tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Toxic potential of ambient particulate matter in various urban areas of the world and its relation to chemical composition and emission sources
Authors: Arian Saffari, Nancy Daher, Martin Shafer, James Schauer, Constantinos Sioutas
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) upon the interaction of toxic PM components with cells is believed to be one of the major pathways of oxidative stress induction. This study provides a global insight on the oxidative potential of ambient PM in different urban areas and size fractions. A cell-based (in-vitro) ROS assay is used to assess PM-induced oxidative potential and PM toxicity data from several previous studies in different urban locations (including Los Angeles, Long Beach, Riverside and Denver (USA), Milan (Italy), Beirut (Lebanon), Lahore (Pakistan) and Thessaloniki (Greece)) and in three different size ranges (i.e. quasi-ultrafine (PM0.25), fine (PM2.5) and coarse (PM2.5-10)) are combined and analyzed. As part of the analysis, the association of chemical components and corresponding PM sources with ROS activity is investigated. Moreover, the impact of particle size and possible effects of atmospheric aging on PM-induced redox activity are discussed. The results indicate overall higher levels of PM toxicity in developing areas of the world compared to developed countries. Smaller size ranges are generally associated with higher levels of PM toxicity, primarily due to the higher fraction of redox-active components in smaller size fractions. Transition metals (most notably Ni, V, Fe and Cu) as well as water soluble organic carbon (WSOC) are the species with highest and most frequent correlations with ROS activity, indicating the dominant effect of traffic emission sources, residual/fuel oil combustion and secondary organic aerosol generation on the induction of oxidative potential.
Glomerular Expression of Dystroglycans Is Reduced in Minimal Change Nephrosis But Not in Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis
Authors: HEINRICH M. REGELE, EDITH FILLIPOVIC, BRIGITTE LANGER, HELGA POCZEWKI, ILSE KRAXBERGER, REGINALD E. BITTNER, DONTSCHO KERJASCHKI
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2000)

Abstract. Extensive flattening of podocyte foot processes and increased permeability of the glomerular capillary filter are the major pathologic features of minimal change nephrosis (MCN) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Adhesion proteins anchor and stabilize podocytes on the glomerular basement membrane (GBM), and presumably are involved in the pathogenesis of foot process flattening. Thus far, α 3 β 1 -integrin was localized to basal cell membrane domains. In this report, α- and β-dystroglycan (DG) were detected at precisely the same location by immunoelectron microscopy, and the presence of α- and β-DG chains was confirmed by immunoblotting on isolated human glomeruli. Because the major DG binding partners in the GBM (laminin, agrin, perlecan), and the intracellular dystrophin analogue utrophin are also present in glomeruli, it appears that podocytes adhere to the GBM via DG complexes, similar to muscle fibers in which actin is linked via dystrophin and DG to the extracellular matrix. As with muscle cells, it is therefore plausible that podocytes use precisely actin-guided DG complexes at their “soles” to actively govern the topography of GBM matrix proteins. Expression of the α/β-DG complex was reported to be reduced in muscular dystrophies, and therefore a search for similar pathologic alterations in archival kidney biopsies from patients with MCN ( n = 16) and FSGS ( n = 8) was conducted by quantitative immunoelectron microscopy. The density of α-DG on the podocyte's soles was significantly reduced to 25% in MCN, whereas it was not different in normal kidneys and FSGS. The expression of β-DG was reduced to &gt;50% in MCN, and was slightly increased in FSGS. Levels of DG expression returned to normal in MCN after steroid treatment ( n = 4). Expression of β 1 -integrin remained at normal levels in all conditions. These findings point to different potentially pathogenic mechanisms of foot process flattening in MCN and FSGS.
Nature of the Delayed Graft-Versus-Host Reactivity of Fetal Liver Cell Transplants in Mice
Authors: B. Löwenberg, H. M. C. de Zeeuw, K. A. Dicke, D. W. van Bekkum
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1977)

