tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Use of Doppler ultrasound in Crohn's disease
Authors: J A VAN OOSTAYEN
Journal: Gut (2000)

DiVerential expression of cyclooxygenase 2 in human colorectal cancerEDITOR,-We were puzzled by the recent paper by Dimberg and colleagues (Gut 1999;45:730-732) which reported that upregulation of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) protein expression was prominent in rectal adenocarcinomas compared with that in adenocarcinomas arising from the colon."Low or undetectable levels of COX-2 protein expression" were demonstrated in 15 of 19 colonic adenocarcinomas located proximal to the rectum.Overall, upregulation of COX-2 protein expression was reported in only 56% of colorectal cancers.Previous reports, 1-7 which include one by the current authors on a not dissimilar case series, 1 and two in the joint authorship of the accompanying commentary writer, 2 3 have shown consistent upregulation of COX-2 expression in colonic and rectal adenocarcinomas (in 85-90% of cases) compared with matched normal colonic mucosa using diVerent techniques, including northern blot analysis, RT-PCR, western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, four of these studies refer to the distribution of adenocarcinomas throughout the colon without showing evidence of diVerential COX-2 expression between rectal and more proximal tumours. 1 2 4 5 In the one previous study which analysed COX-2 protein expression in human colorectal cancers by western blot analysis, 7 immunoreactive COX-2 was detected in 76% of cases with a 10-fold increase in median tissue COX-2 concentration compared with normal colonic mucosa.In our view, the authors should attempt to explain the discrepancy between their results and previously published data.It is interesting to note that, in the study of Kargman et al, five of six patients taking NSAIDs had low or undetectable COX-2 protein expression. 7Moreover, aspirin has recently been shown to suppress induction of COX-2 mRNA and protein in interleukin-1 and phorbol ester stimulated human endothelial cells and fibroblasts. 8Do the authors have data on NSAID use in their cohort of patients prior to surgery?
Rapid screening of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus using PCR and chromogenic agar: a prospective study to evaluate costs and effects
Authors: M.W.M. Wassenberg, J.A.J.W. Kluytmans, A.T.A. Box, R.W. Bosboom, A.G.M. Buiting, E.P.M. van Elzakker, W.J.G. Melchers, M.M.L. van Rijen, S.F.T. Thijsen, A. Troelstra, C.M.J.E. Vandenbroucke-Grauls, C.E. Visser, A. Voss, P.F.G. Wolffs, M.W.H. Wulf, A.A. van Zwet, G.A. de Wit, M.J.M. Bonten
Journal: Clinical Microbiology and Infection (2010)
Endothelin Axis Is Upregulated in Human and Rat Right Ventricular Hypertrophy
Authors: Jayan Nagendran, Gopinath Sutendra, Ian Paterson, Hunter C. Champion, Linda Webster, Brian Chiu, Al Haromy, Ivan M. Rebeyka, David B. Ross, Evangelos D. Michelakis
Journal: Circulation Research (2012)

Right ventricular (RV) function is the most important determinant of morbidity and mortality in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Endothelin (ET)-1 receptor antagonists (ERAs) are approved therapies for PAH. It is not known whether ERAs have effects on the RV, in addition to their vasodilating/antiproliferative effects in pulmonary arteries.We hypothesized that the ET axis is upregulated in RV hypertrophy (RVH) and that ERAs have direct effects on the RV myocardium.RV myocardial samples from 34 patients with RVH were compared with 16 nonhypertrophied RV samples, and from rats with normal RV versus RVH attributable to PAH. Confocal immunohistochemistry showed that RVH myocardial ET type A (but not type B) receptor and ET-1 protein levels were increased compared with the nonhypertrophied RVs and positively correlated with the degree of RVH (RV thickness/body surface area; r(2)=0.838 and r(2)=0.818, respectively; P<0.01). These results were recapitulated in the rat model. In modified Langendorff perfusions, ERAs (BQ-123 and bosentan 10(-7,-6,-5) mol/L) decreased contractility in the hypertrophied, but not normal RV, in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01).Patients and rats with PAH have an upregulation of the myocardial ET axis in RVH. This might be a compensatory mechanism to preserve RV contractility, as the afterload increases. ERAs use might potentially worsen RV function, and this could explain some of the peripheral edema noted clinically with these agents. Further studies are required to evaluate the effects of ERAs on the RV in patients with RVH and PAH.
Efficacy and MRI of rituximab and methotrexate treatment in a nude rat model of CNS lymphoma
Authors: Kristoph Jahnke, Leslie L. Muldoon, Csanad G. Varallyay, Seth J. Lewin, Robert D. Brown, Dale F. Kraemer, Carole Soussain, Edward A. Neuwelt
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2009)

