tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Effects of Walnut Consumption on Endothelial Function in Type 2 Diabetic Subjects
Authors: Yingying Ma, Valentine Yanchou Njike, John Millet, Suparna Dutta, Kim Doughty, Judith A. Treu, David L. Katz
Journal: Diabetes Care (2009)

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of daily walnut consumption on endothelial function, cardiovascular biomarkers, and anthropometric measures in type 2 diabetic individuals. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS This study was a randomized, controlled, single-blind, crossover trial. Twenty-four participants with type 2 diabetes (mean age 58 years; 14 women and 10 men) were randomly assigned to one of the two possible sequence permutations to receive an ad libitum diet enriched with 56 g (366 kcal) walnuts/day and an ad libitum diet without walnuts for 8 weeks. Subjects underwent endothelial function testing (measured as flow-mediated dilatation [FMD]) and assessment of cardiovascular biomarkers before and after each 8-week treatment phase. The primary outcome measure was the change in FMD after 8 weeks. Secondary outcome measures included changes in plasma lipids, A1C, fasting glucose, insulin sensitivity, and anthropometric measures. RESULTS Endothelial function significantly improved after consumption of a walnut-enriched ad libitum diet compared with that after consumption of an ad libitum diet without walnuts (2.2 ± 1.7 vs. 1.2 ± 1.6%; P = 0.04). The walnut-enriched diet increased fasting serum glucose and lowered serum total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol from baseline (10.0 ± 20.5 mg/dl, P = 0.04; −9.7 ± 14.5 mg/dl, P &amp;lt; 0.01; and −7.7 ± 10 mg/dl, P &amp;lt; 0.01, respectively), although these changes were not significant compared with those for an ad libitum diet without walnuts. There were no significant changes in anthropometric measures, plasma A1C, and insulin sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS A walnut-enriched ad libitum diet improves endothelium-dependent vasodilatation in type 2 diabetic individuals, suggesting a potential reduction in overall cardiac risk.
Coming together: the ATS/ERS consensus on clinical pulmonary function testing
Authors: V. Brusasco, R. Crapo, G. Viegi
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2005)

<h3>ABSTRACT</h3> <h3>Introduction:</h3> An objective of the Information Revolution Roadmap of Ethiopia’s Health Sector Transformation Plan was to improve health management information system (HMIS) data quality and data use at the point of health service delivery. We aimed to assess drivers of and barriers to improving HMIS data quality and use, focusing on key Information Revolution strategies including Connected Woreda, capacity building, performance monitoring teams, and motivational incentives. <h3>Methods:</h3> We conducted an interpretative qualitative study across all 11 health centers in 3 subcities of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia: Yeka, Akaki-Kaliti, and Ledeta. A total of 40 key informant interviews and 6 focus group discussions with a total of 43 discussants were conducted. We coded information gathered line-by-line and grouped responses under thematic codes as they emerged. Findings were triangulated and validated. <h3>Results:</h3> Our findings indicate that the main drivers of data quality and use at the point of service delivery were the use of the Connected Woreda strategy and its tools, capacity-building activities including mentorship, performance monitoring-team activities that led to active leadership engagement, and motivational incentives for data producers and users. Barriers to optimal data-use practices were the use of duplicative data collection tools at health facilities, under-developed health information system infrastructure, inadequate health information technician staffing and capacity limitations at the health facility level, insufficient leadership commitment, and unfavorable health worker attitudes toward data. <h3>Discussion:</h3> Improvements in quality and use of HMIS data at health facilities are expected to result in delivering better-quality health services to the community as data enable health workers to identify gaps in health care, fix them, and monitor improvements. Future investments should focus on strengthening the promising data-use practices, resolving bottlenecks caused by duplicative data collection tools, enhancing individual and institutional capacity, addressing suboptimal health worker attitudes toward data, and overcoming infrastructure and connectivity challenges.
Predictors and Outcomes of Limited Resection for Early-Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: S. E. Billmeier, J. Z. Ayanian, A. M. Zaslavsky, D. R. Nerenz, M. T. Jaklitsch, S. O. Rogers
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2011)

