tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
EUS: confusion about terminology and its consequences
Authors: C. T. Bolliger
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2005)

second (PD20) might reflect partially distinct pathophysiological phenomena [1].In our study, we did not find a relationship between bronchial hyperresponsiveness (PD20) and the change from baseline of the cough score.This applied to smokers as well as nonsmokers (both p.0.80) [2].The ''increasing evidence'' regarding the mechanism of eosinophilic bronchitis refers to small uncontrolled studies [3, 4] or studies in severely obstructive patients [5, 6].In the study by PIZZICHINE et al. [7], 44 adults (32 nonsmokers), with a daily bothersome cough for o1 yr, were included.None of the patients had sputum eosinophilia, and no effect was found of a 2-week treatment with budesonide compared with placebo.Eosinophilic bronchitis occurs in 10-30% of patients referred to a specialist for chronic cough [8-10], and in 14 out of 82 (17%) primary care patients with cough (mean (range) duration 11 months (1-96)) [11].However, in a subset of 36 patients who responded to budesonide only, seven out of 34 (thus, not more than in the studies mentioned previously) fulfilled the criterion for sputum eosinophilia (.3%) [12].Interestingly, in our study [2], as well as the study of RYTILA et al.[12], cough appears to be at least as sensitive to antiinflammatory therapy compared with other lower respiratory tract infection symptoms like wheeze and dyspnoea.Nevertheless, we agree with F. Hargreave and K. Parameswaran that the measurement of airway inflammation may help to clarify the mechanism of action of anti-inflammatory medications.Cough may be a target symptom in studies of the mechanisms of anti-inflammatory treatment for lower respiratory tract symptoms in healthy subjects.The recent literature and the results of our study [2] suggest that investigation of sputum in nonsmoking patients, who present with unexplained cough to their doctor, is feasible and worthwhile.
Oxygen-independent killing by alveolar macrophages.
Authors: J R Catterall, S D Sharma, J S Remington
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1986)

We have found that normal alveolar macrophages can kill an intracellular parasite by a mechanism that does not involve toxic metabolites of oxygen. We studied the interaction between Toxoplasma gondii and rat alveolar macrophages in vitro. We were interested in Toxoplasma because it causes pneumonia in immunosuppressed patients but not in healthy individuals, and we chose the rat because it resembles immunocompetent human subjects in being resistant to T. gondii. Resident rat alveolar macrophages could kill large numbers of T. gondii. This occurred without a respiratory burst as judged by intracellular reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium and quantitative release of superoxide. Furthermore, scavengers of toxic oxygen metabolites had no effect on the toxoplasmacidal activity of the alveolar macrophages, nor did prior exhaustion of their respiratory burst with PMA. Whereas acid pH (e.g., 4.5-6.0) rapidly kills extracellular T. gondii, raising of the intralysosomal acid pH of rat alveolar macrophages by incubating them with weak bases did not inhibit their ability to kill T. gondii. Killing of Toxoplasma occurred within 1 h of initial exposure to the alveolar macrophages. However, there was no evidence that killing preceded ingestion; Toxoplasma attached to the surface of the cell appeared viable, and when phagocytosis was blocked with sodium fluoride the organisms survived. These results indicate that rat alveolar macrophages possess a powerful nonoxidative microbicidal mechanism, which is distinct from acidification of the phagolysosome but which probably involves phagosome formation. This mechanism may be clinically relevant, for we have recently observed that human alveolar macrophages also kill T. gondii by an oxygen-independent process.
Pranlukast, a novel leukotriene receptor antagonist: results of the first European, placebo controlled, multicentre clinical study in asthma
Authors: N. C. Barnes, J. C. Pujet
Journal: Thorax (1997)

