tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
The 4-metre gait speed in COPD: responsiveness and minimal clinically important difference
Authors: Samantha S.C. Kon, Jane L. Canavan, Claire M. Nolan, Amy L. Clark, Sarah E. Jones, Paul Cullinan, Michael I. Polkey, William D-C. Man
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Usual gait speed is a consistent predictor of adverse outcomes in community-dwelling elderly people. The reliability and validity of the 4-m gait speed (4MGS) has recently been demonstrated in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aims of this study were to assess the responsiveness of the 4MGS and to estimate the minimal clinically important difference (MCID). In 301 COPD patients, 4MGS and incremental shuttle walk (ISW) were measured before and after pulmonary rehabilitation. 4MGS and ISW were also measured at baseline and 1 year later in a separate cohort of 162 COPD patients. The MCID of 4MGS was estimated using distribution and anchor-based methods. 4MGS improved significantly with pulmonary rehabilitation (mean change 0.08 m·s(-1), p<0.001). The minimal detectable change at 95% confidence was 0.11 m·s(-1). The MCID was estimated at 0.11 m·s(-1) (anchored against ISW) and 0.08 m·s(-1) (anchored against self-reported improvement). The effect size for 4MGS was greatest in frail individuals. After 12 months, mean 4MGS declined by 0.04 m·s(-1). When anchored against a decline of more than the MCID for ISW, change in 4MGS was -0.11 m·s(-1). The 4MGS is responsive to pulmonary rehabilitation and longitudinal change in COPD, and has potential as a simple functional assessment tool in COPD. The 4MGS may be particularly useful in frail individuals with COPD.
Maintenance hemodialysis. Survival beyond the first decade
Authors: A. P. Lundin
Journal: JAMA (1980)

In a retrospective analysis of maintenance dialysis (MD) in a relatively homogeneous population of 24 patients (18 men, six women) who first received MD between 1964 and 1968 and who were initially free of other complicating diseases, we have confirmed that age at initiation of dialysis, sustained hypertension, and elevated calcium-phosphate product are significant risk factors for cardiovascular mortality. In patients without these risk factors sepsis has become the major cause of death, accounting for five (35.7%) of 14 deaths. The limit for long-term survival in an MD patient in whom the well-recognized risk factors are prevented or controlled is not yet apparent.
The benefits of foward planning:
Authors: J C Merritt
Journal: BMJ (1997)

Flicking through some back copies of the BMJ the obituary of Air Vice Marshal David Davison ( BMJ 1994;309:1510) triggered memories of a spell in the mid 1970s spent assisting him on a field surgical team. We were in the Middle East, and due to poor ventilation the doors of our operating theatre hut were often left open. On this particular night, we snipped and stitched to the soothing sounds of distant music carried in on the sluggish breeze.

Sadly, on the table, things were less comforting, and the latest mine injury from the local conflict was not doing so well. A deep pelvic bleeder was proving hard to …
Unilateral post-tuberculous lung destruction: the left bronchus syndrome.
Authors: M Ashour, L Pandya, A Mezraqji, W Qutashat, M Desouki, N al-Sharif, A al-Jaboori, A Marie
Journal: Thorax (1990)

In a prospective study of 13 patients requiring pneumonectomy for unilateral post-tuberculous lung destruction the left side was found to be affected in 12. Review of a further 172 cases showed the left lung to have been destroyed in 109 (63%). It is suggested that this predominance of the left side is due to the anatomical characteristics of the left main bronchus and that disordered haemodynamics also appear to play a part.
Effects of Atropine and Isoproterenol on Cardiac Output, Central Venous Pressure, and Mean Transit Time of Indicators Placed at Three Different Sites in the Venous System
Authors: RALPH GORTEX, J. CAULIE GUNXELLS, ARNOLD M. WEISSLER, EUGENE A. STEAD
Journal: Circulation Research (1961)

Two milligrams of atropine given intravenously increased the cardiac output, the mean arterial pressure, and the heart rate and lowered the central venous pressure, stroke output, and peripheral resistance. Tsoproterenol given intravenously at the rate of 1 µg. per minute increased the cardiac output with only an average increase in pulse rate of nine beats per minute. The stroke volume was increased. The central venous pressure and the peripheral resistance were decreased. These observations on the circulation were made in the steady state. They demonstrate that the minute output of the heart can be increased by either a rise in rate or an increase in stroke volume in the presence of a fall in central venous pressure. They do not define the order of events leading to the steady state. When the indicator was placed in the superior vena cava, neither atropine nor isoproterenol changed the volume in which the indicator was diluted during its first circulation. Both atropine and isoproterenol decreased the volumes in which the indicators were diluted when they were injected into the antecubital or femoral veins.
Constipation: Is it a risk factor for cholesterol gallstones?
Authors: Jorge J. Gumucio, James L. Watkins, Thelma E. Wiley, Thomas J. Layden
Journal: Hepatology (1993)

