tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Assessment of tolerance, safety and efficacy of ambulatory oesophageal ph monitoring using the catheter-free bravo system in a scottish population
Authors: J. Macdonald, V. Porter-Ritchie, B. Mackie, D. McNamara
Journal: Gut (2011)

<h3>Introduction</h3> Limitations of catheter-based oesophageal pH monitoring are discomfort, inconvenience and interference with normal daily activities. The wireless Bravo pH system is an alternative method, using catheter-free technology to assess oesophageal pH exposure. This study assesses the tolerance, safety and efficacy of the Bravo pH system in a Scottish population and compares the results with previously published data. <h3>Methods</h3> Patients with symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) with an indication for 24 h pH assessment were recruited. The wireless Medtronic Bravo pH capsule was placed 6 cm above the squamocolumnar junction using endoscopic measurement. After 48 h, studies were uploaded from the receiver and analysed. Completion (48 h recordings), concordance and complication rates were evaluated. <h3>Results</h3> A total of 40 patients were recruited; 18 (45%) men, mean age 52±11 years. 13 (33%) subjects were possible surgical candidates and 5 (13%) had GORD symptoms postsurgery. Capsules were successfully placed in all cases (100%) and 27 (68%) patients required no sedation. In all 37 of 40 studies were complete (93%). Complications occurred in 2 (5%) cases; both complained of chest pain, repeat endoscopy was normal in one case and the other revealed a small oesophageal ulcer that did not require intervention. In all 31 (78%) of studies were positive with overall 24 h pH of &gt;4.2%. Comparison between 24 and 48 h data showed discordance in 5 (14%) studies, in all cases day 1 readings were within normal limits and day 2 consistent with a diagnosis of GORD. <h3>Conclusion</h3> This study shows that ambulatory wireless Bravo pH tests are safe and effective in this population and results compare favourably with reported studies. Of note is the beneficial effect of 48 h readings, resulting in an additional positive diagnosis in 14% of the patient population.
Effect of substrates and of coronary artery ligation on mechanical performance and on release of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase in isolated working rat hearts
Authors: J. DE LEIRIS, L. H. OPIE
Journal: Cardiovascular Research (1978)

Glucose and fatty acid substrates had different effects on the cardiac output, heart work and rates of release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and creatine phosphokinase (CPK) from isolated perfused working rat hearts with coronary artery ligation. Release of LDH or CPK was increased in hearts perfused with free fatty acids (FFA) instead of glucose. The addition of insulin decreased palmitate-induced release of LDH but did not increase cardiac output, while the addition of glucose to hearts perfused with fatty acid both increased cardiac output and depressed LDH release. In FFA-perfused hearts addition of both glucose and insulin gave lowest rates of enzyme release and increased cardiac output, heart rate and heart work. It is proposed that glucose and/or insulin protected the hearts from the deleterious effects of FFA.
An OMERACT reliability exercise of inflammatory and structural abnormalities in patients with knee osteoarthritis using ultrasound assessment
Authors: George AW Bruyn, Esperanza Naredo, Nemanja Damjanov, Artur Bachta, Paul Baudoin, Hilde Berner Hammer, Femke BG Lamers-Karnebeek, Ingrid Moller Parera, Bethan Richards, Mihaela Taylor, Ami Ben-Artzi, Maria-Antonietta D'Agostino, Jesus Garrido, Annamaria Iagnocco
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2015)

<h3>Objective</h3> To assess whether ultrasonography (US) is reliable for the evaluation of inflammatory and structural abnormalities in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). <h3>Methods</h3> Thirteen patients with early knee OA were examined by 11 experienced sonographers during 2 days. Dichotomous and semiquantitative scoring was performed on synovitis characteristics in various aspects of the knee joint. Semiquantitative scoring was done of osteophytes at the medial and lateral femorotibial joint space or cartilage damage of the trochlea and on medial meniscal damage bilaterally. Intra- and interobserver reliability were computed by use of unweighted and weighted κ coefficients. <h3>Results</h3> Intra- and interobserver reliability scores were moderate to good for synovitis (mean κ 0.67 and 0.52, respectively) as well as moderate to good for the global synovitis (0.70 and 0.50, respectively). Mean intra- and interobserver reliability κ for cartilage damage, medial meniscal damage and osteophytes ranged from fair to good (0.55 and 0.34, 0.75 and 0.56, 0.73 and 0.60, respectively). <h3>Conclusions</h3> Using a standardised protocol, dichotomous and semiquantitative US scoring of pathological changes in knee OA can be reliable.
Detection of Prostate Cancer via Biopsy in the Medicare-SEER Population During the PSA Era
Authors: H. G. Welch, E. S. Fisher, D. J. Gottlieb, M. J. Barry
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2007)

