tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Relationship between changed alveolar-capillary permeability and angiotensin converting enzyme activity in serum in sarcoidosis.
Authors: A Eklund, E Blaschke
Journal: Thorax (1986)

The effect of altered alveolar-capillary permeability on angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity in serum (SACE) was studied in 45 patients with sarcoidosis and 21 healthy controls. In sarcoidosis increased albumin concentrations in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (L albumin) and increased ratios of L albumin to albumin in serum (S albumin) indicated an increased permeability of the alveolar-capillary membrane. ACE activity in the lavage fluid (LACE) was correlated with the number of alveolar macrophages in controls, indicating that it may come from these cells. LACE was high in active sarcoidosis while in inactive disease it was similar to that in controls. SACE in sarcoidosis was significantly increased. Ninety per cent of patients with increased L albumin had increased SACE. SACE activity was significantly correlated with concentrations of L albumin and with LACE activity. The relationships between signs of increased membrane permeability and SACE and between LACE and SACE suggest that excess SACE in sarcoidosis may, at least partly, originate in the alveolar space.
Clinical Usefulness of a New Equation for Estimating Body Fat
Authors: Javier Gómez-Ambrosi, Camilo Silva, Victoria Catalán, Amaia Rodríguez, Juan Carlos Galofré, Javier Escalada, Victor Valentí, Fernando Rotellar, Sonia Romero, Beatriz Ramírez, Javier Salvador, Gema Frühbeck
Journal: Diabetes Care (2011)

To assess the predictive capacity of a recently described equation that we have termed CUN-BAE (Clínica Universidad de Navarra-Body Adiposity Estimator) based on BMI, sex, and age for estimating body fat percentage (BF%) and to study its clinical usefulness.We conducted a comparison study of the developed equation with many other anthropometric indices regarding its correlation with actual BF% in a large cohort of 6,510 white subjects from both sexes (67% female) representing a wide range of ages (18-80 years) and adiposity. Additionally, a validation study in a separate cohort (n = 1,149) and a further analysis of the clinical usefulness of this prediction equation regarding its association with cardiometabolic risk factors (n = 634) was carried out.The mean BF% in the cohort of 6,510 subjects determined by air displacement plethysmography was 39.9 ± 10.1%, and the mean BF% estimated by the CUN-BAE was 39.3 ± 8.9% (SE of the estimate, 4.66%). In this group, BF% calculated with the CUN-BAE showed the highest correlation with actual BF% (r = 0.89, P < 0.000001) compared with other anthropometric measures or BF% estimators. Similar agreement was found in the validation sample. Moreover, BF% estimated by the CUN-BAE exhibits, in general, better correlations with cardiometabolic risk factors than BMI as well as waist circumference in the subset of 634 subjects.CUN-BAE is an easy-to-apply predictive equation that may be used as a first screening tool in clinical practice. Furthermore, our equation may be a good tool for identifying patients at cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes risk.
A Critical Appraisal of the Quality of Quality-of-Life Measurements
Authors: Thomas M. Gill
Journal: JAMA (1994)

<h3>Objective.</h3> —To evaluate how well quality of life is being measured in the medical literature and to offer a new approach to the measurement. <h3>Data Sources.</h3> —Original English-language articles having the term "quality of life" in their titles were identified from a recent Quality-of-Life Bibliography and from two MEDLINE searches. Articles were eligible for review only if they described or used one or more "quality-of-life" instruments. <h3>Study Selection.</h3> —Twenty-five articles were randomly selected from each of the three data sources. <h3>Data Extraction.</h3> —Each article was reviewed for its compliance with two sets of criteria having several components, which are cited under "Data Synthesis." <h3>Data Synthesis.</h3> —(1) Investigators conceptually defined quality of life in only 11 (15%) of the 75 articles; identified the targeted domains in only 35 (47%); gave reasons for selecting the chosen quality-of-life instruments in only 27 (36%); and aggregated their results into a composite quality-of-life score in only 27 (38%) of 71 eligible articles. (2) No article distinguished "overall" quality of life from health-related quality of life; patients were invited to give their own separate rating for quality of life in only 13 articles (17%); and among 71 eligible articles, patients were asked to supplement the stipulated items with personal responses in only nine (13%) and to rate the importance of individual items in only six (8.5%). <h3>Conclusions.</h3> —Because quality of life is a uniquely personal perception, denoting the way that individual patients feel about their health status and/or nonmedical aspects of their lives, most measurements of quality of life in the medical literature seem to aim at the wrong target. Quality of life can be suitably measured only by determining the opinions of patients and by supplementing (or replacing) the instruments developed by "experts." (<i>JAMA</i>. 1994;272:619-626)
Hemodynamics after surgical repair with right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit.
Authors: A P Rocchini, A Rosenthal, J F Keane, A R Castaneda, A S Nadas
Journal: Circulation (1976)

