tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Changes in physical activity and all-cause mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Anouk W. Vaes, Judith Garcia-Aymerich, Jacob L. Marott, Marta Benet, Miriam T.J. Groenen, Peter Schnohr, Frits M.E. Franssen, Jørgen Vestbo, Emiel F.M. Wouters, Peter Lange, Martijn A. Spruit
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Background: To date, little is known about changes in physical activity in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their impact on all-cause mortality. Therefore, we aimed to study changes in physical activity in subjects with and without COPD and their impact on mortality risk.

Methods: Subjects of the Copenhagen City Heart Study with at least two consecutive examinations were included. Each examination comprised a self-administered questionnaire and clinical examination.

Findings: 1,270 subjects with COPD (58% men, 56±10 yrs, FEV1: 67±18% pred) and 8,734 subjects without COPD (42% men, 49±13 yrs, FEV1: 91±15% pred) were included. Baseline physical activity was lower in subjects with COPD (p<0.001). Moreover, the proportion of COPD subjects with a decline in physical activity was higher (p≤0.05). Subjects with COPD and moderate or high baseline physical activity who reported a low physical activity level at follow up had the highest hazards to die (HR 1.73 and 2.35, respectively; both p<0.001). In COPD subjects with a low baseline physical activity, no differences were found in survival between individuals with an unchanged or increased physical activity at follow up. In addition, in subjects without COPD, a low physical activity at follow up was associated with the highest hazard to die, irrespective of baseline physical activity level (p≤0.05).

Conclusion: A decline in physical activity is more common in COPD subjects. Furthermore, a decline to a low physical activity is associated with an increased mortality risk in subjects both with and without COPD. Our findings emphasize the importance of focus on maintaining and stimulating of physical activity in COPD.
LSC 2014 abstract - Chemerin/ChemR23 pathway in diesel exhaust particles-induced pulmonary inflammation
Authors: Sharen Provoost, Katrien De Grove, Graeme Fraser, Kurt Tournoy, Guy Brusselle, Tania Maes, Guy Joos
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Introduction: Inhalation of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) is associated with increased inflammatory reactions in the lung. We have previously shown that DEP exposure has a great impact on the monocyte-derived dendritic cell (DC) biology (Provoost, S. et al.; J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2012; 129(2): 483-91).

ChemR23 is a G-protein coupled receptor that is expressed by monocytes and immature DC. Its ligand, chemerin, is secreted by the epithelium as an inactive precursor (prochemerin) which is converted by neutrophil proteases into bioactive chemerin.

Here, we investigated whether the Chemerin/ChemR23 axis is involved in the DEP-induced DC modulation and inflammation.

Methods: Wild type (WT) and ChemR23 knock out (KO) mice were intratracheally instilled with saline or 100 µg DEP on day 1, 4 and 7. On day 9, we assessed the DEP-induced chemerin expression and inflammatory response in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and lung tissue.

Results: Exposure to DEP decreased the (pro-)chemerin staining in airway epithelial cells. This was associated with elevated (pro-)chemerin levels in BAL, suggesting an increased release of chemerin upon DEP exposure.

In chemR23 KO mice, DEP-induced monocyte and monocyte-derived DC recruitment was greatly attenuated in the BAL and lung tissue when compared with WT mice. In contrast, the numbers of conventional DC in lung tissue and alveolar DC were similar between DEP-exposed chemR23 KO and WT mice.

Conclusions: These data suggest that the chemerin/ChemR23 axis is involved in the DEP-induced monocyte-derived DC recruitment.

Funding: FWO Vlaanderen; Belgian IUAP P7/30; Concerted Research Initiative – Ghent University.
Comparison of online single-breath versus multiple-breath exhaled nitric oxide at school entry in a cohort of unselected children
Authors: Oliver Fuchs, Philipp Latzin, Florian Singer, Elena Proietti, Elisabeth Kieninger, Urs Frey
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Despite requiring less cooperation there are no standards for online multiple-breath (mb) measurements of exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) with uncontrolled flow rate and no studies comparing them to more difficult online single-breath (sb) eNO measurements in young children.

Online eNOsb and eNOmb were measured by a chemoluminescence analyzer connected to an ultrasonic flowmeter in N=73 children of a birth cohort of unselected children at a mean±SD age of 6.1±0.2 years. During measurements, we aimed for 20 tidal breathing manoeuvres for eNOmb and for 3 eNOsb manoeuvres according to current standards. We compared both techniques by standard comparison methods including regression analysis and Bland-Altman plots.