Despite the considerable attention given to the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a screening test for prostate cancer, it is needle biopsy--and not the PSA test result--that actually establishes the diagnosis of prostate cancer. We sought national estimates on the proportion of men found to have prostate cancer after a needle biopsy of the prostate and the risk of subsequent biopsies among those not found to have prostate cancer.We linked Medicare claims data to Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data to analyze outcomes after 10,429 needle biopsies performed in 1993 through 2001 in 8273 men aged 65 years and older enrolled in Medicare Part B who resided in a SEER area. We determined the proportion of needle biopsies that were followed by a diagnosis of prostate cancer, the cumulative risk of prostate cancer following multiple biopsies, and the risk of subsequent biopsy among men not found to have prostate cancer in the previous biopsy. All statistical tests were two-sided.The overall proportion of needle biopsies found to contain prostate cancer was 32% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 31% to 33%). The yield increased with age (26% for men aged 65-69 years, 31% for men aged 70-74 years, 35% for men aged 75-79 years, and 41% for men aged 80 years and older; P(trend)<.001). The cumulative risk of prostate cancer diagnosis increased with repeated biopsy, with 50% of men receiving a prostate cancer diagnosis after two biopsies, 62% after three biopsies, and 68% after four biopsies. Among men whose first recorded biopsy did not detect prostate cancer, the risk of having a subsequent biopsy was 11.6% (95% CI = 11% to 12%) at 1 year and 38% (95% CI = 36% to 40%) at 5 years.About one-third of prostate biopsies identified prostate cancer in this population. Men not found to have prostate cancer on a first biopsy frequently undergo repeat biopsies, which raise the cumulative risk of prostate cancer diagnosis.
Polygenic in vivovalidation of cancer mutations using transposons
Authors: Su Kit Chew, Dong Lu, Lia S Campos, Kenneth L Scott, Abdel Saci, Juexuan Wang, Adam Collinson, Keiran Raine, Jonathan Hinton, Jon W Teague, David Jones, Andrew Menzies, Adam P Butler, John Gamble, Sarah O’Meara, Stuart McLaren, Lynda Chin, Pentao Liu, P Andrew Futreal
Journal: Genome biology (2014)

The in vivo validation of cancer mutations and genes identified in cancer genomics is resource-intensive because of the low throughput of animal experiments. We describe a mouse model that allows multiple cancer mutations to be validated in each animal line. Animal lines are generated with multiple candidate cancer mutations using transposons. The candidate cancer genes are tagged and randomly expressed in somatic cells, allowing easy identification of the cancer genes involved in the generated tumours. This system presents a useful, generalised and efficient means for animal validation of cancer genes.
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) is present on the basolateral, but not the apical, surface of enterocytes in the human gastrointestinal tract.
Authors: R J Playford, A M Hanby, S Gschmeissner, L P Peiffer, N A Wright, T McGarrity
Journal: Gut (1996)

BACKGROUND: While it is clear that luminal epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates repair of the damaged bowel, its significance in maintaining normal gut growth remains uncertain. If EGF is important in maintaining normal gut growth, the EGF receptor (EGF-R) should be present on the apical (luminal) surface in addition to the basolateral surface. AIMS/SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study examined the distribution of the EGF-R in the epithelium throughout the human gastro-intestinal tract using immunohistochemistry, electron microscopy, and western blotting of brush border preparations. RESULTS: Immunostaining of the oesophagus showed circumferential EGF-R positivity in the cells of the basal portions of the stratified squamous epithelium but surface cells were EGF-R negative. In the normal stomach, small intestine, and colon, immunostaining localised the receptor to the basolateral surface with the apical membranes being consistently negative. EGF-R positivity within the small intestine appeared to be almost entirely restricted to the proliferative (crypt) region. Western blotting demonstrated a 170 kDa protein in whole tissue homogenates but not in the brush border vesicle preparations. CONCLUSIONS: As the EGF-R is located only on the basolateral surfaces in the normal adult gastrointestinal tract, the major role of luminal EGF is probably to stimulate repair rather than to maintain normal gut growth.
Intrapleural immunotherapy with Corynebacterium parvum in recurrent malignant pleural effusions.
Authors: J W Millar, A M Hunter, N W Horne
Journal: Thorax (1980)

