tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Synthetic Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ Agonist, Rosiglitazone, Increases Plasma Levels of Adiponectin in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Authors: Wei-Shiung Yang, Chi-Yuan Jeng, Ta-Jen Wu, Sachiyo Tanaka, Tohru Funahashi, Yuji Matsuzawa, Jao-Ping Wang, Chi-Ling Chen, Tong-Yuan Tai, Lee-Ming Chuang
Journal: Diabetes Care (2002)

OBJECTIVE—Adiponectin, a plasma protein exclusively synthesized and secreted by adipose tissue, has recently been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antiatherogenic properties in vitro and beneficial metabolic effects in animals. Lower plasma levels of adiponectin have been documented in human subjects with metabolic syndrome and coronary artery disease. We investigated whether the level of this putative protective adipocytokine could be increased by treatment with a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) agonist in diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Type 2 diabetic patients (30 in the treatment group and 34 in the placebo group) were recruited for a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial for 6 months with the PPAR-γ agonist rosiglitazone. Blood samples were collected and metabolic variables and adiponectin levels were determined in all patients before initiation of the study. RESULTS—In the rosiglitazone group, mean plasma adiponectin level was increased by more than twofold (P &amp;lt; 0.0005), whereas no change was observed in the placebo group. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that whether rosiglitazone was used was the single variable significantly related to the changes of plasma adiponectin. The amount of variance in changes of plasma adiponectin level explained by the treatment was ∼24% (r2 = 0.24) after adjusting for age, sex, and changes in fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, insulin resistance index, and BMI. CONCLUSIONS—Rosiglitazone increases plasma adiponectin levels in type 2 diabetic subjects. Whether this may contribute to the antihyperglycemic and putative antiatherogenic benefits of PPAR-γ agonists in type 2 diabetic patients warrants further investigation.
Determination of Amputation Level in Ischemic Limbs: Reappraisal of the measurement of TcPo2
Authors: Robert Wütschert, Henri Bounameaux
Journal: Diabetes Care (1997)

To study the accuracy of the measurement of TcPo2 for the determination of the optimal level of amputation in patients with end-stage vascular disease (i.e., the level at which the reamputation rate and the proportion of too-proximal amputations will be minimized).We used a Medline literature search of all published studies of the past 12 years that fulfilled predefined quality criteria, and we analyzed the data by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Ten studies could be identified with a total of 615 lower-limb amputations (51% of them being performed in diabetic patients) and a reamputation rate of 16.4%. The best performances of the TcPo2 measurement were obtained between 10 and 20 mmHg with an accuracy of approximately 80%.Preoperative TcPo2 measurement may be of considerable help to predict stump outcome and level of amputation. Our study provides objective prognostic values for the range 0-50 mmHg and suggests that TcP02 should usually be 20 mmHg at the site of amputation, which will predict healing with 80% accuracy and should, therefore, not be used as a sole criteron. Despite this aid in making his decision about the amputation level, the surgeon still has to balance between his goal of achieving primary wound healing and his hope of preserving the maximal limb length and has to consider patient preferences.
Cognitive Function Is Disrupted by Both Hypo- and Hyperglycemia in School-AgedChildren With Type 1 Diabetes: A Field Study
Authors: Linda A. Gonder-Frederick, John F. Zrebiec, Andrea U. Bauchowitz, LeeM. Ritterband, Joshua C. Magee, Daniel J. Cox, William L. Clarke
Journal: Diabetes Care (2009)

