tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
1 Alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha collagen is arthritogenic.
Authors: K Morgan, H B Evans, S A Firth, M N Smith, S Ayad, J B Weiss, P J Lennox Holt
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (1983)

Native 1 alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha collagen (500 micrograms per rat) was both immunogenic and arthritogenic in Alderley Park rats (46% developed arthritis) but only immunogenic in Sprague-Dawley rats. Conversely, native type II collagen (500 micrograms per rat) was immunogenic and arthritogenic in both strains (64% arthritic in Alderley Park strain, 57% arthritic in Sprague-Dawley strain). The inflammatory polyarthritis induced by 1 alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha collagen was similar to that produced by native type II collagen in clinical appearance, time of onset, and histology. Antibodies raised to native bovine type II collagen cross-reacted with native 1 alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha collagen and vice versa. Thus the minor collagen component of cartilage, the 1 alpha 2 alpha 3 alpha collagen, as well as the major collagen component, type II collagen, are immunogenic and arthritogenic in the rat, with strain differences.
Abnormal osteocalcin binding in rheumatoid arthritis.
Authors: A Fairney, K V Patel, N P Hollings, M H Seifert
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (1990)

Studies of osteocalcin in the serum and synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) showed the presence of significant amounts of osteocalcin in synovial fluid and that the values in RA synovial fluid were significantly lower than in OA synovial fluid. In addition, the osteocalcin in OA synovial fluid bound almost completely to hydroxyapatite, whereas a significant proportion of the osteocalcin in RA synovial fluid did not. These studies suggest that patients with severe RA produce low amounts of active osteocalcin and higher than expected amounts of inactive osteocalcin in the synovial fluid. They provide some evidence that osteoblast function may be abnormal in the osteoporosis of RA.
Brief Communication: Tumor Regression Caused by Endotoxins and Mycobacterial Fractions
Authors: Edgar E. Ribi, Donald L. Granger, Kelsey C. Milner, S. Michael Strain
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1975)

A transplantable hepatocarcinoma of guinea pigs was used as an experimental model for immunotherapy of cancer. Earlier work showed that complete regression of 6- to 7-day-old tumors could be obtained in about 60% of cases by inoculation of the tumors with live BCG or certain fractions of BCG attached to minute oil droplets and suspended in Tween-saline. One of the most essential fractions was P3, a nonsensitizing, nonantigenic trehalose mycolate related to, but not identical with, cord factor. We now report that oil-droplet preparations containing P3 and bacterial endotoxin (ET) produced cure rates of up to 90% in the same system. In addition, regression was faster than with BCG, and older tumors could be treated successfully. The most effective ET's were from rough strains of salmonellae, known as Re mutants, which could not synthesize and attach the polysaccharide portion of endotoxin.
Postmastectomy Radiation Improves Local-Regional Control and Survival for Selected Patients With Locally Advanced Breast Cancer Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Mastectomy
Authors: Eugene H. Huang, Susan L. Tucker, Eric A. Strom, Marsha D. McNeese, Henry M. Kuerer, Aman U. Buzdar, Vicente Valero, George H. Perkins, Naomi R. Schechter, Kelly K. Hunt, Aysegul A. Sahin, Gabriel N. Hortobagyi, Thomas A. Buchholz
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2004)

Purpose To evaluate the efficacy of radiation in patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy. Patients and Methods We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 542 patients treated on six consecutive institutional prospective trials with neoadjuvant chemotherapy, mastectomy, and radiation. These data were compared to those of 134 patients who received similar treatment in these same trials but without radiation. Results Irradiated patients had a lower rate of local-regional recurrence (LRR) (10-year rates: 11% v 22%, P = .0001). Radiation reduced LRR for patients with clinical T3 or T4 tumors, stage ≥ IIB disease (AJCC 1988), pathological tumor size &gt;2 cm, or four or more positive nodes (P ≤ .002 for all comparisons). Patients who presented with clinically advanced stage III or IV disease but subsequently achieved a pathological complete response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy still had a high rate of LRR, which was significantly reduced with radiation (10-year rates: 33% v 3%, P = .006). Radiation improved cause-specific survival (CSS) in the following subsets: stage ≥ IIIB disease, clinical T4 tumors, and four or more positive nodes (P ≤ .007 for all comparisons). On multivariate analyses of LRR and CSS, the hazard ratios for lack of radiation were 4.7 (95% CI, 2.7 to 8.1; P &lt; .0001) and 2.0 (95% CI, 1.4 to 2.9; P &lt; .0001), respectively. Conclusion After neoadjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy, comprehensive radiation was found to benefit both local control and survival for patients presenting with clinical T3 tumors or stage III-IV (ipsilateral supraclavicular nodal) disease and for patients with four or more positive nodes. Radiation should be considered for these patients regardless of their response to initial chemotherapy.
The predictive value of transabdominal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of biliary tract complications after orthotopic liver transplantation
Authors: S H Hussaini, M B Sheridan, M Davies
Journal: Gut (1999)

