tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Lung function, radiological changes and exposure: analysis of ATSDR data from Libby, MT, USA
Authors: D. Weill, G. Dhillon, L. Freyder, J. Lefante, H. Glindmeyer
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2010)

In 2000, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR; Atlanta, GA, USA) investigated lung disease in those exposed to the tremolite-contaminated vermiculite mine in Libby, MT, USA. Previously unreported spirometric results are presented here in relation to exposure and radiographic findings. 4,524 study participants were assigned to one of seven mutually exclusive exposure categories. Associations among radiographic findings, spirometric results and exposure were investigated, along with the effect of a reduction in exposure potential when production was moved to a wet process mill in the mid 1970s. Spirometry data for the total population by smoking status and age were within the normal range. Prevalence of pleural plaque increased with age, but was lowest in the environmentally exposed group (0.42–12.74%) and greatest in the W.R. Grace &amp; Co. mineworkers (20–45.68%). For males, there was a significant (4.5%) effect of pleural plaques on forced vital capacity. For W.R. Grace &amp; Co. workers and household contacts, a reduction in plaque (0.11 versus 1.64%) and in diffuse pleural thickening or costophrenic angle obliteration (1.94 and 0.13%) was noted for those exposed after 1976. These analyses do not support a clinically important reduction in spirometry of this cohort. The 1976 reductions in exposure have led to decrease in radiographic changes.
Allostatic Load Biomarkers and Asthma in Adolescents
Authors: Salma Bahreinian, Geoff D. C. Ball, Timothy K. Vander Leek, Ian Colman, Brian J. McNeil, Allan B. Becker, Anita L. Kozyrskyj
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2012)

Allostatic load (AL), a novel measure of the physiologically dysregulated response of the body to stress, represents a biomarker of chronic stress exposure.To determine whether preadolescent children with high AL are more susceptible to asthma as adolescents.This was a prospective evaluation of children recruited at 7 to 10 years of age in the nested case-control arm of the Study of Asthma, Genes and Environment and followed until 11 to 14 years of age. AL was measured using eight biomarkers: fasting glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, cortisol, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and waist-to-hip ratio. AL, created from the sum of biomarkers in a high-risk quartile, was related to prevalence and incidence of asthma using logistic regression.Among 352 participants followed until 11 to 14 years of age, prevalent asthma was four times more likely in boys with high (>3) versus low (≤2) AL after adjusting for current asthma/atopy, age, ethnicity, parental history of asthma, and overweight status. Similar results were observed in the analysis of new-onset asthma in boys (adjusted odds ratio, 4.35; 95% confidence interval, 1.19-15.9). In girls, there were no associations between AL and asthma. In the analysis of a subset of biomarkers, combinations of total cholesterol, glucose, and cortisol were associated with similar or greater risk of asthma prevalence or onset in boys.AL and its biomarkers are associated with an increased likelihood of asthma in adolescent boys. The observed association between AL and asthma may be attributable to a combined subset of AL biomarkers.
Platelet Activation in Depression and Effects of Sertraline Treatment: An Open-Label Study
Authors: Jerome H. Markovitz, John L. Shuster, William S. Chitwood, Roberta S. May, Lelland C. Tolbert
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (2000)

