tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Whole genome sequencing as a tool to investigate a cluster of seven cases of listeriosis in Austria and Germany, 2011–2013
Authors: D. Schmid, F. Allerberger, S. Huhulescu, A. Pietzka, C. Amar, S. Kleta, R. Prager, K. Preußel, E. Aichinger, A. Mellmann
Journal: Clinical Microbiology and Infection (2014)

A cluster of seven human cases of listeriosis occurred in Austria and in Germany between April 2011 and July 2013. The Listeria monocytogenes serovar (SV) 1/2b isolates shared pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and fluorescent amplified fragment length polymorphism (fAFLP) patterns indistinguishable from those from five food producers. The seven human isolates, a control strain with a different PFGE/fAFLP profile and ten food isolates were subjected to whole genome sequencing (WGS) in a blinded fashion. A gene-by-gene comparison (multilocus sequence typing (MLST)+) was performed, and the resulting whole genome allelic profiles were compared using SeqSphere(+) software version 1.0. On analysis of 2298 genes, the four human outbreak isolates from 2012 to 2013 had different alleles at ≤6 genes, i.e. differed by ≤6 genes from each other; the dendrogram placed these isolates in between five Austrian unaged soft cheese isolates from producer A (≤19-gene difference from the human cluster) and two Austrian ready-to-eat meat isolates from producer B (≤8-gene difference from the human cluster). Both food products appeared on grocery bills prospectively collected by these outbreak cases after hospital discharge. Epidemiological results on food consumption and MLST+ clearly separated the three cases in 2011 from the four 2012-2013 outbreak cases (≥48 different genes). We showed that WGS is capable of discriminating L. monocytogenes SV1/2b clones not distinguishable by PFGE and fAFLP. The listeriosis outbreak described clearly underlines the potential of sequence-based typing methods to offer enhanced resolution and comparability of typing systems for public health applications.
Investigation of the role of miRNAs as a biomarker in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Authors: Fahri Akbas, Ender Coskunpinar, Engin Aynaci, Yasemin Musteri Oltulu, Pinar Yildiz
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

COPD as a complex disease with genetic and environmental compound, is one of the leading cause of death in worldwide. miRNAs have role in gene expression as responsible gene9s down-regulated by blocking mRNA after transcription, translation inhibition and breaking of mRNA. Aim of the study is definition a biomarker that are based on the measurement miRNA level of plasma, is specific to COPD.  20 COPD and 10 healthy control cases were included in this study. The median age was 59±6,6 and 55±5,2 years for controls and COPD, respectively. miRNA-specific quantitative real-time-PCR based miRNA (miR-qRT-PCR) detection has been used. “Free PCR Array Data Analysis Software” has been used for data analysis. As a result of the study, two miRNA were significantly upregulated (miR-7 and miR-30a) and seven different miRNA were significantly downregulated in COPD patients (miR-9, miR-20a, miR-26b, miR-28-3p, miR-34c-5p, miR-100, miR-101). As a conclusion, this is the first study using QRT PCR Array method to investigate the association between serum miRNAs and COPD. Upregulation of miR-7 and miR-30a might be potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of disease.
Culprit Vessel Only Versus Multivessel and Staged Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Multivessel Disease in Patients Presenting With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Pieter J. Vlaar, Karim D. Mahmoud, David R. Holmes, Gert van Valkenhoef, Hans L. Hillege, Iwan C.C. van der Horst, Felix Zijlstra, Bart J.G.L. de Smet
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2011)
Enabling air travel with oxygen in Europe
Authors: David Brennan, Susanna Palkonen, Antje Henriette Fink-Wagner, Monica Fletcher, Pippa Powell, Anne-Marie Wish
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