Lobectomy is considered the standard treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, more limited resections are commonly performed. We examined patient and surgeon factors associated with limited resection and compared postoperative and long-term outcomes between sublobar and lobar resections.A population- and health system-based sample of patients newly diagnosed with stage I or II NSCLC between 2003 and 2005 in five geographically defined regions, five integrated health-care delivery systems, and 15 Veterans Affairs hospitals was observed for a median of 55 months, through May 31, 2010. Predictors of limited resection and postoperative outcomes were compared using unadjusted and propensity score-weighted analyses. All P values are from two-sided tests.One hundred fifty-five (23%) patients underwent limited resection and 524 (77%) underwent lobectomy. In adjusted analyses of patient-specific factors, smaller tumor size (P = .004), coverage by Medicare or Medicaid, no insurance or unknown insurance (P = .02), more severe lung disease (P < .001), and a history of stroke (P = .049) were associated with receipt of limited resection. In adjusted analyses of surgeon characteristics, thoracic surgery specialty (P = .02), non-fee-for-service compensation (P = .008), and National Cancer Institute cancer center designation (P = .006) were associated with higher odds of limited resection. Unadjusted 30-day mortality was higher with limited resection than with lobectomy (7.1% vs 1.9%, difference = 5.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5% to 10.8%, P = .003), and the adjusted difference was not statistically significant (6.5% vs 2.9%, difference = 3.6%, 95% CI = -.1% to 9.2%, P = .09). Postoperative complications did not differ by type of surgery (all P > .05). Over the course of the study, a non-statistically significant trend toward improved long-term survival was evident for lobectomy, compared with limited resection, in adjusted analyses (hazard ratio of death = 1.35 for limited resection, 95% CI = 0.99 to 1.84, P = .05).Evidence is statistically inconclusive but suggestive that lobectomy, compared with limited resection, is associated with increased long-term survival for early-stage lung cancer. Clinical, socioeconomic, and surgeon factors appear to be associated with the choice of surgical resection.
Treatment of severe and difficult cases of systemic lupus erythematosus with tacrolimus. A report of three cases
Authors: M Duddridge, R J Powell
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (1997)

<h3>OBJECTIVES</h3> An analysis of the efficacy of tacrolimus treatment in three patients with difficult and severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) whose active disease had been previously poorly controlled by cyclosporine and cyclophosphamide. <h3>METHODS</h3> A review of patient notes. <h3>RESULTS</h3> Two patients are well controlled after six and nine months of treatment with tacrolimus 0.06 mg/kg/day and 0.18 mg/kg/day. Previous persistent vasculitis had resolved and other features of active disease were controlled. The third patient's vasculitis had not improved significantly after two months of treatment and tacrolimus 0.17 mg/kg/day was discontinued because of nephrotoxicity. <h3>CONCLUSION</h3> Tacrolimus may be a useful additional immunosuppressive agent in some patients whose SLE is not well controlled by conventional treatments.
Persistence of Haloperidol in Human Brain Tissue
Authors: Johannes Kornhuber, Andreas Schultz, Jens Wiltfang, Ingolf Meineke, Christoph H. Gleiter, Robert Zöchling, Karl-Werner Boissl, Friedrich Leblhuber, Peter Riederer
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1999)

After discontinuation of neuroleptic drugs, their antipsychotic and antiparkinsonian effects are still present for a prolonged period. It is not known whether the extended effects of neuroleptic drugs in humans are due to the continued presence of drug in brain tissue or to long-lasting drug-induced physiologic changes. The aim of this study was to directly examine haloperidol concentrations in human brain tissue in relation to drug-free time.Haloperidol concentrations were measured in five regions (temporal cortex, cingulate gyrus, caudate nucleus, dentate nucleus, corpus callosum) of the postmortem brains of 11 patients previously treated with haloperidol. Haloperidol was analyzed by means of high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The half-life in brain tissue was estimated by a population kinetic analysis.Haloperidol concentrations in the human brain tissue were 10-30 times higher than optimal serum concentrations used in the treatment of schizophrenia. Haloperidol concentrations appeared to be homogeneously distributed across different brain areas within a single patient. There was no apparent relation between duration of treatment and mean haloperidol concentration. Higher doses of haloperidol seemed to be related to higher concentrations in brain tissue. The elimination half-life from brain tissue was calculated to be 6.8 days.The results may have implications for clinical treatment decisions and the design of clinical research protocols. Patients exposed to haloperidol cannot be considered to be free of residual effects of the drug for a number of weeks after withdrawal.
Morphologic and Biochemical Changes in Dogs After Portacaval Shunt Plus Bile Fistula or Ileal Bypass: Failure of Bile Fistula or Ileal Bypass to Prevent Hepatocyte Atrophy
Authors: Jon S. Thompson, Kendrick A. Porter, Nobuo Hayashida, Donald J. Mcnamara, Thomas S. Parker, William J. I. Russell, Antonio Francavilla, Thomas E. Starzl
Journal: Hepatology (1983)