Experiments were designed to determine which actual differences in the cellular composition between fetal liver and bone marrow account for the distinct types of graft-versus-host (GvH) disease. The assay of reactive lymphocytes (by in vitro mitogenic stimulation) in fetal liver transplants in mice, the purification of hemopoietic stem cells (HSC) of the transplants, and the quantitation of HSC numbers in the grafts traced the basis for the distinctly weak type of GvH disease after fetal liver cell grafts. It was found that transplantation of purified HSC concentrates did not modify the severity of GvH mortality. The moderate character of the delayed GvH disease was shown to depend on the presence of an HSC population in fetal liver with different qualities and not on numerical differences between the HSC in fetal liver and bone marrow. Data collected also demonstrated that when GvH disease occurred in the recipients of transplants of fetal liver, it shared the characteristic histologic features of the bone marrow GvH syndrome. The recovery of mitogen responsiveness of spleen cells may have been delayed in fetal liver allotransplantation as compared to syngeneic grafting. By supportive infusion of lymphoid cells, it was suggested that the immunodeficiency coinciding with GvH disease represented a secondary manifestation of the disease rather than a primary impairment in lymphoid differentiation.
The maximum oxygen consumption in children with asthma and/or obese children: A multi purpose assessment
Authors: Ilenia Benfatto, Elena Bianchi, Martina Tubaro, Francesca Valent, Mario Canciani
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Asthma and obesity have had an increasing trend in recent decades, constituting one of the major priorities in the health of children.

The aim of this study was to compare the respiratory function and oxygen consumption in four groups of children: obese, asthmatics, obese-asthmatic and controls, in order to assess their metabolic pattern and respiratory values.

Methods: 152 children, 8 to 16 y.o., divided as follows: 31 asthmatics, 42 controls, 56 obese and 23 obese-asthmatics children were tested. Every child performed spirometry, respiratory muscles (endurance) and oxygen consumption (VO2) evaluation, obtained on a cycloergometer according to a protocol of increasing effort.

Results: Spirometric values were comparable between obese and controls (average FEV1 105 and 107% pred, respectively), whereas there was a s.s. difference (p < 0.05) between asthmatics and obese-asthmatics. Endurance was lower in obese (26.97 J) and obese-asthmatics (24.06 J) than in asthmatics alone (31.52 J) and controls (31.98 J), but without any s.s.difference (p=0.60). The maximal VO2/kg was lower in obese (30.63 ml/kg/min) and obese-asthmatics (31.95 ml/kg/min) than in controls (37.19 ml/kg/min) or asthmatics (41.72 ml/kg/min) (p=0.0001 for each one).

Conclusion: The increase in body weight does not seem to affect spirometric values but obese children have a lower value of endurance, probably due to a respiratory muscle weakness and VO2/kg max was lower in obese than asthmatics, probably due to alterations in the cardio respiratory system.
Late-breaking abstract: The differences in clinical presentations between severe health care-associated pneumonia and severe community-acquired pneumonia: A single center experience
Authors: Goohyeon Hong, Sang-Won Um, Won-Jung Koh, Gee-Young Suh, Man-Pyo Chung, Ho-Joong Kim, O-Jung Kwon, Kyeong-Man Jeon
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Health care associated pneumonia (HCAP) has been proposed as a new category of respiratory infection. HCAP shows higher mortality rates than CAP. But it is not clear whether the poor outcome of HCAP is related to the presence of more comorbidities or to a higher incidence of MDR pathogen and inappropriate empirical antibiotic treatment. Thus, we aim to establish whether differences in outcomes for HCAP are due to differences in severity of pneumonia, not due to MDR pathogen. We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients with severe HCAP and severe CAP who were hospitalized through the emergency department in Jan 2008 Dec 2009 at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea, and compared clinical characteristics, severity, distribution of pathogen, and outcomes. In total, 757 patients hospitalized with pneumonia were eligible, 382 patients were severe pneumonia. sHCAP was significantly more common than sCAP. There were no differences between two groups in distribution of pathogens. sHCAP showed higher occurrence of potentially MDR pathogens than sCAP, but there were no differences between two groups in the inappropriate initial antimicrobial treatment. In early case-fatality rate, there were no differences between two groups but in-hospital mortality showed higher mortality rate in sHCAP. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, however, in-hospital mortality was independently associated with ICU admission. Differences in outcomes for HCAP are due to differences in severity of pneumonia, defined as ICU admission, not due to MDR pathogens.
Can a Lecture Influence Attitudes to Suicide Prevention?
Authors: H G Morgan, Mark Evans, Christine Johnson, Ruth Stanton
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (1996)

