tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Calcification Propensity and Survival among Renal Transplant Recipients
Authors: Charlotte A. Keyzer, Martin H. de Borst, Else van den Berg, Willi Jahnen-Dechent, Spyridon Arampatzis, Stefan Farese, Ivo P. Bergmann, Jürgen Floege, Gerjan Navis, Stephan J.L. Bakker, Harry van Goor, Ute Eisenberger, Andreas Pasch
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2015)

Calciprotein particle maturation time (T50) in serum is a novel measure of individual blood calcification propensity. To determine the clinical relevance of T50 in renal transplantation, baseline serum T50 was measured in a longitudinal cohort of 699 stable renal transplant recipients and the associations of T50 with mortality and graft failure were analyzed over a median follow-up of 3.1 years. Predictive value of T50 was assessed for patient survival with reference to traditional (Framingham) risk factors and the calcium-phosphate product. Serum magnesium, bicarbonate, albumin, and phosphate levels were the main determinants of T50, which was independent of renal function and dialysis vintage before transplant. During follow-up, 81 (12%) patients died, of which 38 (47%) died from cardiovascular causes. Furthermore, 45 (6%) patients developed graft failure. In fully adjusted models, lower T50 values were independently associated with increased all-cause mortality (hazard ratio, 1.43; 95% confidence interval, 1.11 to 1.85; P=0.006 per SD decrease) and increased cardiovascular mortality (hazard ratio, 1.55; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 to 2.29; P=0.03 per SD decrease). In addition to age, sex, and eGFR, T50 improved prognostication for all-cause mortality, whereas traditional risk factors or calcium-phosphate product did not. Lower T50 was also associated with increased graft failure risk. The associations of T50 with mortality and graft failure were confirmed in an independent replication cohort. In conclusion, reduced serum T50 was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and graft failure and, of all tested parameters, displayed the strongest association with all-cause mortality in these transplant recipients.
Discriminant value of dyspeptic symptoms: a study of the clinical presentation of 221 patients with dyspepsia of unknown cause, peptic ulceration, and cholelithiasis.
Authors: N J Talley, D McNeil, D W Piper
Journal: Gut (1987)

This study aims to determine whether the features of dyspepsia can discriminate a subgroup of patients who present with non-ulcer dyspepsia from other diagnostic categories. The following groups were studied: One hundred and thirteen patients with endoscopically confirmed non-ulcer dyspepsia in the absence of clinical, biochemical or radiological evidence of other gastrointestinal diseases or disorders, termed essential dyspepsia; Fifty five patients with symptomatic and endoscopically proven peptic ulceration (32 duodenal ulcers, 23 gastric ulcers); Fifty three patients admitted to hospital with biliary pain and cholelithiasis without other lesion at laparotomy. All patients completed a structured history questionnaire at personal interview. Stepwise logistic regression analysis was done on 19 predefined variables to determine if one or more of these could discriminate between the diagnostic categories. The results suggest that certain groups of symptoms may be of diagnostic value, but many are not. Upper abdominal pain aggravated by food or milk, pain severity, night pain, vomiting, weight loss, and age significantly discriminated essential dyspepsia from the other diagnostic categories. A scoring system was established based on these discriminating symptoms. Using the weighted score, at a sensitivity of 57%, the specificity for a diagnosis of essential dyspepsia was 94%, but only prospective studies will determine if this scoring system is of actual clinical value.
Cervical aortic arch with aortic obstruction: report of two cases.
Authors: R Tiraboschi, G Crupi, G Locatelli, S Y Ho, L Parenzan
Journal: Thorax (1980)

The occurrence of aortic obstruction in patients with cervical arch is very rare. The clinical and angiocardiographic findings of two patients with this combination of defects are presented. One of these patients, in whom tricuspid atresia with reduced pulmonary blood flow was also present, had a successful resection of the obstruction together with construction of a Waterston shunt.
Comparison of the Tru-cut biopsy needle with the Abrams punch for pleural biopsy.
Authors: D T McLeod, I Ternouth, N Nkanza
Journal: Thorax (1989)