In transplant recipients with choledococholedocostomy (CDCD), endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of biliary leak or strictures. Transabdominal ultrasonography (TAUS) has been used to screen patients with suspected biliary tract complications, prior to ERCP, although the clinical effectiveness remains unclear.To assess the predictive value of TAUS in the diagnosis of biliary tract complications after liver transplantation.144 consecutive ERCP and corresponding ultrasonogram reports performed over a 67 month period in 79 patients after liver transplantation were analysed retrospectively.77 ERCP patients had both a TAUS and a successful ERCP. Biliary tract abnormalities were found at TAUS in 49 (64%) of the 77 patients. TAUS had an overall sensitivity of 77%, and specificity of 67%, with positive and negative predictive values of 26% and 95% respectively, when adjusted for the prevalence rate of biliary complications after liver transplantation of 12.8% in our population. The use of bile duct calibre as sole criterion for an abnormal scan improved the specificity (76%) and with a corresponding reduction in sensitivity (66%). The risk of false negative TAUS was similar in both the early and late post-transplant periods.A normal TAUS after liver transplantation with CDCD makes the presence of biliary complications unlikely.
Recombinant Variant of Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor for Weight Loss in Obese Adults
Authors: Mark P Ettinger, Thomas W Littlejohn, Sherwyn L Schwartz, Stuart R Weiss, Harris H McIlwain, Steven B Heymsfield, George A Bray, William G Roberts, Eugene R Heyman, Nancy Stambler, Stanley Heshka, Catherine Vicary, Hans-Peter Guler
Journal: JAMA (2003)

Obese individuals tend to resist the weight-regulating effects of exogenously administered leptin. A genetically engineered recombinant human variant ciliary neurotrophic factor (rhvCNTF) that signals through leptinlike pathways in the hypothalamus has been shown to bypass leptin resistance in animal models of obesity.To identify a safe and well-tolerated dose of rhvCNTF that causes weight loss in obese adults.Twelve-week, double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, dose-ranging, multicenter clinical trial conducted at 2 university obesity clinics and at 5 independent clinical research clinics from March 2000 to August 2001, and including 173 nondiabetic obese adults, 82.6% of whom were women, with a mean (SD) body mass index of 41.1 (4.1).Patients were randomly assigned to receive daily for 12 weeks subcutaneous injections of placebo (n = 32) or 0.3 microg/kg (n = 32), 1.0 microg/kg (n = 38), or 2.0 microg/kg (n = 33) of rhvCNTF. Another group received 1.0 microg/kg for 8 weeks and placebo for 4 weeks (n = 38), but they were not included in the primary analysis. All participants received instructions for a reduced-calorie diet (World Health Organization formula minus 500 kcal/d).Change in weight during the 12-week double-blind treatment period and proportion of patients who achieved a weight loss of at least 5%.Of the 173 randomized patients, 123 (71%) completed the double-blind dosing period. Mean (SEM) changes in kilograms from baseline body weights were 0.1 (0.6) for placebo and -1.5 (0.6) for the 0.3, -4.1 (0.6) for the 1.0, and -3.4 (0.7) for the 2.0 microg/kg of rhvCNTF dosage groups (P<.001, test for trend). Two patients (8.7%) in the placebo and 2 (8.3%) in the 0.3- microg/kg, 8 (29.6%) in the 1.0- microg/kg, and 5 (26%) in the 2.0- microg/kg treatment groups achieved a weight loss of at least 5%. Recombinant human variant CNTF was generally well tolerated although adverse events occurred in 75% of patients receiving placebo and 78% to 93% of patients receiving rhvCNTF, in a dose-related fashion, with mild injection site reactions as the most frequently reported adverse event.In this initial, dose-ranging, 12-week study, treatment with rhvCNTF resulted in more weight loss than placebo. These preliminary findings require confirmation in large prospective clinical trials.
Green Fluorescent Protein Tagging of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase and p38 Pathways Reveals Novel Dynamics of Pathway Activation during Primary and Metastatic Growth
Authors: Julio A. Aguirre-Ghiso, Liliana Ossowski, Sarah K. Rosenbaum
Journal: Cancer Research (2004)