OBJECTIVE: The authors' goal was to determine whether sertraline attenuates the increased platelet activation seen among depressed patients.METHOD: They tested 21 otherwise healthy patients with untreated major depressive episode who were 25–52 years old and 21 age- and sex-matched comparison subjects. Patients received 6 weeks of sertraline treatment, and 17 returned for retesting.RESULTS: At baseline, the depressed patients had greater platelet secretion than the comparison subjects in response to collagen. Depressed patients with a family history of coronary disease had nonsignificantly greater wound-induced fibrinogen receptor binding than the other subjects. Platelet secretion in response to collagen was significantly reduced after treatment with sertraline.CONCLUSIONS: Sertraline diminished the increased platelet secretion found among depressed patients, although the findings are limited by a lack of a placebo control group.
Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in human lung transplantation
Authors: Benjamin Renaud-Picard, Tristan Degot, Davide Biondini, Michèle Beau-Faller, Thomas Lavaux, Nicola Santelmo, Sandrine Hirschi, Romain Kessler
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Background:  EGFR is a tyrosine kinase receptor present in epithelial cells. EGFR is activated in a ligand-dependent manner. The role of EGFR activation in lung transplantation (LTX) is not known.   Objectives:  Describe the evolution post LTX of the expression of EGFR gene in both bronchial and peripheral lung biopsies and the concentrations of soluble EGFR (sEGFR), EGF and TGF-alpha in serum and BALF.   Methods : We performed serial blood sampling and bronchoscopies at baseline (MO), and 1 (M1), 3 (M3) and 12 (M12) months in a cohort of 27 consecutive patients who underwent LTX in our centre during 2009. Levels of expression of EGFR gene were assessed by RT-qPCR. Measurements of EGFRs, EGF and TGF-alpha serum concentrations were achieved using Luminex® assays.   Results: Between M0 and M12, the concentrations of EGF and TGF-alpha decreasedin serum (-88±152 pg/ml, p=0.006 and -12±22 pg/ml, p=0.003 resp.). By contrast, the concentration of sEGFR in serum increased (+1256±2159 pg/ml, p=0.003). The level of expression of EGFR increased in bronchial samples (+6±4 EGFR/PBGD, p=0.0001) but remained stable in peripheral lung biopsies (0±1.5 EGFR/PBGD, NS). We observed only 1 occurrence of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS≥1) 12 months after LTX, 5 at 18 months and 9 at 48 months. We didn9t found any significant correlation between the evolution of EGFR gene expression or the serum/BALF concentrations of EGFR ligands during the first year post LTX and the occurrence of BOS.   Conclusion : Expression of bronchial EGFR and serum concentration of sEGFR increased during the first year post LTX.
Objective Evaluation of Patients with Rheumatic Diseases. II. Paper Electrophoretic Studies of Serum Glycoprotein and Protein from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis1
Authors: George Stidworthy, R. W. Payne, Clara L. Shetlar, M. R. Shetlar
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1957)

Serum glycoprotein concentrations serve as a valuable index of the intensity of inflammatory activity in the rheumatic diseases (1), particularly when the glycoprotein level is considered in relation to the serum protein with which it is bound, i.e., as the polysaccharide protein ratio (PR).The typical changes of serum protein (lowering of albumin, increase of globulin) in rheumatoid arthritis are well known (2).The development of techniques for serum pro- tein and glycoprotein analyses by filter paper elec- trophoresis permits a detailed study of the changes in each of the serum protein components as well as the distribution of carbohydrate bound to these components (3).The relationship of these vari- ous components to the severity of inflammatory activity of rheumatoid arthritis has consequently been investigated.
Randomised, double blind, placebo controlled trial of interferon, ribavirin, and amantadine versus interferon, ribavirin, and placebo in treatment naive patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: P J Thuluvath
Journal: Gut (2003)

<b>Background and aim:</b> In this study, we compared the efficacy of triple therapy (interferon alfa, ribavirin, and amantadine) with standard therapy (interferon alfa and ribavirin) in treatment naïve patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). <b>Methods:</b> In this prospective, randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, multicentre study, 85 patients (amantadine group) received a three drug regimen of interferon alfa-2b 3 million units three times per week, ribavirin 1000–1200 mg daily in divided doses, and amantadine 100 mg twice daily, and 86 patients (placebo group) received interferon alfa-2b, ribavirin, and identical placebo. Treatment was discontinued at 24 weeks if patients had detectable HCV RNA by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). All patients were followed for 24 weeks after completion of treatment. The primary end point was undetectable HCV-RNA by PCR at 24 weeks (sustained viral clearance) after completion of treatment. <b>Results:</b> At the end of treatment, HCV RNA clearance was seen in 32.9% of the amantadine group and 38.4% of the placebo group (p = 0.3). Sustained virological response was seen in 24.7% of the amantadine group and in 27.9% of the placebo group by intention to treat analysis; response rate was 30.4% and 34.8%, respectively, in those who completed 24 weeks of treatment. Poor response was seen in both groups among cirrhotics, African-Americans, genotype 1, and those with a higher viral load. By multivariate analysis, genotype 1, high viral load, and low serum albumin were the only predictors of poor response. Addition of amantadine to the standard regimen did not result in any unexpected side effects. <b>Conclusion:</b> Response to triple therapy of interferon alfa, ribavirin, and amantadine was similar to standard therapy of interferon alfa and ribavirin. Our results suggest that amantadine has no role in the management of HCV.
A Prediction Model for Adverse Outcome in Hospitalized Patients With Diabetes
Authors: Krishnarajah Nirantharakumar, Karla Hemming, Parth Narendran, Tom Marshall, Jamie J. Coleman
Journal: Diabetes Care (2013)

