tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Traffic-Related Air Pollution and Congenital Anomalies in Barcelona
Authors: Anna Schembari, Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, Joaquin Salvador, Audrey de Nazelle, Marta Cirach, Payam Dadvand, Rob Beelen, Gerard Hoek, Xavier Basagaña, Martine Vrijheid
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2014)

Background: A recent meta-analysis suggested evidence for an effect of exposure to ambient air pollutants on risk of certain congenital heart defects. However, few studies have investigated the effects of traffic-related air pollutants with sufficient spatial accuracy.Objectives: We estimated associations between congenital anomalies and exposure to traffic-related air pollution in Barcelona, Spain.Method: Cases with nonchromosomal anomalies (n = 2,247) and controls (n = 2,991) were selected from the Barcelona congenital anomaly register during 1994–2006. Land use regression models from the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE), were applied to residential addresses at birth to estimate spatial exposure to nitrogen oxides and dioxide (NOx, NO2), particulate matter with diameter ≤ 10 μm (PM10), 10–2.5 μm (PMcoarse), ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5), and PM2.5 absorbance. Spatial estimates were adjusted for temporal trends using data from routine monitoring stations for weeks 3–8 of each pregnancy. Logistic regression models were used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for 18 congenital anomaly groups associated with an interquartile-range (IQR) increase in exposure estimates.Results: In spatial and spatiotemporal exposure models, we estimated statistically significant associations between an IQR increase in NO2 (12.2 μg/m3) and coarctation of the aorta (ORspatiotemporal = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.01, 1.31) and digestive system defects (ORspatiotemporal = 1.11; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.23), and between an IQR increase in PMcoarse (3.6 μg/m3) and abdominal wall defects (ORspatiotemporal = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.37, 2.73). Other statistically significant increased and decreased ORs were estimated based on the spatial model only or the spatiotemporal model only, but not both.Conclusions: Our results overall do not indicate an association between traffic-related air pollution and most groups of congenital anomalies. Findings for coarctation of the aorta are consistent with those of the previous meta-analysis.Citation: Schembari A, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ, Salvador J, de Nazelle A, Cirach M, Dadvand P, Beelen R, Hoek G, Basagaña X, Vrijheid M. 2014. Traffic-related air pollution and congenital anomalies in Barcelona. Environ Health Perspect 122:317–323; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1306802
Inactivation of <i>p53</i> Is Insufficient to Allow B Cells and B-Cell Lymphomas to Survive Without <i>Dicer</i>
Authors: Clare M. Adams, Christine M. Eischen
Journal: Cancer Research (2014)

Inactivation of p53, the master regulator of cellular stress and damage signals, often allows cells that should die or senesce to live. Loss of Dicer, an RNase III-like enzyme critical in microRNA biogenesis, causes embryonic lethality and activation of the p53 pathway. Several nonhematopoietic cell types that contain inactivated p53 have been shown to survive Dicer deletion, suggesting that p53 loss may protect cells from the negative consequences of Dicer deletion. However, here, we report that loss of p53 did not provide a survival advantage to B cells, as they underwent rapid apoptosis upon Dicer deletion. Moreover, a deficiency in p53 neither rescued the Dicer deletion-induced delay in Myc-driven B-cell lymphomagenesis, nor allowed a single B-cell lymphoma to develop with biallelic deletion of Dicer. A p53 deficiency did, however, restore the pre-B/B-cell phenotype and CD19 surface expression of the lymphomas that emerged in conditional Dicer knockout Eμ-myc transgenic mice. Moreover, p53 loss in transformed B cells did not confer protection from apoptosis, as Dicer deletion in established p53-null B-cell lymphomas induced apoptosis, and all of the 1,260 B-cell lymphoma clones analyzed that survived Cre-mediated Dicer deletion retained at least one allele of Dicer. Moreover, Dicer deletion in lymphomas in vivo reduced tumor burden and prolonged survival. Therefore, inactivation of p53 is insufficient to allow untransformed B cells and B-cell lymphomas to survive without Dicer, presenting a potential therapeutic opportunity for the treatment of B-cell lymphomas.
Further Biologic Characteristics of a Human Carcinoembryonic Antigen-Producing Colon Carcinoma Cell Line2
Authors: Benjamin Drewinko, Li-Ying Yang, Barthel Barlogie, Marvin Romsdahl, Marvin Meistrich, Mary Anne Malahy, Beppino Giovanella
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1978)