Abstract We describe a novel approach that allows detection of primary and metastatic cells in vivo in which either the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) or the p38 pathway is activated. Our recent findings showed that ERK and p38 kinases regulate, respectively, programs dictating cell proliferation (high ERK-to-p38 ratio) or growth arrest and dormancy (low ERK-to-p38 ratio) in vivo. Thus, we were able to use green fluorescent protein (GFP) to reflect ERK and p38 activities and, consequently, the proliferative state of cancer cells. This was accomplished by transfecting tumorigenic T-HEp3 and HT1080 cells, and dormant D-HEp3 cells, with plasmids coding for Elk-GAL4 or CHOP-GAL4 fusion proteins that, when phosphorylated by either ERK or p38, respectively, transactivated a GFP-reporter gene. The fate of these cells was examined in culture, in primary sites, and in spontaneous metastasis in chick embryos and nude mice. In culture GFP level was directly proportional to the previously established levels of ERK or p38 activation. In contrast, during the first 24 hours of in vivo inoculation, both the tumorigenic and the dormant cells strongly activated the p38 pathway. However, in the tumorigenic cells, p38 activity was rapidly silenced, correcting the ERK/p38 imbalance and contributing to high ERK activity throughout the entire period of tumor growth. In contrast, in the small nodules formed by dormant cells, the level of ERK activity was dramatically reduced, whereas p38 activity remained high. Strong activation of ERK was evident in metastatic sites, whereas p38 activation was silenced in this anatomic location as well. These results show that it is possible to directly measure cancer cell response to microenvironment with this reporter system and that only proliferation-competent cells have the ability to rapidly adapt ERK and p38 signaling for proliferative success. This approach allows isolation and further characterization of metastatic cells with specific signaling signatures indicative of their phenotypes.
Alterations in Brain Activation During Working Memory Processing Associated With Breast Cancer and Treatment: A Prospective Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study
Authors: Brenna C. McDonald, Susan K. Conroy, Tim A. Ahles, John D. West, Andrew J. Saykin
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2012)

To prospectively examine alterations in working memory (WM) -associated brain activation related to breast cancer and treatment by using functional magnetic resonance imaging.Patients treated with chemotherapy (CTx+; n = 16) or without chemotherapy (CTx-; n = 12) and healthy controls (n = 15) were scanned during an n-back task at baseline (after surgery but before radiation, chemotherapy, and/or antiestrogen treatment), 1 month after completion of chemotherapy (M1), and 1 year later (Y1), or at yoked intervals for CTx- and controls. SPM5 was used for all image analyses, which included cross-sectional between-group and group-by-time interaction and longitudinal within-group analyses, all using a statistical threshold of 0.001.At baseline, patients with cancer showed increased bifrontal and decreased left parietal activation compared with controls. At M1, both cancer groups showed decreased frontal hyperactivation compared with controls, with increased hyperactivation at Y1. These cross-sectional findings were confirmed by group-by-time interaction analyses, which showed frontal activation decreases from baseline to M1 in patients compared with controls. Within-group analyses showed different patterns of longitudinal activation change by treatment group (CTx+ or CTx-), with prominent alterations in the frontal lobes bilaterally.Significant frontal lobe hyperactivation to support WM was found in patients with breast cancer. Superimposed on this background, patients showed decreased frontal activation at M1, with partial return to the previously abnormal baseline at Y1. These functional changes correspond to frontal lobe regions where we previously reported structural changes in this cohort and provide prospective, longitudinal data that further elucidate mechanisms underlying cognitive effects related to breast cancer and its treatment.
Sarcoidosis complicating treatment with natalizumab for Crohn's disease
Authors: C. A. Parisinos, C. W. Lees, W. A. H. Wallace, J. Satsangi
Journal: Thorax (2011)

Natalizumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting the lymphocyte adhesion molecule a4 integrin, with proven efficacy in multiple sclerosis (MS) and Crohn9s disease (CD). The development of sarcoidosis with extrapulmonary involvement is reported in two patients with refractory CD who had received maintenance therapy with natalizumab. This complication has not been previously reported. It is hypothesised that the effect of natalizumab in altering lymphocyte mucosal trafficking may underlie the development of sarcoidosis in these patients.
Tumor Cell Kill by c-MYC Depletion: Role of MYC-Regulated Genes that Control DNA Double-Strand Break Repair
Authors: Kaisa R. Luoto, Alice X. Meng, Amanda R. Wasylishen, Helen Zhao, Carla L. Coackley, Linda Z. Penn, Robert G. Bristow
Journal: Cancer Research (2010)

MYC regulates a myriad of genes controlling cell proliferation, metabolism, differentiation, and apoptosis. MYC also controls the expression of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair genes and therefore may be a potential target for anticancer therapy to sensitize cancer cells to DNA damage or prevent genetic instability. In this report, we studied whether MYC binds to DSB repair gene promoters and modulates cell survival in response to DNA-damaging agents. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies showed that MYC associates with several DSB repair gene promoters including Rad51, Rad51B, Rad51C, XRCC2, Rad50, BRCA1, BRCA2, DNA-PKcs, XRCC4, Ku70, and DNA ligase IV. Endogenous MYC protein expression was associated with increased RAD51 and KU70 protein expression of a panel of cancer cell lines of varying histopathology. Induction of MYC in G(0)-G(1) and S-G(2)-M cells resulted in upregulation of Rad51 gene expression. MYC knockdown using small interfering RNA (siRNA) led to decreased RAD51 expression but minimal effects on homologous recombination based on a flow cytometry direct repeat green fluorescent protein assay. siRNA to MYC resulted in tumor cell kill in DU145 and H1299 cell lines in a manner independent of apoptosis. However, MYC-dependent changes in DSB repair protein expression were not sufficient to sensitize cells to mitomycin C or ionizing radiation, two agents selectively toxic to DSB repair-deficient cells. Our results suggest that anti-MYC agents may target cells to prevent genetic instability but would not lead to differential radiosensitization or chemosensitization.
Residual effect of nCPAP applied for part of the night in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: V Hers, G Liistro, M Dury, P Collard, G Aubert, DO Rodenstein
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1997)

The aim of the present study was to assess whether nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) treatment, applied for only a few hours at the beginning of the night, has any residual effect on sleep and breathing during the ensuing hours of unassisted sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). In 27 patients with newly-diagnosed OSAS, effective nCPAP was applied during the first part of the night and then withdrawn. Polysomnographic parameters after nCPAP withdrawal were compared with those of the corresponding part of the diagnostic polysomnography performed a few days or weeks before and with those of the first part of night on nCPAP. After 255+/-63 (mean+/-SD) min of sleep with normalization of sleep and breathing parameters under nCPAP, there was partial improvement of OSAS severity during the remaining 124+/-56 min of nocturnal sleep without treatment; mean oxygen saturation, desaturation index (equivalent to the apnoea/hypopnoea index) and movement arousal index all improved significantly with respect to the diagnostic night (p=0.001). This improvement was not accounted for by a change in sleep architecture. We conclude that there is an improvement in severity of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome after only 4 h of nasal continuous positive airway pressure. This carryover effect could explain why a number of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome apply nasal continuous positive airway pressure for only part of the night or not every night.
Community based occupational therapy for patients with dementia and their care givers: randomised controlled trial
Authors: Maud J L Graff, Myrra J M Vernooij-Dassen, Marjolein Thijssen, Joost Dekker, Willibrord H L Hoefnagels, Marcel G M Olde Rikkert
Journal: BMJ (2006)