To determine the efficacy of methotrexate and/or rituximab in a CNS lymphoma model and to evaluate MRI modalities for monitoring efficacy, we inoculated female athymic nude rats (rnu/rnu) intracerebrally with human MC116 B-lymphoma cells. Between days 16 and 26, rats were randomized to receive intravenous (IV) treatment with (1) saline (controls, n = 15), (2) methotrexate 1,000 mg/m(2) (n = 6), (3) rituximab 375 mg/m(2) (n = 6), or (4) rituximab plus methotrexate (n = 6). T2/fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and gadolinium contrast-enhanced T1 MRI sequences were performed prior to and 1 week after treatment. IV rituximab gave an objective tumor response in four of six animals (>50% reduction in tumor volume comparing pre- and posttreatment T2/FLAIR MRI) and resulted in stable disease (50%-125% of baseline) in another animal. The percent change in tumor volume on T2/FLAIR images was significantly different in the control versus rituximab group (p = 0.0051). IV methotrexate slowed tumor growth, compared to controls, but only one of six animals had an objective response. In untreated controls, tumor histological volumes correlated well with T2/FLAIR or contrast-enhanced T1 images (r = 0.877). In the treatment groups, T2/FLAIR correlation was good, but the gadolinium-enhanced T1 MRI was not significantly correlated with histology (r = 0.19). The MC116 CNS lymphoma model seems valuable for preclinical testing of efficacy and toxicity of treatment regimens. IV rituximab was highly effective, but methotrexate was only minimally effective. T2/FLAIR was superior to contrast-enhanced T1 for monitoring efficacy.
Conscious and nonconscious control of action
Authors: Antti Revonsuo
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (1995)

Abstract I criticize Block's examples of P-consciousness and A-consciousness for being flawed and the notion of A-consciousness for not being a notion of consciousness at all. I argue that an empirically important distinction can be made between behavior that is supported by an underlying conscious experience and behavior that is brought about by nonconscious action-control mechanisms. This distinction is different from that made by Block.
GOToolBox: functional analysis of gene datasets based on Gene Ontology.
Authors: David Martin, Christine Brun, Elisabeth Remy, Pierre Mouren, Denis Thieffry, Bernard Jacq
Journal: Genome biology (2004)

Abstract We have developed methods and tools based on the Gene Ontology (GO) resource allowing the identification of statistically over- or under-represented terms in a gene dataset; the clustering of functionally related genes within a set; and the retrieval of genes sharing annotations with a query gene. GO annotations can also be constrained to a slim hierarchy or a given level of the ontology. The source codes are available upon request, and distributed under the GPL license.
Increased uncoupling protein 3 content does not affect mitochondrial function in human skeletal muscle in vivo
Authors: Matthijs K.C. Hesselink, Paul L. Greenhaff, Dimitru Constantin-Teodosiu, Eric Hultman, Wim H.M. Saris, Robby Nieuwlaat, Gert Schaart, Esther Kornips, Patrick Schrauwen
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2003)

Phosphocreatine (PCr) resynthesis rate following intense anoxic contraction can be used as a sensitive index of in vivo mitochondrial function. We examined the effect of a diet-induced increase in uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3) expression on postexercise PCr resynthesis in skeletal muscle. Nine healthy male volunteers undertook 20 one-legged maximal voluntary contractions with limb blood flow occluded to deplete muscle PCr stores. Exercise was performed following 7 days consumption of low-fat (LF) or high-fat (HF) diets. Immediately following exercise, blood flow was reinstated, and muscle was sampled after 20, 60, and 120 seconds of recovery. Mitochondrial coupling was assessed by determining the rate of PCr resynthesis during recovery. The HF diet increased UCP3 protein content by approximately 44% compared with the LF diet. However, this HF diet–induced increase in UCP3 expression was not associated with any changes in the rate of muscle PCr resynthesis during conditions of maximal flux through oxidative phosphorylation. Muscle acetylcarnitine, free-creatine, and lactate concentrations during recovery were unaffected by the HF diet. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that increasing muscle UCP3 expression does not diminish the rate of PCr resynthesis, allowing us to conclude that the primary role of UCP3 in humans is not uncoupling.
Lithopaedion formation after silent uterine rupture.
Authors: J. H. Binns
Journal: BMJ (1966)