Several biologic characteristics of human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-producing colon adenocarcinoma cells grown in vitro were analyzed. Doubling times of exponentially growing cells ranged from 34 to 38 hours for initial cell concentrations of 105 through 7×105/petri dish (4,290-30,030 cells/cm2). The generation time, as analyzed by pulse-labeled mitosis (PLM) techniques and calculated according to the model of Jansson, was 29.3 hours with a coefficient of variation of 22%. Cultures exposed to continuous incubation with tritiated thymidine had a growth fraction of 90%. Compartment distribution calculated in reference to cell cycle transit times measured by PLM techniques was similar to that defined directly by pulse cytophotometry (PCP). PCP analysis of cells in stationary phase of growth revealed a significant fraction of cells with S-phase DNA content, even though the simultaneously defined labeling index was only 1%. Adequate synchronization in S- and G2-phase was achieved by treatment of the cells with 7 mm thymidine for 24 hours. Centrifugal elutriation and mitotic selection techniques were clearly inferior in terms of reproducibility and cell yield. Colony formation was most efficient for cells plated in fresh medium and incubated for 20 days. Cells inoculated into nude mice produced tumor masses that presented morphologic markers similar to those defined for in vitro cells and were capable of synthesizing CEA.
Effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs in first-episode schizophrenia and schizophreniform disorder: an open randomised clinical trial
Authors: René S Kahn, W Wolfgang Fleischhacker, Han Boter, Michael Davidson, Yvonne Vergouwe, Ireneus PM Keet, Mihai D Gheorghe, Janusz K Rybakowski, Silvana Galderisi, Jan Libiger, Martina Hummer, Sonia Dollfus, Juan J López-Ibor, Luchezar G Hranov, Wolfgang Gaebel, Joseph Peuskens, Nils Lindefors, Anita Riecher-Rössler, Diederick E Grobbee
Journal: The Lancet (2008)
Effect of the cholecystokinin-receptor antagonist lorglumide on pancreatic enzyme secretion stimulated by bombesin, food, and caerulein, giving similar plasma cholecystokinin concentrations in the dog.
Authors: A J de Jong, M V Singer, J B Jansen, W Niebel, L C Rovati, C B Lamers
Journal: Gut (1991)

This study was undertaken to determine the role of cholecystokinin in pancreatic enzyme secretion stimulated by bombesin and a meal by (a) comparing the pancreatic enzyme output during bombesin infusion and after a meal to output during caerulein infusion and (b) comparing the inhibitory effect of the cholecystokinin-receptor antagonist lorglumide (CR-1409) on enzyme output in response to bombesin and food with the response to caerulein. Bombesin (90 pmol/kg per h) and caerulein (30 pmol/kg per h) were infused into seven dogs in doses giving similar plasma cholecystokinin peak increments as a meal (mean (SEM) 6.8 (0.8), 6.3 (1.2), and 5.7 (0.8) pM, respectively), together with either saline or 2 mg/kg per h of lorglumide. A background infusion of synthetic secretin 20.5 pmol/kg per h was given in each experiment. In addition, gastric acid secretion was determined in the experiments with bombesin and caerulein infusion. Pancreatic protein responses to bombesin (1231 (247) mg/h) and food (1430 (220) mg/h) were similar to the responses to caerulein (1249 (201) mg/h). Lorglumide inhibited pancreatic protein output during stimulation with bombesin by 60%, after the meal by 45%, and during caerulein infusion by 68%. Pancreatic bicarbonate output by bombesin, caerulein, and food was inhibited by lorglumide by 28%, 40%, and 38%, respectively. In contrast, lorglumide significantly increased gastric acid secretion from 1.12 to 7.98 mmol/h during bombesin infusion and from 0.52 to 7.62 mmol/h during caerulein infusion. In conclusion, cholecystokinin plays an important part in the stimulation of pancreatic enzyme secretion by bombesin and a meal in conscious dogs and it is involved in the regulation of gastric acid during stimulation by infusions of caerulein and bombesin.
A History of Stroke/Transient Ischemic Attack Indicates High Risks of Cardiovascular Event and Hemorrhagic Stroke in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Gregory Ducrocq, Pierre Amarenco, Julien Labreuche, Mark J. Alberts, Jean-Louis Mas, E. Magnus Ohman, Shinya Goto, Philippa Lavallée, Deepak L. Bhatt, Ph. Gabriel Steg
Journal: Circulation (2013)