Attitudes held by various groups of healthcare professionals with regard to suicide prevention were assessed using an attitude inventory before and after they attended a formal lecture. The lecture presented basic facts and statistics, discussed clinical techniques and challenged negative attitudes. Evidence is presented to suggest that a reduction in the proportion of expressed attitudes which were equivocal or negative towards the feasibility of suicide prevention in clinical practice, can be achieved by a lecture of this kind.
Atrial arrhythmias in pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Richard Turner, Judith Hurdman, Madhav Menon, Charlie Elliot, David Kiely, Robin Condliffe
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Introduction:  There are few data regarding the frequency, importance and management of atrial arrhythmias in pulmonary hypertension (PH).   Methods:  A six-year retrospective analysis was conducted of >1000 newly diagnosed patients with PH.   Results:  There were 264 pre-existing cases of atrial fibrillation (AF) including 29% pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), 53% PH due to left heart disease (PH-LHD), and 7% chronic thromboembolic PH (CTEPH). PAH and CTEPH were more common (45% and 24%) than PH-LHD (17%) as the underlying cause of PH in the 29 patients who had atrial flutter (flutter) diagnosed prior to PH diagnosis (p v  64%, p=0.02). Management including chemical or DC cardioversion and/or ablation therapy maintained 59% of patients in sinus rhythm (SR). Failure to maintain SR was not associated with prognosis (p=0.9). Survival was worse in patients developing flutter rather than AF (figure).   Conclusion:  Atrial arrhythmias are common in PH. AF is more commonly associated with PH-LHD and developing flutter was associated with poorer survival. Further analysis of optimal management strategies is required.
Knowing prior methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection or colonization status increases the empirical use of glycopeptides in MRSA bacteraemia and may decrease mortality
Authors: J.O. Robinson, M. Phillips, K.J. Christiansen, J.C. Pearson, G.W. Coombs, R.J. Murray
Journal: Clinical Microbiology and Infection (2013)
Randomized Controlled Trial of Adalimumab in Patients With Nonpsoriatic Peripheral Spondyloarthritis
Authors: Philip Mease, Joachim Sieper, Filip Van den Bosch, Proton Rahman, P. Mahinda Karunaratne, Aileen L. Pangan
Journal: Arthritis & Rheumatology (2014)

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adalimumab in patients with active nonpsoriatic peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA).
Comparison of asthma control tests with quality of life in childhood asthma
Authors: Ela Erdem, Velat Sen, Yasemin Gokdemir, Refika Ersu, Fazilet Karakoc, Bulent Karadag
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

The goal of asthma therapy is to provide complete control of symptoms. In clinical practice asthma control levels are determined with questionnaires such as Asthma Control Test (ACT), Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) and Asthma Therapy Assessment Questionnaire. But, there are limited studies comparing asthma control tests with each other. In this study, we compared asthma control tests and investigated effect of asthma control on quality of life in patients with asthma.  204 patients with asthma followed up in Pediatric Pulmonology Department were recruited into the study. ACT and ACQ were used to measure asthma control; “Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire” (PAQLQ) was used to evaluate the quality of life.  Mean age of the patients were 9.2±3.0 years and 53.4% (n:109) of them were male. Mean score of ACT and AQT were 20.8±4.4 and 0.76±0.79, respectively. According to ACT, 8.8% (n:18) patients were well controlled, 60.3% (n:123) partially controlled and 30.9% (n:63) uncontrolled. According to ACQ, 70.1% (n:143) patients were well controlled, 15.2% (n:31) partially controlled and 14.7% (n:30) uncontrolled. Mean score of PAQLQ was 5.9±1.0, symptoms score was 5.8±1.1, activity limitation score was 5.8±1.1 and emotional function score was 6.0±1.0 .  A positive correlation was found between ACT and ACQ (p 6), according to ACT 17 (15.2%) and according to ACQ 101 (91.9%) of them were well controlled.  As a conclusion, in childhood asthma ACT is more limited and does not reflect the level of control well compared to ACQ.
A case of pulmonary tuberculosis combined with tuberculous gonitis in a 12-year-old immigrant patient with haemophilia A
Authors: Reka Bodnar, Agnes Subicz, Tamas Lowy, Laszlo Kadar
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Introduction: 9.4 million new tuberculosis (TB) infections and 14 million prevalent cases of TB were recorded world-wide in 2009 [1]. Hungary is a low incidence country with an incidence of 14.4 per one-hundred-thousand in 2009.

