tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Shared amino acid sequences between major histocompatibility complex class II glycoproteins, type XI collagen and Proteus mirabilis in rheumatoid arthritis.
Authors: C Wilson, A Ebringer, K Ahmadi, J Wrigglesworth, H Tiwana, M Fielder, A Binder, C Ettelaie, P Cunningham, C Joannou
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (1995)

OBJECTIVES--To show molecular similarity between two sequences of Proteus mirabilis (haemolysin--ESRRAL; urease--IRRET) with HLA-DR antigens (EQRRAA) which are associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and type XI collagen (LRREI), respectively; and, in patients with RA, to measure levels of antibody against a 16-mer synthetic peptide containing the ESRRAL sequence, and the haemolysin and urease proteins of Proteus mirabilis. METHODS--The homologous sequences EQRRAA and ESRRAL were modelled with Alchemy III, using the crystalline structure of DRB1*0101 (HLA-DR1). Sera from 40 patients with RA, 30 with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and 30 controls were tested against synthetic ESRRAL peptide and the haemolysin of Proteus mirabilis by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Similar tests were also carried out on sera from 20 patients with RA, 40 with AS, and 15 controls, against Proteus mirabilis urease. RESULTS--Molecular modelling of the homologous sequences ESRRAL/EQRRAA and IRRET/LRREI showed stereochemical similarities. Antibodies to the 16-mer synthetic peptide containing the ESRRAL sequence, the haemolysin, and urease proteins were significantly increased in RA patients compared with AS patients (p &lt; 0.001) and healthy controls (p &lt; 0.001). No such increases were observed with three control peptides including the EDERAA sequence of DRB1*0402 (HLA-DR4/Dw10), the haemolysin proteins of Streptococcus pyogenes and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and the urease of Bacillus pasteurii. CONCLUSION--The additive effect of the immune responses to the two Proteus mirabilis antigens, haemolysin (ESRRAL) and urease (IRRET), could be relevant in the aetiopathogenesis of RA.
Nutrient Transport Pathways Across the Epithelium of the Placenta
Authors: C. H. Smith, A. J. Moe, V. Ganapathy
Journal: Annual Review of Nutrition (1992)

The objective of this review is to provide an overview of intermittent fasting regimens, summarize the evidence on the health benefits of intermittent fasting, and discuss physiological mechanisms by which intermittent fasting might lead to improved ...Read More
MPs call for thorough review of PFI to ensure value for money
Authors: A. O'Dowd
Journal: BMJ (2011)

MPs are calling for all private finance initiative (PFI) hospital schemes to be reviewed to ensure value for money, consider whether alternatives are preferable, and discover whether contracts can be renegotiated.

The government should also be forced to use its “market leverage” to get better value for taxpayers from these schemes, said MPs on the parliamentary public accounts select committee in a report published on 18 January.

Under PFI projects private companies build hospitals and social housing with NHS trusts and local authorities, repaying them typically over 30 years. By April 2009 there were 76 operational PFI hospitals in England.

The committee’s report follows its inquiry that asked the Department of Health and the Department for Communities and Local Government to examine their management of PFI programmes …
Timing of CMF chemotherapy in combination with tamoxifen in postmenopausal women with breast cancer: role of endocrine responsiveness of the tumor
Authors: M. Colleoni, S. Li, R.D. Gelber, A.S. Coates, M. Castiglione-Gertsch, K.N. Price, J. Lindtner, C.-M. Rudenstam, D. Crivellari, J. Collins, O. Pagani, E. Simoncini, B. Thürlimann, E. Murray, J. Forbes, D. Eržen, S. Holmberg, A. Veronesi, A. Goldhirsch
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2005)
Solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura causing bulging of the thoracic wall in a 44-year-old man
Authors: Gilberto Szarf, Alex Rocha Obac, Renato de Oliveira, Erica Rymkiewicz, Luiz Eduardo Villaca Leao, Henrique M Lederman
Journal: Thorax (2011)

Solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura causing bulging of the thoracic wall in a 44-year-old man A 44-year-old male patient presented with right chest pain for 6 years, along with progressive swelling in the same region.He did not report fever, weight loss, trauma or previous surgery.On physical examination, a 5 cm focal bulge was observed in the right hemithorax just below and medial to the nipple (figure 1).Chest x-ray showed opacification of the anterior lower third of the right hemithorax (figure 2), which on CT scan corresponded to a heterogeneous mass, compressing the right lung parenchyma and the mediastinum, partially protruding through the chest wall (figure 3).These findings were confirmed by an MRI scan, which also showed that there were no signs of cardiac invasion (figure 4, online supplementary movies 1 and 2).A transparietal biopsy of the mass revealed a proliferative lesion with fusocellular areas.Immunohistochemical examination was compatible with solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura.Surgery was indicated and a heterogeneous pale mass measuring 12.5 cm in diameter was removed confirming the diagnosis (figure 5).Pathology showed an absence of rib or muscular infiltration, while the adjunct lung showed recent haemorrhage.Postoperative recovery was uneventful and the patient was discharged from the intensive care unit on the first postoperative day and from the hospital on the fifth postoperative day.Solitary fibrous tumour of the pleura is an infrequent tumour (5% of pleural neoplasms) originating from mesenchymal tissue and is benign in 80% of cases. 1 It affects both sexes equally and is not related to tobacco or asbestos.Its origin may be from the visceral pleura (80%) or from other regions with mesenchymal cellsdparietal pleura, pericardium, peritoneum or the tunica albuginea.It is usually asymptomatic, but tumours larger than 10 cm frequently cause non-specific symptoms such as cough, dyspnoea and thoracic pain.Rarely, it causes hypoglycaemia or hypertrophic osteoarthropathy.Malignancy criteria include abundant cellularity, more than four mitoses per 10 fields at high magnification, cytonuclear atypicality, large haemorrhage/necrosis areas, pleural effusion and invasion of adjacent structures.Treatment consists of complete resection when possible, or radiotherapy/chemotherapy in cases with malignant degeneration.
T Cell–Independent Interleukin 15rα Signals Are Required for Bystander Proliferation
Authors: James P. Lodolce, Patrick R. Burkett, David L. Boone, Marcia Chien, Averil Ma
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (2001)

Cytokine driven or “bystander” proliferation of T cells occurs in vivo independently of major histocompatibility complex–T cell receptor interactions. This process may be important for supporting T cell homeostasis and facilitating T cell responses to microbial antigens, and may involve the cytokine interleukin (IL)-15. In this study, we find that IL-15Rα–deficient (IL-15Rα−/−) mice fail to undergo poly I:C or IL-15 driven bystander proliferation of CD8+ T cells. Surprisingly, IL-15Rα−/− CD8+ T cells proliferate in response to poly I:C when adoptively transferred into normal mice, and normal CD8+ T cells fail to proliferate in IL-15Rα−/− mice. Normal mice reconstituted with IL-15Rα−/− bone marrow cells also fail to exhibit bystander responses. Thus, CD8+ T cell independent IL-15Rα signals from radiation sensitive hematopoietic cells are likely required for bystander responses. Moreover, normal CD8+ T cells proliferate in IL-15Rα−/− mice after treatment with IL-15. Therefore, IL-15Rα signals may mediate a positive feedback loop involving the further physiological production of IL-15. These findings provide new insights into how IL-15Rα supports memory phenotype CD8+ T cell proliferation, and suggest novel mechanisms by which memory CD8+ T cells are maintained in vivo.
Effects of Ethnicity and Nephropathy on Lower-Extremity Amputation Risk Among Diabetic Veterans
Authors: Bessie A. Young, Charles Maynard, Gayle Reiber, Edward J. Boyko
Journal: Diabetes Care (2003)

OBJECTIVE—To describe ethnic differences in the risk of amputation in diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A retrospective cohort study was conducted on a national cohort of diabetic patients who received primary care within the Veterans Affairs (VA) Health Care System. Hospitalizations for lower-limb amputations were established by ICD-9-CM procedure codes. Relative risk of amputation in diabetic patients with and without diabetic nephropathy was determined using Cox proportional hazard modeling for unadjusted and adjusted models. RESULTS—Of the 429,918 subjects identified with diabetes (mean age 64 ± 11 years, 97.4% male), 3,289 individuals were determined to have had a lower-limb amputation during the study period. Compared with diabetic patients without amputations, amputees were on average older, more likely to belong to a minority group, and were more likely to have received treatment for more comorbid conditions. Asians were more likely to have toe amputations compared with whites or other ethnicities, while Native Americans were more likely to have below-the-knee amputations. Native Americans had the highest risk of amputation (RR 1.74, 95% CI 1.39–2.18), followed by African Americans (RR 1.41, 95% CI 1.34–1.48) and Hispanics (RR 1.28, 95% CI 1.20–1.38) compared with whites. The presence of diabetic nephropathy increased the risk of amputation threefold in all groups. Asian subjects with diabetes had the lowest adjusted relative risk of amputation (RR 0.31, 95% CI 0.19–0.50). CONCLUSIONS—Among diabetic patients, certain ethnic minority individuals have an increased risk of lower-extremity amputation compared with whites. Presence of diabetic nephropathy further increases this risk.
Impact of mode of transportation on dyslipidaemia in working people in Beijing
Authors: X Guo, Z Jia, P Zhang, S Yang, W Wu, L Sang, Y Luo, X Lu, H Dai, Z Zeng, W Wang
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2009)