Background— Randomized trials of antithrombotics in coronary artery disease have identified previous stroke/transient ischemic attack (TIA) as a marker of increased intracranial bleeding risk. We aimed to further characterize the risk of ischemic and bleeding events associated with a history of stroke/TIA in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods and Results— From the international REduction of Atherothrombosis for Continued Health (REACH) registry of atherothrombosis, baseline characteristics and 4-year follow-up of 26 389 patients with coronary artery disease, including 4460 patients (16.9%) with a history of stroke/TIA, were analyzed. Patients with previous stroke/TIA had a higher rate of recurrent cardiovascular events (cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke) than patients without (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40–1.65; P &lt;0.001) and specifically of nonfatal ischemic stroke (adjusted HR, 3.06; 95% CI, 2.62–3.57; P &lt;0.001) and nonfatal hemorrhagic stroke rates (adjusted HR, 1.76; 95% CI, 1.00–3.08; P =0.05). Excess risk for nonfatal hemorrhagic stroke appeared confined to the 1st year after a stroke/TIA (adjusted HR, 3.03; 95% CI, 1.51–6.08 for the first year) and was particularly high in patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy (adjusted HR, 5.21; 95% CI, 1.24–21.90). Conclusions— In patients with coronary artery disease, a history of stroke/TIA is associated with an independent increase in risk of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, including both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke (the latter being smaller in absolute terms). This excess risk of hemorrhagic stroke is particularly high in patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy and in the 1st year after stroke/TIA. This observation is important for selection of antithrombotic therapy in these patients.
Radionuclide bone scanning in females with chronic low back pain.
Authors: R S Rothwell, P Davis, B C Lentle
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (1981)

Sixty female patients with chronic low back pain have been studied clinically, radiographically, and by radionuclide bone scanning for evidence of sacroiliac disease. Twenty-four patients had quantitative sacroiliac scintigraphy (QSS) results suggesting sacroiliitis. In only one of these patients was the radiograph abnormal. Clinical and laboratory examinations failed to reveal any possible associated aetiological factors. Six-month follow-up of 18 patients showed that subjective improvement of pain is associated with a return to normal of QSS results, often secondary to anti-inflammatory medication. It is concluded that sacroiliac disease may be a common cause for chronic low back pain in women and that its presence may be missed if radiographs are relied upon to confirm the diagnosis. Its aetiology remains obscure.
The ledger of tobacco control
Authors: P. O'Malley
Journal: JAMA (1996)

To the Editor.  —Three points should be kept in mind by antismoking advocates, especially if they desire some credibility in the eyes of a skeptical public who are not nearly as committed to the current crusade against the tobacco industry. 1   First, whether addictive or not in the long-term, cigarettes are not instantly addictive. It takes considerable smoking before addiction occurs. There must be a reason for it, the reason is pleasure, and that pleasure does not cease with addiction.  Second, since cigarettes have been called coffin nails for nearly a century, 2 those who started smoking after then cannot seriously claim not to have known smoking was unhealthy. And anyone who did start smoking before then and is still alive would be hard pressed to claim to have lost years of potential life because of smoking.  Third, it is hypocritical to sue tobacco companies for medical costs of treating those whose lives
Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Predict Sentinel Lymph Node Positivity in Patients With Cutaneous Melanoma
Authors: Rebecca C. Taylor, Ami Patel, Katherine S. Panageas, Klaus J. Busam, Mary S. Brady
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2007)

Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are considered a manifestation of the host immune response to tumor, but the influence of TILs on outcome remains controversial. Studies evaluating the prognostic significance of TILs were published before routine examination of draining lymph nodes by sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy, the most important predictor of survival in patients with melanoma. The prognostic implications of TILs were re-evaluated in a large group of patients undergoing SLN biopsy at our institution.All patients who underwent SLN mapping for primary cutaneous melanoma between January 1996 and July 2005 were evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess factors that predict SLN positivity and survival. Factors analyzed included Breslow thickness, ulceration, anatomic site, sex, Clark level, age, mitotic rate, and the presence (brisk or nonbrisk) or absence of TIL.Eight hundred eighty-seven patients underwent SLN mapping, and a SLN was identified in 875 patients (98.8%). The SLN was positive for tumor in 156 patients (17.6%). Multivariate analysis revealed that only Breslow thickness (P < .0001), ulceration (P = .0004), male sex (P = .03), and absent TILs (P = .0003) were independently predictive of the presence of SLN metastases. In melanomas with a brisk TIL infiltrate, the probability of a positive SLN was 3.9% as compared with 26.2% for melanomas in which TILs were absent. TILs were not an independent predictive factor for survival.The absence of TILs, together with increasing Breslow thickness, presence of ulceration and male sex, predicts SLN metastasis in patients undergoing SLN biopsy for primary cutaneous melanoma.
Optimal Left Ventricular Lead Position Predicts Reverse Remodeling and Survival After Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy
Authors: Claudia Ypenburg, Rutger J. van Bommel, Victoria Delgado, Sjoerd A. Mollema, Gabe B. Bleeker, Eric Boersma, Martin J. Schalij, Jeroen J. Bax
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2008)
Role of the azygos venous system in the investigation of portal hypertension.
Authors: M J Murray
Journal: Gut (1966)

EDITORIAL SYNOPSIS The azygos venous system is a 'final common path' for the return of portal blood to the systemic circulation in subjects with portal hypertension and an extensive collateral circulation.The author suggests that catheterization of the vena azygos major, which he has performed in the dog, can provide useful information and mirror changes in portal vein blood in dogs with portal hypertension.The higher oxygen and ammonia content and the fall of elevated azygos venous pressure after pitressin suggest this theory.Further detection of 'marker' substances such as 1311 Rose Bengal and 133Xenon in azygos blood could perhaps form a basis for the estimation of collateral circulation following their instillation into the jejunum.Perhaps these techniques can be translated for the human subject with portal hypertension.The author feels that they can.94
Associations between alcohol consumption and insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular disease risk factors: the Insulin Resistance and Atherosclerosis Study.
Authors: R A Bell, E J Mayer-Davis, M A Martin, R B D'Agostino, S M Haffner
Journal: Diabetes Care (2000)

OBJECTIVE: Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, which may be explained by increased insulin sensitivity (SI) and an improved lipoprotein and blood pressure profile. Prior research has shown improved SI with light-to-moderate alcohol intake even though somewhat imprecise measures of SI were used. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Relationships between alcohol use and SI and CVD risk factors were assessed in a cross-sectional analysis of 1,196 white, African-American, and Hispanic men and women from the Insulin Resistance and Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS). Five categories of previous-year alcohol use (never, &amp;lt;0.5 drinks/day, 0.5-0.99 drinks/day, 1-2.99 drinks/day, and &amp;gt; or =3 drinks/day) and log SI + 1 (frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test with Bergman minimal model analysis), log fasting insulin, log triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and systolic/diastolic blood pressure were examined using analysis of variance. RESULTS: Univariate analysis showed an inverse U-shaped relationship between SI and alcohol intake, with a peak at the 0.5-0.99 drinks/day category. A U-shaped relationship was observed between fasting insulin and the lipid and blood pressure measures. After adjustment for demographic (clinic, sex, ethnicity, age), lifestyle (smoking, dietary energy/fat intake, physical activity), and physical (BMI, waist circumference) variables, the alcohol/insulin association was attenuated, but the association with lipids and blood pressure remained for high-intake categories. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the enhanced SI associated with light-to-moderate alcohol consumption may be a function solely of a BMI and central adiposity profile more favorable to higher SI.
Functional Conservation of the fruitless Male Sex-Determination Gene Across 250 Myr of Insect Evolution
Authors: Donald A. Gailey, Jean-Christophe Billeter, Jim H. Liu, Frederick Bauzon, Jane B. Allendorfer, Stephen F. Goodwin
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (2005)

