tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Sleep disturbances in COPD patients with acute exacerbation
Authors: Irene Torres-Sánchez, Marie Carmen Valenza, Maröa José Flores-Barba, Gerald Valenza-Demet, Geraldine Valenza-Peña
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Previous studies had found a deterioration of sleep quality in subjects with different chronic respiratory conditions. Different studies have been focused on the repercussions of sleep in quality of life and psychological distress.  The aim of this study was to determine the relation between sleep quality and quality of life in hospitalized due to exacerbation COPD patients.  A sample of fifty six patients was included in this study. Participant’ sleep quality, quality of life and anxiety and depression were assessed.  Our sample shown an score in sleep quality (measured with Pittsburgh sleep quality Index) 10,3 ± 4,3. As measured by the PSQI, 75 % of the patients were classified as poor sleepers.  The study revealed that exist a bidirectional relation between sleep disturbances, quality of life and psychological distress in COPD patients with acute exacerbation.
Line probe assay (LiPA) based rapid detection of multiple drug resistent (MDR) mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)
Authors: T.K. Jayalakshmi, Rupali Hire, Swapnil Joshi, Yuji Kondo
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Objective: Rapid confirmation of diagnosis of MTB and MDR-MTB in clinical samples by Line probe assays based on Reverse DNA hybridization(RDH)  Methods: RDH is useful for detection of mutations related to drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The sample size of 50 AFB staining positive sputum samples taken was tested. Of these 30% were cases known to be MDR cases as detected from culture tests and 70% were fresh smear positive cases on treatment for TB. The Line probe assays were developed to cover common drug resistant mutations with rifampicin, INH, and aminoglycosides. The genes probed were rpoB, inhA, katG, gyrA, rrs, eis, the MTB complex and NTM. The end point was detected was by avidin biotin labeled nested PCR products from patient sputum samples.  RESULTS:  All the 50 smear positive samples were detected as MTB or NTM positive by the LIPA assay. All the known MDR cases showed drug resistance related mutations in the LIPA. About 30% had mutations in the gyrase gene and all were observed in clinically known MDR cases; 46% of mutations were seen in the rpo gene and 56 % in the katG region. The efficacy of the line probe when related to culture tests was greater than 90%.  CONCLUSION: The LIPA assay relates well with both MTB mycobacterial presence and Drug resistance.  References:  Morgan M, Kalantri S, Flores L, Pai M.A:commercial line probe assay for the rapid detection of rifampicin in Mycobacterium tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Infect Dis. 2005 Jul 28;5:62. Review.
Indium-111–Antimyosin Scintigraphy in the Early Detection of Heart Damage After Anthracycline Therapy in Children
Authors: L.C.M. Kremer, M.M.C. Tiel-van Buul, M.C. Ubbink, M. Offringa, J. Ottenkamp, R. Valdés Olmos, P.A. Voûte
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1999)

PURPOSE: To determine the value of indium-111–antimyosin ( 111 In-AM) scintigraphy in the early detection of myocardial damage in children treated with doxorubicin. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twelve planar scintigrams were made of eight patients (seven children and one young adult; mean age, 12 years). Three scans were obtained before doxorubicin therapy in three patients, and nine scans were obtained during doxorubicin therapy in seven patients. The heart-to-lung ratio (HLR) was calculated. Left ventricular function was assessed by echocardiography before and during therapy by measuring the fractional shortening (FS). RESULTS: The HLR of the three baseline scans was below 1.5, within the normal range for adults. Six of the seven patients whose scans were obtained during chemotherapy had abnormal HLR values (&gt; 1.5). One patient had severe myocyte damage and showed an early increase in the HLR (2.3) after a cumulative doxorubicin dose of 150 mg/m 2 . The FS measured by echocardiography was normal throughout therapy, and the final cumulative dose of doxorubicin was 450 mg/m 2 . This patient developed fatal clinical heart failure 3 months after completion of chemotherapy. In one patient, who was pretreated with the cardioprotective agent dexrazoxane, the HLR remained within normal limits during therapy. CONCLUSION: 111 In-AM scintigraphy seems to be suitable to detect early myocardial damage after a cumulative doxorubicin dose of 150 mg/m 2 in children and may be useful for identifying children who are at increased risk of developing cardiac sequelae.
Nephrotic tunnels in glomerular basement membrane as revealed by a new electron microscopic method.
Authors: Z Ota, K Shikata, K Ota
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (1994)