EFA9s Oxygen Harmonisation Project identified patients with chronic respiratory diseases who require the use of oxygen therapy when traveling as victims of discriminatory practices by many major European airlines. Together with the ELF, personal testimonies from patients were collected and an investigation of airline policies revealed differing formats of Medical Information for Fitness to Travel forms (MEDIF) and fees for the use of oxygen on board aircraft itself. EFA and the ELF agree with the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) recommendation to have a single MEDIF form applicable for all European airlines, which could reduce paperwork required from medical professionals. Although some airlines do permit patients to use oxygen free of charge, in the worst case scenarios, patients are requested to pay up to seven times the normal price of travel on continental European flights, which EFA and ELF agrees is a clear case of discrimination.  The Chair of the Transport and Tourism Committee of the European Parliament, Keith Taylor, endorsed this finding and encourages efforts to promote the harmonisation of policies among airlines for travel with oxygen along with the abolition of extra fees. The findings of this publication clearly outline a loophole through which certain airlines exploit patients with chronic respiratory disease and promote inefficient practices which burden patients and consequently add extra work for respiratory specialists.
ACC/AHA/ASE/ASNC/HRS/IAC/Mended Hearts/NASCI/RSNA/SAIP/SCAI/SCCT/SCMR/SNMMI 2014 Health Policy Statement on Use of Noninvasive Cardiovascular Imaging
Authors: Daniel B. Mark, Jeffrey L. Anderson, Jeffrey A. Brinker, James A. Brophy, Donald E. Casey, Russell R. Cross, Daniel Edmundowicz, Rory Hachamovitch, Mark A. Hlatky, Jill E. Jacobs, Suzette Jaskie, Kevin G. Kett, Vinay Malhotra, Frederick A. Masoudi, Michael V. McConnell, Geoffrey D. Rubin, Leslee J. Shaw, M. Eugene Sherman, Steve Stanko, R. Parker Ward
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2014)
Problem drinking is rising among England's well educated women
Authors: S. Arie
Journal: BMJ (2015)

Alcohol consumption is falling or stable in most rich countries, but in the United Kingdom it is rising, and in England more and more young and highly educated women are drinking too much, a major report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has said.1

Across the UK the proportion of 15 year olds who had drunk any alcohol rose from 71% in 2002 to 75% in 2010. And in England 40% of girls (twice as many as boys) reported having been drunk at least twice before they were 15 years old.

At the same time, the proportion of highly educated (university educated) women who now drank in a way that could damage their health was almost as high as among educated men. Some 20% of highly educated women, and 23% of highly educated men, consumed a weekly amount of pure alcohol of 140 g or more for women or 210 …
Increased Risk of Complications Following Total Joint Arthroplasty in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Bheeshma Ravi, Ruth Croxford, Simon Hollands, J. Michael Paterson, Earl Bogoch, Hans Kreder, Gillian A. Hawker
Journal: Arthritis & Rheumatology (2013)

Objective Most of the evidence regarding complications following total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are based on patients with osteoarthritis (OA); less is known about outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using a validated algorithm for identifying patients with RA, we undertook this study to compare the rates of complications among THA and TKA recipients between those with RA and those without RA. Methods In patients who underwent a first primary elective THA or TKA between 2002 and 2009, those with RA were identified using a validated algorithm: a hospitalization with a diagnosis code for RA or 3 physician billing claims with a diagnosis code for RA, with at least 1 claim by a specialist (rheumatologist, orthopedic surgeon, or internist) in a 2‐year period. Recipients with diagnostic codes suggesting an inflammatory arthritis, but not meeting RA criteria, were classified as having inflammatory arthritis. All remaining patients were deemed to have OA. Cox proportional hazards models, censored on death, were used to determine the relationship between the type of arthritis and the occurrence of specific complications, adjusting for potential confounders (age, sex, comorbidity, and provider volume). Results We identified 43,997 eligible THA recipients (3% with RA) and 71,793 eligible TKA recipients (4% with RA). Total joint arthroplasty recipients with RA had higher age and sex–standardized rates of dislocation following THA (2.45%, compared with 1.21% for recipients with OA) and higher age and sex–standardized rates of infection following TKA (1.26%, compared with 0.84% for recipients with OA). Controlling for potential confounders, recipients with RA remained at increased risk of dislocation within 2 years of THA (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.91, P = 0.001) and remained at increased risk of infection within 2 years of TKA (adjusted HR 1.47, P = 0.03) relative to recipients with OA. Conclusion Patients with RA are at higher risk of dislocation following THA and are at higher risk of infection following TKA relative to those with OA. Further research is warranted to elucidate explanations for these findings, including the roles of medication profile, implant choice, postoperative antibiotic protocol, and method of rehabilitation following joint replacement.
Microscopic observation drug susceptibility assay for the diagnosis of TB
Authors: Talha Munir
Journal: Thorax (2007)

▴ Moore DAJ, Evans CAW, Gilman RH, et al . Microscopic observation drug susceptibility assay for the diagnosis of TB. N Engl J Med2006;355:1539–50.