To assess the results of cardiac repair utilizing a right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit, we reviewed postoperative hemodynamic data in 16 patients catheterized 0.5 to 5 years after repair. In 12 patients, a Hancock conduit (dacron conduit with porcine valve) was used; the conduit in the remaining four patients was made with an aortic homograft. All patients in whom an aortic homograft was utilized developed severe obstruction and calcification of their graft. The majority of patients, 9/12, with a Hancock conduit, had only mild to moderate conduit obstruction; the remaining three had severe obstruction (gradients greater than 70 mm Hg). The sites of Hancock conduit obstruction were at the distal end of the conduit in 8/12, proximal end of conduit in 6/12, and at the porcine valve in 4/12 patients. The data suggest that repair with a Hancock conduit is hemodynamically more satisfactory than with aortic homograft.
Allergy and cancer
Authors: B. Lindelöf, F. Granath, M. Tengvall‐Linder, A. Ekbom
Journal: Allergy (2005)

Background: Conflicting results have provided support for two distinct and contradictory hypotheses: (i) allergy has a protective effect against cancer by enhanced immune surveillance, and (ii) allergy is associated with an increased risk of cancer by chronic immune stimulation. We therefore aimed us to perform a large epidemiological study with a defined allergic disease cohort. Methods: During the years 1988–2000, 70 136 patients tested for total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) and 57 815 tested with Phadiatop for diagnosing allergic disease at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, were linked with the Swedish Cancer Registry for a virtually complete follow up with regard to cancer. Findings: The total number of observed cancers was normal in the total serum IgE‐cohort; standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 0.98 (95% CI: 0.92–1.04) and in the Phadiatop‐cohort: SIR = 0.99 (0.92–1.06) independent of the level of IgE and positive or negative Phadiatop. Specific analysis was done for cancer of the lung, cervix, pancreas, lymphoma, and nonmelanoma skin cancer. None of these forms of cancer had increased risks. Interpretation: The study does not support the hypothesis that allergy has a protective effect against cancer, nor does it support an increased risk.
Cardiac Deletion of the Coxsackievirus-Adenovirus Receptor Abolishes Coxsackievirus B3 Infection and Prevents Myocarditis In Vivo
Authors: Yu Shi, Chen Chen, Ulrike Lisewski, Uta Wrackmeyer, Michael Radke, Dirk Westermann, Martina Sauter, Carsten Tschöpe, Wolfgang Poller, Karin Klingel, Michael Gotthardt
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2009)
Cardiac Allograft Survival in Mice Deficient in Intercellular Adhesion Molecule–1
Authors: Kenneth O. Schowengerdt, Jessica Y. Zhu, Stanislaw M. Stepkowski, Yizheng Tu, Mark L. Entman, Christie M. Ballantyne
Journal: Circulation (1995)