Male sexual behavior in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is regulated by fruitless (fru), a sex-determination gene specifying the synthesis of BTB-Zn finger proteins that likely function as male-specific transcriptional regulators. Expression of fru in the nervous system specifies male sexual behavior and the muscle of Lawrence (MOL), an abdominal muscle that develops in males but not in females. We have isolated the fru ortholog from the malaria mosquito Anopheles gambiae and show the gene's conserved genomic structure. We demonstrate that male-specific mosquito fru protein isoforms arise by conserved mechanisms of sex-specifically activated and alternative exon splicing. A male-determining function of mosquito fru is revealed by ectopic expression of the male mosquito isoform FRUMC in fruit flies; this results in MOL development in both fru-mutant males and fru+ females who otherwise develop no MOL. In parallel, we provide evidence of a unique feature of muscle differentiation within the fifth abdominal segment of male mosquitoes that strongly resembles the fruit fly MOL. Given these conserved features within the context of 250 Myr of evolutionary divergence between Drosophila and Anopheles, we hypothesize that fru is the prototypic gene of male sexual behavior among dipteran insects.
Effect of cyclic AMP on ciliary activity of human respiratory epithelium
Authors: G Di Benedetto, FS Manara-Shediac, A Mehta
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1991)

In order to investigate the effect of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) on ciliary beat frequency (CBF) in human respiratory epithelium, cells were brushed from the inferior nasal turbinates of three groups of ten subjects: awake adults (aged 20-34 yrs), anaesthetized children (2-15 yrs) and anaesthetized adults (19-61 yrs). Cells from the awake adults were also studied after storage for 24 h in tissue culture medium. CBF was measured in vitro with a photometric technique at room temperature (22.0 +/- 1.5 degrees C). Samples were mounted in a perfusion chamber and challenged with either control solutions, dibutyryl cAMP (10(-4) or 10(-3) M), or the cyclic nucleotide-dependent protein kinase inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulphonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7). Dibutyryl cAMP (10(-3) M) caused a significant increase in CBF in all groups studied: awake adults (+1.1 Hz; p less than 0.01), anaesthetized children (+1.2 Hz; p less than 0.01), anaesthetized adults (+1.2 Hz; p less than 0.01), stored cells (+1.1 Hz; p less than 0.01). This response was inhibited by preincubation with H-7 (10(-4) and 10(-3) M). It is concluded that cAMP is a regulator of ciliary activity in human respiratory epithelium.
STAT inhibitors for cancer therapy
Authors: Muhammad Furqan, Akintunde Akinleye, Nikhil Mukhi, Varun Mittal, Yamei Chen, Delong Liu
Journal: Journal of Hematology & Oncology (2013)

Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (STAT) proteins are a family of cytoplasmic transcription factors consisting of 7 members, STAT1 to STAT6, including STAT5a and STAT5b. STAT proteins are thought to be ideal targets for anti-cancer therapy since cancer cells are more dependent on the STAT activity than their normal counterparts. Inhibitors targeting STAT3 and STAT5 have been developed. These included peptidomimetics, small molecule inhibitors and oligonucleotides. This review summarized advances in preclinical and clinical development of these compounds.
Myopathy and Rhabdomyolysis Associated With Lovastatin-Gemfibrozil Combination Therapy
Authors: L R Pierce, D K Wysowski, T P Gross
Journal: JAMA (1990)

The Food and Drug Administration documents the receipt of 12 case reports of severe myopathy or rhabdomyolysis associated with concomitant use of lovastatin and gemfibrozil, including 10 voluntary postmarketing, and 2 required, reports. All patients had serum creatine kinase levels of more than 10,000 U/L, 4 tested showed myoglobinuria, and 5 had acute renal failure. The patients' symptoms resolved when both drugs were discontinued. For the first year of marketing of lovastatin, spontaneous reports of myopathy with documentation of creatine kinase level were reviewed for the use of lovastatin, gemfibrozil, and combination therapy. The median creatine kinase level in reports involving concomitant lovastatin and gemfibrozil use was 15,250 U/L, 20 times that in reports with gemfibrozil use alone and 30 times that in reports with lovastatin use alone. Because of the potential for severe myopathy and life-threatening rhabdomyolysis, and given alternative drug combinations for treating hyperlipoproteinemia, the use of lovastatin in combination with gemfibrozil is to be discouraged.