tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
FEASIBILITY, ACCURACY AND REPRODUCIBILITY OF A FULLY AUTOMATED ALGORITHM TO MEASURE LEFT VENTRICULAR SYSTOLIC FUNCTION BY REAL-TIME VOLUME TRANSTHORACIC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS IN SINUS RHYTHM AND ATRIAL FIBRILLATION. A COMPARISON TO MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING AND 2-D BI-PLANE SIMPSON'S METHOD
Authors: Paaladinesh Thavendiranathan, Shizhen Liu, David Verhaert, Anna Calleja, Adrien Nitinunu, Thomas Van Houten, Bogdan Georgescu, Helene Houle, Nathalie De Michelis, Subha Raman, Thomas Ryan, Mani Vannan
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2011)
The Role of CC Chemokine Receptor 2 in Alveolar Monocyte and Neutrophil Immigration in Intact Mice
Authors: Ulrich Maus, Karen von Grote, William A. Kuziel, Matthias Mack, Edmund J. Miller, Josef Cihak, Manfred Stangassinger, Regina Maus, Detlef Schlöndorff, Werner Seeger, Jürgen Lohmeyer
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2002)

The CC chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) (JE, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 [MCP-1]) and its CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) are critical regulators of monocyte/macrophage trafficking. Recently, we demonstrated that application of exogenous CCL2 in the lungs of mice induced monocyte accumulation in the airspace, whereas combined bronchoalveolar instillation of CCL2 and Escherichia coli endotoxin provoked both enhanced monocyte accumulation and extensive neutrophil influx associated with loss of pulmonary endothelial/epithelial barrier function. In this study, we investigated the role of the CCL2 receptor CCR2 in alveolar leukocyte traffic. In CCR2 knockout mice or wild-type mice treated with the anti-CCR2–blocking monoclonal antibody MC21, monocyte accumulation in response to alveolar CCL2 or CCL2 plus endotoxin was inhibited by more than 90%. Unexpectedly, alveolar neutrophil accumulation in the CCL2/lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model was also drastically reduced by both approaches of CCR2 function interference. When wild-type mice treated with anti–Gr-1 monoclonal antibody to deplete neutrophils selectively or treated with antileukinate, a CXC receptor inhibitor, were challenged with alveolar CCL2 plus LPS, alveolar monocyte accumulation was markedly decreased. Wild-type mice treated with MC21 to block CCR2 function or with anti–Gr-1 to deplete neutrophils did not exhibit the vascular leakage that typically accompanies inflammation triggered by CCL2 and LPS in wild-type mice. These findings confirm a central role for CCR2 in the process of alveolar monocyte recruitment in response to CCL2 alone and combined CCL2 plus LPS and reveal a previously unobserved interdependence between monocyte and neutrophil trafficking that has important implications for the concomitant increase in vascular permeability.
Latent pulmonary function abnormalities in children with Crohn's disease
Authors: A Munck, D Murciano, R Pariente, JP Cezard, J Navarro
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1995)

Recently, latent pulmonary involvement has been described in adult patients with inflammatory bowel disease. It is unknown, however, whether this also occurs in children, and whether the pulmonary abnormalities differ between the acute phase and remission. The incidence of pulmonary abnormalities has been investigated in 26 children with acute or quiescent Crohn's disease in terms of the following parameters: clinical pulmonary symptoms, chest roentgenograms and pulmonary function tests, including lung transfer factor for carbon monoxide (TLCO). One child had a severe digital clubbing. Chest radiographs were normal in all subjects. No significant differences were found between acute and quiescent phase for pulmonary volumes and expiratory flows, but TLCO (% predicted) was significantly decreased during the active phase of the disease as compared to remission (53 +/- 15 vs 81 +/- 19% predicted). These data suggest that latent pulmonary involvement is also present in a paediatric population with active Crohn's disease, despite a short disease history and absence of smoking. Although the nature of this abnormality remains unclear, this extradigestive epiphenomenon should be taken into account with respect to the aetiopathogenesis of Crohn's disease.
Putting the Myth of Creatine Supplementation Leading to Muscle Cramps and Dehydration to Rest
Authors: Vincent James Dalbo, Mike Roberts, Chad Kerksick, Jeff Stout
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2008)