External biliary fistula (BF) or ileal bypass (IB) was performed in dogs at the time of or 2 weeks after portacaval shunt (PCS). The pathologic changes in the dog livers 2 to 4 weeks later were compared to those caused by PCS alone. Histopathologic differences between PCS alone vs. PCS plus BF or IB could not be found. Thus, the experiments did not confirm recent observations by others in rats that BF prevents or reverses the hepatic injury of PCS. As estimated by plasma mevalonic acid determinations, the increase in hepatic cholesterol synthesis that is characteristic after BF or IB was suppressed in animals with PCS. BF and IB reduced but did not eliminate the postprandial elevation in serum bile acid that occurs after PCS. The findings have possible relevance in planning the treatment of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia with the combined use of PCS and IB.
A randomized, controlled trial of RSD1235, a novel anti-arrhythmic agent, in the treatment of recent onset atrial fibrillation
Authors: Denis Roy, Brian H. Rowe, Ian G. Stiell, Benoit Coutu, John H. Ip, Denis Phaneuf, Jacques Lee, Humberto Vidaillet, Garth Dickinson, Sheila Grant, Alan M. Ezrin, Gregory N. Beatch
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2004)
ID4 Imparts Chemoresistance and Cancer Stemness to Glioma Cells by Derepressing miR-9*–Mediated Suppression of SOX2
Authors: Hye-Min Jeon, Young-Woo Sohn, Se-Young Oh, Sung-Hak Kim, Samuel Beck, Soonhag Kim, Hyunggee Kim
Journal: Cancer Research (2011)

Glioma stem cells (GSC) possess tumor-initiating potential and are relatively resistant to conventional chemotherapy and irradiation. Thus, they are considered to be major drivers for glioma initiation, progression, and recurrence. However, the precise mechanism governing acquisition of their drug resistance remains to be elucidated. Our previous study has shown that inhibitor of differentiation 4 (ID4) dedifferentiates Ink4a/Arf(-/-) mouse astrocytes and human glioma cells to glioma stem-like cells (induced GSCs or iGSCs). In this article, we report that ID4-driven iGSCs exhibit chemoresistant behavior to anticancer drugs through activation of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. We found that ID4 enhanced SOX2 protein expression by suppressing microRNA-9* (miR-9*), which can repress SOX2 by targeting its 3'-untranslated region. Consequently, ID4-mediated SOX2 induction enhanced ABCC3 and ABCC6 expression through direct transcriptional regulation, indicating that ID4 regulates the chemoresistance of iGSCs by promoting SOX2-mediated induction of ABC transporters. Furthermore, we found that short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of SOX2 in ID4-driven iGSCs resulted in loss of cancer stemness. Moreover, ectopic expression of SOX2 could dedifferentiate Ink4a/Arf(-/-) astrocytes and glioma cells to iGSCs, indicating a crucial role of SOX2 in genesis and maintenance of GSCs. Finally, we found that the significance of the ID4-miR-9*-SOX2-ABCC3/ABCC6 regulatory pathway is recapitulated in GSCs derived from patients with glioma. Together, our results reveal a novel regulatory mechanism by which ID4-driven suppression of miR-9* induces SOX2, which imparts stemness potential and chemoresistance to glioma cells and GSCs.
A 10-Gene Classifier for Distinguishing Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Anil Vachani, Michael Nebozhyn, Sunil Singhal, Linda Alila, Elliot Wakeam, Ruth Muschel, Charles A. Powell, Patrick Gaffney, Bhuvanesh Singh, Marcia S. Brose, Leslie A. Litzky, John Kucharczuk, Larry R. Kaiser, J. Stephen Marron, Michael K. Showe, Steven M. Albelda, Louise C. Showe
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2007)