To clarify the ultrastructure in situ of the normal human glomerular basement membrane and ultrastructural changes of the glomerular basement membrane in patients with nephrotic syndrome, specimens of normal renal tissue and specimens from patients with membranous nephropathy, lupus nephritis, minimal change nephrotic syndrome, diabetic nephropathy, and Alport's syndrome were obtained. Specimens were examined by transmission electron microscopy by the newly devised "tissue negative staining method." Normal glomerular basement membrane showed a three-dimensional lattice-like meshwork of fibrils measuring 1.9 +/- 0.4 nm in diameter that formed numerous uniform, round, oval, or polygonal pores 2.5 +/- 0.4 nm in short diameter and 2.8 +/- 0.5 nm in long dimension. The nephrotic glomerular basement membrane revealed varying degrees of ultrastructural defects, the most prominent being tunnels and cavities. Tortuous tunnels measuring approximately 15 to 50 nm in diameter penetrated the entire glomerular basement membrane. Cavities of various shapes measuring 15 to 200 nm in diameter were diffusely scattered in the glomerular basement membrane and occasionally aggregated to form a honeycomb structure that occupied the whole thickness of the glomerular basement membrane. These defects appeared to be the pathway for protein leakage.
P0157 : Adherence and safety of beta-blockers in elderly patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension: A multi-center cross-sectional study
Authors: V. La Mura, C. Sylvestre, L. Pasina, A. Nobili, M. Primignani, A. Conca, L. Moroni, V. Monti, S. Accordino, G. Gobbo, P. Mannuccio Mannucci, F. Salerno
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2015)
A bacterial protease inhibitor protects antigens delivered in oral vaccines from digestion while triggering specific mucosal immune responses
Authors: Andrés Esteban Ibañez, Lorena Mirta Coria, Marianela Verónica Carabajal, María Victoria Delpino, Gabriela Sofía Risso, Paula Gonzalez Cobiello, Jimena Rinaldi, Paula Barrionuevo, Laura Bruno, Fernanda Frank, Sebastián Klinke, Fernando Alberto Goldbaum, Gabriel Briones, Guillermo Hernán Giambartolomei, Karina Alejandra Pasquevich, Juliana Cassataro
Journal: Journal of Controlled Release (2015)

We report here that a bacterial protease inhibitor from Brucella spp. called U-Omp19 behaves as an ideal constituent for a vaccine formulation against infectious diseases. When co-administered orally with an antigen (Ag), U-Omp19: i) can bypass the harsh environment of the gastrointestinal tract by inhibiting stomach and intestine proteases and consequently increases the half-life of the co-administered Ag at immune inductive sites: Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes while ii) it induces the recruitment and activation of antigen presenting cells (APCs) and increases the amount of intracellular Ag inside APCs. Therefore, mucosal as well as systemic Ag-specific immune responses, antibodies, Th1, Th17 and CD8+ T cells are enhanced when U-Omp19 is co-administered with the Ag orally. Finally, this bacterial protease inhibitor in an oral vaccine formulation confers mucosal protection and reduces parasite loads after oral challenge with virulent Toxoplasma gondii.
Effect of Adriamycin and &lt;italic&gt;Corynebacterium parvum&lt;/italic&gt; in Tumor-Bearing Mice: Modulation of Response to Sheep Red Blood Cells
Authors: Nikolay V. Dimitrov, Thomas N. Denny, Marc F. Weisman, David G. Cameron
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1979)