OBJECTIVE We developed a field procedure using personal digital assistant (PDA) technology to test the hypothesis that naturally occurring episodes of hypo- and hyperglycemia are associated with deterioration in cognitive function in children with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 61 children aged 6–11 years with type 1 diabetes received a PDA programmed with two brief cognitive tests (mental math and choice reaction time), which they completed just before home glucose readings. The computer recorded time to complete each test and number of correct responses. Children completed several trials per day over 4–6 weeks for a total of 70 trials. Performance variables were compared across glucose ranges. Individual impairment scores (IISs) were also computed for each child by calculating the SD between performance during euglycemia and that during glucose extremes. RESULTS Time to complete both mental math and reaction time was significantly longer during hypoglycemia. During hyperglycemia, time to complete math was significantly longer and reaction time was marginally significant (P = 0.053). There were no differences on task accuracy. Decline in mental math performance was equivalent at glucose levels &amp;lt;3.0 and &amp;gt;22.2 mmol/l. IISs varied greatly across children, with no age or sex differences. CONCLUSIONS A decrease in mental efficiency occurs with naturally occurring hypo- and hyperglycemic glucose fluctuations in children with type 1 diabetes, and this effect can be detected with a field procedure using PDA technology. With blood glucose levels &amp;gt;22.2 mmol/l, cognitive deterioration equals that associated with significant hypoglycemia.
Echocardiographic deformation imaging reveals preserved regional systolic function in endurance athletes with left ventricular hypertrophy
Authors: A J Teske, N H Prakken, B W De Boeck, B K Velthuis, P A Doevendans, M J Cramer
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2009)

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is often observed in athletes, which should be differentiated from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The aim of the study was to explore the functional changes measured using tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) deformation analysis in athletes fulfilling LVH criteria participating in different endurance sports.Healthy controls (n = 62, 58% men) and endurance athletes (n = 120, 62% men) aged 18-40 years were prospectively enrolled and underwent both standard echocardiography as well as TDI. Longitudinal TDI-derived strain and strain rate (SR) were calculated in the septal and posterior wall in three segments. LVH was defined as a left ventricular mass (LVM) over 132 g/m2 in men and over 109 g/m2 in women.Echocardiographic LVH was observed in 33 athletes (67% men). LVM was significantly increased in both athlete groups (102.6 g/m2 (SD 16.0) and 135.7 g/m2 (SD 15.9) vs 88.0 g/m2 (SD 16.5) in controls, p<0.001). Diastolic parameters were not significantly different between groups. Athletes with LVH showed no significant difference in strain and SR values in any segment of the septal or posterior wall compared with controls or those without LVH. A weak but significant correlation (also after multivariate analysis) was found for septal wall thickness and LVM in peak systolic strain (r = 0.26, p<0.01 and 0.23, p<0.01) and SR (r = 0.27, p<0.01 and 0.29, p<0.01). Nevertheless, strain and SR values were still within normal limits in all athletes.Athletes with LVH overall show normal deformation values in the left ventricle. These data suggest that a moderate reduction in regional septal deformation should not be considered as pathological when evaluating the endurance athlete with echocardiographic LVH of unknown origin.
Heat Shock Protein and the Double Insult Theory for the Development of Insulin Dependent Diabetes
Authors: D F Child, C J Smith, C P Williams
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (1993)

Heat shock proteins (HSP) are the most widely conserved group of proteins in phylogeny and play an important role in infection and autoimmunity. HSP65 has been suggested as the primary antigen in insulin dependent diabetes while an alternative antigen glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), has similar amino acid sequences. A 'double insult theory' for the development of insulin dependent diabetes is suggested whereby a bacterial infection leads to the production of HSP antibody. If during a 'window of opportunity' this is followed by a viral infection of the islet cells this could, in certain histocompatibility locus antigen (HLA) groups only, lead to the production of HSPs on the cell surface and a destructive autoimmune reaction.
Needs regarding care and factors associated with unmet needs in disease-free survivors of surgically treated lung cancer
Authors: Y.H. Yun, E.-J. Shon, A.-J. Yang, S.H. Kim, Y.A. Kim, Y.J. Chang, J. Lee, M.S. Kim, H.-S. Lee, J.I. Zo, J. Kim, Y.S. Choi, Y.M. Shim
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2013)
Respiratory symptoms/diseases and lifetime cumulative exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in never smoker Italian women (SEASD Study)
Authors: Marzia Simoni, Sandra Baldacci, Sonia Cerrai, Sara Maio, Giuseppe Sarno, Patrizia Silvi, Francesco Pistelli, Laura Carrozzi, Anna Angino, Franca Martini, Giovanni Viegi
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

ETS exposure is associated with an increased risk of respiratory/allergic disorders. Aim : to assess the associations between lifetime ETS exposure and current respiratory health. Methods : Through a questionnaire, we collected information on lifetime ETS exposure at workplace, home, other places, in 1977 never smoker women living in four Italian areas (mean age 45.9). A cumulative ETS exposure index (ETSi) was computed basing on duration, frequency and the subjectively evaluated level of exposure during different life periods. The lifetime exposure was defined as light, moderate, and heavy according to the tertiles of the ETSi distribution. Results : Multivariate analyses showed a strength dose-response association of the lifetime ETS exposure level with all considered respiratory/allergic disorders.