vast expenditure for welfare programmes in both 'developed and developing countries.Is this solution too Brave New Worldish ?Would it really greatly increase promiscuity and venereal disease ?I believe the benefits would far outweigh the disadvantages.-Perhapsbefore too long the fitting of an I.U.D. will be the accepted routine performed by school medical officers on girls prior to their graduation or drop out from high school.Certainly if I had a daughter of 16 I would happily have her fitted with such a device.However, until such time as this utopian state of affairs exists, I believe that it is the duty of all doctors and others concerned with the medical care of women during the postnatal period to suggest that they have an I.U.D. fitted, except where there is a good reason for not doing so.The woman then would be protected from pregnancy and she would have to act consciously to have another baby rather than to prevent one.This really would be " planned " parenthood.-Iam, etc.
S91 The role of the vitamin D axis in lung cancer
Authors: L. A. McGowan, A. M. Wood, P. Newby, B. Naidu
Journal: Thorax (2010)

<h3>Introduction</h3> Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with many cancers, although little is known about its role in lung cancer. This is biologically plausible since vitamin D influences apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms have also been suggested to play a role in genetic susceptibility, their direction being consistent with inability to respond to vitamin D. Finally, vitamin D binding protein (DBP) indirectly activates alveolar macrophages, a higher number of which within a tumour links to better prognosis in lung cancer. <h3>Methods</h3> 37 patients with a diagnosis of lung cancer were studied in the first phase, together with 18 healthy controls. Circulating vitamin D level was measured at initial presentation by tandem mass spectrometry, and DBP by ELISA. Vitamin D and DBP level was compared between groups, and against other clinical features. VDR was quantified in normal lung and tumour tissue by immunohistochemistry, and compared between the two. In the second phase the lung cancer patients were genotyped for four functional SNPs in the vitamin D pathway, and their genotype frequencies compared to 484 healthy controls. <h3>Results</h3> Vitamin D levels were lower in lung cancer than controls, after adjustment for season of collection (21.8 vs 15.5 ng/ml, p=0.018), as was DBP (28.2 vs 51.7 mg/dl). DBP was higher in women (p=0.001) and correlated directly with vitamin D (r=0.446, p=0.013). VDR was expressed primarily in bronchial epithelium, and to a lesser extent in pneumocytes, but was generally expressed less in tumour tissue (Abstract S91 Figure 1). Of the four SNPs studied two were associated with lung cancer; the associated allele of rs4588 is known to reduce macrophage activation and conferred an odds ratio (OR) of 3.04, whilst that of rs1544410 produces less stable VDR mRNA and conferred an OR of 4.10 of disease. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Vitamin D deficiency is common in lung cancer, but reduced VDR in tumour tissue suggests that it is unlikely to be useful as an adjuvant treatment, as tumour tissue will not be able to respond to it. We have also confirmed the role of VDR polymorphisms in lung cancer, similar to other malignancies.
Major Depression and Associated Impairment: Same or Different Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors?
Authors: Debra L. Foley, Michael C. Neale, Charles O. Gardner, Andrew Pickles, Kenneth S. Kendler
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (2003)

Impairment was added as a diagnostic criterion for many psychiatric disorders in DSM-IV. Does the addition of impairment influence only prevalence rates, or does it also introduce new etiological factors into psychiatric diagnoses?A lifetime history of major depression and associated functional impairment was assessed by personal interview with 3,669 female and 4,377 male twins from the population-based Virginia Twin Registry. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the correlation between risk factors for major depression and associated functional impairment.While the risk factors for major depression and associated functional impairment are substantially correlated, they are not identical. The most parsimonious model suggests that over a quarter of the variance in associated functional impairment is due to factors unrelated to risk for major depression. Of the variance unique to associated functional impairment, approximately one-third is familial. The relationship between associated functional impairment and major depression did not differ significantly between men and women.Risk factors for major depression and associated functional impairment are substantially but imperfectly correlated. The addition of associated functional impairment as a criterion for the diagnosis of major depression not only lowers prevalence estimates but also introduces a small set of new etiological factors into the diagnosis of major depression.
Dynamics of the Circulation in Acute Hypertension Produced by Stimulation of the Cerebral Cortex
Authors: HERBERT G. LANGFORD, JOHN L. PATTERSON, RENO R. PORTER
Journal: Circulation Research (1957)