Objective: This study aims to investigate the association between mode of transportation to work and dyslipidaemia. Methods: During the period between January and February 2006, telephone interviews were conducted with 2506 randomly selected urban residents aged 18 years or older in the 8 districts of Beijing, using a multiple stratified random sampling technique. Of the selected individuals, 1024 (40.86%) members of the workforce were subsequently tested for biomarkers (ie, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)). Multiple logistic regression modelling was used, adjusted for potential confounders. Results: The probability of dyslipidaemia in workers who travel to work by bus, car or taxi is higher than that of workers who walk to work, with prevalence odds ratios (PORs) of 1.99 (95% CI 1.33 to 2.97) and 2.21 (95% CI 1.28 to 3.84), respectively. There is no significant difference in the risk of experiencing dyslipidaemia when workers who ride bicycles are compared with those who walk to work (POR = 1.22, 95% CI 0.83 to 1.78). Conclusions: These findings indicate that modes of transportation to work are significantly associated with the prevalence of dyslipidaemia. Prevention education should be emphasised among higher-risk people who usually go to work by car, bus or taxi.
The lipid composition of mitochondrial and microsomal fractions of rat myocardial homogenates
Authors: J. Gloster, P. Harris
Journal: Cardiovascular Research (1970)

Journal Article The lipid composition of mitochondrial and microsomal fractions of rat myocardial homogenates Get access Josephine Gloster, Josephine Gloster From the William E. Dunn Laboratories for Cardiovascular Metabolism, Institute of Cardiology, University of London Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Peter Harris Peter Harris From the William E. Dunn Laboratories for Cardiovascular Metabolism, Institute of Cardiology, University of London Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Cardiovascular Research, Volume 4, Issue 1, January 1970, Pages 1–5, https://doi.org/10.1093/cvr/4.1.1 Published: 01 January 1970 Article history Accepted: 02 June 1969 Published: 01 January 1970
With diversity in mind: Freeing the language sciences from Universal Grammar
Authors: Nicholas Evans, Stephen C. Levinson
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2009)

Abstract Our response takes advantage of the wide-ranging commentary to clarify some aspects of our original proposal and augment others. We argue against the generative critics of our coevolutionary program for the language sciences, defend the use of close-to-surface models as minimizing cross-linguistic data distortion, and stress the growing role of stochastic simulations in making generalized historical accounts testable. These methods lead the search for general principles away from idealized representations and towards selective processes. Putting cultural evolution central in understanding language diversity makes learning fundamental in the cognition of language: increasingly powerful models of general learning, paired with channelled caregiver input, seem set to manage language acquisition without recourse to any innate “universal grammar.” Understanding why human language has no clear parallels in the animal world requires a cross-species perspective: crucial ingredients are vocal learning (for which there are clear non-primate parallels) and an intention-attributing cognitive infrastructure that provides a universal base for language evolution. We conclude by situating linguistic diversity within a broader trend towards understanding human cognition through the study of variation in, for example, human genetics, neurocognition, and psycholinguistic processing.
The Value of N-Acetylcysteine in the Prevention of Radiocontrast Agent-Induced Nephropathy Seems Questionable
Authors: Ute Hoffmann, Michael Fischereder, Bernd Kru[Combining Diaeresis]ger, Wolfgang Drobnik, Bernhard K. Kra[Combining Diaeresis]mer
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2004)