In a prospective study pleural biopsy specimens obtained with a Tru-cut needle were compared with those obtained with an Abrams pleural biopsy punch from 36 patients in Zimbabwe judged to have an effusion of at least 1.5 litres; one patient had two biopsies. Both instruments were used on each patient, the Abrams punch being followed by the Tru-cut needle. There were no serious complications. The diagnoses determined by biopsy were: tuberculosis (11); carcinoma (12); chronic inflammation (9); and pleural fibrosis (4); one biopsy showed nothing abnormal. In 23 (62%) patients both biopsy needles produced adequate diagnostic material; in eight the Tru-cut needle alone produced diagnostic material and in six the Abrams punch alone. Thus diagnostic material was obtained in 31 patients from the Tru-cut needle and in 29 from the Abrams punch. The Tru-cut needle was useful and safe for pleural biopsy in this series and appeared to be particularly useful when the pleura was thickened.
Downregulation of the Hemoglobin Scavenger Receptor in Individuals With Diabetes and the Hp 2-2 Genotype
Authors: Andrew P. Levy, K. Raman Purushothaman, Nina S. Levy, Meerarani Purushothaman, Merav Strauss, Rabea Asleh, Stuart Marsh, Osher Cohen, Soren K. Moestrup, Holger J. Moller, Elias A. Zias, Daniel Benhayon, Valentin Fuster, Pedro R. Moreno
Journal: Circulation Research (2007)

In individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM), the haptoglobin (Hp) genotype is a major determinant of susceptibility to myocardial infarction. We have proposed that this is because of DM and Hp genotype–dependent differences in the response to intraplaque hemorrhage. The macrophage hemoglobin scavenging receptor CD163 plays an essential role in the clearance of hemoglobin released from lysed red blood cells after intraplaque hemorrhage. We sought to test the hypothesis that expression of CD163 is DM and Hp genotype–dependent. CD163 was quantified in plaques by immunohistochemistry, on peripheral blood monocytes (PBMs) by FACS, and as soluble CD163 (sCD163) in plasma by ELISA. In DM plaques, despite an increase in macrophage infiltration, CD163 immunoreactivity was lower, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the percentage of macrophages expressing CD163 (27±2% versus 70±2%, P =0.0001). In individuals with DM as compared with individuals without DM, the percentage of PBMs expressing CD163 was reduced (3.7±0.6% versus 7.1±0.9%, P &lt;0.002) whereas soluble plasma CD163 was increased (2.6±1.1 μg/mL versus 1.6±0.8 μg/mL, P &lt;0.0005). Among DM individuals, the Hp 2-2 genotype was associated with a decrease in the percentage of PBMs expressing CD163 (2.3±0.5% versus 5.6±1.3%, P =0.01) and an increase in plasma soluble CD163 (3.0±0.2 μg/mL versus 2.3±0.2 μg/mL, P =0.04). Taken together, these results demonstrate an impaired hemoglobin clearance capacity in Hp 2-2 DM individuals and may provide the key insight explaining the increased incidence of myocardial infarction in this population.
Poor Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction Stimulatory Capacity of Leukemic B Cells of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients Despite the Presence of Ia Antigens
Authors: James P. Halper, Shu Man Fu, Alice B. Gottlieb, Robert J. Winchester, Henry G. Kunkel
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1979)

The human Ia-like antigens, selectively expressed on B lymphocytes, are now recognized to be closely associated with, or identical to, the gene products of the major histocompatibility complex responsible for stimulation in the mixed lymphocyte reaction. The leukemic B lymphocytes of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia express these antigens very well. In the present study they were readily detected by several techniques utilizing both allo- and heteroantisera. However, the leukemic B cells from most patients were found to be extremely poor stimulating cells in the mixed lymphocyte reaction. This was particularly apparent when comparisons were made on a B-cell basis with isolated normal B lymphocytes. Leukemic cell death, abnormal kinetics of leukemic cell-mediated stimulation, and serum or cellular suppressor factors do not appear to explain these findings. Studies comparing cells from a leukemic patient with those of her HLA identical sibling and results of mixed lymphocyte reactions between normal and leukemic subjects discordant for D-region-associated Ia antigens ruled out genetic explanations for the differences observed. Experiments with normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells depleted of T cells and monocytes exclude the quantitative deficiency of monocytes which is found in the peripheral blood of most leukemic patients as an explanation. The present results with chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells indicate that the mere expression of the Ia-like antigens by cell populations does not render them effective stimulators. The accumulated evidence obtained indicate that abnormalities, particularly of membrane function and metabolism, known to occur in chronic lymphocytic leukemia lymphocytes may be involved in the poor stimulatory capacity of the leukemic B cells.
Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells induce immunomodulatory macrophages which protect from experimental colitis and sepsis
Authors: Per Anderson, Luciana Souza-Moreira, Maria Morell, Marta Caro, Francisco O'Valle, Elena Gonzalez-Rey, Mario Delgado
Journal: Gut (2012)

