tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Many faces of pulmonary aspergillosis
Authors: OP Sharma, R Chwogule
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1998)

Aspergillus is a ubiquitous fungus. It is commonly isolated as an upper respiratory tract saprophyte and is the most frequent contaminant in laboratory specimens. Because species of aspergillus are omnipresent, one must be cautious in ascribing a causal role to the fungus obtained from patients. Aspergillus has low pathogenicity for humans and animals and rarely invades the immunologically competent host. Although the fungus can affect any organ system, the respiratory tract is involved in &gt;90% of afflicted patients. Pulmonary aspergillosis, depending whether the host is atopic or immunosuppressed, may be classified under four categories: allergic or hypersensitivity syndromes, saprophytic colonization, invasive (infective) dissemination, and chemical or toxic pneumonitis. These entities differ clinically, radiologically, immunologically, and in their response to various therapeutic agents. An increased awareness, an aggressive approach to securing the diagnosis, and instituting early and appropriate therapy are needed to reduce the high morbidity and mortality caused by many of the aspergillus-related syndromes.
Assessing the Impact of a Cooperative Group Trial on Breast Cancer Care in the Medicare Population
Authors: Pamela R. Soulos, James B. Yu, Kenneth B. Roberts, Ann C. Raldow, Jeph Herrin, Jessica B. Long, Cary P. Gross
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2012)

Purpose The Cancer and Leukemia Group B (CALGB) C9343 trial found that adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) provided minimal benefits for older women with breast cancer. Although treatment guidelines were changed to indicate that some women could forego RT, the impact of the C9343 results on clinical practice is unclear. Patients and Methods We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) –Medicare data set to assess the use of adjuvant RT in a sample of women ≥ 70 years old diagnosed with stage I breast cancer from 2001 to 2007 who fulfilled the C9343 inclusion criteria. We used log-binomial regression to estimate the relation between publication of C9343 and use of RT in the full sample and across strata of patient and health system characteristics. Results Of the 12,925 Medicare beneficiaries in our sample (mean age, 77.7 years), 76.5% received RT. Approximately 79% of women received RT before study publication compared with 75% after (adjusted relative risk of receiving RT postpublication v prepublication: 0.97; 95% CI, 0.95 to 0.98). Although use of RT was lower after the trial within all strata of age and life expectancy, the magnitude of this decrease did not differ significantly by strata. For instance, among patients with life expectancy less than 5 years, RT use decreased by 3.7%, from 44.4% prepublication to 40.7% postpublication. Among patients with life expectancy ≥ 10 years, RT use decreased by 3.0%, from 92.0% to 89.0%. Conclusion The C9343 trial had minimal impact on the use of RT among older women in the Medicare population, even among the oldest women and those with shorter life expectancies.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Cardiac Biopsies From Heart Transplantation Patients
Authors: William S. Harris, Scott A. Sands, Sheryl L. Windsor, Hakim A. Ali, Tracy L. Stevens, Anthony Magalski, Charles B. Porter, A. Michael Borkon
Journal: Circulation (2004)

Background— Omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) appear to reduce the risk of sudden death from myocardial infarction. This reduction is believed to occur via the incorporation of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) into the myocardium itself, altering the dynamics of sodium and calcium channel function. The extent of incorporation has not been determined in humans. Methods and Results— We first determined the correlation between red blood cell (RBC) and cardiac omega-3 FA levels in 20 heart transplant recipients. We then examined the effects of 6 months of omega-3 FA supplementation (1 g/d) on the FA composition of human cardiac and buccal tissue, RBCs, and plasma lipids in 25 other patients. Cardiac and RBC EPA+DHA levels were highly correlated ( r =0.82, P &lt;0.001). Supplementation increased EPA+DHA levels in cardiac tissue by 110%, in RBCs by 101%, in plasma by 139%, and in cheek cells by 73% ( P &lt;0.005 versus baseline for all; responses among tissues were not significantly different). Conclusions— Although any of the tissues examined could serve as a surrogate for cardiac omega-3 FA content, RBC EPA+DHA was highly correlated with cardiac EPA+DHA; the RBC omega-3 response to supplementation was similar to that of the heart; RBCs are easily collected and analyzed; and they have a less variable FA composition than plasma. Therefore, RBC EPA+DHA (also called the Omega-3 Index) may be the preferred surrogate for cardiac omega-3 FA status.
Selective Cyclooxygenase-2 Inhibition Impairs Glomerular Capillary Healing in Experimental Glomerulonephritis
Authors: Masashi Kitahara, Frank Eitner, Tammo Ostendorf, Uta Kunter, Ulf Janssen, Ralf Westenfeld, Katsuyuki Matsui, Dontscho Kerjaschki, Ju[Combining Diaeresis]rgen Floege
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2002)