After strict quality control, eNOmb and eNOsb measurements were acceptable in n=56 and n=53 children, respectively. Paired data were available for n=46 children (43.5% males). With r2=0.85, p<0.0001, eNOmb was significantly correlated with eNOsb (mean±SD 8.2±5.8 ppb) after computing NO output or after extrapolation to an expiratory flow rate of 50 mL/s (eNOmb50, mean±SD 9.0±5.8 ppb), also on a log-log scale. The mean difference between eNOmb50 and eNOsb according to standards was -0.9 ppb with upper and lower limits of agreement of 3.9 and -5.7 ppb, respectively.

At school entry, online eNOmb with uncontrolled flow rate is highly correlated with the gold standard of eNOsb measurements controlling for expiratory flow. The wide range of limits of agreement hampers eNOmb use in population-based research. Being less dependent on cooperation at this age, it might be a promising additional tool for the clinical setting to discriminate between disease groups.
Abstract 700: An Inhomogeneous Edematous Change in the Left Atrial Wall after Radiofrequency Ablation Predicts Early Recurrence of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Miki Yokokawa, Hiroshi Tada, Keiko Koyama, Shigeto Naito, Shigeru Oshima, Koichi Taniguchi
Journal: Circulation (2008)

An inflammatory response following thermal injury from catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) may aggravate arrhythmogenic activity and cause early AF recurrences (ERAFs). In 56 patients with drug-refractory, paroxysmal AF (14 women, 60±10 years) who underwent circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA), cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) was performed before, and 1 day and 1 month after the CPVA. The wall thickness, delayed enhancement (DE) and T2-weighted images of the LA wall were evaluated in 6 subdivided regions of the left atrium (LA; PV ostia, roof, anterior wall, posterior wall, septum, and mitral isthmus). Twenty-three patients (41 %) had AF recurrence within 1 month after the CPVA (ERAF-Gr), whereas the remaining 33 did not (No-ERAF-Gr). Before the CPVA, no region with a high T2 signal was found in any of the patients in either group, and no difference was observed in the total number of DE regions between the 2 groups (2±1 vs. 2±1, p=0.31). One day after the CPVA, high T2-weighted images were detected around the LA wall, and augmentation of the wall thickness of the LA roof was greater in the ERAF-Gr than No-ERAF-Gr group (see Table ). One month after the CPVA, the thickened LA wall with a high T2 signal recovered to baseline. On the other hand, the change in the total number of DE regions after the CPVA did not differ between the 2 groups. Shortly after the CPVA, the LA wall was characterized by interstitial edema concomitant with thermal injury, and an edematous change in the LA roof may predict an ERAF. CMR is useful for assessing the distribution and extent of the edematous changes of the LA wall after CPVA. Change in the wall thickness and total number (no.) of scar regions 1 day after CPVA.
Anatomy Exhibit Shows Charm of Grotesque
Authors: Brian Vastag
Journal: JAMA (2002)

