tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Randomised controlled trial of intrapleural streptokinase in community acquired pleural infection
Authors: R. J. Davies, Z. C. Traill, F. V. Gleeson
Journal: Thorax (1997)

BACKGROUND: Standard treatment for pleural infection includes catheter drainage and antibiotics. Tube drainage often fails if the fluid is loculated by fibrinous adhesions when surgical drainage is needed. Streptokinase may aid the process of pleural drainage, but there have been no controlled trials to assess its efficacy. METHODS: Twenty four patients with infected community acquired parapneumonic effusions were studied. All had either frankly purulent/culture or Gram stain positive pleural fluid (13 cases; 54%) or fluid which fulfilled the biochemical criteria for pleural infection. Fluid was drained with a 14F catheter. The antibiotics used were cefuroxime and metronidazole or were guided by culture. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive intrapleural streptokinase, 250,000 i.u. daily, or control saline flushes for three days. The primary end points related to the efficacy of pleural drainage--namely, the volume of pleural fluid drained and the chest radiographic response to treatment. Other end points were the number of pleural procedures needed and blood indices of inflammation. RESULTS: The streptokinase group drained more pleural fluid both during the days of streptokinase/control treatment (mean (SD) 391 (200) ml versus 124 (44) ml; difference 267 ml, 95% confidence interval (CI) 144 to 390; p &lt; .001) and overall (2564 (1663) ml, 95% CI 465 to 2545; p &lt; 0.01). They showed greater improvement on the chest radiograph at discharge, measured as the fall in the maximum dimension of the pleural collection (6.0 (2.7) cm versus 3.4 (2.7) cm; difference 2.9 cm, 95% CI 0.3 to 4.4; p &lt; 0.05) and the overall reduction in pleural fluid collection size (p &lt; 0.05, two-tailed Fisher9s exact test). Systemic fibrinolysis and bleeding complications did not occur. Surgery was required by three control patients but none in the streptokinase group. CONCLUSIONS: Intrapleural streptokinase probably aids the treatment of pleural infections by improving pleural drainage without causing systemic fibrinolysis or local haemorrhage.
Podocyte-Specific Deletion of Integrin-Linked Kinase Results in Severe Glomerular Basement Membrane Alterations and Progressive Glomerulosclerosis
Authors: Chiraz El-Aouni, Nadja Herbach, Simone M. Blattner, Anna Henger, Maria P. Rastaldi, George Jarad, Jeffrey H. Miner, Marcus J. Moeller, Rene St-Arnaud, Shoukat Dedhar, Lawrence B. Holzman, Ruediger Wanke, Matthias Kretzler
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2006)

Alterations in glomerular podocyte cell-cell and cell-matrix contacts are key events in progressive glomerular failure. Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) has been implicated in podocyte cell-matrix interaction and is induced in proteinuria. For evaluation of ILK function in vivo, mice with a Cre-mediated podocyte-specific ILK inactivation were generated. These mice seemed normal at birth but developed progressive focal segmental glomerulosclerosis and died in terminal renal failure. The first ultrastructural lesions that are seen at onset of albuminuria are glomerular basement membrane (GBM) alterations with a significant increase in true harmonic mean GBM thickness. Podocyte foot process effacement and loss of slit diaphragm followed with progression to unselective proteinuria. No significant reduction of slit membrane molecules (podocin and nephrin), key GBM components (fibronectin, laminins, and collagen IV isoforms), or podocyte integrins could be observed at onset of proteinuria. However, alpha3-integrins were relocalized into a granular pattern along the GBM, consistent with altered integrin-mediated matrix assembly in ILK-deficient podocytes. As the increased GBM thickness precedes structural podocyte lesions and key components of the GBM were expressed at comparable levels to controls, these data suggest an essential role of ILK for the close interconnection of GBM structure and podocyte function.
Late-breaking abstract: The forgotten majority: A decrease in persistent but not in intermittent asthma in a large cohort study
Authors: Shlomo Cohen, Elie Picard, Neville Berkman, Chaim Springer, Avraham Avital
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Aim:  To evaluate asthma prevalence and severity in Israeli teenage boys over the last decade.   Methods:  A representative sample of three hundred thousand medical records of 17year-old boys, who underwent a comprehensive medical evaluation for eligibility for national service between 1999 and 2008,were reviewed regarding asthma diagnosis and severity. Also monitored in this period were asthma hospitalization rate, corticosteroids inhalers (CSI) sales rates and air pollution in central cities.   Results:  Lifetime asthma prevalence decreased from 9.69% to 8.12%. Mild persistent asthma prevalence decreased from 3.4% to 2.4% and moderate to severe asthma from 0.9% to 0.4%. Intermittent (3.5%) and inactive asthma (2%) remained stable.  Asthma hospitalization rate in 15-24 year-old males decreased from 5.2 to 3.2 per 10,000 hospitalizations. A significant increase in annual CSI sales rates and a decrease in NO 2 and SO 2  air concentrations were noted.   Conclusions:  Prevalence of persistent asthma in Israeli 17 year-old boys decreased significantly over the last decade. Some of this decrease may be attributed to an increase use of CSI and a decrease in air pollution.
RHO-KINASE ACTIVITY IS INCREASED IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY.
Authors: Luigi Gabrielli, Jorge Jalil, Ivan Godoy, Paul McNab, Ivonne Padilla, Samuel Cordova, Paola Rigotti, Ulises Novoa, Italo Mora, Sergio Lavandero, Lorena Garcia, Maria P. Ocaranza
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2010)
Can we detect non-functional overreaching in young elite soccer players and middle-long distance runners using field performance tests?
Authors: S L Schmikli, M S Brink, W R de Vries, F J G Backx
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2010)