There are no formal prognostic models predicting adverse outcomes (excessive length of stay or mortality) in hospitalized patients with diabetes. In this study, we aimed to develop a prediction model that will help identify patients with diabetes who are most likely to have an adverse event during their hospital stay.Analysis was based on 25,118 admissions with diabetes to University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, U.K., over 4 years (2007-2010). Adverse events are defined as either excessive length of stay or inpatient mortality. Key predictors were variables that are often available in the first 72 h of admission and included demographic characteristics, clinical pathological test results, and use of insulin. Models were constructed using logistic regression, discrimination and calibration was assessed, and internal validation was carried out.The model performed well with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.802 with only a mild reduction being noted in the internal validation (AUC 0.798). At a cutoff value of 25% probability of having an adverse outcome the sensitivity was 76%, specificity was 70%, and the positive predictive value was 49%. If it is used for a case-finding approach limiting to noncritical care settings, then at the same cutoff value, two-thirds (sensitivity 69%) of the admissions with adverse outcomes could potentially be identified.Once externally validated, we suggest that our model will be a useful tool for identifying diabetic patients who are at risk for poor outcomes when admitted to hospital.
Preservation of Cognitive Function in Primary CNS Lymphoma Survivors a Median of 12 Years After Enhanced Chemotherapy Delivery
Authors: Nancy D. Doolittle, Edit Dósa, Rongwei Fu, Leslie L. Muldoon, Leeza M. Maron, Meredith A. Lubow, Rose Marie Tyson, Cynthia A. Lacy, Dale F. Kraemer, Robert W. Butler, Edward A. Neuwelt
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2013)

(A) The z-score (mean ± SD) across survivors at baseline (pretreatment), long-term follow-up, and the change score for Verbal Memory Learning, Verbal Memory Delayed, and for Verbal Memory Domain are shown. There was no significant change from baseline to long-term follow-up. (B) Number of patients who declined (z-score declined 1 SD or more), were stable (z-score remained within 1 SD of baseline score), and improved (z-score improved 1 SD or more) from baseline (pretreatment) to long-term follow-up for the following tests: Digit Span Forward, Digit Span Backward, Trail Making A, Trail Making B, Verbal Memory Learning, and Verbal Memory Delayed.
Suitability of Fetal Tissues From Spontaneous Abortions and From Ectopic Pregnancies for Transplantation
Authors: D. Ware Branch
Journal: JAMA (1995)

<h3>Objective.</h3> —To assess the potential availability and utility of fetal tissues obtained from spontaneous abortions and from ectopic pregnancies for human transplantation therapy. <h3>Design.</h3> —Tissue collection and analysis by personnel skilled in tissue banking. <h3>Setting.</h3> —Procurement programs in five tissue banks located in diverse geographical areas that are funded by the National Institutes of Health. <h3>Patients.</h3> —All women entering obstetric clinics during 1993 who consented to participate in the study. <h3>Interventions.</h3> —None. <h3>Main Outcome Measures.</h3> —Evaluation of the products of conception by standard developmental, histological, microbiological, and cytogenetic criteria. <h3>Results.</h3> —From 22235 obstetric admissions, 1250 spontaneously aborted embryos and 247 products of ectopic pregnancies were obtained. Of these, seven embryos (0.5%) were potentially useful for human transplantation therapy. <h3>Conclusion.</h3> —Fetal tissues from spontaneous abortions and from ectopic pregnancies are quite limited as feasible sources for human transplantation therapy. (<i>JAMA</i>. 1995;273:66-68)
Confounding factors and genetic polymorphism in the evaluation of individual steroid profiling
Authors: Tiia Kuuranne, Martial Saugy, Norbert Baume
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2014)