Twenty-one patients with proven recurrent malignant pleural effusions were randomly allocated to treatment groups receiving either intrapleural Corynebacterium parvum in a dose of 7 mg or intrapleural mustine (20 mg). The designated intrapleural therapy was repeated on one occasion if further pleural aspiration was required. Corynebacterium parvum (nine patients) proved superior to mustine (12 patients) in suppressing the reaccumulation of pleural fluid, and was associated with only minimal side-effects of fever and nausea in two patients. Mustine caused marked nausea and vomiting in almost all patients. Three of the four patients who were deemed "failures" after mustine therapy had complete suppression of pleural fluid reaccumulation after a single dose of C parvum, the survival of the fourth being too short to assess a response adequately. There were no failures in the C parvum treated group. Corynebacterium parvum appears to be an effective, well-tolerated agent in the management of recurrent pleural effusions. The relative contribution of its potent immunological stimulant effect to its mode of action remains uncertain.
Iron, Lead, and Children's Behavior and Cognition
Authors: Katarzyna Kordas
Journal: Annual Review of Nutrition (2010)

Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common micronutrient deficiency in the world, with consequences of ID and ID anemia (IDA) in young children including behavioral and cognitive deficits. In turn, lead exposure is one of the most common environmental toxicants affecting children. Elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) in young children are also associated with behavioral and cognitive deficits. The metabolic and physiological connections between iron and lead, including a common route of entry into the body and similar neural targets, suggest a considerable overlap in their effects on functional outcomes. Very few studies have examined the existence of increased susceptibility to lead neurotoxicity in children with ID, but there is evidence that ID and BLL are independently associated with cognition and behavior. Children's susceptibility to both ID and elevated BLLs will likely depend on the timing and severity of both exposures, something that should be investigated systematically.
Surgical palliation for endomyocardial fibrosis: early results.
Authors: M S Valiathan, R Sankarkumar, K G Balakrishnan, M P Mohansingh
Journal: Thorax (1983)

Endomyocardial fibrosis is a fatal disease of obscure aetiology which is notably prevalent in Uganda, Brazil, Kerala State in India, and certain other parts of the world. The main disability in the disease results from fibrotic obliteration of ventricular chambers and insufficiency of the mitral and tricuspid valves. The poor response to medical treatment and the bleak prognosis of the patients led to the introduction of endocardiectomy and replacement of the atrioventricular valves as a palliative procedure by Dubost and colleagues. The present report on the early results in 17 patients from Kerala State would support the continued use of this palliative procedure in endomyocardial fibrosis with severe disability.
Influence of the loss of weight after bariatric surgery in the respiratory muscle endurance
Authors: Cledna Barreto, Vanessa Resqueti, Valeska Fernandes de Souza, Guilherme Augusto de Freitas Fregonezi, Selma Sousa Bruno
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Background:  Weight loss induced by bariatric surgery (BS) in morbidity obese has effects on respiratory function, however the relationship between weight loss and respiratory muscle endurance is unknown.   Objective:  To study relationship between weight loss and respiratory muscle endurance induced by BS.   Methods:  We evaluated anthropometric parameters (waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-hip ration (WHR), neck circumference (NC)) and lung function tests (spirometry and respiratory muscle strength and maximal voluntary ventilation) in 39 patients (29 F), mean age 35.9±10.9 years, without respiratory or heart diseases, before and after gastric bypass, Roux en-Y surgery.   Results:  After 10.8±7.7 months of BS we observed a decreasing in the anthropometrics values (p 2  and NC:43.5±3.9 to 37.2±2.7 cm. Significantly improvement lung function was observed in FVC: 3.6±0.9 vs 4.0±1.0 l, FEV1:3±0.7 vs 3.4±0.8 l, FEF25-75%:3.4±0.8 vs 3.8±0.9 l/s, ERV: 0.35±0.4 to 0.66±0.4 l and MVV:103.4±22 vs 137.3±29 l/min, all to p 2  lost after the BS FVC increase 0.03 l and MVV 2.74 l/min.   Conclusion:  The loss of weight induced by BS provides an increase in the lung function and the reduction of fat around the neck appear to be more important to increase lung function than BMI.  Financial support: CNPq-Brazil.
Rising caesarean section rates: can evolution and ecology explain some of the difficulties of modern childbirth?
Authors: W A Liston
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (2003)