Abstract Purpose: The risk of developing metastatic squamous cell carcinoma for patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is very high. Because these patients are often heavy tobacco users, they are also at risk for developing a second primary cancer, with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (LSCC) being the most common. The distinction between a lung metastasis and a primary LSCC is currently based on certain clinical and histologic criteria, although the accuracy of this approach remains in question. Experimental Design: Gene expression patterns derived from 28 patients with HNSCC or LSCC from a single center were analyzed using penalized discriminant analysis. Validation was done on previously published data for 134 total subjects from four independent Affymetrix data sets. Results: We identified a panel of 10 genes (CXCL13, COL6A2, SFTPB, KRT14, TSPYL5, TMP3, KLK10, MMP1, GAS1, and MYH2) that accurately distinguished these two tumor types. This 10-gene classifier was validated on 122 subjects derived from four independent data sets and an average accuracy of 96% was shown. Gene expression values were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR derived on 12 independent samples (seven HNSCC and five LSCC). The 10-gene classifier was also used to determine the site of origin of 12 lung lesions from patients with prior HNSCC. Conclusions: The results suggest that penalized discriminant analysis using these 10 genes will be highly accurate in determining the origin of squamous cell carcinomas in the lungs of patients with previous head and neck malignancies.
Bone marrow–derived circulating progenitor cells fail to transdifferentiate into adipocytes in adult adipose tissues in mice
Authors: Young Jun Koh, Shinae Kang, Hyuek Jong Lee, Tae-Saeng Choi, Ho Sub Lee, Chung-Hyun Cho, Gou Young Koh
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2007)

Little is known about whether bone marrow–derived circulating progenitor cells (BMDCPCs) can transdifferentiate into adipocytes in adipose tissues or play a role in expanding adipocyte number during adipose tissue growth. Using a mouse bone marrow transplantation model, we addressed whether BMDCPCs can transdifferentiate into adipocytes under standard conditions as well as in the settings of diet-induced obesity, rosiglitazone treatment, and exposure to G-CSF. We also addressed the possibility of transdifferentiation to adipocytes in a murine parabiosis model. In each of these settings, our findings indicated that BMDCPCs did not transdifferentiate into either unilocular or multilocular adipocytes in adipose tissues. Most BMDCPCs became resident and phagocytic macrophages in adipose tissues — which resembled transdifferentiated multilocular adipocytes by appearance, but displayed cell surface markers characteristic for macrophages — in the absence of adipocyte marker expression. When exposed to adipogenic medium in vitro, bone marrow cells differentiated into multilocular, but not unilocular, adipocytes, but transdifferentiation was not observed in vivo, even in the contexts of adipose tissue regrowth or dermal wound healing. Our results suggest that BMDCPCs do not transdifferentiate into adipocytes in vivo and play little, if any, role in expanding the number of adipocytes during the growth of adipose tissues.
High Serum Erythropoietin Level Is Associated With Smaller Infarct Size in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Who Undergo Successful Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Authors: Shigeto Namiuchi, Yutaka Kagaya, Jun Ohta, Nobuyuki Shiba, Masafumi Sugi, Masayoshi Oikawa, Hiroyuki Kunii, Hidetsugu Yamao, Nobuo Komatsu, Mitsuru Yui, Hiroko Tada, Masahito Sakuma, Jun Watanabe, Toshikatsu Ichihara, Kunio Shirato
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2005)
Purification of human erythroid colony-forming units and demonstration of specific binding of erythropoietin.
Authors: K Sawada, S B Krantz, J S Kans, E N Dessypris, S Sawyer, A D Glick, C I Civin
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1987)