BETHESDA, MD—A body floats waisthigh, sliced into dozens of transparent cross-sections to reveal inner geography plane by plane, skull to toe. Painted onto thick plastic sheets hanging parallel, the hovering figure ripples to life with a breeze or a touch, compressing and expanding in waves. To craft “Suspended Self Portrait,” the first piece encountered at the National Library of Medicine’s (NLM) new exhibit on the art of anatomy, artist Carolyn Henne climbed into a tub of plaster, molded herself, and sliced the resulting figure 89 times. She filled the sections with painted bone, muscle, fat, organ tissue, and skin, as appropriate, drawing on information from the library’s Visible Human project. The effect is somewhat startling. It recalled for some ghoulish scenes from Robin Cook’s novel Coma, in which devious physicians fill morgues with unconscious patients suspended from wires, their feet or heads raised and lowered as needed to supply blood to organs slated for harvesting. The harvest for “Dream Anatomy”— the title of the exhibit running through July2003—ismoresublime, culled from the library’s vast, largely unviewed collectionofmedical art.WhenNLMDirector Donald Lindbergh, PhD, arrived in 1984, advisors told him that the library, known for its subterranean stacks and onlinesearchengines,wasneglecting the visual half of the medical canon. Thus began a series of projects to advance the art of medicine, including a number of online and in situ exhibits. The library’s latest effort is perhaps its most ambitious, drawing on half a millennium of renderings. (Works from the exhibit can be viewed online at http://www.nlm.nih .gov/exhibition/dreamanatomy/.) At a recent seminar to celebrate the exhibit’s opening, curator Michael Sappol, PhD, a historian at the NLM, explained the concept to an auditorium of anatomy aficionados: “People stumble over the title and ask, ‘What’s so dreamy about anatomy?’ I say that it’s hard to find an anatomical illustration that doesn’t speak to us in dreamlike ways.”
Alpha-amylase as a marker of direct aspiration in children with neurodisability
Authors: Katie Rose, Ruth Trinick, Mark Dalzell, Paul McNamara
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Background: Pulmonary aspiration is thought to play a key role in the aetiology of recurrent respiratory problems in children with severe neurodisability (ND). At present there are no tests to differentiate between direct salivary (‘from above’) and indirect reflux (‘from below’) aspiration. The role of direct aspiration in the pathogenesis of aspiration lung disease is undefined.  Aims and objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate alpha amylase (αA) as a biomarker of direct aspiration and its role in airway inflammation.  Methods: αA was measured in BAL samples from children with ND when well (n=16) and during PICU admission (n=18), compared to healthy controls (n=10). In vitro studies were undertaken to investigate the effects of αA on airway inflammation, using an airway epithelial cell model (BEAS-2B).  Results: αA activity was significantly increased in patients with ND when well compared to healthy controls (100[46-597] vs. 27[9-71] U/L, p=0.01). Furthermore αA activity was found to positively correlate with BAL neutrophils (r=+0.81, p  Conclusions: A clinical biomarker to identify and quantify direct and indirect aspiration would be useful in the clinical assessment of patients with ND presenting with respiratory symptoms, and in guiding subsequent, potentially invasive management. This study suggests that αA may be a useful biomarker of chronic direct aspiration, and that it may have a role in respiratory disease pathogenesis in this group of children.
The treatment of erythropoietic protoporphyria.
Authors: S.T. ZAYNOUN, J.A.A. HUNTER, F.J. DARBY, P. ZAREMBSKI, B.E. JOHNSON, W. FRAIN-BELL
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (1977)

In a group of 19 subjects suffering from erythropoietic protoporphyria the administration of beta-carotene appeared to produce improvement based on a subjective assessment of alterations in exposure times required to produce the symptoms and signs of the condition. This clinical improvement however failed to show a direct correlation with the prophyrin levels in blood and faeces, or with the estimation by phototesting of the minimal response dose within the action spectrum of 400-600 nm.
Prevalence and Regional Distribution of Autoantibodies Against GAD65Ab in a European Population Without Diabetes: The EPIC-InterAct Study
Authors: Olov Rolandsson, Christiane S. Hampe, Patrik Wennberg, Jared Radtke, Claudia Langenberg, Nicholas Wareham
Journal: Diabetes Care (2015)

Prevalence and Regional Distribution of Autoantibodies Against GAD65Ab in a European Population Without Diabetes : The EPIC-InterAct Study
Lung injury in intravenous drug users with infective endocarditis
Authors: Elena Ponomareva, Anna Roshchina, Andrey Rebrov
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Aim and methods:  To study lung injury and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in i/v drug users with native valves infective endocarditis (IE) we have examined 30 pts (28 men, 2 women, 31,9±4,9 years, i/v drug usage-2 to 8 years). Diagnosis of IE was according to Duke-criteria (ECS, 2009). Tricuspid valve localization of IE was revealed in 83% pts, tricuspid and aortic localization-14% and in 1 (3%)-isolated aortic IE. Co morbid pathology included chronic HCV hepatitis in all pts and HIV infection in 5 pts.   Results:  Lung injury was detected in 97%. X-ray revealed bi-lateral polysegmental opacities in 16 pts, diffuse parenchymal lung injury in 13 pts including 3 pts with HIV. Tuberculosis was negative in all cases. PH was revealed in all pts (mean pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) 47,6±11,7 mmHg). Positive correlations were found between fever duration and PASP, right atrium, right ventricle sizes (r=0,53, p   Conclusions:  We have found out different patterns of lung injury in i/v drug users with predominant tricuspid valve IE. Degrees of PH depend on lung involvement and valve9s vegetation sizes.
Nutritional Status of Patients with Leg Ulcers
Authors: I G Schraibman, F J Stratton
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (1985)