BACKGROUND: Leukotriene receptor antagonists have been shown to protect against bronchoconstriction induced by antigens, exercise, and cold air. There are relatively few clinical studies reported in patients with asthma. The present study is the first clinical evaluation of pranlukast (SB 205312, ONO-1078) outside Japan in patients with asthma. METHODS: A randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, parallel group, multicentre four week study of the safety and tolerability of oral pranlukast, 225 or 337.5 mg twice daily, was performed in patients with mild to moderate asthma. Preliminary efficacy data were obtained; the main efficacy variables evaluated were forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and morning domiciliary (home) peak expiratory flow rates (PEFR). Clinic PEFR and daytime and night-time asthma symptom scores were also recorded. RESULTS: Compared with the placebo group the improvement in morning home PEFR was statistically significant at all time points for patients receiving pranlukast 337.5 mg twice daily and at weeks 1 and 2 for those treated with pranlukast in a dose of 225 mg twice daily. Mean morning home PEFR increased by 10.8 to 18.61/min (95% CI 0.2 to 29.3 l/min) in patients treated with pranlukast compared with a slight deterioration in those given placebo. FEV1 significantly increased within one hour after the first dose of pranlukast compared with baseline and this increase was maintained for eight hours. Improvements in trough FEV1-that is, at the end of the dosing interval-were statistically significant for the group treated with pranlukast 225 mg twice daily compared with placebo at week 4. Mean increases in FEV1 ranged from 210 ml to 340 ml (95% CI 60 to 500 ml) at trough in the pranlukast group. Patients treated with pranlukast also showed improvements in summary symptom and night-time asthma scores. Pranlukast was well tolerated, and no drug related changes in haematological and biochemical variables were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Pranlukast, an oral leukotriene receptor antagonist, is well tolerated and is effective for the treatment of asthma. It increased FEV1 within one hour of dosing, improved patient summary symptom and night-time asthma scores, and reduced the use of rescue bronchodilators, thus providing further evidence of a role for leukotrienes in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Effect of Intravascular Irradiation on Cell Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Vascular Remodeling After Balloon Overstretch Injury of Porcine Coronary Arteries
Authors: Ron Waksman, José C. Rodriguez, Keith A. Robinson, Gustavo D. Cipolla, Ian R. Crocker, Neal A. Scott, Spencer B. King, Josiah N. Wilcox
Journal: Circulation (1997)

Background Ionizing radiation has been shown to reduce vascular lesion formation after balloon overstretch injury of pig coronary arteries. The present series of experiments examines the mechanism by which this occurs. Methods and Results Balloon injury was performed on porcine coronary arteries, followed immediately by ionizing radiation using either a source train of 90 Sr/Y or 192 Ir seeds designed to deliver 14 or 28 Gy at a depth of 2 mm from the source. The animals were killed 3, 7, or 14 days after injury. Bromodeoxyuridine was administered 24 hours before euthanasia to label proliferating cells. Cell proliferation was significantly reduced on day 3 in the adventitia and media of the irradiated vessels compared with controls. Two weeks after injury, there were fewer α-actin–positive myofibroblasts in the adventitia of the irradiated vessels than in nonirradiated controls, and morphometric analysis indicated that the vessel perimeter of the irradiated vessels was significantly larger than in controls. Together, these results suggest a positive effect of intravascular irradiation on vascular remodeling. Apoptosis was estimated by terminal transferase dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling (TUNEL) 3 and 7 days after injury. TUNEL-labeled cells were found primarily in the adventitia at the medial tear, but no differences were detected between irradiated and control vessels. Conclusions These studies suggest that intracoronary radiation primarily inhibits the first wave of cell proliferation in the vessel wall and demonstrates a favorable effect on late remodeling by preventing adventitial fibrosis at the injury site.
Nine years' experience of BELD combination chemotherapy (bleomycin, vindesine, CCNU and DTIC) for metastatic melanoma
Authors: G.I. STABLES, V.R. DOHERTY, R.M. MacKIE
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (1992)