ABSTRACT. Selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors have anti-inflammatory activity and reduce proteinuria in experimental membranous glomerulonephritis. Antiangiogenic properties of COX-2 inhibitors were recently reported. Whether these properties are relevant to the glomerular healing process in inflammatory glomerular diseases was investigated. For evaluation of the effects of selective COX-2 inhibitors on the glomerular healing process in a rat model of mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis (induced by anti-Thy 1.1 antibody), a selective COX-2 inhibitor (rofecoxib or celecoxib) or vehicle was administered daily from day 1 after disease induction until euthanasia on day 6. Additional nephritic rats were treated with rofecoxib or vehicle from day 1 to day 10 and were monitored until day 28. Selective COX-2 inhibition led to significant increases in mesangiolysis (up to +71%) on days 2 and 6 and in albuminuria (up to 3.1-fold) on day 6. This augmentation of glomerular capillary damage was associated with rarefaction of glomerular endothelial cells, whereas the proliferation and activation of mesangial cells were not affected. No significant effects on the glomerular influx of polymorphonuclear neutrophils or the infiltration and proliferation of monocytes/macrophages at day 2 were noted. These effects were independent of systemic hemodynamic features, because rofecoxib did not affect systolic BP on day 2 or 5. Nephritic rats treated with rofecoxib for 10 d demonstrated persistent glomerular injury at day 28, as indicated by increased albuminuria (10-fold) and mesangial type IV collagen deposition (+24%). In normal rats, 5-d administration of rofecoxib failed to induce albuminuria or morphologic renal damage. In conclusion, selective COX-2 inhibitors impair glomerular capillary repair after mesangiolysis in rats with anti-Thy 1.1 glomerulonephritis. These data suggest that selective COX-2 inhibitors should be used with caution among patients with inflammatory endocapillary glomerular disorders.
TORSION OF OVARIAN CYST IN CHILDREN
Authors: W. A. Steel
Journal: BMJ (1931)

two.The low pulse pressure which frequently occurred after an injection of pituitrin merely caused a transient faintness.Finally, the effectiveness of the dose was gauged by the temperature, for when the temperature varied between 970 and 990 it was judged that the regres- sive changes were sufficient.When toxic absorption caused the temperature to rise above 990, the usual measures were employed to bring it down.SUMMARY 1.Based on the hypothesis that in cancer cases the anterior pituitary was overactive, and the posterior pituitary underactive, two cases of advanced cancer were treated with pituitrin alone, and five cases with pituitrin and theelin.All were placed on a diet low in carbohydrate.2. An epithelioma began to separate off and was enu- cleated after seven weeks of this treatment.The growing edge disappeared in five days.3. All the cases showed regressive changes in the tumours, and life appeared to be definitely prolonged.I wish to thank the honorary, medical, and nursing staff of the Christie Cancer Hospital, and Dr. Stanley White of Messrs. Parke, Davis and Co., for their valuable co-operation in the clinical work.I am
Duodenal endocrine cells in adult coeliac disease.
Authors: K Sjolund, J Alumets, N O Berg, R Hakanson, F Sundler
Journal: Gut (1979)

Using immunohistochemical techniques we studied duodenal biopsies from 18 patients with coeliac disease and 24 patients with normal duodenal morphology. We had access to antisera against the following gastrointestinal peptides: cholecystokinin (CCK), gastric inhibitory peptide (GIP), gastrin-17, glucagon-enteroglucagon, motilin, neurotensin, pancreatic peptide (PP), secretin, somatostatin, substance P and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). The somatostatin, GIP, CCK, and glucagon cells were increased in number in coeliac disease. The number of motilin cells was slightly increased, while secretin cells were reduced. Cells storing gastrin-17, substance P, or neurotensin were rare in all patients regardless of diagnosis. No PP immunoreactive cells were found and VIP was localised to neurons only. In biopsies from patients having a mucosa with ridging of villi the number of the various endocrine cell types did not differ from that in the control group.
Psychosocial factors and chronic spontaneous urticaria: a systematic review
Authors: M. Ben‐Shoshan, I. Blinderman, A. Raz
Journal: Allergy (2012)