Administration of adriamycin and Corynebacterium parvum alone in C57BL/6J mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma stimulated the direct (19S) and indirect (7S) plaque-forming cell (PFC) response specific for sheep red blood cells. Thus adriamycin appears to possess some immunostimulatory effect on tumor-bearing mice with much less effect than C. parvum alone. Simultaneous administration of adriamycin and C. parvum decreased the PFC response compared to that for C. parvum alone. This decrease may indicate that drug-vaccine interaction could produce some inhibition of the strong immunostimulatory effect of C. parvum as measured by the PFC response in tumor-bearing mice. The immunostimulatory effect of adriamycin and C. parvum administered as a single agent or in combination was associated with significant splenomegaly. The results of this study could be helpful in clinical situations when these agents are used alone or combined.
Acquired lacrimal sac fistula mimicking basal cell carcinoma
Authors: A.S. Litwin, H. Timlin, S. Sagili, M. Wright, R. Malhotra
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2013)

Background Lacrimal sac fistulae can arise after an episode of dacryocystitis, usually forming below the medial canthus. Preceding symptoms of a watery eye with mucous discharge and a history or signs of inflammation are typical. Objectives To highlight the features of lacrimal sac fistulae and encourage readers to consider this in the differential diagnosis of apparently ulcerative medial canthal skin lesions. Methods We describe three patients with inferior‐medial canthal ulcerative skin lesions, all referred to ophthalmic plastic surgeons either by dermatologists or plastic surgeons, presumed clinically to have basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Results All three were in fact due to acquired lacrimal sac fistulae, and syringing of the nasolacrimal system confirmed the presence of a fistula. Conclusions These cases illustrate the importance of questioning patients about their previous ocular symptoms when dealing with less familiar periocular lesions.
Structural characterization of bronchial mucosal biopsies from healthy volunteers: a light and electron microscopical study
Authors: M Söderberg, S Hellström, T Sandström, R Lundgren, A Bergh
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1990)

Bronchial mucosal biopsies were collected by flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy (FFB) from normal healthy volunteers. The volunteers were not receiving any medication and had been free from respiratory infection for at least five weeks prior to the bronchoscopy. Biopsies with a minimum of 115 microns of undamaged perpendicularly sectioned epithelium were investigated by light and transmission electron microscopy. The height of the epithelium varied between 22-62.5 microns, with a median value of 41.5 microns. The volume density of the various epithelial cells in relation to the total epithelium was 61% for the ciliated and non-ciliated, non-secretory luminal cells, 6% for the goblet cells and 32% for the basal cells. The width of the lamina reticularis of the basement membrane ranged between 3-17.5 microns, with a median value of 8.5 microns. Blood vessels occupied 2.8% of the subepithelial tissue. Only a few inflammatory cells were seen in the connective tissue, volume density occupied by lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear granulocytes, 0.6% and 0.2% respectively. This study shows that structural damage is a common finding in biopsies collected by FFB. Mechanical damage of bronchial biopsies caused by the forceps should be considered before alterations in the epithelium are attributed to pulmonary disease.
Economic crisis affects smoking cessation: Greek experience
Authors: Athanasia Pataka, Aimiliza Stefanidou, Asimina Paspala, Evdokia Sourla, Vasilios Bagalas, Georgia Pitsiou, Ioannis Stanopoulos, Katalin Fekete Passa, Paraskevi Argyropoulou
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Background: Greece maintains one of the highest levels of smoking (40%). During economic crisis cigarette consumption seems to decrease. Economic problems possibly affect smoking cessation (S-C).

Aim: To assess the impact of the economic crisis on S-C in a Greek S-C clinic.