Objective To study whether field performance tests can make a valid distinction between non-functionally overreaching (NFO) athletes and control athletes. Design Monthly field performance tests were used to determine a performance decrement (PD) throughout a season. Athletes with a minimum of 1 month PD were compared with control athletes without a PD on mood characteristics and resting levels of stress hormones. Setting Sporting field and sports medical laboratory. Participants 129 young elite athletes, 77 soccer players and 52 middle-long distance runners were followed prospectively during the 2006–2007 season. Fifteen of them were invited to the laboratory. Eight athletes showed a performance decrease lasting longer than 1 month, and seven athletes without a performance decrease acted as their controls. Main outcome measures Performance changes over time were measured using field tests. Profile of Mood States and resting levels of adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol in blood were measured in the laboratory. Results PD athletes showed several symptoms typical of the non-functional state of overreaching (OR). The PD group scored higher on depression and anger than controls. They also showed a specific pattern of correlations between negative mood subscales (tension, fatigue and depression), which was absent in controls. ACTH levels at rest were similar, but lower cortisol levels in PD athletes pointed at a blunted cortisol response. Cortisol levels were decoupled from ACTH levels only in PD athletes. Conclusions Implementing performance-related criteria in field tests can help coaches and sports physicians to distinguish NFO athletes from athletes with balanced workload and recovery.
Role of the intracellular domains of GPIb in controlling the adhesive properties of the platelet GPIb/V/IX complex
Authors: Christelle Perrault, Pierre Mangin, Martine Santer, Marie-Jeanne Baas, Sylvie Moog, Susan L. Cranmer, Inna Pikovski, David Williamson, Shaun P. Jackson, Jean-Pierre Cazenave, François Lanza
Journal: Blood (2003)
<i>In vivo</i> Antitumor Activity of MEK and Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Inhibitors in Basal-Like Breast Cancer Models
Authors: Klaus P. Hoeflich, Carol O'Brien, Zachary Boyd, Guy Cavet, Steve Guerrero, Kenneth Jung, Tom Januario, Heidi Savage, Elizabeth Punnoose, Tom Truong, Wei Zhou, Leanne Berry, Lesley Murray, Lukas Amler, Marcia Belvin, Lori S. Friedman, Mark R. Lackner
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2009)