[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3]



Existing strategies to control the spread of tuberculosis (TB) miss important opportunities to interrupt transmission. This study compares the microscopic observation drug susceptibility (MODS) assay with conventional reference methods of automated mycobacterium culture or culture on Lowenstein–Jenson medium.

This study, conducted in Peru in 2003-2004, targeted three patient groups: unselected patients with suspected TB, pre-screened patients at high risk of …

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Influence of the <italic>A<sup>y</sup></italic> Gene on Mammary-Gland Tumors, Hepatomas, and Normal Growth in Mice
Authors: W. E. Heston, George Vlahakis
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1961)

Hybrid (C3H × Y)F1 mice that were genetically uniform except for segregation at the agouti locus (1/2 AyA, yellow, and 1/2 Aa, agouti) were studied in respect to body size, occurrence of mammary tumors in the females, and occurrence of hepatomas in the males. An effect of Ay increasing susceptibility to mammary tumors was noted in the age at which the tumors arose in the virgin females. The average tumor age of the Aa virgins was 15 months while that of the AyA virgins was only 8 months. Breeding eliminated this difference, for the average tumor age in both genotypic groups of breeders was 8 months. The final incidence in all 4 groups was or approximated 100 percent. In addition to adenocarcinomas of type A or type B there was a distinct group of a type rarely seen in other strains or hybrids that has been designated as adenocarcinoma, type Y. All but one of those of this type occurred in breeders. Ay increased susceptibility to spontaneous hepatomas in the males. The incidence in both genotypic groups was high, but it was higher in the AyA males than in the Aa males, and the AyA males had a significantly higher average number of hepatomas than the Aa males. Males treated with CCl4 failed to show any carcinogenic effect of this compound in increasing occurrence of hepatomas in these susceptible hybrids, and the Ay gene did not significantly increase the occurrence of hepatomas in these treated males. Ay increased body weight by approximately 10 g in the males and approximately 15 g in the females; it significantly increased total-body length in both males and females, and it significantly increased weight of gastrocnemius muscle in the females. In the combined genotypic groups of males, a significant positive correlation was found between number of spontaneous hepatomas and body weight, total-body length, and length of femur. Relationships between normal growth and neoplasia are discussed.
Correlates of risk of suicide in violent and nonviolent psychiatric patients
Authors: A Apter, M Kotler, S Sevy, R Plutchik, S L Brown, H Foster, M Hillbrand, M L Korn, H M van Praag
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1991)

This study was designed to identify variables that correlate with the risk of suicide in two patient groups that differ mainly in their level of expressed aggression.Twenty-eight psychiatric patients with a history of violent behavior who were in a forensic psychiatric facility were tested and compared to 28 psychiatric inpatients without a history of violence who were admitted to a large municipal hospital. Measures used included a battery of self-report questionnaires, with acceptable reliability and validity, that provided indices of risk of suicide, risk of violence, impulsivity, anger, anxiety, and various mood states.The two groups, matched on demographic variables and overall risk of suicide, differed significantly on the measured risk of violence. The two groups showed similar patterns of correlations between risk of suicide and such variables as risk of violence, anger, fear, state and trait anxiety, lack of impulse control, suspiciousness, and rebelliousness. They differed in the correlation between suicide risk and depression. In the nonviolent patients there was a high correlation between risk of suicide and sadness; in the violent patients there was no correlation between these variables.The low correlation between sadness and risk of suicide in the violent patients, and the low prevalence of affective disorder diagnoses in these patients compared to other patients, suggests that suicidal risk should be managed differently in highly violent patients than in others.
Serum plakophilin-3 autoreactivity in paraneoplastic pemphigus
Authors: J. Lambert, S. Bracke, F. Van Roy, H.H. Pas, S. Bonné, S. De Schepper
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2010)