Background Intercellular adhesion molecule–1 (ICAM-1, CD54) is a cell adhesion molecule that interacts with the leukocyte β2 integrins, lymphocyte function–associated antigen–1, and macrophage antigen–1. ICAM-1 is postulated to play a key role in several cell-cell interactions that are important in allograft rejection, including antigen presentation, transendothelial migration of leukocytes, and leukocyte-mediated myocyte injury. Methods and Results Mice homozygous for a gene-targeted mutation of ICAM-1 were used in two different cardiac transplant models to further define the role of ICAM-1 in the process of allograft rejection. In the first model, hearts from newborn mice were implanted in the ear pinnae of H -2–incompatible recipients. In the second model, intra-abdominal transplantation by direct vascular anastomosis was performed. Time to rejection was defined by the loss of pulsatile activity assessed by visual inspection in the ear model or by cessation of palpable cardiac impulse in the abdominal model. Allograft survival did not differ significantly between control groups that express normal levels of ICAM-1 and those groups using ICAM-1–deficient mutants as either donors or recipients. Histological examination of rejection of both normal and mutant (ICAM-1-deficient) cardiac allografts revealed similar patterns of infiltration of mononuclear and granulocytic leukocytes and myocyte necrosis. Immunostaining with anti–ICAM-1 antibodies showed ICAM-1–positive infiltrating cells in both mutant (ICAM-1–deficient) and normal allografts, with the graft endothelium negative for ICAM-1 staining in the mutant allografts. Conclusions The absence of surface expression of ICAM-1 in the donor allograft or recipient is insufficient to produce a significant impact on cardiac allograft survival. This study highlights the need to understand more precisely the mechanism of action whereby monoclonal antibodies to ICAM-1 prolong cardiac allograft survival before new therapeutic strategies based on gene transfer technology or small molecule inhibitors are developed. Mutant mice with targeted mutations in cell adhesion molecules provide powerful tools to study the complex role that cell adhesion molecules play in the cellular interactions between donor graft tissue and the recipient that culminate in graft rejection.
The Burden of Illness in International Travelers
Authors: David R. Hill
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2006)

In 2004, 763 million people crossed international borders, reflecting an increase of 73 percent over the course of 15 years.1 International travel has rebounded since the attacks of September 11, 2001, and is steadily increasing despite a variety of global health crises, the threat of terrorism, and the war in Iraq. Nearly 55 percent of travelers are vacationing, and about 15 percent are conducting business, but a growing number are visiting friends and relatives. Typically, such travelers were born in a resource-poor country, now live in a resource-rich country, and are returning to their country of birth to visit. Moreover, . . .
Evidence for posttranslational control of fetal hemoglobin synthesis
Authors: C. C. Qiu, E. C. Abraham
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (1988)

Abstract Subunit competition experiments were conducted by recombining various amounts of α‐subunits with an equimolar mixture of γ‐and β A ‐subunits. The results showed that γ‐subunits combine with α‐subunits less readily than β‐subunits. Thus, in the presence of α‐chain deficiency (α‐thalassemia) the formation of HbA is preferred over HbF, resulting in a decrease in the level of the latter.
Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Treatment of the Acute Porphyrias
Authors: Karl E. Anderson, Joseph R. Bloomer, Herbert L. Bonkovsky, James P. Kushner, Claus A. Pierach, Neville R. Pimstone, Robert J. Desnick
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2005)

The acute porphyrias, 4 inherited disorders of heme biosynthesis, cause life-threatening attacks of neurovisceral symptoms that mimic many other acute medical and psychiatric conditions. Lack of clinical recognition often delays effective treatment, and inappropriate diagnostic tests may lead to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment. We review the clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, and genetics of the acute porphyrias and provide recommendations for diagnosis and treatment on the basis of reviews of the literature and clinical experience. An acute porphyria should be considered in many patients with unexplained abdominal pain or other characteristic symptoms. The diagnosis can be rapidly confirmed by demonstration of a markedly increased urinary porphobilinogen level by using a single-void urine specimen. This specimen should also be saved for quantitative measurement of porphobilinogen, 5-aminolevulinic acid, and total porphyrin levels. Intravenous hemin therapy, started as soon as possible, is the most effective treatment. Intravenous glucose alone is appropriate only for mild attacks (mild pain, no paresis or hyponatremia) or until hemin is available. Precipitating factors should be eliminated, and appropriate supportive and symptomatic therapy should be initiated. Prompt diagnosis and treatment greatly improve prognosis and may prevent development of severe or chronic neuropathic symptoms. We recommend identification of at-risk relatives through enzymatic or gene studies.
Don't Be Discouraged if Trying to Quit Tobacco, Surgeon General Urges
Authors: Phil Gunby
Journal: JAMA (1988)