The pathways underlying basal-like breast cancer are poorly understood, and as yet, there is no approved targeted therapy for this disease. We investigated the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitors as targeted therapies for basal-like breast cancer.We used pharmacogenomic analysis of a large panel of breast cancer cell lines with detailed accompanying molecular information to identify molecular predictors of response to a potent and selective inhibitor of MEK and also to define molecular mechanisms underlying combined MEK and PI3K targeting in basal-like breast cancer. Hypotheses were confirmed by testing in multiple tumor xenograft models.We found that basal-like breast cancer models have an activated RAS-like transcriptional program and show greater sensitivity to a selective inhibitor of MEK compared with models representative of other breast cancer subtypes. We also showed that loss of PTEN is a negative predictor of response to MEK inhibition, that treatment with a selective MEK inhibitor caused up-regulation of PI3K pathway signaling, and that dual blockade of both PI3K and MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling synergized to potently impair the growth of basal-like breast cancer models in vitro and in vivo.Our studies suggest that single-agent MEK inhibition is a promising therapeutic modality for basal-like breast cancers with intact PTEN, and also provide a basis for rational combination of MEK and PI3K inhibitors in basal-like cancers with both intact and deleted PTEN.
Increased rectal mucosal expression of interleukin 1beta in recently acquired post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: K-A Gwee
Journal: Gut (2003)

<b>Background and aims:</b> Chronic bowel disturbances resembling irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) develop in approximately 25% of patients after an episode of infectious diarrhoea. Although we have previously shown that psychosocial factors operating at the time of, or prior to, the acute illness appear to predict the development of post-infectious IBS (PI-IBS), our finding of an increased inflammatory cell number in the rectum persisting for at least three months after the acute infection suggested that there is also an organic component involved in the development of PI-IBS. To evaluate this further, we measured expressions of interleukin 1β (IL-1β) and its receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) in these patients to provide additional evidence that the pathogenesis of PI-IBS is underpinned by an inflammatory process. <b>Methods:</b> Sequential rectal biopsy samples were prospectively obtained during and three months after acute gastroenteritis, from eight patients who developed post-infectious IBS (INF-IBS) and seven patients who returned to normal bowel habits after acute gastroenteritis (infection controls, INF-CON). Eighteen healthy volunteers who had not suffered from gastroenteritis in the preceding two years served as normal controls (NOR-CON). IL-1β and IL-1ra gene expressions were assayed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and their levels of expression were quantitated by optical densitometry after electrophoresis on agarose gel. <b>Results:</b> INF-IBS patients exhibited significantly greater expression of IL-1β mRNA in rectal biopsies than INF-CON patients both during and three months after acute gastroenteritis. Moreover, IL-1β mRNA expression had increased in biopsies taken from INF-IBS patients at three months after the acute infection but no consistent change was observed in INF-CON patients. IL-1β mRNA expression of INF-IBS patients at three months post gastroenteritis was significantly greater than NOR-CON whereas that of INF-CON patients was not significantly different from NOR-CON. Despite these differential changes in IL-1β mRNA expression, no significant changes were observed in IL-1ra mRNA expression among the three groups. <b>Conclusions:</b> These findings indicate that those patients who develop IBS post infection exhibit greater IL-1β mRNA expression, both during and after the infection, compared with individuals who do not develop PI-IBS. We conclude that such patients may be susceptible to inflammatory stimuli, and that inflammation may play a role in the pathogenesis of PI-IBS.
Reply: Metabolic Syndrome Biomarkers in Prediction of Lung Function Impairment
Authors: Anna Nolan, Michael Weiden
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2012)

From the Authors:

We thank Drs. Joppa, Pobeha, and Tkacova for their interest in our article (1). The patients who are described in the letter of Joppa and colleagues are different in many ways from the cases of abnormal FEV1 that our group has studied in the Fire Department of New York cohort (1). The 71 Fire Department of New York cases were never smokers with median body mass index of 30 and FEV1 of 73% predicted at subspecialty pulmonary evaluation. They had normal FEV1 prior to World Trade Center exposure. We provided evidence that dyslipidemia, with high-density lipoprotein less than 40 mg/dl and triglycerides greater than 150 mg/dl, increased the odds of progressing to abnormal FEV1 within 6.5 years of an irritant exposure (1, 2).

The work of Joppa and colleagues describes a cohort of 29 heavy smokers with mean 35.5 ± 25.7 pack-years of cigarette consumption and advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with FEV1 52.9 ± 24.5%. The body mass index of the cohort was 25.4 ± 5.5, so few of the patients were obese (3). Joppa and coworkers state that baseline triglyceride and total cholesterol levels were inversely related to the decline in FEV1 with a similar proportion of the cohort with dyslipidemia as in our cohort (1).