Background Paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP) is a malignancy‐associated autoimmune disease in which circulating autoantibodies recognize various polypeptides that constitute the desmosomes and hemidesmosomes of epithelial structures. Objectives To determine whether PNP is associated with autoreactivity against the armadillo‐repeat‐containing plakophilin‐3 (PKP3) protein. Methods HEK293 cells were transiently transfected with either a pEF6/myc‐His or a pEGFP‐N2 construct, both encoding human PKP3 (protein products of 85 kDa and 115 kDa, respectively). Protein lysates were made in Laemmli buffer. The proteins were separated by gel electrophoresis, transferred to filters and probed with five PNP sera, four pemphigus vulgaris sera, two pemphigus foliaceus sera, five bullous pemphigoid sera, one cicatricial pemphigoid serum and one linear IgA dermatosis serum. A mouse monoclonal anti‐PKP3 antibody raised against a 20‐amino acid peptide of human PKP3 was used as a positive control. Results Autoreactivity against both 85‐kDa and 115‐kDa recombinant PKP3 protein products was detected in all five PNP sera and in one pemphigus vulgaris serum. None of the sera of patients with basement membrane zone bullous diseases reacted with the PKP3 protein products. The presence of autoantibodies against PKP3 in PNP sera was subsequently confirmed in human epidermal lysate blots. Conclusions This is the first report of PKP3 reactivity in bullous disorders, which was present in all the PNP sera tested. The presence of PKP3 reactivity in one patient with pemphigus vulgaris is not unexpected as the desmosome is also targeted in this disease.
Epirubicin cardiotoxicity: an analysis of 469 patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Authors: M Ryberg, D Nielsen, T Skovsgaard, J Hansen, B V Jensen, P Dombernowsky
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1998)

PURPOSE To evaluate the influence of cumulative dose, dose-intensity, single-dose level, and schedule of epirubicin on the risk of developing congestive heart failure (CHF) in patients with advanced breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS Four hundred sixty-nine consecutive anthracyline-naive patients with metastatic breast cancer were included. Only patients with cardiac failure according to New York Heart Association (NYHA) function class II or more were recorded as having CHF. For each patient, the following were calculated: the cumulative dose of epirubicin, mean dose-intensity (cumulative dose of epirubicin/duration of treatment), and single-dose level (cumulative dose of epirubicin/number of injections). RESULTS Thirty-four patients (7.2%) developed CHF. The cumulative risk of cardiotoxicity was 4% at 900 mg/m2 and increased exponentially to 15% at 1,000 mg/m2. Irradiation against the mediastinum and thoracic spine increased the risk of CHF (P=.025), but dose-intensity, single-dose level, and schedule had no influence on the risk of developing CHF. Age, previous adjuvant irradiation (to the left or right hemithorax), and previous chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil [CMF]) were not risk factors. The median time to onset of CHF following the last dose of epirubicin was 57 days (range, 0 to 853). Among patients with CHF, 13 (38.2%) died of cardiac failure. The median survival time for all patients with CHF was 162 days (range, 0 to +1,957). Previous irradiation directly against the heart increased the risk of death due to cardiac failure and decreased the median survival time to 125 days (range, 0 to 336). CONCLUSION The present large retrospective study of 469 patients substantiates previous results concerning the cardiotoxicity of epirubicin. A significantly increasing risk of CHF in patients who receive cumulative doses greater than 950 mg/m2 was established. The future recommended maximum cumulative dose of epirubicin should be 900 mg/m2 in patients with metastatic breast cancer. Previous irradiation against the heart leads to an increased risk of developing CHF with an accelerated course to death, which indicates an additive cardiotoxic effect of irradiation and epirubicin.
Functional Evaluation of Plasmin Formation in Primary Breast Cancer
Authors: Pierre O. Chappuis, Barbara Dieterich, Véronique Sciretta, Cornelia Lohse, Hervé Bonnefoi, Sami Remadi, André-Pascal Sappino
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2001)