In the fight against doping, steroid profiling is a powerful tool to detect drug misuse with endogenous anabolic androgenic steroids. To establish sensitive and reliable models, the factors influencing profiling should be recognised. We performed an extensive literature review of the multiple factors that could influence the quantitative levels and ratios of endogenous steroids in urine matrix. For a comprehensive and scientific evaluation of the urinary steroid profile, it is necessary to define the target analytes as well as testosterone metabolism. The two main confounding factors, that is, endogenous and exogenous factors, are detailed to show the complex process of quantifying the steroid profile within WADA-accredited laboratories. Technical aspects are also discussed as they could have a significant impact on the steroid profile, and thus the steroid module of the athlete biological passport (ABP). The different factors impacting the major components of the steroid profile must be understood to ensure scientifically sound interpretation through the Bayesian model of the ABP. Not only should the statistical data be considered but also the experts in the field must be consulted for successful implementation of the steroidal module.
Screening Mammogram Utilization in Women With Diabetes
Authors: Thomas J. Beckman, Robert M. Cuddihy, Sidna M. Scheitel, James M. Naessens, Jill M. Killian, V. Shane Pankratz
Journal: Diabetes Care (2001)

To determine whether women with diabetes undergo fewer screening mammograms than matched control subjects.A total of 424 women with diabetes aged 50-75 years who received their primary care from general internists at a large Midwestern multispecialty group practice were retrospectively studied for frequency of mammography from August 1997 to January 2000. Two control subjects without diabetes (n = 845) were matched to each case by age, sex, provider, and date of visit. The main outcome measure was the percentage of subjects undergoing mammography 1 year before and 30 days after an index date, defined as the most recent health care visit after August 1997 and before January 2000.Analysis by conditional logistic regression demonstrated that women with diabetes had significantly lower rates of mammograms than control subjects (78.1 vs. 84.9%, respectively; odds ratio 0.63, P = 0.002). After adjusting for insurance status and race, women with diabetes continued to have significantly lower rates of mammography (odds ratio 0.70, P = 0.027).Women with diabetes were significantly less likely to undergo screening mammography than control subjects. Considering the increasing incidence of diabetes and the equal incidence of malignancy in women with and without diabetes, it would be beneficial to improve breast cancer screening in this population.
Synthetic Lipoteichoic Acid from<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>Is a Potent Stimulus of Cytokine Release
Authors: Siegfried Morath, Andreas Stadelmaier, Armin Geyer, Richard R. Schmidt, Thomas Hartung
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (2002)

We recently purified lipoteichoic acid (LTA) from Staphylococcus aureus to more than 99% purity by a novel preparation method and deduced its structure with the first nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of a complete LTA. In contrast to Gram-negative lipopolysaccharides, this LTA requires the toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 and not TLR-4 for cytokine induction in monocytes and macrophages. To elucidate the structure–function relationships for LTA from S. aureus, the lipid anchor was prepared by either acidic hydrolysis of native LTA or chemical synthesis (gentiobiosyl-sn-dimyristoylglycerol). Next, a complete LTA molecule with six glycerophosphate units carrying four alanine plus one N-acetyl-glucosamine substituent was synthesized, which displayed the same potency to activate monocytes as native LTA. However, 100–1,000 times higher concentrations of the lipid anchor were required for cytokine induction. It is worthy to note that replacing d-alanine with l-alanine blunted the effect indicating stereoselective recognition. The structure identification of this synthesized and biologically active LTA was proven by NMR and matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization mass spectrometry. We concluded that the lipid anchor, with its fatty acids, represents an integral part of the immunostimulatory activity of LTA, but requires additional structural components on the polyglycerophosphate backbone.
The role of virus-specific CD8+ cells in liver damage and viralcontrol during persistent hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: M.K. Maini, C. Boni, K. Lee, J.R. Larrubia, S. Reignat, G.S. Ogg, J. Herberg, R. Gilson, A. Alisa, R. Williams, D. Vergani, N. Naoumov, C. Ferrari, A. Bertoletti
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2000)
“Species” Radiations of Symbiotic Dinoflagellates in the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific Since the Miocene-Pliocene Transition
Authors: Todd C. LaJeunesse
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (2004)