In advanced obstructive lung disease, malnutrition and associated weight loss is a poor prognostic indicator (4–7). The “obesity paradox” mentioned by Joppa and colleagues is likely related to the differences in the study populations. Our report was intended to provide insight on how the obesity epidemic in developed nations may contribute to development of lung disease in patients with normal lung function. It is not surprising that biomarkers of a high-calorie Western diet identify a subgroup with better outcome in advanced smoking-related obstructive lung disease. The report of Joppa and colleagues is likely to reflect the interaction of nutrition with lung function in these “obesity paradox” patients.

There is still much work that needs to be done to clarify a relationship between metabolic syndrome and lung function loss. However, we stand by the conclusion of our paper that there is a correlation between biomarkers of metabolic syndrome and eventual decline in FEV1 in the never-smoking World Trade Center–exposed firefighter cohort. A better understanding of the impact of dyslipidemia on lung function at different stages of disease needs further investigation.
Stability of heterogeneity of myocardial blood flow in normal awake baboons.
Authors: R B King, J B Bassingthwaighte, J R Hales, L B Rowell
Journal: Circulation Research (1985)

Regional myocardial blood flow has been thought to be relatively uniform, in accord with the singular function of myocardial cells. However, considerable spatial heterogeneity has been observed in the hearts of anesthetized animals and in isolated hearts. Studies were undertaken in a total of 13 baboons. Eleven were awake, healthy animals sitting in chairs at rest or feeding, some performed mild leg exercise (wheel turning), and others were subjected to whole body heating; two were anesthetized, methodological controls. Microspheres (15 +/- 3 micron diameter, 0.5 X 10(6)/kg body weight) were injected via a catheter into the apex of the left ventricle while arterial blood was sampled at a constant rate for calculating cardiac output. Microspheres with different labels were injected at six intervals of 20 minutes to several hours. On sacrifice, the hearts were sectioned into 204 locatable pieces (left ventricle, 168; right ventricle, 27; and atria, 9). Average resting myocardial flow was 2.1 +/- 0.2 ml/g per min (mean +/- SD, n = 11). Left and right ventricles and atria comprised 70 +/- 2% (n = 13), 20 +/- 2%, and 10 +/- 2% respectively of the total heart mass while receiving 80 +/- 3%, 16 +/- 2%, and 4 +/- 2% of the total myocardial flow. Thus, mean left ventricular flow was 114 +/- 5% of the average for the whole heart, right ventricular flow was 81 +/- 13%, and atrial flow was 41 +/- 13%. Myocardial flow heterogeneity was marked; in left ventricle, regional flows ranged from one-third to two times the mean, the relative dispersion (= standard deviation/mean) of regional flows, corrected for methodological scatter and temporal variation, was 0.33 +/- 0.06 (n = 67) in the whole heart, 0.26 +/- 0.07 in left ventricle, 0.32 +/- 0.11 in right ventricle, and 0.22 +/- 0.19 in the atria. The pattern of regional flows in each heart tended to remain stable with time. In each piece averaged over time, the relative dispersion due to temporal heterogeneity was 0.11 +/- 0.03 (n = 2040) in the whole heart, 0.09 +/- 0.03 in the left ventricle, 0.15 +/- 0.05 in the right ventricle, and 0.23 +/- 0.06 in the atria. The conclusion is that the degree of spatial heterogeneity of local myocardial flows in conscious primates is similar to that of anesthetized animals and isolated hearts, and is much greater than that due to temporal fluctuations.
The Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Marc-Andre Cornier, Dana Dabelea, Teri L. Hernandez, Rachel C. Lindstrom, Amy J. Steig, Nicole R. Stob, Rachael E. Van Pelt, Hong Wang, Robert H. Eckel
Journal: Endocrine Reviews (2008)