Journal Article Nine years' experience of BELD combination chemotherapy (bleomycin, vindesine, CCNU and DTIC) for metastatic melanoma Get access G.I. STABLES, G.I. STABLES University Department of Dermatology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, U.K. Dr G.I.Stables. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar V.R. DOHERTY, V.R. DOHERTY University Department of Dermatology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, U.K.Department of Dermatology, Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy, KY2 5AH, U.K. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar R.M. MacKIE R.M. MacKIE University Department of Dermatology, Western Infirmary, Glasgow G11 6NT, U.K. Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 127, Issue 5, 1 November 1992, Pages 505–508, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1992.tb14849.x Published: 01 November 1992
Latent tuberculosis infection in rural China: baseline results of a population-based, multicentre, prospective cohort study
Authors: Lei Gao, Wei Lu, Liqiong Bai, Xinhua Wang, Jinsheng Xu, Antonino Catanzaro, Vicky Cárdenas, Xiangwei Li, Yu Yang, Jiang Du, Hongtao Sui, Yinyin Xia, Mufei Li, Boxuan Feng, Zhen Li, Henan Xin, Rong Zhao, Jianmin Liu, Shouguo Pan, Fei Shen, Jian He, Shumin Yang, Hongyan Si, Yi Wang, Zuhui Xu, Yunhong Tan, Tianzhu Chen, Weiguo Xu, Hong Peng, Zhijian Wang, Tao Zhu, Feng Zhou, Haiying Liu, Yanlin Zhao, Shiming Cheng, Qi Jin
Journal: The Lancet Infectious Diseases (2015)
Trends in end-of-life practices before and after the enactment of the euthanasia law in the Netherlands from 1990 to 2010: a repeated cross-sectional survey
Authors: Bregje D Onwuteaka-Philipsen, Arianne Brinkman-Stoppelenburg, Corine Penning, Gwen JF de Jong-Krul, Johannes JM van Delden, Agnes van der Heide
Journal: The Lancet (2012)
Randomized Trial of Letrozole Following Tamoxifen as Extended Adjuvant Therapy in Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer: Updated Findings from NCIC CTG MA.17
Authors: Paul E. Goss, James N. Ingle, Silvana Martino, Nicholas J. Robert, Hyman B. Muss, Martine J. Piccart, Monica Castiglione, Dongsheng Tu, Lois E. Shepherd, Kathleen I. Pritchard, Robert B. Livingston, Nancy E. Davidson, Larry Norton, Edith A. Perez, Jeffrey S. Abrams, David A. Cameron, Michael J. Palmer, Joseph L. Pater
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2005)

Most recurrences in women with breast cancer receiving 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen occur after 5 years. The MA.17 trial, which was designed to determine whether extended adjuvant therapy with the aromatase inhibitor letrozole after tamoxifen reduces the risk of such late recurrences, was stopped early after an interim analysis showed that letrozole improved disease-free survival. This report presents updated findings from the trial.Postmenopausal women completing 5 years of tamoxifen treatment were randomly assigned to a planned 5 years of letrozole (n = 2593) or placebo (n = 2594). The primary endpoint was disease-free survival (DFS); secondary endpoints included distant disease-free survival, overall survival, incidence of contralateral tumors, and toxic effects. Survival was examined using Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank tests. Planned subgroup analyses included those by axillary lymph node status. All statistical tests were two-sided.After a median follow-up of 30 months (range = 1.5-61.4 months), women in the letrozole arm had statistically significantly better DFS and distant DFS than women in the placebo arm (DFS: hazard ratio [HR] for recurrence or contralateral breast cancer = 0.58, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.45 to 0.76; P < .001; distant DFS: HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.43 to 0.84; P = .002). Overall survival was the same in both arms (HR for death from any cause = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.57 to 1.19; P = .3). However, among lymph node-positive patients, overall survival was statistically significantly improved with letrozole (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38 to 0.98; P = .04). The incidence of contralateral breast cancer was lower in women receiving letrozole, but the difference was not statistically significant. Women receiving letrozole experienced more hormonally related side effects than those receiving placebo, but the incidences of bone fractures and cardiovascular events were the same.Letrozole after tamoxifen is well-tolerated and improves both disease-free and distant disease-free survival but not overall survival, except in node-positive patients.
A collection of breast cancer cell lines for the study of functionally distinct cancer subtypes
Authors: Richard M. Neve, Koei Chin, Jane Fridlyand, Jennifer Yeh, Frederick L. Baehner, Tea Fevr, Laura Clark, Nora Bayani, Jean-Philippe Coppe, Frances Tong, Terry Speed, Paul T. Spellman, Sandy DeVries, Anna Lapuk, Nick J. Wang, Wen-Lin Kuo, Jackie L. Stilwell, Daniel Pinkel, Donna G. Albertson, Frederic M. Waldman, Frank McCormick, Robert B. Dickson, Michael D. Johnson, Marc Lippman, Stephen Ethier, Adi Gazdar, Joe W. Gray
Journal: Cancer Cell (2006)
Disordered Eating, Body Mass, and Glycemic Control in Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Lisa J. Meltzer, Suzanne Bennett Johnson, Jason M. Prine, Richard A. Banks, Paul M. Desrosiers, Janet H. Silverstein
Journal: Diabetes Care (2001)