Abstract Background Chronic spontaneous urticaria ( CSU ) is one of the most costly allergic conditions challenging physicians as well as patients and their families. Despite evident lacunae in the understanding of the pathogenesis, at least some findings suggest that psychosocial factors likely contribute to the development and exacerbation of CSU . We aim to assess the contribution of psychological factors to CSU . Methods Systematic search of PubMed and OVID /Medline databases was conducted from 1 January 1935 to 1 January 2012. Studies selected include original research in English, Spanish and French exploring the association between CSU and psychosocial factors. Two investigators independently reviewed all titles and abstracts to identify potentially relevant articles and resolved discrepancies by repeated review and discussion and arbitration of a third reviewer. Quality of systematic reviews and meta‐analyses was assessed using a measure based on the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale and psychological conditions of CSU patients. Results We identified 114 eligible studies spanning 77 years and featuring 17 reviews, 67 studies related to neither CSU nor psychosocial factors, and eight studies that provided either no prevalence estimates or insufficient sample size. Pooling effect sizes using random effects, analyses revealed that, despite large heterogeneity ( I 2 of 97.60%), psychosocial factors had a prevalence of 46.09% (95% confidence interval, 44.01%, 48.08%). Conclusion Future research needs to better establish the contribution of psychosocial factors to the pathogenesis and exacerbation of CSU , and explore the possible benefit of behavioural interventions to the development of new management strategies.
China’s great wall, Israel’s Bar Lev Line, and passive infectious disease surveillance
Authors: Maha A Elbadry, Mary M Merrill, Meng-Meng Ma, Mai-Juan Ma, Jia-Hai Lu, Wu-Chun Cao, Gregory C Gray
Journal: Military Medical Research (2014)

Emerging infectious diseases are some of modern society's greatest threats. Like some great construction efforts designed to protect mankind, current public health measures against these emerging pathogens have not always been successful. This paper highlights the importance of embracing new interdisciplinary approaches towards emerging pathogen threats. One such approach, termed One Health, is quickly being embraced by professional organizations and public health institutions across the world as a way forward. This paper briefly discusses the above problems and preliminary steps taken by Chinese academic institutions to embrace the One Health approach.
Biphasic versus monophasic shock waveform for conversion of atrial fibrillation
Authors: Richard L Page, Richard E Kerber, James K Russell, Tom Trouton, Johan Waktare, Donna Gallik, Jeff E Olgin, Philippe Ricard, Gavin W Dalzell, Ramakota Reddy, Ralph Lazzara, Kerry Lee, Mark Carlson, Blair Halperin, Gust H Bardy
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2002)
Engineering Approaches for Investigating Tumor Angiogenesis: Exploiting the Role of the Extracellular Matrix
Authors: Abigail C. Hielscher, Sharon Gerecht
Journal: Cancer Research (2012)

A major paradigm shift in cancer research is the emergence of multidisciplinary approaches to investigate complex cell behaviors, to elucidate regulatory mechanisms and to identify therapeutic targets. Recently, efforts are focused on the engineering of complex in vitro models, which more accurately recapitulate the growth and progression of cancer. These strategies have proven vital for investigating and targeting the events that control tumor angiogenesis. In this review, we explore how the emerging engineering approaches are being used to unlock the complex mechanisms regulating tumor angiogenesis. Emphasis is placed on models using natural and synthetic biomaterials to generate scaffolds mimicking the extracellular matrix, which is known to play a critical role in angiogenesis. While the models presented in this review are revolutionary, improvements are still necessary and concepts for advancing and perfecting engineering approaches for modeling tumor angiogenesis are proposed. Overall, the marriage between disparate scientific fields is expected to yield significant improvements in our understanding and treatment of cancer.
Pericanalicular location of hepatocyte lysosomes and effects of fasting: A morphometric analysis
Authors: Richard B. Sewell, Catherine Dillon, Susan Grinpukel, Neville D. Yeomans, Richard A. Smallwood
Journal: Hepatology (1986)