Endosymbiotic dinoflagellates, or "zooxanthellae," are required for the survival of a diverse community of invertebrates that construct and dominate shallow, tropical coral reef ecosystems. Molecular systematics applied to this once understudied symbiont partner, Symbiodinium spp., divide the group into divergent lineages or subgeneric "clades." Within each clade, numerous closely related "types," or species, exhibit distinctive host taxon, geographic, and/or environmental distributions. This diversity is greatest in clade C, which dominates the Indo-Pacific host fauna and shares dominance in the Atlantic-Caribbean with clade B. Two "living" ancestors in this group, C1 and C3, are common to both the Indo-Pacific and Atlantic-Caribbean. With these exceptions, each ocean possesses a diverse clade C assemblage that appears to have independently evolved (adaptively radiated) through host specialization and allopatric differentiation. This phylogeographic evidence suggests that a worldwide selective sweep of C1/C3, or their progenitor, must have occurred before both oceans separated. The probable timing of this event corresponds with the major climactic changes and low CO2 levels of the late Miocene and/or early Pliocene. Subsequent bursts of diversification have proceeded in each ocean since this transition. An ecoevolutionary expansion to numerous and taxonomically diverse hosts by a select host-generalist symbiont followed by the onset of rapid diversification suggests a radical process through which coral-algal symbioses respond and persist through the vicissitudes of planetary climate change.
Massive Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: P A van der Wouw, M Bax
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1997)

Massive pulmonary embolism is not such a rare condition as is often reported. Since most of the cases have a lethal outcome, only a few reports have been published concerning the acute surgical treatment of patients with this clinical syndrome (1,2). A case report is presented from which a few conclusions can be made.
Comparison of cardiorespiratory effects of terbutaline and salbutamol aerosols in patients with reversible airways obstruction
Authors: L. Harris
Journal: Thorax (1973)

<b>Harris, L. (1973).</b><i>Thorax</i>, <b>28</b>, 592-595. <b>Comparison of cardiorespiratory effects of terbutaline and salbutamol aerosols in patients with reversible airways obstruction.</b> The effects of pressurized aerosol administration of terbutaline were compared with those of salbutamol in 14 patients with at least 20% reversibility of airways obstruction. The two drugs were found to be equipotent bronchodilators in the dosage used. Salbutamol was found to produce significant increases in minute ventilation, physiological dead space/tidal volume ratio, and ventilatory equivalent for oxygen, with significant falls in arterial oxygen tension and heart rate. Terbutaline did not induce significant changes in any of these variables. These results suggest that terbutaline is less likely than salbutamol to have an adverse effect upon ventilation-perfusion relationships.
Gastric antral vascular ectasia and its relation with portal hypertension Reply
Authors: N C FISHER;
Journal: Gut (2000)

Editor,—Spahr and colleagues recently published a case series which described the poor response of a haemorrhage from gastric antral vascular ectasia (GAVE) to portal decompression by insertion of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) ( Gut 1999; 44 :739–742). However, the authors' claim that this indicates the absence of a relation between GAVE and portal hypertension is seriously flawed. The failure of this condition to respond to portal decompression cannot exclude a primary role for portal hypertension in the pathogenesis of the disorder. Furthermore, this study would have been more informative if aortoportography—that is, superior mesenteric and splenic angiography with venous phase imaging, had been performed in order to determine the pattern of portosystemic shunting before and after TIPS insertion. The authors have not addressed the question of whether portosystemic shunts supply the vascular lesions of GAVE; it would have been helpful if …