There is concern in many countries about rising rates of caesarean section. In England and Wales, for example, the figure is about 22%,1 whereas the World Health Organization favours 10-15%. Most comments on the rising trend, whether from the medical profession or from the public, express disapproval, an example being the report of a Parliamentary Select Committee. In response, obstetricians in the UK have set up studies such as the National Sentinel Audit (England and Wales)1 and the National Audit (Scotland).2 In Canada the matter is being addressed by the Ontario Women's Health Project.3 These bodies note that in primary emergency caesarean section (i.e. caesarean section in primigravid women in labour) there are two main indications—failure to progress in labour and fetal distress. To counter these they advocate generous use of oxytocin in the failure-to-progress group (a strategy that can precipitate fetal distress) and careful evaluation of the fetus via scalp pH in the fetal-distress group. But such exhortations have had scant effect on the caesarean section rate. Further, when a caesarean section has been done for the first baby, there is a tendency to deliver subsequent babies in the same way; thus, an increase in the primary caesarean section rate has a multiplier effect on the whole rate. Why is it that modern human childbirth is so frequently associated with difficulty? Only occasionally has anyone attempted to explain this.4 While the proximate causes for primary caesarean section are failure to progress and fetal distress, the ultimate causes may lie in changes in human ecology.
Exercise reduces airway sodium ion reabsorption in cystic fibrosis but not in exercise asthma
Authors: L. Schmitt, M. Wiebel, F. Frese, C. Dehnert, C. Zugck, P. Bartsch, H. Mairbaurl
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2010)

When ventilating large volumes of air during exercise, airway fluid secretion is essential for airway function. Since these are impaired in cystic fibrosis and exercise-induced asthma, it was the aim of this study to determine how exercise affects airway Na<sup>+</sup> and Cl<sup>-</sup> transport and whether changes depend on exercise intensity. Nasal potential was measured in Ringer’s solution, with amiloride to block Na<sup>+</sup> transport, and in low chloride-containing isoproterenol to assess Cl<sup>-</sup> channels. Nasal potential was measured at rest and during submaximal and maximal bicycle ergometer exercise in individuals with cystic fibrosis, exercise-induced asthma and controls. At rest, nasal potential was significantly higher in cystic fibroses than in the others. Maximal exercise decreased nasal potentials in cystic fibrosis and controls but not in exercise asthma. Submaximal exercise decreased nasal potentials only in cystic fibrosis. Cl<sup>-</sup> transport was not affected. Our results indicate that nasal potentials and Na<sup>+</sup> transport were decreased by maximal exercise in healthy and cystic fibrosis, whereas submaximal exercise decreased potentials in cystic fibrosis only. Exercise did not affect nasal potentials in asthmatics. Decreased reabsorption during exercise might favour airway fluid secretion during hyperpnoea. This protective effect appears blunted in patients with exercise-induced asthma.
A Note on "Sensory Tetany," "Vasomotor Tetany," Acroparaesthesia, and Raynaud's Symptoms
Authors: F. P. Weber
Journal: BMJ (1911)

This chronic tetany is apparently not met with in cases of congenital dilatation of the colon of the Hirschsprung type (megalo- colon), nor in cases of so-called "intestinal infantilism."I think, by the way, that I have once seen a very severe tremulous spastic condition of the extremities allied to acute tetany in a fatal case of acute or subacute ulcerative colitis in an adult.
Loss of MEF2D expression inhibits differentiation and contributes to oncogenesis in rhabdomyosarcoma cells
Authors: Meiling Zhang, Jamie Truscott, Judith Davie
Journal: Molecular Cancer (2013)