<b>Objective</b> To determine the effectiveness of community based occupational therapy on daily functioning of patients with dementia and the sense of competence of their care givers. <b>Design</b> Single blind randomised controlled trial. Assessors were blinded for treatment allocation. <b>Setting</b> Memory clinic and day clinic of a geriatrics department and participants9 homes. <b>Participants</b> 135 patients aged ≥65 with mild to moderate dementia living in the community and their primary care givers. <b>Interventions</b> 10 sessions of occupational therapy over five weeks, including cognitive and behavioural interventions, to train patients in the use of aids to compensate for cognitive decline and care givers in coping behaviours and supervision. <b>Main outcome measures</b> Patients9 daily functioning assessed with the assessment of motor and process skills (AMPS) and the performance scale of the interview of deterioration in daily activities in dementia (IDDD). Care giver burden assessed with the sense of competence questionnaire (SCQ). Participants were evaluated at baseline, six weeks, and three months. <b>Results</b> Scores improved significantly relative to baseline in patients and care givers in the intervention group compared with the controls (differences were 1.5 (95% confidence interval 1.3 to 1.7) for the process scale; −11.7 (−13.6 to −9.7) for the performance scale; and (11.0; 9.2 to 12.8) for the competence scale). This improvement was still significant at three months. The number needed to treat to reach a clinically relevant improvement in motor and process skills score was 1.3 (1.2 to 1.4) at six weeks. Effect sizes were 2.5, 2.3, and 1.2, respectively, at six weeks and 2.7, 2.4, and 0.8, respectively, at 12 weeks. <b>Conclusions</b> Occupational therapy improved patients9 daily functioning and reduced the burden on the care giver, despite the patients9 limited learning ability. Effects were still present at 12 weeks, which justifies implementation of this intervention. <b>Trial registration</b> Clinical Trials NCT00295152.
'Break Dancers' Bursitis'
Authors: H. Elizabeth Broome
Journal: JAMA (1985)

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> I would like to report a case of bursitis causing a soft-tissue mass at an unusual location in a break dancer. <h3>Report of a Case.—</h3> An 18-year-old male break dancer was referred for evaluation and treatment of a tender soft-tissue mass. This mass was located posterior to the vertebral column at the 12th thoracic vertebra. The patient could not recall any trauma to the area, but he gave a history of learning to break dance during the previous six months. Several maneuvers in break dancing require the dancer to spin around using the high lumbar-low thoracic portions of the spine, much like the tip of a spinning top. These maneuvers include the "back spin" and the "windmill."<sup>1</sup>The patient gave a history of performing these and other maneuvers while learning to break dance during the previous six months. During the month before admission, a tender soft-tissue
Hepatic angiomyolipoma with minimal fat, mimicking hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: So Jung Lee, So Yeon Kim, Kyoung Won Kim, Yong Moon Shin, Hyoung Jung Kim, Jong Seok Lee, Sun A Kim
Journal: Clinical and Molecular Hepatology (2012)

Hepatic AML is a rare benign mesenchymal tumor composed of blood vessels, smooth muscle cells, and a varing amount of fat.We report of one case of hepatic AML with a minimal fat component and atypical enhancement patterns, which mimicked HCC on imaging studies.
Preserved Frank–Starling mechanism in human end stage heart failure
Authors: Joachim Weil, Thomas Eschenhagen, Stefan Hirt, Olaf Magnussen, Clemens Mittmann, Ute Remmers, Hasso Scholz
Journal: Cardiovascular Research (1998)

The goal of the present study was to examine the ability of failing myocardium to respond to enhanced preload with an increase in force development.The effect of various preload conditions (2.5-15 mN) on force development was studied in right ventricular trabeculae carneae from explanted human failing hearts with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM, n = 5, 42 preparations) or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, n = 9, 77 preparations). To determine the severity of cardiac impairment we measured the positive inotropic effect of beta-adrenoceptor stimulation and calcium (ISO/Ca2+ ratio) and the expression of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) mRNA in all hearts.(1) Force of contraction increased with stepwise augmentation of preload (length at 2.5 mN preload to length of maximal force development) from 3.7 +/- 0.5 (ICM) and 2.7 +/- 0.4 (DCM) to 8.3 +/- 0.9 and 6.5 +/- 0.8 mN/mm2, respectively (p < 0.05). (2) The ISO/Ca2+ ratio was 0.40 +/- 0.04 (ICM) and 0.35 +/- 0.03 (DCM), respectively. (3) ANP mRNA was expressed in all preparations, albeit at greatly varying levels (ICM 22.5 +/- 6.1 and DCM 18.7 +/- 4.7 normalized arbitrary units). (4) Contraction experiments performed in left ventricular tissue (n = 3, 32 preparations) essentially confirmed the results.The Frank-Starling mechanism is preserved in terminally failing human hearts irrespective of the underlying etiology. We found no relation between the severity of cardiac impairment as assessed by either ANP expression or the ISO/Ca2+ ratio and the ability of failing human myocardium to respond to enhanced preload with an increase in force development.