Electric stimulation of motor areas of the cerebral cortex of the dog is followed by a prompt rise in systemic blood pressure, without significant changes in heart rate or cardiac output. Small increases occurred in lesser circuit pressures.
Introduction of a non invasive ventilation (NIV) care bundle in a district general hospital
Authors: Huw Ellis, Rehan Naseer, Alan Hart-Thomas, Annika Graham
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Introduction : A care bundle is a group of evidence based actions needed to deliver optimal care in a clinical setting. It takes the form of a simple checklist, placed in the notes, which serves as a reminder to clinicians. It aims to ensure consistent delivery of care leading to safe and reliable care. Compliance with all elements is needed for optimum benefit.

Method : A 7 item bundle was created for acute NIV. It was introduced to coincide with the 2011 British Thoracic Society (BTS) NIV audit so that the impact could be assessed by comparison with the 2010 audit. The bundle was provided in the form of a sticker to be inserted in the case notes when NIV was commenced. Bundle elements not included in the table below were (1) NIV only to be delivered in areas where nursing staff are trained (2) arterial blood gases checked at 1 hour (3) and at 4 hours (4) review by a pulmonologist within 24 hours (Mon – Fri).

Results: 13 of 19 patients (67%) had a bundle in the notes. 11 of 13 (85%) had all 7 elements completed. The impact of the bundle on key measurements are summarised in the table (bundle items highlighted).

View this table:



Conclusion: Implementation of an NIV bundle is possible in a DGH and coincided with improved audit outcomes, particularly documentation of escalation plans and increased pressures. Numbers are small but it may have contributed to reduced mortality and length of stay.
Human CD34+CXCR4− sorted cells harbor intracellular CXCR4, which can be functionally expressed and provide NOD/SCID repopulation
Authors: Orit Kollet, Isabelle Petit, Joy Kahn, Sarit Samira, Ayelet Dar, Amnon Peled, Varda Deutsch, Monica Gunetti, Wanda Piacibello, Arnon Nagler, Tsvee Lapidot
Journal: Blood (2002)
Less than a 10th of China's couples apply to have second child
Authors: S. D. L. Xu
Journal: BMJ (2015)

Fewer than a million of China’s 11 million eligible couples have applied to have a second child since the country relaxed its one child rule early last year, government figures have shown. The rules now allow couples to have a second child if either parent is an only child.

The National Health and Family Planning Commission (NHFPC) predicted that the new policy would result in a baby boom with an extra two million babies on average born each year, but the take-up rate of the new …
Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Authors: Alessandro Antonelli, Clodoveo Ferri, Poupak Fallahi, Alessandro Pampana, Silvia Martina Ferrari, Fernando Goglia, Ele Ferrannini
Journal: Diabetes Care (2005)

An increased prevalence of type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance has been consistently found in liver cirrhosis from any cause (1–3). Less clear is whether hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is associated with type 2 diabetes in the absence of cirrhosis. Several reports have claimed a specific association between HCV infection and type 2 diabetes, but in most instances, patients were a mixture of cases with cirrhosis and hepatitis (4–6). Two clinic-based studies found an excess of type 2 diabetes in noncirrhotic HCV+ (NC-HCV+) patients compared with patients with chronic hepatitis of other origin (7–9), but another large study could not detect it (10). Furthermore, one clinic-based small study found a specific association with type 2 diabetes in NC-HCV+ patients (11) compared with a general population sample.

The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence and clinical phenotype of type 2 diabetes in a large series of NC-HCV+ patients. A sample of the general population or patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related noncirrhotic chronic hepatitis (NC-HBV+) was used as control subjects.