<h3>Objective</h3> To investigate the effect of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) on the activation state of macrophages (MΦ) in vitro, and the potential therapeutic effect of these cells in experimental colitis and sepsis. <h3>Design</h3> Murine bone marrow-derived macrophages were cultured with ASCs or with ASC conditioned media (ASC-MΦ) and characterised for the expression of several regulatory macrophage markers, including enzymes and cytokines, and for their immunomodulatory capacity in vitro. The therapeutic effect was investigated of ASC-MΦ in two models of experimental inflammatory colitis induced by trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid and dextran sodium sulphate, and in polymicrobial sepsis induced by caecal ligation and puncture. <h3>Results</h3> ASC-MΦ showed a phenotype that clearly differed from the classically activated macrophages or the alternatively activated macrophages induced by interleukin (IL)-4, characterised by high arginase activity, increased production of IL-10 upon restimulation and potent immunosuppressive activity on T cells and macrophages. Activation of cyclo-oxygenase-2 on ASCs seems to be critically involved in inducing this phenotype. Systemic infusion of ASC-MΦ inhibited colitis in mice, reducing mortality and weight loss while lowering the colonic and systemic levels of inflammatory cytokines. Importantly, therapeutic injection of ASC-MΦ in established chronic colitis alleviated its progression and avoided disease recurrence. Moreover, ASC-MΦ protected from severe sepsis by reducing the infiltration of inflammatory cells into various organs and by downregulating the production of several inflammatory mediators, where ASC-MΦ-derived IL-10 played a critical role. <h3>Conclusion</h3> ASCs induce a distinct regulatory activation state of macrophages which possess potent immunomodulatory ability and therapeutic potential in inflammatory bowel diseases and sepsis.
PDGF-C Expression in the Developing and Normal Adult Human Kidney and in Glomerular Diseases
Authors: Frank Eitner, Tammo Ostendorf, Matthias Kretzler, Clemens D. Cohen, Ulf Eriksson, Hermann-Josef Gröne, Jürgen Floege
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2003)

ABSTRACT. PDGF-C is a new member of the PDGF-family and has recently been identified as a rat mesangial cell mitogen. Its expression and function in human kidneys is unknown. Localization of PDGF-C protein was analyzed by immunohistochemistry using a rabbit polyclonal antibody directed against the core-domain of PDGF-C in human fetal kidneys (n = 8), normal adult human kidneys (n = 9), and in renal biopsies of patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN, n = 31), membranous nephropathy (MGN, n = 8), minimal change disease (MC, n = 7), and transplant glomerulopathy (TxG, n = 12). Additionally, PDGF-C mRNA was detected in microdissected glomeruli by real-time RT-PCR in cases of normal adult kidneys (n = 7), IgAN (n = 27), MGN (n = 11), and MC (n = 13). In the fetal kidney, PDGF-C localized to the developing mesangium, ureteric bud epithelium, and the undifferentiated mesenchyme. In the adult kidney, PDGF-C was constitutively expressed in parietal epithelial cells of Bowman’s capsule, tubular epithelial cells (loops of Henle, distal tubules, collecting ducts), and in arterial endothelial cells. A marked upregulation of glomerular PDGF-C protein was seen in MGN and TxG with a prominent positivity of virtually all podocytes. In MC, PDGF-C localized to podocytes in a more focal distribution. In MGN, increased glomerular PDGF-C protein expression was due to increased mRNA synthesis as a 4.3-fold increase in PDGF-C mRNA was detected in microdissected glomeruli from MGN compared with normal. PDGF-C protein was additionally expressed in individual mesangial cells in TxG. Finally, upregulated PDGF-C protein expression was detected within sclerosing glomerular and fibrosing tubulointerstitial lesions in individual cases from all analyzed groups. We conclude that PDGF-C is constitutively expressed in the human kidney and is upregulated in podocytes and interstitial cells after injury/activation of these cells. E-mail: [email protected]
Safety and efficacy of advanced atrial pacing therapies for atrial tachyarrhythmias in patients with a new implantable dual chamber cardioverter-defibrillator
Authors: Anne M Gillis, Christina Unterberg-Buchwald, Herwig Schmidinger, Santini Massimo, Kevin Wolfe, Deborah J Kavaney, Mary F Otterness, Stefan H Hohnloser
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2002)
Pro-B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure
Authors: Stephen W. Waldo, Jennifer Beede, Susan Isakson, Sylvie Villard-Saussine, Jeannette Fareh, Paul Clopton, Robert L. Fitzgerald, Alan S. Maisel
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2008)
Mealtime Interactions Relate to Dietary Adherence and Glycemic Control in Young Children With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: S. R. Patton
Journal: Diabetes Care (2006)

