacerbation in the following year.  With the new mMRC cut-off value, the proportion having 1 or more exacerbations in the next year was in A 1.5%, B 3.8% C 4.5% and in D 10.2% and for CCQ A 1.9% B3.8% C 6.5% and in D 10.2%.   Conclusions   The GOLD categories vary according to the methods used to calculate them and modifications to the cut-off values are associated with misleading assignment of risk. Risk is best assessed using the exacerbation frequency.
Clinical Outcomes from the Uk Cup-One Study: a Multi-Centre Trial to Assess the Efficacy of Epirubicin, Cisplatin and Capecitabine (Ecx) in Carcinomas of Unknown Primary (Cup) with Prospective Validation of Molecular Classifiers
Authors: H. Wasan, J. Paul, M.C. Nicolson, T.R.J. Evans, L. McMahon, A. Morris, E. McCartney, C. Bridgewater, D. Bowtell, M. Erlander, K.A. Oien
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2014)
Abstract 2922: Automated Time-to-Peak Velocity Detection Using Tissue Synchronization Imaging Accurately Identifies Patients with Left Ventricular Dyssynchrony
Authors: Kevin P Jackson, Joseph A Kisslo, James G Jollis
Journal: Circulation (2006)

Background: Current selection criteria for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are inadequate for predicting a beneficial response to biventricular pacing. Newer echocardiographic modalities su...
Abstract 2902: Are CagA Virulent Strains of Helicobacter Pylori Associated with Increased Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Giampaolo Niccoli, Giuseppe Ferrante, Beatrice Fusco, Micaela Conte, Antonio Maria Leone, Francesco Franceschi, Giovanni Gasbarrini, Antonio Gasbarrini, Nicolo Gentiloni Silveri, Filippo Crea
Journal: Circulation (2006)

Background Several previous studies and a meta-analysis failed to find an association between ischemic heart disease (IHD) and seropositivity to Helicobacter Pylori (Hp). The potential association ...
Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Management of Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Preterm Neonates
Authors: Amish Jain, Prakesh S. Shah
Journal: JAMA Pediatrics (2015)

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) poses a diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma for clinicians. Diagnosis of persistent PDA and determination of its clinical and hemodynamic significance are challenging. Although the condition has been associated with substantial neonatal morbidities such as intraventricular hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and necrotizing enterocolitis, most therapeutic approaches have failed to show improvement in these outcomes. As such, clinicians have tended toward conservative management strategies; however, the benefits and risks of such an approach are unclear. In this review, we explore various clinical diagnostic modalities, echocardiographic parameters for assessment of shunt presence, shunt volume and its effect on cardiovascular and hemodynamic status, and challenges in determining if a PDA is hemodynamically significant and clinically relevant. From the therapeutic aspect, we review current evidence on conservative, pharmacological, and mechanical (surgical or nonsurgical ligation) approaches to PDA closure. Dose, route, duration, and comparison of pharmacological strategies are reviewed, with implications for future research.
Respiratory analysis of pulse oximetry plethysmogram recordings in preterm infants
Authors: David Wertheim, Sonia Sobowiec-Kouman, Graziella Castronovo, Paul Seddon
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

It has previously been shown that respiratory data can be derived from pulse oximetry plethysmogram (pleth) recordings in newborn term babies and older infants (Wertheim D. et al., Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed., 2009; 94: F310-3, Wertheim D. et al., Acta Paedtr., 2014). The aim of this study was to examine if respiratory rate can be derived from pleth traces in preterm infants. Recordings of oximetry pleth, SpO 2 , thoracic and abdominal respiratory inductance plethysmography (RIP) bands from 6 infants were recorded for about five minutes using a SOMNOscreen system (S-Med Ltd., Birmingham, UK). The median (range) gestation at birth was 32 (28 to 35) and the post-conceptional median (range) age at the time of recording of the babies was 33 (32 to 36) weeks. The pleth data were low pass filtered (LPF) in order to derive respiratory data using software that we developed using MATLAB (The MathWorks, Inc., USA). Further software was developed in order to display the LPF pleth data together with the RIP traces. Visual assessment of the recordings showed good agreement between the LPF pleth and RIP band data in traces with little or no artefact; periods with low amplitude 9raw9 pleth traces were excluded. Respiratory rate calculated from the LPF pleth data (median 56, range 45 to 65 breaths / minute) was compared with that computed from the RIP bands (median 58, range 46 to 70 breaths/ minute); the median difference (LPF pleth – RIP band) was -3 and the maximum absolute difference was 6 breaths / minute. Thus the results of this study suggest that respiratory rate can be derived from good quality pleth recordings in preterm infants.
The concept of prevention of postoperative respiratory complications in lung surgery
Authors: Michael Kontorovich, Sergey Skornyakov, Igor Medvinsky, Igor Motus, Dmitry Eremeev
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Objectives. Disciform atelectases can be a predictor of a severe postoperative respiratory complications. The aim of the study was to elaborate a set of measures aimed at prevention of these complications in patients subjected to operations on the lungs.

Materials and methods. We compared two comparable (in terms of surgery, comorbidities, age) groups of patients underwent lung resection. Two modes of ventilation were used during the operation. In group I (n = 313) ventilation regimen was CMV, standard techniques were used to create expiratory training with PEEP 2). In group II (n = 310) high frequency jet ventilation (HFJV) was carried out (VT = 2 ml • kg-1; f = 100 min-1; I: E = 1:2). In the postoperative period in group I traditional ventilation was conducted. In group II non-invasive mechanical ventilation (Noninvasive HFJV) was used in Continuous Positive Airway Pressure mode (VT = 2 ml • kg-1; f = 300 min-1; I: E = 1:1), inspiratory training was applied. Chest radiograph was undertaken next day after surgery.

Results. In Group II, compared with the group I reduction in the incidence of disciform atelectases was noted in first two days after surgery by 3.4 times.

Conclusion. On the base of the results obtained we formulated the concept of prevention postoperative respiratory complications after lung resections, which is as follows: 1.Intraoperative - conducting HFJV mode VPN, 2. On the first day after surgery, x-ray control to detect the beginning of the disciform atelectases 3. Holding in the immediate postoperative period of non-invasive mechanical ventilation in mode CPAPHF 4. In the delayed postoperative period breathing exercise to improve the expanding of the lungs.
Epidemiology and Etiology of Human Bladder Cancer: Occupational Bladder Cancer in the British Rubber Industry
Authors: Howard Guy Parkes
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1969)

An account is given of experience within the British rubber industry of the occupational hazards arising from the past usage of anti-oxidant powders containing certain aromatic amines, since found to be potent bladder carcinogens. Reference is made to the epidemiological investigations carried out thus far, and to those currently in progress. The measures which the industry itself has adopted to mitigate the consequences of exposure to carcinogenic substances are discussed.