ABSTRACT. Prevention of contrast agent-induced nephropathy is of crucial importance for a number of diagnostic studies. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) was recently reported to decrease serum creatinine levels in this setting, and its administration before radiocontrast medium administration has been widely recommended. The objective of this prospective study was to investigate whether there are effects of NAC on serum creatinine levels that are independent of alterations in GFR. Volunteers with normal renal function who did not receive radiocontrast medium were studied. Fifty healthy volunteers completed the study protocol. NAC was administered orally at a dose of 600 mg every 12 h, for a total of four doses. Surrogate markers of renal function, such as serum creatinine, urea, albumin, and cystatin C levels, were measured and estimated GFR (eGFR) was assessed immediately before the administration of NAC and 4 and 48 h after the last dose. There was a significant decrease in the mean serum creatinine concentration (P < 0.05) and a significant increase in the eGFR (P < 0.02) 4 h after the last dose of NAC. The cystatin C concentrations did not change significantly. In several studies, a protective effect of NAC on renal function after radiocontrast medium administration has been postulated. This is the first study to demonstrate an effect of NAC on creatinine levels and eGFR, surrogate markers of renal injury, without any effect on cystatin C levels. Before renoprotective effects of NAC against contrast agent-induced nephropathy are considered, the direct effects of NAC on creatinine levels, urea levels, and eGFR should be assessed.
Decreased Marginal Zone B-cell (MZB) Expression in Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID) Does Not Predict Deficienct IgM Isohemagglutinin (IgMIH) Production
Authors: A. Leonov, D. Rosenthal, B. Kaplan, V. Yelisetti, L. Hatam, F. Lam, V. Bonagura
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2010)
THE THYMUS AND RECOVERY OF THE SHEEP ERYTHROCYTE RESPONSE IN IRRADIATED MICE
Authors: Alan C. Aisenberg, Caroline Davis
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1968)

The role of the thymus in the recovery of the sheep erythrocyte response after lethal irradiation has been studied in adult CBA mice with the hemolytic plaque technique of Jerne. This immunological parameter is markedly thymus-dependent. 10 wk after irradiation and after antigenic challenge the thymectomized animal has only one-twentieth to one-fortieth the number of plaque-forming cells as does the irradiated animal with intact thymus. The thymus continues to function into the 7th and 8th month of life in this strain. Unlike the drug-tolerant animal, the incompetent irradiated thymectomized mouse retains base line plaques (plaques without antigenic stimulation). Thymectomy 18 days after irradiation is as effective as prior thymectomy in preventing recovery of the sheep cell response. Thymectomized animals receiving grafts of isogenic neonatal thymus (placed beneath the kidney capsule) 1 day, 1 wk, or 2 wk after irradiation are somewhat more responsive at 10 wk than intact animals. Grafts in place for 1 or 2 wk after irradiation and then removed result in one-fifth the recovery of grafts in place the entire time, while only slight restoration is obtained from grafts in place for the final 3 wk of the experiment. The results indicate that the thymus is not required for the 18 days after irradiation, that a period of at least 3 wk residence is required for complete restoration, and that the thymus itself is somewhat radiation-sensitive. Allogeneic thymus grafts failed to restore the hemolysin response of irradiated thymectomized animals.
STUDIES ON THE ANTIBACTERIAL ACTION OF THE SULFONAMIDE DRUGS
Authors: W. Barry Wood
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1942)

The following observations have been made which substantiate the theory that the sulfonamide drugs used in the treatment of bacterial infections exert their bacteriostatic effect by competing with the essential metabolite, p-amino-benzoic acid, for an important enzyme site on the bacterial cell. 1. p-Aminobenzoic acid was shown to nullify the bacteriostatic effect of all of the six sulfonamide compounds studied even though the drugs exhibited marked differences in chemical structure. 2. The bacteriostatic potency of each sulfonamide drug was found to be directly proportional to its ability to counteract the antibacteriostatic action of p-aminobenzoic acid. 3. In the case of each drug tested over a wide range of concentrations the minimum amount of p-aminobenzoic acid needed to prevent bacteriostasis was such that the ratio of p-aminobenzoic acid to drug was constant. 4. The linear relationship between p-aminobenzoic acid and drug was interpreted as indicating the competitive inhibition of an essential enzyme reaction by a substance chemically related to the substrate. This interpretation was supported by the fact that the equation derived on purely theoretical grounds relating drug and acid expressed the same linear relationship as that observed experimentally.
Elevated Uric Acid Increases the Risk for Kidney Disease
Authors: Rudolf P. Obermayr, Christian Temml, Georg Gutjahr, Maarten Knechtelsdorfer, Rainer Oberbauer, Renate Klauser-Braun
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2008)