View this table:

Table 1. Odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the association between ETS lifetime exposure and respiratory health (ref. never exposure).





Conclusion: These information indicate the need to spread the smoking ban in public places and to suggest the abatement of ETS in private setting.

Data collected before the Italian regulation on smoking ban in public places (January 2005).
A complete sequence of the mitochondrial genome of the western lowland gorilla
Authors: X. Xu, U. Arnason
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (1996)

The complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecule of the gorilla was sequenced. The entire sequence, 16,412 nucleotides, was determined by analysis of natural (not polymerase chain reaction) restriction fragments covering the whole molecule. The sequence was established from one individual and thus nonchimeric. After comparison with the COII gene of gorilla specimens with known geographical origin, the sequence was identified as characteristic of the Western lowland gorilla, Gorilla gorilla gorilla. With the exception of the NADH2 gene, all genes have a methionine start codon. The inferred start codon of NADH2 is ATT (isoleucine). The COIII, NASDH4, and cytochrome b genes are not terminated by a stop codon triplet, and the COI gene is probably terminated by an AAA triplet rather than by a regular stop codon. The great majority of genic sequences (rRNAs, peptide-coding genes, tRNAs) of the complete mtDNAs of Gorilla, Pan, and Homo show a greater similarity between Pan and Homo than between either of these genera to Gorilla. The analysis of the peptide-coding genes suggest that relative to comparison between Homo and Pan a certain degree of transition saturation has taken place in codon position 3 in comparisons between Gorilla to either Homo or Pan.
Assessment of expiratory flow limitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a new approach
Authors: R. Farré, D. Navajas
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2004)

Patients with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) usually experience expiratory flow limitation (EFL) during spontaneous breathing at rest 1. As EFL reduces the effectiveness of expiration, it results in dynamic hyperinflation with consequent dyspnoea, which is one of the major complaints of patients with COPD. In these patients, the consequences of EFL are markedly increased during exercise 2. Bearing in mind that EFL is a good predictor of dyspnoea in COPD patients 3, 4, simple methods for detecting EFL without perturbing normal breathing are of clinical interest. In 1995 Koulouris et al. 5 proposed a method to detect EFL based on the external application of a negative pressure at the mouth during tidal expiration (negative expiratory pressure (NEP)). EFL is detected by comparing the magnitude of expiratory flow before and after application of NEP: in case of EFL, the expiratory flow does not rise when increasing the driving pressure. More recently, Ninane et al. 6 proposed the estimation of EFL during spontaneous breathing with a similar approach. To increase the driving pressure during expiration, these authors applied a positive abdominal pressure by manual compression of the patient's abdominal wall. When compared with the NEP technique, this approach has the advantage of instrumental simplicity, but suffers from the drawbacks of applying abdominal pressure of uncontrolled magnitude and lack of automatisation. Both procedures can be applied during breathing at rest as well as during exercise 7, 8.