The "metabolic syndrome" (MetS) is a clustering of components that reflect overnutrition, sedentary lifestyles, and resultant excess adiposity. The MetS includes the clustering of abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and elevated blood pressure and is associated with other comorbidities including the prothrombotic state, proinflammatory state, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and reproductive disorders. Because the MetS is a cluster of different conditions, and not a single disease, the development of multiple concurrent definitions has resulted. The prevalence of the MetS is increasing to epidemic proportions not only in the United States and the remainder of the urbanized world but also in developing nations. Most studies show that the MetS is associated with an approximate doubling of cardiovascular disease risk and a 5-fold increased risk for incident type 2 diabetes mellitus. Although it is unclear whether there is a unifying pathophysiological mechanism resulting in the MetS, abdominal adiposity and insulin resistance appear to be central to the MetS and its individual components. Lifestyle modification and weight loss should, therefore, be at the core of treating or preventing the MetS and its components. In addition, there is a general consensus that other cardiac risk factors should be aggressively managed in individuals with the MetS. Finally, in 2008 the MetS is an evolving concept that continues to be data driven and evidence based with revisions forthcoming.
MUTANTS OF NONPRODUCER CELL LINES TRANSFORMED BY MURINE SARCOMA VIRUS
Authors: M. Hatanaka, R. Klein, C. W. Long, R. Gilden
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1973)

Tumorigenic and nontumorigenic mutants induced by a single 5'-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) treatment of a nonproducer (NP) tumorigenic cell line were isolated and characterized. Among the cloned derivatives were examples of virus-free and sarcoma virus-producing cell lines. Oncogenicity did not correlate with production of virus or ease of rescue of the sarcoma genome. All lines, including nononcogenic derivatives, retained the sarcoma genome. Phenotypic reversion of some cell mutants was observed after in vivo inoculation or long term in vitro cultivation. The M-50T cell line, obtained from a tumor induced by M-50 cells, had a sarcoma genome rescuable by direct superinfection; this was only achieved with parental M-50 cells by a cell fusion rescue technique. The M-43-2T cell, obtained from a single small static tumor induced by otherwise nononcogenic M-43-2 cells, shed sarcoma virus and became tumorigenic. M-58-4-48 became tumorigenic after passage 48 of the M-58-4 line, which was originally nontumorigenic. These observations of phenotypic reversion demonstrate that the presence of the sarcoma gene in cells is an essential but not sufficient condition of tumorigenesis.
Prevalence of adverse events associated with potent antiretroviral treatment: Swiss HIV Cohort Study
Authors: Jacques Fellay, Bruno Ledergerber, Enos Bernasconi, Hansjakob Furrer, Manuel Battegay, Bernard Hirschel, Pietro Vernazza, Patrick Francioli, Gilbert Greub, Markus Flepp, Amalio Telenti
Journal: The Lancet (2001)
An Official American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society Statement: Update on Limb Muscle Dysfunction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: François Maltais, Marc Decramer, Richard Casaburi, Esther Barreiro, Yan Burelle, Richard Debigaré, P. N. Richard Dekhuijzen, Frits Franssen, Ghislaine Gayan-Ramirez, Joaquim Gea, Harry R. Gosker, Rik Gosselink, Maurice Hayot, Sabah N. A. Hussain, Wim Janssens, Micheal I. Polkey, Josep Roca, Didier Saey, Annemie M. W. J. Schols, Martijn A. Spruit, Michael Steiner, Tanja Taivassalo, Thierry Troosters, Ioannis Vogiatzis, Peter D. Wagner
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2014)

Section:ChooseTop of pageAbstract <<Executive SummaryContentsOverviewIntroductionNormal Muscle Structure a...Limb Muscles in Clinicall...Consequences of Limb Musc...Etiology of Limb Muscle D...Assessment of Limb Muscle...Effects of Interventions ...Suggestions for Future Re...ConclusionsReferencesCITING ARTICLES
Vesicular mycosis fungoides
Authors: None Mcbride, None Dahl, None Slater, None Sviland
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (1998)

Blistering is not a feature normally associated with mycosis fungoides (MF). We present a case of MF in which histopathological vesicle formation was such a prominent feature that diagnosis was delayed. The patient's disease ran an aggressive course and death occurred within one year of presentation. Tumour involvement of the tongue with MF was an unusual late feature.
The Cross-allergenecity of Pollens from Compositae Family: Dendranthema grandiflorum, Artemisia vulgaris and Taraxacum officinale
Authors: Y.W. Lee, S.Y. Choi, E.K. Lee, J.H. Sohn, J.W. Park, C.S. Hong
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2007)