This study examined the relationships between parent-child mealtime interactions and dietary adherence and glycemic control in young children with type 1 diabetes. It was hypothesized that young children who exhibited disruptive mealtime behaviors would have more dietary deviations (poorer dietary adherence) and poor glycemic control. It was also hypothesized that parents of young children who used ineffective/coercive parenting strategies at mealtimes would have children with more dietary deviations and poor glycemic control.A total of 35 families of children (aged 2.2-7.9 years) with type 1 diabetes were recruited from a pediatric hospital. Families had at least three meals videotaped in their home, which were coded for parent, child, and eating behaviors, using the Dyadic Interaction Nomenclature for Eating. Children's dietary adherence was assessed according to deviations from the prescribed number of carbohydrate units per meal. Children's average glycemic excursion was assessed prospectively for 2 weeks, using a standardized home blood glucose meter.Findings demonstrated significant positive relationships between children's mealtime behavior, dietary deviations, and glycemic control. An examination of parent behaviors revealed significant positive correlations between parents' use of ineffective/coercive parenting strategies and children's dietary deviations and glycemic control.This was the first study to examine the relationship between parent-child mealtime interactions and health outcomes in young children with type 1 diabetes. The mealtime problems examined can be improved through specific behavioral interventions. Future research is needed to examine how parent-child interactions at mealtimes relate to children's health outcomes to inform clinical care.
Gene expression networks in COPD: microRNA and mRNA regulation
Authors: Michael E Ezzie, Melissa Crawford, Ji-Hoon Cho, Robert Orellana, Shile Zhang, Richard Gelinas, Kara Batte, Lianbo Yu, Gerard Nuovo, David Galas, Philip Diaz, Kai Wang, S Patrick Nana-Sinkam
Journal: Thorax (2011)

<h3>Background</h3> The mechanisms underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remain unclear. MicroRNAs (miRNAs or <i>miRs</i>) are small non-coding RNA molecules that modulate the levels of specific genes and proteins. Identifying expression patterns of miRNAs in COPD may enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of disease. A study was undertaken to determine if miRNAs are differentially expressed in the lungs of smokers with and without COPD. miRNA and mRNA expression were compared to enrich for biological networks relevant to the pathogenesis of COPD. <h3>Methods</h3> Lung tissue from smokers with no evidence of obstructive lung disease (n=9) and smokers with COPD (n=26) was examined for miRNA and mRNA expression followed by validation. We then examined both miRNA and mRNA expression to enrich for relevant biological pathways. <h3>Results</h3> 70 miRNAs and 2667 mRNAs were differentially expressed between lung tissue from subjects with COPD and smokers without COPD. miRNA and mRNA expression profiles enriched for biological pathways that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of COPD including the transforming growth factor β, Wnt and focal adhesion pathways. miR-223 and <i>miR-1274a</i> were the most affected miRNAs in subjects with COPD compared with smokers without obstruction. <i>miR-15b</i> was increased in COPD samples compared with smokers without obstruction and localised to both areas of emphysema and fibrosis. <i>miR-15b</i> was differentially expressed within GOLD classes of COPD. Expression of SMAD7, which was validated as a target for <i>miR-15b</i>, was decreased in bronchial epithelial cells in COPD. <h3>Conclusions</h3> miRNA and mRNA are differentially expressed in individuals with COPD compared with smokers without obstruction. Investigating these relationships may further our understanding of the mechanisms of disease.
Oxidative Damage of DNA Confers Resistance to Cytosolic Nuclease TREX1 Degradation and Potentiates STING-Dependent Immune Sensing
Authors: Nadine Gehrke, Christina Mertens, Thomas Zillinger, Jörg Wenzel, Tobias Bald, Sabine Zahn, Thomas Tüting, Gunther Hartmann, Winfried Barchet
Journal: Immunity (2013)
Test Characteristics of Urinary Biomarkers Depend on Quantitation Method in Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Azrina Md Ralib, John W. Pickering, Geoffrey M. Shaw, Prasad Devarajan, Charles L. Edelstein, Joseph V. Bonventre, Zoltan H. Endre
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2011)