OBJECTIVE—To examine the relationship between disordered eating attitudes and behaviors, BMI, and glycemic control in adolescents with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—In a cross-sectional design, 152 adolescents (ages 11–19 years) completed three scales from the Eating Disorders Inventory (EDI): Body Dissatisfaction, Drive for Thinness, and Bulimia. All subjects had diabetes for &amp;gt;1 year. Glycemic control was assessed by glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Height and weight were measured to assess BMI. RESULTS—Adolescents with type 1 diabetes did not report more disordered eating attitudes and behaviors than the normative comparison sample. Male subjects with type 1 diabetes reported fewer symptoms of bulimia and female subjects with type 1 diabetes reported greater body satisfaction than the normative group. A higher BMI was a significant predictor of greater body dissatisfaction, more so for female than male subjects. Symptoms of bulimia were associated with older adolescence and female sex. Those with more symptoms of bulimia were also more likely to have a higher BMI. Sex (female) and body dissatisfaction (more dissatisfied) predicted a stronger desire to be thin. Longer duration of disease, more symptoms of bulimia, and obesity all predicted poorer glycemic control. CONCLUSIONS—Female patients aged 13–14 years seem to be at greatest risk for developing disordered eating patterns. Using the clinical cutoff score (≥5) of the EDI Bulimia subscale as a screener in diabetes clinics may help identify adolescents whose disordered eating patterns are likely to compromise their glycemic control.
Effects of pets on asthma development up to 8 years of age: the PIAMA study
Authors: M. Kerkhof, A. H. Wijga, B. Brunekreef, H. A. Smit, J. C. De Jongste, R. C. Aalberse, M. O. Hoekstra, J. Gerritsen, D. S. Postma
Journal: Allergy (2009)

Recall bias may provide discrepant relationships of pet exposure with sensitization and asthma development. We studied prospectively effects of pets at home on development of sensitization, asthma and respiratory symptoms from birth up to age 8 years.Event history analysis was performed on annually registered data of 2951 children, participating in the PIAMA birth cohort study.Children with a cat or dog at home at 3 months of age had a significantly lower prevalence of sensitization to inhalant allergens at age 8, but not of asthma. A cat decreased the risk of house dust mite sensitization at age 8 [odds ratio (OR) = 0.68, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49-0.95], a dog of pollen sensitization (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.29-0.83). A cat or dog at home did not significantly affect asthma incidence in each subsequent year. From 2 years of age onwards, the incidence of wheeze (OR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.12-2.05) and a dry cough at night (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.05-1.57) was higher in children with a dog, whereas removal of a dog increased the risk of developing asthma symptoms. Comparing analyses using prospectively and retrospectively collected data on diagnosed asthma showed important recall bias.Our prospective study shows a protective effect of early presence of pets at home on sensitization to inhalant allergens, but no prevention of asthma development. Furthermore, children with pets had more frequent transient or intermittent asthma symptoms. Parental report of asthma by recall may provide spurious results of these associations.
Oxygen-independent intracellular and oxygen-dependent extracellular killing of Escherichia coli S15 by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.
Authors: J Weiss, L Kao, M Victor, P Elsbach
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1985)