Lysosomes constitute a small proportion of hepatocyte volume, but they play a key degradative role, particularly during catabolic states such as nutritional deprivation. Our preliminary observations in hepatocytes suggested that fasting may alter the distribution of lysosomes, which are thought to congregate about the biliary canaliculus. Thecurrent study aimed to provide, in both fed and fasted rats, a quantitative morphometric analysis of lysosomes in the immediate pericanalicular and successively more distant regions. We selected three regions of radius 0 to 2 (region 1), 2 to 4 (region 2) and 4to 6 μm (region 3) about the bile canaliculus and compared lysosomal numerical and volume densities. In fed rats, numerical and volume densities of both primary andsecondary lysosomes were 5 to 10 times greater in region 1 than in region 3. After a 72-hr fast, this gradient was lost due largely to a reduced number of primary and secondary lysosomes in region 1. Our calculations suggest that during fasting, lysosomes are redistributed away from the bile canaliculus towards the more distant cytoplasm rather than being lost from the cell, for example, into bile. The number of overt macroautophagic vacuoles was not altered by fasting. We estimate that, in fed rats, there areapproximately 270 lysosomes per hepatocyte, and that 43% of lysosomes are contained in the immediate pericanalicular region 1, which comprises only 7 to 8% of the cytoplasmic volume. The reason for this pericanalicular concentration of lysosomes and the mechanism of the redistribution with fasting remain to be determined.
Informed Decision Making in Outpatient Practice
Authors: Clarence H. Braddock III, Kelly A. Edwards, Nicole M. Hasenberg, Tracy L. Laidley, Wendy Levinson
Journal: JAMA (1999)

ter the informed participation of patients in important clinical decisions?2][3][4] This expanded view is termed informed decision making.Despite these calls for more sharing of decision making with patients, we know little about the extent to which patient-physician discussions of clinical decisions achieve informed patient participation.Fully involving patients in clinical decisions is a challenging task for clinicians, and little training exists on the practice of effective informed decision making.What guidance exists is often based on legalistic notions of consent.For instance, the well-known mnemonic PAR reminds the clinician to disclose the nature of the procedure, alternatives, and risks in any informed consent discussion.
Relationship of arterial hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
Authors: Doina Adina Todea, Loredana Elena Rosca, Andreea Codruta Coman
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

In recent years, obstructive sleep apnea (OSAS) has been defined as a cardio-metabolic disorder being considered an important risk factor for arterial hypertension. The purpose of this study was to analyze the prediction of arterial hypertension in patients with OSAS.We examined the records of 151 patients reffering to our Sleep Laboratory Center, between february to december 2011, to have nocturnal cardio-respiratory poligraphy for the evaluation of OSAS. Including criteria was cut-off value of  30 events/h); 95 patients (62.90%) had hypertension. Univariate analysis for categorical data has found statistic significance for: ischemic cardiopathy 32 (88.89%) vs 68 (59.13%), p
<i>SLC45A3-ELK4</i> Chimera in Prostate Cancer: Spotlight on <i>cis</i>-Splicing
Authors: Chandan Kumar-Sinha, Shanker Kalyana-Sundaram, Arul M. Chinnaiyan
Journal: Cancer Discovery (2012)