Creatine is one of the most popular athletic supplements with sales surpassing 400 million dollars in 2004. Due to the popularity and efficacy of creatine supplementation over 200 studies have examined the effects of creatine on athletic performance. Despite the abundance of research suggesting the effectiveness and safety of creatine, a fallacy appears to exist among the general public, driven by media claims and anecdotal reports, that creatine supplementation can result in muscle cramps and dehydration. Although a number of published studies have refuted these claims, a recent position statement by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in 2000 advised individuals who are managing their weight and exercising intensely or in hot environments to avoid creatine supplementation. Recent reports now suggest that creatine may enhance performance in hot and/or humid conditions by maintaining haematocrit, aiding thermoregulation and reducing exercising heart rate and sweat rate. Creatine may also positively influence plasma volume during the onset of dehydration. Considering these new published findings, little evidence exists that creatine supplementation in the heat presents additional risk, and this should be taken into consideration as position statements and other related documents are published.
Restoration of Contractile Function in Isolated Cardiomyocytes From Failing Human Hearts by Gene Transfer of SERCA2a
Authors: None Federica del Monte, Sian E. Harding, Ulrich Schmidt, Takashi Matsui, Zhao Bin Kang, G. William Dec, Judith K. Gwathmey, Anthony Rosenzweig, Roger J. Hajjar
Journal: Circulation (1999)

Background —Failing human myocardium is characterized by abnormal relaxation, a deficient sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2+ uptake, and a negative frequency response, which have all been related to a deficiency in the SR Ca 2+ ATPase (SERCA2a) pump. Methods and Results —To test the hypothesis that an increase in SERCA2a could improve contractile function in cardiomyocytes, we overexpressed SERCA2a in human ventricular myocytes from 10 patients with end-stage heart failure and examined intracellular Ca 2+ handling and contractile function. Overexpression of SERCA2a resulted in an increase in both protein expression and pump activity and induced a faster contraction velocity (26.7±6.7% versus 16.6±2.7% shortening per second, P &lt;0.005) and enhanced relaxation velocity (32.0±10.1% versus 15.1±2.4%, P &lt;0.005). Diastolic Ca 2+ was decreased in failing cardiomyocytes overexpressing SERCA2a (270±26 versus 347±30 nmol/L, P &lt;0.005), whereas systolic Ca 2+ was increased (601±38 versus 508±25 nmol/L, P &lt;0.05). In addition, the frequency response was normalized in cardiomyocytes overexpressing SERCA2a. Conclusions —These results support the premise that gene-based therapies and targeting of specific pathways in human heart failure may offer a new modality for the treatment of this disease.
Effects of Personality on Metabolic Control in IDDM Patients
Authors: Alvise Orlandini, Matteo R Pastore, Andrea Fossati, Stefano Clerici, Alessandro Sergi, Annalisa Balini, Maria A Parlangeli, Cesare Maffei, Antonio Secchi, Guido Pozza
Journal: Diabetes Care (1995)

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between poor metabolic control and maladaptive personality traits (according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised) in an adult-onset insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus sample group (n = 77). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Metabolic control was evaluated through glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Personality traits were assessed with the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-Revised, a self-administered questionnaire. Residual pancreatic secretion (fasting serum C-peptide) was also evaluated. RESULTS Principal components analysis revealed three personality profiles: “withdrawn-suspicious” (P1), “dramatic-dependent” (P2), and “aggressive-irresponsible” (P3). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that C-peptide levels and P2 personality profiles were significant and independent predictors of HbA1c plasma levels: P2 predicted high HbA1c values and C-peptide predicted low HbA1c levels. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that a P2 personality profile is a significant predictor of poor metabolic control.
Serotype-Specific Changes in Invasive Pneumococcal Disease after Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Introduction: A Pooled Analysis of Multiple Surveillance Sites
Authors: Daniel R. Feikin, Eunice W. Kagucia, Jennifer D. Loo, Ruth Link-Gelles, Milo A. Puhan, Thomas Cherian, Orin S. Levine, Cynthia G. Whitney, Katherine L. O’Brien, Matthew R. Moore
Journal: PLoS Medicine (2013)