SURGEON GENERAL C. Everett Koop, MD, of the Public Health Service plans to issue another report on tobacco and health four months from now on the 25th anniversary of that office's historic first report (<i>JAMA</i>1964;188:29-30). But in the meantime Koop says the nation needs to combat tobacco addiction (the subject of his latest tobacco report) just as it is fighting drug abuse, and to encourage those seeking to stop using tobacco. Echoing the theme of the 20th Surgeon General's report on the health consequences of tobacco use (<i>JAMA</i>1988;259:2811), Koop has told the Subcommittee on Health and the Environment, US House of Representatives: "We should give tobacco use and tobacco addiction the serious attention it deserves. Our nation has mobilized enormous resources to wage a war on drugs, illicit drugs. We should also give priority to the one addiction—tobacco addiction—that is killing more than 300 000 Americans each year."
Causes of Genitourinary Symptoms in Women
Authors: Ilene Singer Levenson
Journal: JAMA (1984)

To the Editor.—  The article by Berg et al prospectively evaluating the diagnosis of genitourinary symptoms in women in a family practice setting by means of history, physical examination, and selected laboratory tests failed to include a search for Torulopsis glabrata in women with vaginal discharge who do not have evidence of hyphae on potassium hydroxide vaginal smear.  Although T glabrata is usually considered to be a minor pathogen that causes symptoms of vaginitis only in association with other infectious organisms, at the Center for Climacteric Studies we have noticed a dramatically increasing incidence of vaginitis with T glabrata as the primary pathogen. Diagnosis is made in women with classic signs and symptoms of Candida albicans vaginitis who have no evidence of hyphae and have characteristic fat cells seen microscopically on potassium hydroxide-prepared vaginal smears. This finding can be easily overlooked as an artifact if not recognized.  In contrast to
STUDIES ON GLYCOGEN NEPHROSIS IN ALLOXAN-TREATED DIABETIC RATS
Authors: G. W. Curtis, S. L. Robbins, I. Glickman
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1947)

Two hundred and seven albino rats were injected subcutaneously with alloxan in doses varying from 140 to 200 mg. per cent per kilo of body weight. Fifty-nine animals which developed hyperglycemia (blood sugar levels above 150 mg. per cent) were observed for periods from 5 days to 32 weeks. Postmortem examination of the kidneys of these diabetic animals revealed glycogen deposition in the loops of Henle and convoluted tubules in 26 rats or 44 per cent. Glycogen could not be demonstrated in the glomeruli. Within the time limits of this experiment (32 weeks) no intercapillary glomerulosclerosis was observed. The following facts were revealed regarding glycogen nephrosis in alloxan diabetes: (a) Its appearance in the kidneys of the diabetic rats depended solely upon the terminal blood sugar levels of these animals. A value of 350 mg. per cent was the critical level, above which glycogen nephrosis was almost invariably demonstrable. With terminal levels below 300 mg. per cent no glycogen nephrosis was found. (b) No relationship existed between the postmortem finding of glycogen nephrosis and the initial blood sugar level, or the maximum height of the hyperglycemia attained by individual rats. (c) The results suggest that glycogen nephrosis is a reversible lesion.
Predictive value of serum hyaluronic acid (HA) measurement for cirrhosis in patients with chronic liver diseases (CLD)
Authors: A.R. Soylu, S. Bilgi, M. Demir, G. Dokmeci, Y. Ustundag, A. Tezel, H. Umit, H. Amuca, O. Vural, M. Ture, K. Kutlu
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2003)
Glucose ingestion induces an increase in intranuclear nuclear factor κB, a fall in cellular inhibitor κB, and an increase in tumor necrosis factor α messenger RNA by mononuclear cells in healthy human subjects
Authors: Ahmad Aljada, Jay Friedman, Husam Ghanim, Priya Mohanty, Deborah Hofmeyer, Ajay Chaudhuri, Paresh Dandona
Journal: Metabolism (2006)
The nursing profession's coming of age: Doctors can use their skills to the maximum
Authors: Sandra Magennis
Journal: BMJ (2006)