A group of 30 consecutive patients from a leg ulcer clinic were compared with age- and sex-matched controls in respect of 11 indices which may reflect nutritional deficiency. Twenty-one controls and 23 patients showed a total of 92 abnormalities, of which 48 were classified as severe. Mean indices were not significantly different in the two groups apart from a lower haemoglobin in patients and raised serum ferritin in controls.
Mortality Rate and Spontaneous Lesions Found in 2,928 Untreated BALB/cCr Mice&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2"&gt;2&lt;/xref&gt;
Authors: Russell M. Madison, Louise S. Rabstein, W. Ray Bryan
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1968)

The rate of mortality and the incidence of commonly occurring spontaneous pathologic lesions are reported in 2,928 untreated male and female mice of the BALB/cCr strain that served as environmental controls in a series of oncologic studies for 18 months. Before the scheduled termination period, 840 (28.69%) died, and necropsy and histopathologic examinations on 538 indicated pneumonia was the most frequent cause of death (270 or 50.18%). Lung tumors were found in 35 (6.5%), reticular neoplastic disease in 15 (2.78%), and solid tumors in 8 (1.48%). Of the remaining 2,088 mice that survived until 18 months of age, pneumonia was present in 230 (11.01%), lung tumors in 332 (15.90%), lymphatic hyper-plasia in 108 (5.17%), reticulum cell neoplasms in 21 (1.00%), and various other solid tumors in 65 (3.11%). Most of the solid tumors were benign.
Metabolic syndrome and chronic diseases in COPD
Authors: Emel Bulcun, Aydanur Ekici, Mehmet Ekici
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Introduction: In this study, we examined accompanying comorbidities and metabolic syndrome (MS) in patints with COPD Method: Sixty-six patients with COPD and 40 subjects as control group were included. The index severity of chronic diseases was evauated by using the MCIRS. MS was defined according to National Cholesterol Education Program.

Results: MCIRS was significantly greater in patients with COPD than in control group. MS was detected in 18 patients (27.3%) in patients with COPD and in 8 patients (20 %) in control group. The rate of MS in patients with stage II COPD was higher than in in patients with stage IV COPD (p: 0.04).

View this table:

Table 1: The Comparison of the Rate Disorders of Metabolic Syndrome according to Stage of COPD





The MCIRS showed inverse associations with FEV1%, FVC%, FEV1/FVC% while positive association with BODE index.

View this table:

Table 2: The predictors of MCIRS in all subjects





Conclusion: Comorbidities and MS are diseases which are seen in different form's of COPD.
Safety of Chemotherapy Recycling in Solid Tumor Patients with an Absolute Neutrophil Count (Anc) Under 1500/Mm3
Authors: M. Souto, A. Ferreira, M. Alves, K.T. Souza, L. Testa, M. Braghiroli, R.R. Munhoz, P. Hoff
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2014)
Use of Videotape To Induce Attitude Change in Delinquent Adolescents
Authors: ROBERT C. MARVIT, JUDY LIND, DENNIS G. MCLAUGHLIN
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1974)

A representative sample of Hawaii's antisocial adolescents (N = 44) participated in group treatment with and without videotaping. The groups that were videotaped developed an increase in reality-based self/other concept and a more reflective posture regarding their behavior. In addition, they experienced a decrease in self-esteem with reduced emphasis on activity as a means of coping. The use of videotaping in the treatment of antisocial attitudes was most effective in allowing increased reality testing coincident with reduced use of deniat. This effect was enhanced with support provided through the peer group process.
Predicting the efficacy of anthracyclines in breast cancer (BC) patients: Results of the neoadjuvant TOP trial
Authors: C. Desmedt, E. Azambuja, D. Larsimont, G. Rouas, A. Di Leo, S. Delaloge, C. Duhem, V. D'Hondt, M. Piccart, C. Sotiriou
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2009)