In a pooled analysis of data collected from invasive pneumococcal disease surveillance databases, Daniel Feikin and colleagues examine serotype replacement after the introduction of 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) into national immunization programs. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary
Funding policies for HIV and AIDS. GPs should be more involved.
Authors: S Smith, C Parker, S Shaunak, S Ash, R Bhatt
Journal: BMJ (1993)

define the severity of hypoglycaemia, identification of which seems to have relied on symptoms such as dizziness and hunger, which are not exclusive to hypoglycaemia and could be attributable to fasting itself.No information is given on whether external help was required for treatment of hypoglycaemia (the current definition of a severe episode) or whether the ingestion of oral carbohydrate resulted in the resolution of symptoms.Biochemical con- firmation of a presumed low blood glucose concen- tration was not obtained.The quality of glycaemic control in the Muslim patients was poor, with mean total glycated haemoglobin concentrations of 13-14%, yet the overall frequency of hypoglycaemia that was documented can be calculated at about 0 8 episodes per patient per year.'This would be an exceptionally high rate in non-insulin dependent patients treated with a sulphonylurea, even if every minor episode of hypoglycaemia had been included in the estimated total.In a two year prospective study the frequency of symptomatic hypoglycaemia in diabetic patients treated with sulphonylurea was 0-019 episodes per patient per year'; severe hypoglycaemia is uncommon.Although a recent study suggested that a fifth of patients taking sulphonylureas had at least one episode of symptomatic hypoglycaemia in six months,' the estimated frequencies of hypoglycaemia in Belkhadir and colleagues' study seem to be unusually high.Because the identification of each episode of hypoglycaemia was subjective and insecure, the comparative frequencies of hypoglycaemia in the different groups of patients are uninterpretable and the study is inconclusive.
Safety-Related Regulatory Actions for Biologicals Approved in the United States and the European Union
Authors: Thijs J Giezen, Aukje K Mantel-Teeuwisse, Sabine M J M Straus, Huub Schellekens, Hubert G M Leufkens, Antoine C G Egberts
Journal: JAMA (2008)

Biologicals are a relatively new class of medicines that carry specific risks (eg, immunogenicity). However, limited information is available on the nature and timing of safety problems with their use that were identified after approval.To determine the nature, frequency, and timing of safety-related regulatory actions for biologicals following approval in the United States and/or the European Union.Follow-up of a group of biologicals approved in the United States and/or European Union between January 1995 and June 2007. Vaccines, allergenic products, and products for further manufacture and transfusion purposes were excluded.Nature, frequency, and timing of safety-related regulatory actions defined as (1) dear healthcare professional letters (United States) and direct healthcare professional communications (European Union), (2) black box warnings (United States), and (3) safety-related marketing withdrawals (United States and European Union) issued between January 1995 and June 2008.A total of 174 biologicals were approved (136 in the United States and 105 in the European Union, of which 67 were approved in both regions). Eighty-two safety-related regulatory actions (46 dear healthcare professional letters, 17 direct healthcare professional communications, 19 black box warnings, and no withdrawals) were issued for 41 of the 174 different biologicals (23.6%). The probability of a first safety-related regulatory action, derived from Kaplan-Meier analyses, was 14% (95% confidence interval [CI], 9%-19%) 3 years after approval and 29% (95% CI, 20%-37%) 10 years after approval. Biologicals first in class to obtain approval had a higher risk for a first safety-related regulatory action compared with later approved products in that class (12.0/1000 vs 2.9/1000 months, respectively; hazard ratio, 3.7 [95% CI, 1.5-9.5]). Warnings mostly concerned the classes general disorders and administration site conditions, infections and infestations, immune system disorders and neoplasms benign, malignant, and unspecified.The nature of safety problems identified after approval for biologicals is often related to the immunomodulatory effect (infections). Because the biologicals first to be approved in a class were more likely to be subjected to regulatory action, close monitoring is recommended.
UTILLdb, a Pisum sativum in silico forward and reverse genetics tool
Authors: Marion Dalmais, Julien Schmidt, Christine Le Signor, Francoise Moussy, Judith Burstin, Vincent Savois, Gregoire Aubert, Veronique Brunaud, Yannick de Oliveira, Cecile Guichard, Richard Thompson, Abdelhafid Bendahmane
Journal: Genome biology (2008)