From January 1995 to December 2001, 564 NC-HCV+ patients were consecutively examined at our center (none had been previously treated with interferon). Diagnosis of HCV infection was based on abnormal serum aminotransferases levels of >6 months’ duration and positive testing for serum anti-HCV markers and …
Inhibition of Phagolysosomal Biogenesis by the <i>Leishmania</i> Lipophosphoglycan
Authors: Michel Desjardins, Albert Descoteaux
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1997)

Whereas amastigotes of the protozoan parasite Leishmania proliferate inside acidic phagolysosomal vacuoles of the macrophage, vacuoles induced by Leishmania donovani promastigotes during initiation of infection are poorly characterized. Here, evidence is presented that interaction of these parasitophorous vacuoles with endocytic organelles is very limited. In contrast, vacuoles formed around L. donovani mutants lacking the cell surface lipophosphoglycan (LPG) fuse extensively with endosomes and lysosomes. The role of LPG repeating units in the inhibition of phagosome–endosome fusion was demonstrated using two different approaches. First, genetic complementation of the LPG-defective C3PO mutant restored its ability to inhibit phagosome–endosome fusion to a degree similar to that of wild-type promastigotes. Second, opsonization of C3PO mutant cells with purified L. donovani LPG also conferred to this mutant the ability to inhibit phagosome–endosome fusion. Inasmuch as LPG is essential for infecting macrophages, these results suggest that inhibition of phagolysosomal biogenesis by LPG repeating units represents an intramacrophage survival strategy used by promastigotes to establish infection.
Cancer Inhibition in Nude Mice After Systemic Application of U6 Promoter-Driven Short Hairpin RNAs Against PLK1
Authors: B. Spankuch, Y. Matthess, R. Knecht, B. Zimmer, M. Kaufmann, K. Strebhardt
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2004)

RNA interference initiated by small interfering RNAs effectively suppresses gene expression, but the suppression is transient, which limits the therapeutic use of this technique. Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) is a key cell cycle regulator that is overexpressed in various human tumors. We used a xenograft mouse model to determine whether an RNA interference-based strategy that used short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) to suppress PLK1 expression could inhibit tumor growth in vivo.HeLa S3 cervical and A549 lung cancer cell lines were transfected with plasmids containing U6 promoter-driven shRNAs against human PLK1 or control (parental or scrambled) plasmids. Plasmids were treated with the nuclease inhibitor aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) as protection against nucleases in murine blood. Nude mice carrying xenograft tumors were injected with shRNA plasmids, and their xenograft tumor growth was assessed. Northern and western blot analyses were used to measure PLK1 mRNA and protein expression, respectively, in transfected cultured cells and in xenograft tumors. All statistical tests were two-sided.Levels of PLK1 mRNA and protein were lower in HeLa S3 and A549 cancer cells transfected with PLK1 shRNA plasmids than in corresponding cells transfected with control parental or scrambled PLK1S shRNA plasmids. Proliferation of cells transfected with PLK1 shRNA was lower than that of cells transfected with either control plasmid, and proliferation of cells transfected with ATA-treated PLK1 shRNA plasmids was even lower. In mice with human xenograft tumors, PLK1 shRNA expression from ATA-treated plasmids reduced tumor growth to 18% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 12% to 26%; P =.03) and from untreated plasmids reduced tumor growth to 45% (95% CI = 26% to 64%; P =.1) of that of tumors in mice treated with scrambled control PLK1S shRNA plasmids.The combination of shRNA-mediated gene silencing with effective in vivo gene delivery strategies appears to generate a long-lasting silencing signal.
An opacity in the chest following a subclavian catheterization
Authors: L Portel, G Hilbert, D Gruson, G Gbikpi-Benissan, JP Cardinaud
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1998)

Case history A 70 yr old male was admitted to a nephrology department with an acute anuric renal failure. In his past history, one could note a hypertensive cardiomyopathy with an atrial fibrillation, treated with amiodarone, digoxine, flecainide, trinitrine and fluindione, and a noninsulin dependent diabetes treated with metformine. One month before admission, the patient had been treated for an ischaemic cerebrovascular stroke, which was complicated by a rhabdomyolysis responsible for renal failure with a creatinine clearance measured at 26 mL·min-1. On admission, clinical examination revealed an overall cardiac failure and fine crackles were heard over the pulmonary bases. Oedema of the lower limbs was also found. Biological analysis revealed a worsening of the pre-existing renal failure with a creatinine clearance of 9 mL·min-1 without any associated ionic disorder. Diuretic treatment was initiated, enabling a transitory improvement before a rapid deterioration of the renal function occurred. The patient developed anuria, so that dialysis became necessary. The anticoagulant treatment was interrupted and treatment with heparin injections (250 IU·kg-1·day-1 in three injections) was initiated, 4 days before a dialysis catheter was set up. Injections immediately before and immediately after the venous catheterization were omitted. The prothrombin time was then measured at 96% and the activated