Abstract Background Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a highly malignant pediatric cancer that is the most common form of soft tissue tumors in children. RMS cells have many features of skeletal muscle cells, yet do not differentiate. Thus, our studies have focused on the defects present in these cells that block myogenesis. Methods Protein and RNA analysis identified the loss of MEF2D in RMS cells. MEF2D was expressed in RD and RH30 cells by transient transfection and selection of stable cell lines, respectively, to demonstrate the rescue of muscle differentiation observed. A combination of techniques such as proliferation assays, scratch assays and soft agar assays were used with RH30 cells expressing MEF2D to demonstrate the loss of oncogenic growth in vitro and xenograft assays were used to confirm the loss of tumor growth in vivo . Results Here, we show that one member of the MEF2 family of proteins required for normal myogenesis, MEF2D, is largely absent in RMS cell lines representing both major subtypes of RMS as well as primary cells derived from an embryonal RMS model. We show that the down regulation of MEF2D is a major cause for the failure of RMS cells to differentiate. We find that MyoD and myogenin are bound with their dimerization partner, the E proteins, to the promoters of muscle specific genes in RMS cells. However, we cannot detect MEF2D binding at any promoter tested. We find that exogenous MEF2D expression can activate muscle specific luciferase constructs, up regulate p21 expression and increase muscle specific gene expression including the expression of myosin heavy chain, a marker for skeletal muscle differentiation. Restoring expression of MEF2D also inhibits proliferation, cell motility and anchorage independent growth in vitro . We have confirmed the inhibition of tumorigenicity by MEF2D in a tumor xenograft model, with a complete regression of tumor growth. Conclusions Our data indicate that the oncogenic properties of RMS cells can be partially attributed to the loss of MEF2D expression and that restoration of MEF2D may represent a useful therapeutic strategy to decrease tumorigenicity.
Dose-ranging study of loteprednol etabonate nasal spray (LE) as a once-daily treatment for allergic rhinitis in an Environmental Exposure Unit (EEU)
Authors: N. Krug, H. Geldmacher, D. Nguyen, M. Larbig, N. LaVallee, J. Hohlfeld, U. Petzold, R. Hermann
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2003)
Retinoic Acid Drives Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Expression and Is Instrumental to Dioxin-Induced Toxicity during Palate Development
Authors: Hugues Jacobs, Christine Dennefeld, Betty Féret, Matti Viluksela, Helen Håkansson, Manuel Mark, Norbert B. Ghyselinck
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2011)

Palate development depends on complex events and is very sensitive to disruption. Accordingly, clefts are the most common congenital malformations worldwide, and a connection is proposed with fetal exposure to toxic factors or environmental contaminants, such as dioxins. There is increasing evidence that dioxin interferes with all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA), a hormone-like signal derived from vitamin A, which plays an essential role during embryonic development. Although similarities have been described between dioxin-induced toxicity and the outcome of altered atRA signaling during palate development, their relationship needs to be clarified.We used a genetic approach to understand the interaction between atRA and dioxin and to identify the cell type targeted by dioxin toxicity during secondary palate formation in mice.We analyzed the phenotype of mouse embryos harboring an atRA-sensitive reporter transgene or bearing null mutations for atRA-synthesizing enzymes (RALDH) or atRA receptors (RAR) and maternally exposed to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) at gestation day 10.5.We found that an intact atRA signal was required to enable TCDD to induce cleft palate. This mandatory atRA signal was generated through the activity of RALDH3 in the nasal epithelium and was transduced by RARγ (RARG) in the nasal mesenchyme, where it notably controlled aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) transcript levels. TCDD also did not alter the developmental pattern of atRA signaling during palate formation.TCDD-induced alteration of secondary palate development in the mouse appears to depend on atRA signaling, which controls AHR expression. This mechanism is likely conserved throughout vertebrate evolution and may therefore be relevant in humans.
Plasma Levels of Monocyte Chemotactic Protein 3 and Beta-Nerve Growth Factor Increase with Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment
Authors: Kang Soo Lee, Ji Hyung Chung, Kyung Hye Lee, Min-Jeong Shin, Byoung Hoon Oh, Soo Hyung Lee, Chang Hyung Hong
Journal: Cellular and Molecular Immunology (2009)