Effective killing of bacteria by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) is generally assumed to require intracellular sequestration and, depending on the bacterial species, can be both O2-dependent or O2-independent. Killing of several strains of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli by rabbit PMN does not require O2 and is apparently due to a granule-associated bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (BPI) present in rabbit and human PMN. In this study we examined the O2 dependence of the killing of E. coli (S15) by human PMN. Ingested and noningested E. coli were separated by centrifugation after incubation with PMN in room air or under N2. In the presence of heat-treated serum approximately 50% of E. coli (10 bacteria/PMN) were taken up by PMN and rapidly (5-15 min) killed both in room air and under N2. The remaining extracellular bacteria (approximately 50%) were killed during 30-60 min of incubation in room air but not under N2. When uptake of E. coli by PMN was increased to approximately 80% by the use of C6-depleted serum (retaining heat-labile opsonins), bacterial survival under N2 was reduced from 54 +/- 7.6% to 13 +/- 5.5%. PMN from a patient with chronic granulomatous disease killed PMN-associated but not extracellular E. coli. BPI was detected, by indirect immunofluorescence, on the surface of PMN-associated E. coli within 5 min of incubation of E. coli with PMN both in room air and under N2. In contrast, at no time was BPI detected on the surface of extracellular E. coli, indicating that the non-PMN-associated E. coli had not been previously ingested. Thus, killing of ingested E. coli S15 by human as well as rabbit PMN does not require O2 and appears to be BPI-mediated. However, when ingestion is limited, extracellular bacteria can also be killed but principally by O2-dependent mechanisms.
Exercise capacity, muscle strength and fatigue in sarcoidosis
Authors: R.G.J. Marcellis, A.F. Lenssen, M.D.P. Elfferich, J. De Vries, S. Kassim, K. Foerster, M. Drent
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

The aim of this case-control study was to investigate the prevalence of exercise intolerance, muscle weakness and fatigue in sarcoidosis patients. Additionally, we evaluated whether fatigue can be explained by exercise capacity, muscle strength or other clinical characteristics (lung function tests, radiographic stages, prednisone usage and inflammatory markers). 124 sarcoidosis patients (80 males) referred to the Maastricht University Medical Centre (Maastricht, the Netherlands) were included (mean age 46.6±10.2 yrs). Patients performed a 6-min walk test (6MWT) and handgrip force (HGF), elbow flexor muscle strength (EFMS), quadriceps peak torque (QPT) and hamstring peak torque (HPT) tests. Maximal inspiratory pressure (P(I,max)) was recorded. All patients completed the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS) questionnaire. The 6MWT was reduced in 45% of the population, while HGF, EFMS, QPT and HPT muscle strength were reduced in 15, 12, 27 and 18%, respectively. P(I,max) was reduced in 43% of the population. The majority of the patients (81%) reported fatigue (FAS ≥22). Patients with reduced peripheral muscle strength of the upper and/or lower extremities were more fatigued and demonstrated impaired lung functions, fat-free mass, P(I,max), 6MWT and quality of life. Fatigue was neither predicted by exercise capacity, nor by muscle strength. Besides fatigue, exercise intolerance and muscle weakness are frequent problems in sarcoidosis. We therefore recommend physical tests in the multidisciplinary management of sarcoidosis patients, even in nonfatigued patients.
Isolation with Migration Models for More Than Two Populations
Authors: Jody Hey
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (2009)

A method for studying the divergence of multiple closely related populations is described and assessed. The approach of Hey and Nielsen (2007, Integration within the Felsenstein equation for improved Markov chain Monte Carlo methods in population genetics. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 104:2785–2790) for fitting an isolation-with-migration model was extended to the case of multiple populations with a known phylogeny. Analysis of simulated data sets reveals the kinds of history that are accessible with a multipopulation analysis. Necessarily, processes associated with older time periods in a phylogeny are more difficult to estimate; and histories with high levels of gene flow are particularly difficult with more than two populations. However, for histories with modest levels of gene flow, or for very large data sets, it is possible to study large complex divergence problems that involve multiple closely related populations or species.