Abstract The systematic characterization of gene functions in species recalcitrant to Agrobacterium -based transformation, like Pisum sativum , remains a challenge. To develop a high throughput forward and reverse genetics tool in pea, we have constructed a reference ethylmethane sulfonate mutant population and developed a database, UTILLdb, that contains phenotypic as well as sequence information on mutant genes. UTILLdb can be searched online for TILLING alleles, through the BLAST tool, or for phenotypic information about mutants by keywords.
Proliferation of peritoneal mast cells in the skin of W/Wv mice that genetically lack mast cells.
Authors: T Sonoda, Y Kanayama, H Hara, C Hayashi, M Tadokoro, T Yonezawa, Y Kitamura
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1984)

Presence of mast cell precursors in the mouse peritoneal cavity was demonstrated, and the precursors were characterized. When a cell suspension, containing mast cell precursor(s), was directly injected into the skin of genetically mast cell-deficient WBB6F1 (WB X C57BL/6)-W/Wv mice, a cluster composed of approximately 2,000 mast cells appeared at the injection site. By determining the proportion of injection sites at which the mast cell cluster appeared, the concentration of mast cell precursors can be calculated by limiting dilution analysis. The concentration in the peritoneal cavity was about five times as great as the concentration in the bone marrow. Although peritoneal mast cell precursors were shown to originate from the bone marrow, physical characterization revealed that the peritoneal precursors differed from the marrow precursors. The peritoneal precursors were less susceptible to irradiation than the marrow precursors; the former were heavier than the latter. When a 95% pure mast cell suspension was prepared from the peritoneal cells by the removal of phagocytes and the density gradient centrifugation, 1 out of 16 cells had the potentiality to make a mast cell cluster in the skin of the W/Wv mice. Moreover, when a single mast cell was identified under the phase contrast microscope and picked up with the micromanipulator, 1 out of 17 mast cells made the cluster. This indicated that some peritoneal mast cells kept extensive proliferative potentiality even after morphological differentiation. In other words, some peritoneal mast cells themselves may function as the committed precursors.
The Endocannabinoid System and Its Relevance for Nutrition
Authors: Mauro Maccarrone, Valeria Gasperi, Maria Valeria Catani, Thi Ai Diep, Enrico Dainese, Harald S. Hansen, Luciana Avigliano
Journal: Annual Review of Nutrition (2010)

Endocannabinoids bind to cannabinoid, vanilloid, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors. The biological actions of these polyunsaturated lipids are controlled by key agents responsible for their synthesis, transport and degradation, which together form an endocannabinoid system (ECS). In the past few years, evidence has been accumulated for a role of the ECS in regulating food intake and energy balance, both centrally and peripherally. In addition, up-regulation of the ECS in the gastrointestinal tract has a potential impact on inflammatory bowel diseases. In this review, the main features of the ECS are summarized in order to put in better focus our current knowledge of the nutritional relevance of endocannabinoid signaling and of its role in obesity, cardiovascular pathologies, and gastrointestinal diseases. The central and peripheral pathways that underlie these effects are discussed, as well as the possible exploitation of ECS components as novel drug targets for therapeutic intervention in eating disorders.
Trabectedin for Women With Ovarian Carcinoma After Treatment With Platinum and Taxanes Fails
Authors: Cristiana Sessa, Filippo De Braud, Antonella Perotti, Jean Bauer, Giuseppe Curigliano, Cristina Noberasco, Flavia Zanaboni, Luca Gianni, Silvia Marsoni, José Jimeno, Maurizio D'Incalci, Elisa Dall’ó, Nicoletta Colombo
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2005)