Abstract Summary: Using a series of detailed experiments, Zhang and colleagues establish that the prostate cancer RNA chimera SLC45A3-ELK4 is generated by cis-splicing between the 2 adjacent genes and does not involve DNA rearrangements or trans-splicing. The chimera expression is induced by androgen treatment likely by overcoming the read-through block imposed by the intergenic CCCTC insulators bound by CCCTC-binding factor repressor protein. The chimeric transcript, but not wild-type ELK4, is shown to augment prostate cancer cell proliferation. Cancer Discov; 2(7); 582–5. ©2012 AACR. Commentary on Zhang et al., p. 598.
Exhaled nitric oxide is better related to bronchial responsiveness and eosinophil activation in children than adults with asthma
Authors: Andrei Malinovschi, Christer Janson, Pia Kalm-Stephens, Katarina Nisser, Lennart Nordvall, Kjell Alving
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Background: The fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), a marker of steroid-sensitive airways inflammation, is moderately related to bronchial responsiveness (BR) in asthma. Serum eosinophil cationic protein (sECP), a systemic eosinophil activation marker, is weakly-moderately related to exhaled NO. However, no studies have concomitantly compared these relationships in children and adults with asthma.  Aim: To analyse in an ongoing asthma study the relation between exhaled NO and BR as well as sECP with respect to age of subjects.  Methods: FeNO, lung function, methacholine provocation (PC20FEV1), sECP measurements and allergy testing were performed in 208 patients with asthma (94 children aged 10-17 years and 114 adults aged 18-34 years) within the frame of an industry-academy collaboration on minimally-invasive diagnostics (MIDAS).  Results: No differences between children and adults were found with regard to allergic sensitisation (80% vs 84% atopic), lung function (FEV1(%pred)) (90% (81, 99%) vs 93% (86, 103%)) and asthma control (ACT score 21 (19, 23) vs 21 (19, 23) (all p-values>0.05). The correlation coefficients between FeNO and PC20FEV1 were rho=-0.46, p  Conclusion: The relation between exhaled NO and bronchial responsiveness appears to be weaker in adults and this might be explained by other factors than ongoing allergic inflammation causing bronchial hyperresponsiveness, for example airway remodeling. The weaker relation between exhaled NO and sECP in adults warrants further research.
Cross-talk of membrane lipids and Alzheimer-related proteins
Authors: Jochen Walter, Gerhild van Echten-Deckert
Journal: Molecular Neurodegeneration (2013)

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is neuropathologically characterized by the combined occurrence of extracellular β-amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. While plaques contain aggregated forms of the amyloid β-peptide (Aβ), tangles are formed by fibrillar forms of the microtubule associated protein tau. All mutations identified so far to cause familial forms of early onset AD (FAD) are localized close to or within the Aβ domain of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) or in the presenilin proteins that are essential components of a protease complex involved in the generation of Aβ. Mutations in the tau gene are not associated with FAD, but can cause other forms of dementia. The genetics of FAD together with biochemical and cell biological data, led to the formulation of the amyloid hypothesis, stating that accumulation and aggregation of Aβ is the primary event in the pathogenesis of AD, while tau might mediate its toxicity and neurodegeneration. The generation of Aβ involves sequential proteolytic cleavages of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by enzymes called β-and γ-secretases. Notably, APP itself as well as the secretases are integral membrane proteins. Thus, it is very likely that membrane lipids are involved in the regulation of subcellular transport, activity, and metabolism of AD related proteins. Indeed, several studies indicate that membrane lipids, including cholesterol and sphingolipids (SLs) affect Aβ generation and aggregation. Interestingly, APP and other AD associated proteins, including β-and γ-secretases can, in turn, influence lipid metabolic pathways. Here, we review the close connection of cellular lipid metabolism and AD associated proteins and discuss potential mechanisms that could contribute to initiation and progression of AD.
Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Enhances CD8+ T Cell–Mediated Antitumor Immunity Induced by DNA Vaccination
Authors: Tae Heung Kang, Jin Hyup Lee, Chung Kil Song, Hee Dong Han, Byung Cheol Shin, Sara I. Pai, Chien-Fu Hung, Cornelia Trimble, Jong-Seok Lim, Tae Woo Kim, T-C. Wu
Journal: Cancer Research (2007)

Abstract Immunotherapy and chemotherapy are generally effective against small tumors in animal models of cancer. However, these treatment regimens are generally ineffective against large, bulky tumors. We have found that a multimodality treatment regimen using DNA vaccination in combination with chemotherapeutic agent epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, is effective in inhibiting large tumor growth. EGCG was found to induce tumor cellular apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of EGCG and DNA vaccination led to an enhanced tumor-specific T-cell immune response and enhanced antitumor effects, resulting in a higher cure rate than either immunotherapy or EGCG alone. In addition, combined DNA vaccination and oral EGCG treatment provided long-term antitumor protection in cured mice. Cured animals rejected a challenge of E7-expressing tumors, such as TC-1 and B16E7, but not a challenge of B16 7 weeks after the combined treatment, showing antigen-specific immune responses. These results suggest that multimodality treatment strategies, such as combining immunotherapy with a tumor-killing cancer drug, may be a more effective anticancer strategy than single-modality treatments. [Cancer Res 2007;67(2):802–11]