PURPOSE: Plasmin generation is controlled by the plasminogen activators (PA)/plasmin system, which comprises proteases (urokinase-type PA [uPA] and tissue-type PA [tPA]) and antiproteases (PA inhibitors, PAI-1 and PAI-2). The tumoral content of uPA and PAI-1 has been shown to carry prognostic value in breast cancer; however, because most assays used so far have relied on immunometric determinations, we have explored the enzymatic activities governing plasmin formation in breast cancer specimens. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We applied semiquantitative histochemical zymography to 201 primary breast cancer tissue sections. Enzymatic activities were correlated with histopathologic parameters and clinical outcome. The median follow-up was 91 months. RESULTS: A wide range of PA-mediated catalytic activities was detected. The overall survival was significantly worse for patients with tumors showing tPA in the lowest quartile of activity (P = .003). The 5-year overall survival of patients with tPA activity in the lowest quartile was 58% compared with 81% for patients with tPA value in the other three quartiles. Tumor size, axillary lymph node metastasis, histologic grade, lymphovascular infiltration, TP53 mutation, and tPA activity were all major risk factors in univariate analysis. tPA activity was an independent prognostic factor in a multivariate Cox regression model, both in the whole population (relative risk = 0.5, 95% confidence interval, 0.3 to 0.9; P = .02) and in the node-negative subgroup (relative risk = 0.2, 95% confidence interval, 0.08 to 0.6; P = .004). CONCLUSION: By using a zymographic assay performed directly on primary tumor tissue sections, we demonstrate that reduced tPA-mediated plasmin production is an independent adverse prognostic factor in breast cancer.
Abstract 15036: An Assessment of the Presence of Collateralisation as a Predictor of Angiographic Success Rates of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Chronic Total Occlusions
Authors: Anouska Moynagh, Hakim Benamer, Aleem Khand, Sanjay Sastry, Thierry Unterseeh, Philippe Garot, Thomas Hovasse, Bernard Chevalier, Thierry Lefevre, Yves Louvard
Journal: Circulation (2010)
Diminished in vitro antibacterial activity of oxacillin against clinical isolates of borderline oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: S. Croes, P.S. Beisser, P.H. Terporten, C. Neef, R.H. Deurenberg, E.E. Stobberingh
Journal: Clinical Microbiology and Infection (2010)
Patient survey to assess methods of local anaesthesia during bronchoscopy
Authors: David Tarpey, Thomas Bongers
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Introduction: To anaesthetise the vocal cords during bronchoscopy there are 2 methods used in the Northwest of England, transcricoid lidocaine or administering it directly through the bronchoscope. The choice between the two methods is largely down to individual choice and there has been little work comparing them.

Methods: Patients filled in a 10 point questionnaire (using a visual analogue scale) 1-2 hours after bronchoscopy. All had a 2-4mg dose of IV midazolam as a sedative, this has the supposed benefit of inducing retrograde amnesia.

Results: We surveyed 30 patients between the ages of 40-82, 24 were outpatients. 95% of patients strongly agreed that the bronchoscopy was better than expected, 16% of patients (5/30) were unsure of follow up arrangements. 47% of patients (14/30) could remember the procedure fully. 27/30 patients had the method of local anaesthesia noted (12 transcricoid, 15 direct vision). 66% (8/12) who had the transcricoid approach reported little or no choking compared to 26% (4/15) in whom the lidocaine was administered directly through the scope, which was significant (p 0.06) There was no difference in other measures such as coughing.

Conclusion: This survey has raised several points, firstly we need to improve our communication with patients regarding follow up arrangements. Secondly a significant proportion of patients recalled the procedure fully and we should consider other sedative medication if we want to induce amnesia. Finally there was a significant difference between the 2 methods with regards to choking sensation. This could be an indication that the transcricoid approach is superior to direct vision in some aspects. We have commenced a follow up study to assess this.