The concentration of urine influences the concentration of urinary biomarkers of AKI. Whether normalization to urinary creatinine concentration, as commonly performed to quantitate albuminuria, is the best method to account for variations in urinary biomarker concentration among patients in the intensive care unit is unknown. Here, we compared the diagnostic and prognostic performance of three methods of biomarker quantitation: absolute concentration, biomarker normalized to urinary creatinine concentration, and biomarker excretion rate. We measured urinary concentrations of alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transpeptidase, cystatin C, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin, kidney injury molecule-1, and IL-18 in 528 patients on admission and after 12 and 24 hours. Absolute concentration best diagnosed AKI on admission, but normalized concentrations best predicted death, dialysis, or subsequent development of AKI. Excretion rate on admission did not diagnose or predict outcomes better than either absolute or normalized concentration. Estimated 24-hour biomarker excretion associated with AKI severity, and for neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and cystatin C, with poorer survival. In summary, normalization to urinary creatinine concentration improves the prediction of incipient AKI and outcome but provides no advantage in diagnosing established AKI. The ideal method for quantitating biomarkers of urinary AKI depends on the outcome of interest.
Model-independent fluxome profiling from 2H and 13C experiments for metabolic variant discrimination.
Authors: Nicola Zamboni, Uwe Sauer
Journal: Genome biology (2004)

We introduce a conceptually novel method for intracellular fluxome profiling from unsupervised statistical analysis of stable isotope labeling. Without a priori knowledge on the metabolic system, we identified characteristic flux fingerprints in 10 Bacillus subtilis mutants from 132 2H and 13C tracer experiments. Beyond variant discrimination, independent component analysis automatically mapped several fingerprints to their metabolic determinants. The approach is flexible and paves the way to large-scale fluxome profiling of any biological system and condition.
Comparison of acceptability of and preferences for different methods of measuring blood pressure in primary care
Authors: P. Little
Journal: BMJ (2002)

Blood pressure is probably the most common measurement used in clinical practice and the most common reason for initiation of long term treatment.Recent guidelines for the use of ambulatory monitoring of blood pressure recommend its use in both initial diagnosis (before starting treatment) and assessing control. 1 If ambulatory monitoring is to be used more often we need evidence about its acceptability.Anecdotal reports of its acceptability exist, 2 3 and one large study found that the major drawback was sleep disturbance. 4 It is not clear if patients regard such inconvenience and disturbance as worth while to obtain accurate readings or what patients feel about the alternatives.One study of home blood pressure monitoring suggested that patients found it acceptable. 5 No study has yet explored the main issues for patients about the acceptability of the different methods of measuring blood pressure or compared the acceptability of all the available methods. Methods and resultsWe recruited 200 patients from three practices; all had newly diagnosed essential hypertension or established hypertension with poor control.We measured blood pressure in all patients by repeated measurements by a nurse, home measurement, ambulatory monitoring, and measurement by a doctor.We also invited the final 70 patients to take their own blood pressure in a room provided in the practice (see p 000).Two focus groups of patients who had experienced the different methods generated issues to be included in the questionnaire (table ).Each group comprised seven or eight people, with a balance of younger ( < 60) and older patients, men and women, and manual and non-manual socioeconomic groups.A preliminary questionnaire to 60 consecutive patients confirmed that all the issues identified were felt to be important by most patients (except "knowing the blood pressure worries me").The overall mean "problem" score for each measurement (the mean item score) was internally reliable (Cronbach's =0.85) and approximately normally distributed.We compared measurements by using analysis of variance for repeated measures and the Bonferroni correction for post hoc comparisons.Rating of different methods of measuring blood pressure.Values are median (interquartile range) and mean unless stated otherwise Home (n=153) Self measurement in surgery (n=63) Ambulatory (n=156) Nurse (n=153) Doctor (n=152) Disturbance and discomfort It made me anxious 2 (2 to 5); 3.2 5 (2 to 5); 3.8 2 (2 to 5); 3.3 3 (2 to 5); 3.4 4 (2 to 5); 3.7 It disturbs home life or everyday activities