Case report: A 12-year-old Afghan boy was admitted to the hospital with pulmonary TB, Haemophilia-A and a swelling of his left knee. He presented symptoms of coughing, haemoptysis and swelling of the left knee for one year. Pulmonary TB was diagnosed in Pakistan and was treated with rifampicin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol for 43 days and amputation of the left knee was suggested. He was transported to Hungary to find an alternative therapy to his knee. With physical examination cachexia, and diminished breath sounds over the apical right lung were found. The left knee was in flexion contracture, the skin of the knee was brownish-purple with the lack of the epithelium and some fistulas.

![Figure][1] 



From the discharge of the fistulas Mycobacterium tuberculosis was identified. We completed the antituberculotical treatment with isoniazid for 162 days. The pulmonary manifestation was recovered in 2 months, and the left knee showed significant improvement after 5 months.

Conclusion: This case calls the attention to the immigrants' TB screening.

Reference: 

*   1. WHO report 2010. Global tuberculosis control. The global burden of TB: 5-7.

 [1]: pending:yes
Lysophosphatidic acid is an important mediator of fibroblast recruitment in IPF
Authors: Ian Scott
Journal: Thorax (2008)

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and its G protein-coupled receptor (LPA1) play key pathogenic roles in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Previous research has highlighted the importance of fibroblast chemoattractant activity in the lungs in patients with IPF. New findings suggest the LPA-LPA1 pathway has a pivotal role in mediating fibroblast migration and vascular leakage in …
The long-term benefits of nucleos(t)ide analogs in compensated HBV cirrhotic patients with no or small esophageal varices: A 12-year prospective cohort study
Authors: Pietro Lampertico, Federica Invernizzi, Mauro Viganò, Alessandro Loglio, Giampaolo Mangia, Floriana Facchetti, Massimo Primignani, Manol Jovani, Massimo Iavarone, Mirella Fraquelli, Giovanni Casazza, Roberto de Franchis, Massimo Colombo
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2015)
Safety and efficacy of rolapitant for prevention of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting after administration of cisplatin-based highly emetogenic chemotherapy in patients with cancer: two randomised, active-controlled, double-blind, phase 3 trials
Authors: Bernardo L Rapoport, Martin R Chasen, Cesare Gridelli, Laszlo Urban, Manuel R Modiano, Ian D Schnadig, Allen Poma, Sujata Arora, Vikram Kansra, Lee S Schwartzberg, Rudolph M Navari
Journal: The Lancet Oncology (2015)
Neurotoxicity and ototoxicity of cisplatin plus paclitaxel in comparison to cisplatin plus cyclophosphamide in patients with epithelial ovarian cancer.
Authors: G Cavaletti, G Bogliun, V Crespi, L Marzorati, A Zincone, M Marzola, S Rota, A Galli, P Tredici, G Tredici
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1997)

PURPOSE To compare the neurotoxicity and ototoxicity of combination cisplatin plus paclitaxel versus cisplatin plus cyclophosphamide using extensive clinical and instrumental evaluation. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-six of 51 consecutive patients affected by-epithelial ovarian cancer seen in our institution between October 1994 and August 1995 entered the study. After randomization, they were assigned to receive cisplatin 75 mg/m2 every 3 weeks associated with cyclophosphamide 750 mg/m2 (CC group, n = 22) or paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 over a 3-hour infusion (CP group, n = 24). Treatment was repeated six times in 43 patients and nine times in 25. Before treatment and after three, six, and nine courses of chemotherapy, patients underwent clinical and instrumental neurologic and otologic examinations. RESULTS Mild sensory impairment was evident even after only three courses of both treatments and signs and symptoms were more severe at the end of treatment. On clinical grounds only, it was possible to demonstrate after six and nine courses a difference between CC and CP treatment, due to the involvement in some CP patients of pain and thermal sensory modalities. However, the overall severity of the neuropathy was similar. Audiometric parameters demonstrated a more negative outcome after treatment in CC compared with CP patients. However, the different severity of the involvement was closely correlated to this initial difference in audiologic performance. CONCLUSION Up to nine courses of chemotherapy, the CC and CP schedules are similar in terms of severity of neurotoxicity and ototoxicity when patients are evaluated during and immediately after treatment. With the doses used in our study, these toxicities are not dose-limiting. Our results suggest that most of the toxic effects observed during the treatment were due to cisplatin.
Carcinogenicity of Dipyrone in (C57BL/6 × C3H)F<sub>1</sub> Mice<xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2">2</xref>
Authors: Hisajiro Kumagai, Akihiko Kawaura, Masashi Shibata, Hisashi Otsuka
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1983)