Purpose To assess the efficacy and toxicity of the marine-derived alkaloid trabectedin (ET-743) in patients with advanced ovarian cancer refractory to or experiencing disease relapse after platinum- and taxane-based chemotherapy. Patients and Methods Fifty-nine patients from four institutions either resistant (n = 30) or sensitive (n = 29) to prior platinum and taxanes were treated with a 3-hour infusion of trabectedin every 3 weeks. Patients were monitored weekly for toxicity and restaged every two cycles for response. Response was assessed according to Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors Group. Results The peer-reviewed objective response rate in platinum-sensitive patients was 43% (95% CI, 23% to 65%) with an estimated median time to progression of 7.9 months (95% CI, 7.5 to 14.1 months); in platinum-resistant patients two partial responses were observed. Responses were durable for up to 12.9 months (median, 5 months). The predominant toxicities at the recommended dose of 1,300 μg/m 2 were neutropenia, asthenia, and self-limited increase of aminotransferases never requiring treatment interruption. Conclusion Trabectedin administered as a 3-hour infusion at 1,300 μg/m 2 is a safe new drug with promising activity in relapsed ovarian cancer, showing a 43% objective response rate in patients with platinum-sensitive disease, which favorably compares with other salvage treatments and warrants additional development either alone or in combination.
Ambient Ozone Concentrations Cause Increased Hospitalizations for Asthma in Children: An 18-Year Study in Southern California
Authors: Kelly Moore, Romain Neugebauer, Fred Lurmann, Jane Hall, Vic Brajer, Sianna Alcorn, Ira Tager
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2008)

Asthma is the most important chronic disease of childhood. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that children with asthma continue to be susceptible to ozone-associated adverse effects on their disease.This study was designed to evaluate time trends in associations between declining warm-season O(3) concentrations and hospitalization for asthma in children.We undertook an ecologic study of hospital discharges for asthma during the high O(3) seasons in California's South Coast Air Basin (SoCAB) in children who ranged in age from birth to 19 years from 1983 to 2000. We used standard association and causal statistical analysis methods. Hospital discharge data were obtained from the State of California; air pollution data were obtained from the California Air Resources Board, and demographic data from the 1980, 1990, and 2000 U.S. Census. SoCAB was divided into 195 spatial grids, and quarterly average O(3), sulfurdioxide, particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < or = 10 microm, nitrogen dioxide, and carbon monoxide were assigned to each unit for 3-month periods along with demographic variables.O(3) was the only pollutant associated with increased hospital admissions over the study period. Inclusion of a variety of demographic and weather variables accounted for all of the non-O(3) temporal changes in hospitalizations. We found a time-independent, constant effect of ambient levels of O(3) and quarterly hospital discharge rates for asthma. We estimate that the average effect of a 10-ppb mean increase in any given mean quarterly 1-hr maximum O(3) over the 18-year median of 87.7 ppb was a 4.6% increase in the same quarterly outcome.Our data indicate that at current levels of O(3) experienced in Southern California, O(3) contributes to an increased risk of hospitalization for children with asthma.
Expression level of valosin-containing protein (VCP) as a prognostic marker for gingival squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: S. Yamamoto, Y. Tomita, Y. Hoshida, S. Toyosawa, H. Inohara, M. Kishino, M. Kogo, M. Nakazawa, S. Murakami, N. Iizuka, S. Kidogami, M. Monden, T. Kubo, N. Ijuhin, K. Aozasa
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2004)
Disease related use of the internet in chronically ill adults: current and expected use
Authors: W G J M van Lankveld
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2005)

<b>Objective:</b> To determine discrepancies in patients’ current use and expected future use of the internet for different functions. <b>Method:</b> A short questionnaire was developed to assess patients’ current use of the internet for three functions: “seeking information”, “mutual support”, and “care provider contact”. This questionnaire was assessed online during 1 week. For each of the functions, scales were computed to assess frequency of use. The same items were used to assess patients’ expected future use. Differences in scale score between current use and expected use were calculated to determine discrepancies. <b>Results:</b> 220 patients completed the questionnaire. Patients are frequent users of the internet. The three functions are largely independent of each other and independent of the type of disease and demographics. Most often patient use the internet to find information about the disease or treatment. The discrepancy between current and expected use is largest for the function “care provider contact”. <b>Conclusion:</b> Based on these findings it seems that patients are most strongly interested in an increased possibility of using the internet to contact their healthcare providers.