The nursing profession's coming of age The end of medicine as a professionEditor-Young describes the coming of age of the nursing profession. 1 All professions and occupations are human creations and therefore are subject to change.With the widening of roles of many professions, it becomes harder to define what a doctor can do that can't be done by an appropriately trained member of another profession.Perhaps major surgery and certifying cause of death are all that remains.With the increasing difficulty of getting junior doctors to do anything that may be regarded as work (rather than education) we doctors may be engineering the abolition of our profession, and we may move from distinct professions to practitioners from varied backgrounds being trained for a particular function.
Haemodynamic determinants of the arterial blood pressure rise during growth in conscious puppies
Authors: F. MAGRINI
Journal: Cardiovascular Research (1978)

The circulatory events determining the physiological rise of arterial blood pressure (BP) from infantile to adult levels were investigated in five unanaesthetised healthy puppies. Monthly haemodynamic studies were performed during the development of the animals from the age of one month (infancy) to the age of 9 months (maturity). During the follow-up, body weight (W) increased by 730%, heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO/W), plasma volume/W (PV/W) and mean central venous pressure (CVP), decreased respectively by 58%, 44%, 27%, 75%. Stroke volume/W (SV/W), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and total peripheral vascular resistance (TPR) increased respectively 37%, 91%, 308%. MAP almost doubled its initial value in spite of the drop in CO /W indicating the presence of arteriolar constriction during growth. Upon the dogs reaching maturity the following sequence of events based on their different rate of change (from the highest to the lowest) was found: W increase → TRP rise → MAP rise → CO/W drop. Significant correlations were found between W increase and TPR and MAP rise, and between MAP rise and CO/W reduction. We thus conclude that TRP increase is the haemodynamic factor responsible for MAP rise during growth. We advance the hypothesis that the growth of the tissues and reduction of their metabolic needs represents the natural stimulus determining precapillary constriction and consequently a remodelling of the circulatory dynamics during development.
Abstract 3111: Normal breast epithelial architecture and breast-cancer cell metabolism are altered by adipocytes and inflammatory fatty acids: Implications for postmenopausal breast cancer
Authors: Nalin Siriwardhana, Rhett Layman, Shiwani Patel, Ayub Karwandyar, Matthew Mitchell Clark, Blair Blair Tatge, Jessica Lampley, Ming-Hui Ming-Hui Zou, Qilong Wang, Qilong Moustaid-Moussa Naima Moustaid-Moussa, Jay Wimalasena
Journal: Cancer Research (2011)

Abstract Alteration of organized breast epithelial ductal architecture accompanies neoplastic transformation. Obesity and chronic inflammation are associated with increased risk of postmenopausal breast cancer (BC). Further, omega 6 arachodonic acid (AA) significantly increases the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by adipocytes compared to omega 3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), therefore, we compared the effect of adipocytes and these two fatty acids on primary breast epithelial cell growth and formation of acini-like spheroid architecture. We used three dimensional (3D) MatrigelTM cultures of both basal and luminal primary breast cells and a novel 3D co-culture system with primary breast epithelial cells (basal/luminal) and adipocytes from lean or obese women. Effects of adipocytes as well as fatty acids on cellular architecture were assessed. Culture of basal or luminal epithelial cells with obese adipocytes/AA showed a significant increase in the irregularity of acini-like spheroid formation compared to normal spheroid formation in the absence of adipocytes or AA. Conditioned media transfer from lean/obese adipocytes into growing breast cell cultures showed remarkably different effects on LKB1/AMPK/mTOR metabolic signaling systems specifically in invasive MDA MB 321 cells. Obese adipocyte media decreased the activation of LKB1, AMPK, Acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and mTOR levels compared to lean adipocyte media. Further the expression of LKB1, pLKB1, pACC and mTOR were significantly higher in MDA MB 231 cells compared to less invasive MCF7 or epithelial MCF10A cells. Our data highlights the regulatory influence of adipocytes and inflammatory fatty acids on breast cellular architecture as well as metabolism and such alterations may underlie the effects of obesity on transformation of normal breast cells to BC cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3111. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3111