Methods: Comparison of the number of patients, reasons and strategies used for S-C and their efficacy between 2008 (-beginning of crisis) and 2012 (great impact of crisis on salaries, unemployment). Results: The number of smokers who attended the S-C clinic reduced in 2012 (n=134) compared with 2008 (n=345) (p<0.001). Mean age,mean value of Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence and number of cigarettes did not differ between years (46±11.7years, 10.7±7.4, 31.25±13 respectively). The main reason of S-C was health problems (75.6% all years). Economic issues were a significantly more important reason for quitting in 2012 compared with 2008 (27% vs. 8%, p<0.001). In 2012 89% of smokers were concerned about coverage of S-C medications from their insurance vs. 55% in 2008(p<0.001). In 2012 87% of the smokers knew about electronic cigarette and 9.5% had used it, whereas in 2010 42% knew about it and 0.5% had used it. In 2012 65.8% tried S-C without medication vs. 52.1% in 2008 (p=0.03). In 2011 43.2% of relapses (after 6months) were due to anxiety-economic problems vs. 23% in 2008 (p=0.02) (in 2011 53% of relapse were unemployed). Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was significantly lower in 2012 (p=0.03) especially in patients who relapsed. Conclusions: Economic problems and stress may affect S-C.
Mortality in young and old subjects with obstructive sleep apnoea with and without comorbidities
Authors: Anna Lo Bue, Giuseppe Insalaco, Adriana Salvaggio, Gabriella Dardanoni, Oreste Marrone
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Increasing obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) severity has been reported to be associated with a progressive increase in mortality excess, particularly among young subjects. It is unclear if in older subjects apnoeas are less harmful than in young subjects, or if comorbidities overcome and obscure the effects of OSA on mortality. Medical records of 1023 subjects studied for suspected OSA between 1991 and 2000 were retrospectively evaluated. During the first months in 2009 their state of survival or possible date of death was enquired. Information about 810 subjects (age 52.4±11.6 years, 629 M) was obtained. In the whole sample, survival was associated to comorbidities and age, but not to AHI or lowest nocturnal SaO2. Among subjects aged  =85% (survival 100% at 15 years) (p<0.05). A similar association was not found among older individuals nor among subjects with comorbidities. These data suggest that among subjects ≥50 increasing OSA severity does not worsen mortality even in subjects without comorbidities.
Mechanisms of Immunity to Sarcoma I Allografts in the C57BL/Ks Mouse. II. Passive Transfer Studies With Immune Serum in X-Irradiated Hosts&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2"&gt;2&lt;/xref&gt;
Authors: Mang-So Tsoi, Russell S. Weiser
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1968)

When a dose of 0.2 ml of immune serum was mixed with an inoculum of 106 Sarcoma I cells and administered subcutaneously to X-irradiated C57BL/Ks mice, a small but significant inhibitory effect on the initial growth of the resulting solid tumor was observed. However, after 2 weeks, enhanced growth of the tumor became evident. When the tumor and immune serum were administered intraperitoneally, the ascites form of Sal was inhibited, and no period of enhanced tumor growth could be detected, even at later intervals, because the control animals showed progressive growth of tumor. A dose of immune serum as low as 0.01 ml was sufficient to cause significant prolongation of survival time in the mice with intraperitoneally inoculated tumor. This protective effect of immune serum became progressively more pronounced with increasing doses of immune serum, to the level of 0.05 ml. Higher doses afforded no additional protection.
Altered Host-Allograft Relationships for Mouse Tumors Modified by Prior Passage &lt;italic&gt;In Vitro&lt;/italic&gt; and &lt;italic&gt;In Vivo&lt;/italic&gt;&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2"&gt;2&lt;/xref&gt;
Authors: Barbara B. Jacobs
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1970)

Tumors altered by short-term passage in vivo or in vitro were established as serially transplantable lines in untreated allogeneic mice. The allogeneic hosts were modified in turn by the allograft so that, 7 to 8 days after challenge with an altered tumor, they could accept grafts of the conventionally maintained, unaltered tumor counterpart. This was a dynamic tumor-host interrelationship in which the immune reactivity of both graft and recipient was altered. The altered tumors grew in the presence of an early reaction within the host; occasionally the reaction resulted in graft rejection and subsequent immunity to a second challenge. The characteristics of these tumor-host interactions resembled some of those described for both tolerance and enhancement, and in certain instances the same mechanisms might have been operating in all three phenomena.
Molecular genetic variation in the centromeric region of the X chromosome in three Drosophila ananassae populations. II. The Om(1D) locus.
Authors: W Stephan
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (1989)