The carcinogenicity of dipyrone (sulpyrin)-[(2,3-dihydro-1 ,5-dimethyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)methylamino]methanesulfonic acid sodium salt monohydrate—which is widely used as an antipyretic anodyne in Japan and in some European countries, was examined in 314 (C57BL/6 × C3H)F1 mice. Male animals were given 0.5% (group I-a) or 0.125% (group I-b) dipyrone in their drinking water for 78 weeks, and female animals were given 1.0% (group II-a) or 0.25% (group II-b) dipyrone in their drinking water for 78 weeks; both males and females were observed for 86 weeks, Twenty-seven of 48 (56%) group I-a animals and 36 of 44 (82%) group II-a animals developed hepatic tumors, and the tumors in group II-a mice developed earlier than those in the control animals, The tumor incidences were significantly higher than those of 8 of 44 (18%) and 3 of 51 (6%) in the respective control groups, The multiplicity of the hepatic tumors was also significantly increased in groups I-a, I-b, and II-a. Hepatic adenoma incidence was related to the dose of dipyrone in the males. These results show that dipyrone enhances the development of hepatic tumors in mice.
Abstract 581: Normal Values of Left Ventricular Diastolic Parameters in Elite Athletes
Authors: Stefano Caselli, Riccardo Di Pietro, Fernando M Di Paolo, Cataldo Pisicchio, Marzia Tung, Barbara Di Giacinto, Filippo M Quattrini, Antonio Pelliccia
Journal: Circulation (2009)

Background: Aim of our study was to assess the normal values of Doppler-derived echocardiographic parameters of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in a large population of elite competitive a...
The Prevalence of Fibromyalgia in the General Population: A Comparison of the American College of Rheumatology 1990, 2010, and Modified 2010 Classification Criteria
Authors: Gareth T. Jones, Fabiola Atzeni, Marcus Beasley, Elisa Flüß, Piercarlo Sarzi‐Puttini, Gary J. Macfarlane
Journal: Arthritis & Rheumatology (2014)

Objective The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1990 fibromyalgia classification criteria are based on the presence of widespread pain and tenderness. In 2010, new criteria were proposed that focused more on multiple symptoms, and these criteria were later modified to require only self report of symptoms. The current study aimed to determine the population prevalence of fibromyalgia and to compare differences in prevalence using the alternative criteria. Methods A cross‐sectional survey was conducted. Questionnaires, including items on pain, symptoms, and rheumatologic diagnoses, were mailed to 4,600 adults in northeast Scotland. Participants who had chronic widespread pain or those who met the modified 2010 criteria, plus a subsample of other participants, were invited to attend a research clinic. Attendees completed an additional questionnaire and underwent a rheumatologic examination, and their signs and symptoms were classified according to the ACR 1990, 2010, and modified 2010 criteria. The prevalence of fibromyalgia according to each set of criteria was calculated, weighting back to the target population by age, sex, and area of residence. Results Of 1,604 questionnaire participants, 269 were invited to attend the research clinic, and 104 (39%) attended; 32 of these subjects (31%) met ≥1 set of fibromyalgia criteria. The prevalence of fibromyalgia according to the 1990, 2010, and modified 2010 criteria was 1.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.7–2.8), 1.2% (95% CI 0.3–2.1), and 5.4% (95% CI 4.7–6.1), respectively. The ratio of females to males was 13.7:1, 4.8:1, and 2.3:1 of those meeting the respective criteria sets. Conclusion Fibromyalgia prevalence varies with the different sets of classification criteria applied. In particular, prevalence is higher and a greater proportion of men are identified with the modified 2010 criteria as compared to the criteria sets requiring clinician input. This has important implications for the use of the new criteria, both in research and in clinical practice.