In this issue of the European Respiratory Journal ( ERJ ), Dellaca et al. 9 present interesting novel data showing that the forced oscillation technique (FOT) can be useful for noninvasively …
Total desmosines in plasma and urine correlate with lung function
Authors: C.A. Lindberg, G. Engström, M. Gerhardsson de Verdier, U. Nihlén, M. Anderson, K. Forsman-Semb, M. Svartengren
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between the matrix degradation biomarkers, desmosine and isodesmosine (desmosines), and lung function. Plasma and creatinine-corrected urinary total desmosines (P- and U-desmosines, respectively), lung function and diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide ( D L,CO ) were measured in a cohort of subjects from the Swedish Twin Registry. Concentrations of U- and P-desmosines were measured in 349 and 318 subjects, respectively; approximately one-third of subjects had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Age, female sex, body mass index (BMI) and smoking were significantly associated with U-desmosines in a multiple linear regression analysis. In the overall population, after adjustments for age, sex, height, BMI and smoking, concentrations of U-desmosines were significantly correlated with all lung function measures, and P-desmosines with forced expiratory volume in 1 s and D L,CO (p&lt;0.05). With the exception of residual volume versus P-desmosines, relationships between concentrations of desmosines and lung function measures were markedly stronger in subjects with COPD compared with those without COPD. These cross-sectional data showing associations between desmosines and several lung function variables suggest that desmosines, particularly U-desmosines, could be a useful biomarker of COPD status.
Semantic Distance Abnormalities in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Their Nature and Relationship to Function
Authors: Brady C. Kirchberg, Jessica R. Cohen, Margarita B. Adelsky, Justin J. Buthorn, Jesus J. Gomar, Marc Gordon, Jeremy Koppel, Erica Christen, Concepcion Conejero-Goldberg, Peter Davies, Terry E. Goldberg
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (2012)

The authors sought to directly examine compromises in the semantic system in mild cognitive impairment and their possible relationship to everyday functional competencies.Study participants were 25 patients who met criteria for amnestic mild cognitive impairment, 27 patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease, and 70 healthy comparison subjects. The authors administered a novel semantic distance task in which participants make decisions about word or image stimuli that correspond to real-world entities that differ in physical size. The authors also administered a performance-based measure of everyday functional competence.Participants in the mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's groups were consistently less accurate and slower than healthy comparison subjects in semantic decisions in which words were used as stimuli. When these participants had to make more fine-grained decisions about the semantic attribute of size, their performance in accuracy and reaction time disproportionately worsened relative to that of comparison subjects. In image-based conditions in which line drawings were used as stimuli, sensory-perceptual information (i.e., the size of the drawings themselves) had undue influence over semantic knowledge judgments in the mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's groups. Performance in the semantic distance task was a strong and significant predictor of everyday functional competence in the mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's groups.This study synthesized several distinct strands in the mild cognitive impairment literature by providing evidence for 1) compromises in the semantic system in mild cognitive impairment, not confounded by overt retrieval or refractory access; 2) intrusion of perceptual information on semantic processing; and 3) a robust relation between semantic corruption and difficulties in everyday functioning.
Association of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-2 Genetic Polymorphisms With Outcome in a Trial of Paclitaxel Compared With Paclitaxel Plus Bevacizumab in Advanced Breast Cancer: ECOG 2100
Authors: Bryan P. Schneider, Molin Wang, Milan Radovich, George W. Sledge, Sunil Badve, Ann Thor, David A. Flockhart, Bradley Hancock, Nancy Davidson, Julie Gralow, Maura Dickler, Edith A. Perez, Melody Cobleigh, Tamara Shenkier, Susan Edgerton, Kathy D. Miller
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2008)

No biomarkers have been identified to predict outcome with the use of an antiangiogenesis agent for cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) genetic variability has been associated with altered risk of breast cancer and variable promoter activity. Therefore, we evaluated the association of VEGF genotype with efficacy and toxicity in E2100, a phase III study comparing paclitaxel versus paclitaxel plus bevacizumab as initial chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer.
Surface antigens of melanocytes and melanomas. Markers of melanocyte differentiation and melanoma subsets.
Authors: A N Houghton, M Eisinger, A P Albino, J G Cairncross, L J Old
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1982)

The surface antigens of melanocytes from newborn and adult skin have been analyzed with monoclonal antibodies detecting cell surface antigens of malignant melanoma. Antigenic markers that distinguish early, intermediate, and mature stages in melanocyte differentiation have been defined. The characteristics of the normal melanocyte precursor have been inferred from the features of melanomas that express early markers of melanocyte differentiation. A rudimentary surface antigen map of cells undergoing melanocyte differentiation and a new classification of melanomas based on the expression of melanocyte differentiation antigens are proposed.
Trends in HIV-1 in young adults in south India from 2000 to 2004: a prevalence study
Authors: Rajesh Kumar, Prabhat Jha, Paul Arora, Prem Mony, Prakash Bhatia, Peggy Millson, Neeraj Dhingra, Madhulekha Bhattacharya, Robert S Remis, Nico Nagelkerke
Journal: The Lancet (2006)
Bias in retrospective studies of trends in asthma incidence
Authors: J. Brogger, T. Eagan, G.E. Eide, P. Bakke, A. Gulsvik
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2004)