Restriction-site and sequence-length polymorphism in the Om(1D) locus region on the X chromosome in Drosophila ananassae was investigated for three natural populations (from Burma, India, and Brazil), by using hexanucleotide-recognizing restriction enzymes. The estimates of average heterozygosity per nucleotide (pi) were 0.0085, 0.0043, and 0.0004 for the Burma, India, and Brazil populations, respectively, and the average frequencies of insertions/deletions were 0.078, 0.054, and 0.007/chromosome/kb. While the pi values at this locus are similar to the estimates obtained from other euchromatic loci in D. ananassae or in other Drosophila species, the frequencies of insertions/deletions are much higher than those previously reported from Drosophila. The exceptionally high frequencies of length polymorphisms in the Burmese sample and, to a lesser extent, in the Indian sample indicate that the hypermutability of Om(1D), caused by the frequent insertion of the transposable element tom, may be due to locus-specific rather than to tom element-specific properties. The low level of nucleotide variation in the Brazilian population seems to be due to a recent bottleneck of population size. This population was apparently founded in recent years by a small number of individuals and has been relatively isolated ever since.
AGE AND ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHIC ABNORMALITY IN NEUROPSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS
Authors: MILTON GREENBLATT
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1944)

The EGGs of 1,593 neuropsychiatric cases are analyzed and the tracings are classified as "normal" or "abnormal." "Abnormality" is defined as activity with a predominant frequency outside the range of 8 to 12 per second or a tendency to change greatly with overbreathing. This criterion is applied to all records regardless of age or clinical condition. "Abnormal" records are further classified as slow, fast, and mixed slow and fast. The percentage of "abnormal" records found in the various neuropsychiatric conditions varies from 22 per cent in alcoholic psychosis to 54 per cent in senile and artericsclerotic disorders. The order is as follows: alcoholic psychosis, 22 per cent; Schizophrenia, 23 per cent; psychopathic personality and behavior disorders, 31 per cent; manic-depressive depressed, 31 per cent; psychoneurosis, 34 per cent; manic-depressive manic, 42 per cent; psychosis with mental deficiency, 50 per cent; involutional psychosis, 51 per cent; senile and arteriosclerotic psychosis, 54 per cent. A control group primarily between 20 to 30 years of age has 10 per cent abnormal EEGs. Involutional psychosis and manic-depressive depressed conditions are conspicuous because of a large amount of fast activity, whereas senile and arteriosclerotic psychosis, psychosis with mental deficiency, and psychopathic personality and behavior disorder are associated with a large amount of slow activity. The very wide range over which the various neuropsychiatric conditions are distributed makes it necessary to study the incidence of electroencephalographic abnormality as a function of age. When this is done, the relationship between percentage abnormality and age is found to be a hyperbolic curve with greatest abnormality in youth and old age, and least abnormality between 25 and 45 years. The changes of incidence of electroencephalographic abnormality with age are so great that the factor of age cannot be neglected in the evaluation of the EEG. Furthermore, marked variations of more specific types of electroencephalographic abnormality with age are also found. For example, the incidence of slow activity falls rapidly with increasing age, from 20 per cent under 15 years to 5 per cent at age 45 to 55; and beyond this the incidence of slow activity rises. On the other hand, a rapidly rising incidence of abnormal fast activity occurs with increasing age, from 4 per cent under 15 years to 20 per cent at age 45 to 55, with a probable decline beyond 55 years. The electroencephalographic findings in the various neuropsychiatric conditions are largely explained by changes associated with age. This makes it necessary to readjust our previous ideas of normality and abnormality in the classification of EEGs so as to take into full consideration the major changes and trends associated with age. In this regard, the present review of a large and diversified group of cases covering a wide age range will provide preliminary standards of comparison and may be useful as a guide to further study along the same lines.
Activation of Cardiac Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 4 Causes Left Ventricular Hypertrophy
Authors: Alexander Grabner, Ansel P. Amaral, Karla Schramm, Saurav Singh, Alexis Sloan, Christopher Yanucil, Jihe Li, Lina A. Shehadeh, Joshua M. Hare, Valentin David, Aline Martin, Alessia Fornoni, Giovana Seno Di Marco, Dominik Kentrup, Stefan Reuter, Anna B. Mayer, Hermann Pavenstädt, Jörg Stypmann, Christian Kuhn, Susanne Hille, Norbert Frey, Maren Leifheit-Nestler, Beatrice Richter, Dieter Haffner, Reimar Abraham, Johannes Bange, Bianca Sperl, Axel Ullrich, Marcus Brand, Myles Wolf, Christian Faul
Journal: Cell Metabolism (2015)