Morphological and biochemical studies of human colony-forming units-erythroid (CFU-E) have been hindered by their extreme rarity. Since burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E) develop into CFU-E, we used normal human blood BFU-E to generate large numbers of highly purified CFU-E in vitro. Using density centrifugation, sheep erythrocyte rosetting, surface immunoglobulin-positive cell depletion, adherence to plastic, and negative panning with monoclonal antibodies, human blood BFU-E were purified from 0.017 to 0.368%, a 22-fold purification with a 43% yield. The panned cells were cultured in methylcellulose with recombinant erythropoietin (rEp) and conditioned medium for 9 d. These cells were then collected and CFU-E were further purified using adherence and density centrifugation. This yielded almost 10(7) erythroid colony forming cells with a purity of 70 +/- 18%. Analysis of these cells by light and electron microscopy showed 94% erythroid cells. The prominent cell was a primitive blast with high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, dispersed nuclear chromatin and a distinct large nucleolus. The relation between the number of erythroid colonies and the number of day 9 cells plated in plasma clots was a straight line through the origin with a maximum number of erythroid colonies at 1 U/ml of rEp and no erythroid colonies without rEp. Specific binding with 125I-rEp showed that 60% of the binding was inhibited by excess pure erythropoietin (Ep), but not by albumin, fetal calf serum, and a variety of growth factors or glycoproteins. By days 12-13 of cell culture, when the progenitor cells matured to late erythroblasts, specific binding markedly declined. In this study, human CFU-E have been isolated in sufficient purity to characterize the morphology of these rare cells and in sufficient numbers to measure specific binding of Ep.
Turnover of CD4+ and CD8+ T Lymphocytes in HIV-1 Infection as Measured by Ki-67 Antigen
Authors: Nicolas Sachsenberg, Alan S. Perelson, Sabine Yerly, Gérard A. Schockmel, Dominique Leduc, Bernard Hirschel, Luc Perrin
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1998)

We investigated CD4+ and CD8+ T cell turnover in both healthy and HIV-1–infected adults by measuring the nuclear antigen Ki-67 specific for cell proliferation. The mean growth fraction, corresponding to the expression of Ki-67, was 1.1% for CD4+ T cells and 1.0% in CD8+ T cells in healthy adults, and 6.5 and 4.3% in HIV-1–infected individuals, respectively. Analysis of CD45RA+ and CD45RO+ T cell subsets revealed a selective expansion of the CD8+ CD45RO+ subset in HIV-1–positive individuals. On the basis of the growth fraction, we derived the potential doubling time and the daily turnover of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. In HIV-1–infected individuals, the mean potential doubling time of T cells was five times shorter than that of healthy adults. The mean daily turnover of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in HIV-1–infected individuals was increased 2- and 6-fold, respectively, with more than 40-fold interindividual variation. In patients with &amp;lt;200 CD4+ counts, CD4+ turnover dropped markedly, whereas CD8+ turnover remained elevated. The large variations in CD4+ T cell turnover might be relevant to individual differences in disease progression.
Controlled low flow off line sampling of exhaled nitric oxide in children
Authors: Q Jobsis
Journal: Thorax (2001)

<h3>BACKGROUND</h3> The aim of this study was to validate exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) values obtained with an alternative off line, single breath, low flow balloon sampling method against on line sampling according to ERS and ATS guidelines in children who could perform both methods. <h3>METHODS</h3> One hundred and twenty seven white children of median age 14.1 years, all pupils of a secondary school, participated in the study. They performed the two different sampling techniques at three different flows of 50, 100, 150 ml/s. Additional measurements were done in random subgroups to determine the influence of the dead space air on eNO values obtained off line by excluding the first 220 ml of exhaled air. All children completed a questionnaire on respiratory and allergic disorders and underwent spirometric tests. <h3>RESULTS</h3> The off line eNO values were significantly higher than the on line values at all flows. At 50 ml/s the geometric mean (SE) off line eNO was 18.7 (1.1) ppb and the on line eNO was 15.1 (1.1) ppb (p&lt;0.0001). However, when dead space air was discarded, off line and on line values were similar: at 50 ml/s off line eNO was 17.7 (1.0) ppb and on line eNO 16.0 (1.2) ppb. There was a good agreement between off line eNO values without dead space air and on line eNO: for 50 ml/s the mean on/off line ratio was 0.95 (95% agreement limits 0.63 to 1.27). The off line eNO level at 50 ml/s in 80 children with negative questionnaires for asthma, rhinitis, and eczema was 13.6 (1.0) ppb compared with 33.3 (1.1) ppb in the remaining children with positive questionnaires on asthma and allergy and/or recent symptoms of cold (p&lt;0.0001). <h3>CONCLUSIONS</h3> In children, off line assessment of eNO using constant low flow sampling and excluding dead space air is feasible and produces similar results as on line assessment with the same exhalation flow rate. Both sampling methods are sufficiently sensitive to differentiate between groups of otherwise healthy school children with and without self-reported asthma, allergy, and/or colds. We propose that, for off line sampling, similar low flow rates should be used as are recommended for on line measurements.