There is evidence for an increase in adult asthma prevalence. Several retrospective studies have shown an increase in asthma incidence by year of birth, consistent with an increasing trend in asthma incidence. The validity of this retrospective approach is unknown. Retrospective and prospective asthma incidence by year of birth were compared in the same community, during the same time period, from two independent studies; a cohort study and a cross-sectional study in Western Norway. In the prospective study, subjects without asthma were followed from 1985–1996/1997. In the retrospective study in 1998, subjects reported the age at which the disease started. Analyses of incident asthma in the period 1985–1996 were compared between the studies. The retrospective analysis showed a large increase in asthma incidence by year of birth, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.9 comparing those born in 1969 with those born in 1927. The prospective study showed the opposite, with an OR of 0.2 comparing those born in 1969 with those born in 1927. There was only a 20% difference in the cumulative incidence of asthma. To conclude, retrospective estimates of trends in asthma incidence are likely to be severely biased by differential recall.
Insights into how to conduct a clinical trial in the UK
Authors: K. Abozguia, T. T. Phan, G. N. Shivu, A. Maher, I. Ahmed, M. P Frenneaux
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (2007)

SummaryNew researchers may find starting and conducting clinical studies in the UK complicated and time-consuming. In this article, we describe our collective experiences and provide some pointers on how to navigate through the various committees and regulatory bodies. The article is intended to aid junior researchers in understanding the study process and to provide them with some insight on how to get through this complex system successfully.
CCL19-IgG Prevents Allograft Rejection by Impairment of Immune Cell Trafficking
Authors: Ekkehard Ziegler, Faikah Gueler, Song Rong, Michael Mengel, Oliver Witzke, Andreas Kribben, Hermann Haller, Ulrich Kunzendorf, Stefan Krautwald
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2006)

An adaptive immune response is initiated in the T cell area of secondary lymphoid organs, where antigen-presenting dendritic cells may induce proliferation and differentiation in co-localized T cells after T cell receptor engagement. The chemokines CCL19 and CCL21 and their receptor CCR7 are essential in establishing dendritic cell and T cell recruitment and co-localization within this unique microenvironment. It is shown that systemic application of a fusion protein that consists of CCL19 fused to the Fc part of human IgG1 induces effects similar to the phenotype of CCR7-/- animals, like disturbed accumulation of T cells and dendritic cells in secondary lymphoid organs. CCL19-IgG further inhibited their co-localization, which resulted in a marked inhibition of antigen-specific T cell proliferation. The immunosuppressive potency of CCL19-IgG was tested in vivo using murine models for TH1-mediated immune responses (delayed-type hypersensitivity) and for transplantation of different solid organs. In allogeneic kidney transplantation as well as heterotopic allogeneic heart transplantation in different strain combinations, allograft rejection was reduced and organ survival was significantly prolonged by treatment with CCL19-IgG compared with controls. This shows that in contrast to only limited prolongation of graft survival in CCR7 knockout models, the therapeutic application of a CCR7 ligand in a wild-type environment provides a benefit in terms of immunosuppression.
Hematopoietic cell transplantation in older patients with hematologic malignancies: replacing high-dose cytotoxic therapy with graft-versus-tumor effects
Authors: Peter A. McSweeney, Dietger Niederwieser, Judith A. Shizuru, Brenda M. Sandmaier, Arthur J. Molina, David G. Maloney, Thomas R. Chauncey, Theodore A. Gooley, Ute Hegenbart, Richard A. Nash, Jerald Radich, John L. Wagner, Steven Minor, Frederick R. Appelbaum, William I. Bensinger, Eileen Bryant, Mary E. D. Flowers, George E. Georges, F. Carl Grumet, Hans-Peter Kiem, Beverly Torok-Storb, Cong Yu, Karl G. Blume, Rainer F. Storb
Journal: Blood (2001)