Recent epidemiologic studies suggest that uric acid predicts the development of new-onset kidney disease, but it is unclear whether uric acid is an independent risk factor. In this study, data from 21,475 healthy volunteers who were followed prospectively for a median of 7 yr were analyzed to examine the association between uric acid level and incident kidney disease (estimated GFR [eGFR] <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2). After adjustment for baseline eGFR, a slightly elevated uric acid level (7.0 to 8.9 mg/dl) was associated with a nearly doubled risk for incident kidney disease (odds ratio 1.74; 95% confidence interval 1.45 to 2.09), and an elevated uric acid (≥9.0 mg/dl) was associated with a tripled risk (odds ratio 3.12; 95% confidence interval 2.29 to 4.25). These increases in risk remained significant even after adjustment for baseline eGFR, gender, age, antihypertensive drugs, and components of the metabolic syndrome (waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, blood glucose, triglycerides, and BP). In a fully adjusted spline model, the risk for incident kidney disease increased roughly linearly with uric acid level to a level of approximately 6 to 7 mg/dl in women and 7 to 8 mg/dl in men; above these levels, the associated risk increased rapidly. In conclusion, elevated levels of uric acid independently increase the risk for new-onset kidney disease.
Renal chemoreceptors in the rat.
Authors: G M Recordati, N G Moss, L Waselkov
Journal: Circulation Research (1978)

There are afferent nerve fibers responsive to alterations of the kidney's chemical environment in the renal nerves of the rat. In anesthetized, artificially ventilated, male Sprague-Dawley rats, single unit recordings were prepared by dissection of the centrally cut nerves of the right kidney. The stimuli used included occlusion of the renal artery, systemic asphyxia, changes in renal arterial and venous pressures, changes in ureteral pressure, and cyanide infusion. We found a population of sensory nerve fibers whose endings are activated only during markedly impaired renal blood flow (produced by clamping the renal artery, severe hypotension below 40 mm Hg, and prolonged occlusion of the renal vein), and during systemic asphyxia. The same units are not responsive to increases and decreases in systemic arterial pressure (range: 40--190 mm Hg), to ureteral pressure (range: 0--50 mm Hg), or to changes in renal venous pressure. None of the 40 single units studied was spontaneously active; their pattern of activation during renal ischemia always was characterized by trains of impulses. These sensory units have functional properties distinctly different from those of known renal mechanoreceptors. They appear to be a homogeneous group of sensory elements, and we have termed them renal ("R") chemoreceptors. Evidence also is presented which is consistent with the concept that a chemical substance released by or accumulated within the kidney might be the agent activating these chemoreceptors during renal ischemia.
Mice Heterozygous for Germ-line Mutations in Methylthioadenosine Phosphorylase (<i>MTAP</i>) Die Prematurely of T-Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Yuwaraj Kadariya, Bu Yin, Baiqing Tang, Susan A. Shinton, Eoin P. Quinlivan, Xiang Hua, Andres Klein-Szanto, Tahseen I. Al-Saleem, Craig H. Bassing, Richard R. Hardy, Warren D. Kruger
Journal: Cancer Research (2009)

Abstract Large homozygous deletions of 9p21 that inactivate CDKN2A, ARF, and MTAP are common in a wide variety of human cancers. The role for CDKN2A and ARF in tumorigenesis is well established, but whether MTAP loss directly affects tumorigenesis is unclear. MTAP encodes the enzyme methylthioadenosine phosphorylase, a key enzyme in the methionine salvage pathway. To determine if loss of MTAP plays a functional role in tumorigenesis, we have created an MTAP-knockout mouse. Mice homozygous for a MTAP null allele (MtaplacZ) have an embryonic lethal phenotype dying around day 8 postconception. Mtap/MtaplacZ heterozygotes are born at Mendelian frequencies and appear indistinguishable from wild-type mice during the first year of life, but they tend to die prematurely with a median survival of 585 days. Autopsies on these animals reveal that they have greatly enlarged spleens, altered thymic histology, and lymphocytic infiltration of their livers, consistent with lymphoma. Immunohistochemical staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis indicate that these lymphomas are primarily T-cell in origin. Lymphoma-infiltrated tissues tend to have reduced levels of Mtap mRNA and MTAP protein in addition to unaltered levels of methyldeoxycytidine. These studies show that Mtap is a tumor suppressor gene independent of CDKN2A and ARF. [Cancer Res 2009;69(14):OF5961–8]