523 Background: Anthracycline-based regimens are among the most active and used chemotherapies in BC. Here, we report the results of the prospective TOP trial ( NCT00162812 ) which was specifically designed to identify markers of response/resistance to preoperative epirubicin (100 mg/m 2 q2 or q3wks) in estrogen receptor-negative (ER-) BC patients. Methods: Using pre-epirubicin biopsies, we analyzed TOP2A by fluorescence in situ hybridization (Abbott triple probe) and by immunohistochemistry (KiS1) and generated gene expression profiles (HG133Plus2.0). We used publicly available gene expression data from the BIG1–00, trial (EORTC-10094), which compared in a preoperative setting an anthracycline-based (A) to a taxane-based (T) regimen, to validate some of our results. Results: 149 patients were included in the TOP trial and 14.5% had a complete pathological response (pCR). TOP2A amplification (11% of the cases) was exclusively observed in HER-2 amplified cases (33% of the cases), and was highly predictive of pCR (k = 0.35, p = 0.0002 - half of the patients with TOP2A amplification experienced pCR). Neither the protein levels nor the mRNA levels were predictive of pCR. Chromosome17 (Ch17) polysomy was observed in 68% of the samples and was not associated with pCR. TOP2A gene expression module (made of genes located closely to TOP2A), was predictive of response both in the HER-2+ patients of the TOP trial and in the ER-/HER-2+ of the BIG1–00 patients treated with A but not with T [Area Under the Curve (AUC): 0.86 (p = 0.00001) in TOP trial and 0.81 (p = 0.0005) in A-arm BIG1–00 trial]. Stroma expression module defined previously was associated with pCR in both trials (TOP and in the ER- BIG1–00 patients treated with A but not with T, especially in HER-2- patients [AUC: 0.31 (p = 0.01) in TOP trial and 0.33 (p = 0.02) in A-arm/BIG1–00 trial]. Conclusions: This trial, which is the first to prospectively evaluate the predictive value of TOP2A, supports TOP2A gene amplification as predictive marker of response. Ch17 polysomy, observed in ∼2/3 of these ER- patients, was not predictive of response. Finally, our results suggest that gene expression modules also predict relative response/resistance to anthracyclines, both in HER-2+ and HER-2- patients. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Chemical Cocarcinogenesis With the Use of a Subclone Derived From Balb/3T3 Cells With Catechol as Cocarcinogen&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="fn2"&gt;2&lt;/xref&gt;
Authors: M Atchison, C Chu, T Kakunaga, B L Van Duuren
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1982)

This study was performed for the detection of cocarcinogens by transformation in vitro with the use of a subclone of a Balb/3T3 cell line. Dose response, cytotoxicity, and transformation studies were done with the use of an indirect-acting carcinogen, benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P), a direct-acting alkylating carcinogen, beta-propiolactone (BPL), and the mouse skin cocarcinogen catechol. The rate of transformation was notably higher in groups treated with B[a]P and catechol or BPL and catechol than in groups treated with either B[a]P or BPL. Catechol alone did not induce any transformation. All the cells isolated from the transformed foci showed characteristics of malignantly transformed cells, such as anchorage-independent growth. Thus chemical cocarcinogenesis was accomplished in vitro similar to that accomplished in in vivo studies reported earlier on mouse skin.
Elevated IL-10 level but not cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLT) release from leukocytes in vitro correlates with good response to treatment with montelukast in asthmatic patients
Authors: Katarzyna Jarmakowska, Piotr Kuna
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

The efficacy of treatment with leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRA) varies among patients. However no biomarkers, which could stratify patients into 9responders9 or 9non-responders9 to LTRA treatment has been identified.  This study was designed to examine the factors and inflammation biomarkers correlating with positive effect of treatment with montelukast.  31 adults, with mild to moderate asthma, completed 12 week open-label study. Patients received 10 mg of montelukast as add on therapy to maintenance stable dose of inhaled glicocorticosteroids (up to equivalent of 500 mcg fluticasone daily). Spirometry and FENO measurement was performed before and after treatment. At the same time blood samples were obtained to measure the release of CysLTs from leukocytes and serum concentrations of RANTES, EOTAXIN, TGFβ, IL-10. Based on outcome measurements including twice daily PEFR, daytime and nocturnal symptoms and rescue medication use patients were designated to 9responders9 or 9non-responders9 group.  There was no correlation between clinical outcome and CysLTs release from leukocytes in vitro. In 9responders9 group IL-10 level was significantly higher after treatment with montelukast ( 8,83 pg/ml vs 12,72 pg/ml p  The study demonstrates that one possible mechanism of unfavorable clinical response to montelukast is related to diminished production of an anty-inflammatory cytokine IL-10.