Many cases of gallstones can be explained in terms of the established risk factors, especially obesity. However, gallstones develop in some women who are not obese, and the causes are unknown. Biochemical studies have shown that slow intestinal transit is associated with lithogenic bile. We have tested the hypothesis that intestinal transit is abnormally slow in normal-weight women with gallstones. In a population survey, 1058 women aged 25-69 years, registered with general practitioners in Bristol, UK, underwent cholecystosonography. Gallstones were identified in 48 women, of whom 15 were of normal weight (body mass index ≤ 25 kg/m 2 ). These women and age-matched controls with healthy gallbladders then underwent measurement of whole-gut transit time (WGTT); the measurement was done directly when possible, or calculated from records of three defaecations. The mean WGTT was significantly longer in the women with gallstones than in the controls (82 vs 63 h; mean difference 19, 95% Cl (2-37 h). Stool output was also lower in the women with gallstones (74 [SD 54] vs 141 [56] g per 24 h, p = 0.015). There was no significant difference between cases and controls in body mass index, waist-hip circumference ratio, parity, plasma triglyceride concentration, or alcohol intake. Normal-weight women with gallstones tend to have slow intestinal transit and this feature could explain why they have gallstones.
Smad3 Signaling Critically Regulates Fibroblast Phenotype and Function in Healing Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Marcin Dobaczewski, Marcin Bujak, Na Li, Carlos Gonzalez-Quesada, Leonardo H. Mendoza, Xiao-Fan Wang, Nikolaos G. Frangogiannis
Journal: Circulation Research (2010)

Rationale: Cardiac fibroblasts are key effector cells in the pathogenesis of cardiac fibrosis. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β/Smad3 signaling is activated in the border zone of healing infarcts and induces fibrotic remodeling of the infarcted ventricle contributing to the development of diastolic dysfunction. Objective: The present study explores the mechanisms responsible for the fibrogenic effects of Smad3 by dissecting its role in modulating cardiac fibroblast phenotype and function. Methods and Results: Smad3 null mice and corresponding wild-type controls underwent reperfused myocardial infarction protocols. Surprisingly, reduced collagen deposition in Smad3−/− infarcts was associated with increased infiltration with myofibroblasts. In vitro studies demonstrated that TGF-β1 inhibited murine cardiac fibroblast proliferation; these antiproliferative effects were mediated via Smad3. Smad3−/− fibroblasts were functionally defective, exhibiting impaired collagen lattice contraction when compared with wild-type cells. Decreased contractile function was associated with attenuated TGF-β–induced expression of α-smooth muscle actin. In addition, Smad3−/− fibroblasts had decreased migratory activity on stimulation with serum, and exhibited attenuated TGF-β1–induced upregulation of extracellular matrix protein synthesis. Upregulation of connective tissue growth factor, an essential downstream mediator in TGF-β–induced fibrosis, was in part dependent on Smad3. Connective tissue growth factor stimulation enhanced extracellular matrix protein expression by cardiac fibroblasts in a Smad3-independent manner. Conclusions: Disruption of Smad3 results in infiltration of the infarct with abundant hypofunctional fibroblasts that exhibit impaired myofibroblast transdifferentiation, reduced migratory potential, and suppressed expression of fibrosis-associated genes.
Targets and reality: a comparison of health care indicators in the U.S. (Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study) and Hungary (DiabCare Hungary).
Authors: A G Tabák, G Tamás, J Zgibor, R Wilson, D Becker, Z Kerényi, T J Orchard
Journal: Diabetes Care (2000)

OBJECTIVE: In the U.S., both primary care and specialist physicians share in the care of type 1 diabetic patients, often in an informal collaboration. In Hungary, however, type 1 diabetic patients are generally managed in special centralized diabetes units. These different treatment settings may lead to different health care practices and outcomes. To determine if this is true, diabetes care indicators and complications were compared across representative study populations from the 2 countries. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study (EDC) is a prospective cohort of childhood-onset type 1 diabetic patients. DiabCare Hungary, a multicenter cross-sectional study, was developed for quality control purposes and provides a nationwide data set of diabetic patients. We identified 2 comparable populations (EDC, n = 416; DiabCare, n = 405) in terms of age (&amp;gt; or =14 years) and age at onset (&amp;lt;17 years). RESULTS: EDC patients were less likely to receive diabetes education (P&amp;lt;0.0001), see an ophthalmologist (P&amp;lt;0.0001), be treated by diabetologists (P&amp;lt;0.0001), or perform self-monitoring of blood glucose (P&amp;lt;0.0001). They were more likely to use conservative insulin regimens (i.e., 1-2 injections/day, P&amp;lt;0.0001) and have a higher glycated hemoglobin (P&amp;lt; 0.0001). DiabCare patients more often experienced severe hypoglycemia (P&amp;lt;0.01) and had a lower prevalence of proliferative retinopathy (P&amp;lt;0.0001), legal blindness (P&amp;lt;0.05), and albuminuria (&amp;gt; or =30 mg/day P&amp;lt;0.01). No significant differences in macrovascular complications were seen, although rates were generally low CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the 2 populations differ by their diabetes care practices, degree of glycemic control, and microvascular complication status.
Study of Percutaneous, Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty
Authors: Watts R. Webb
Journal: JAMA (1980)

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> I would like to respond to the editorial by David H. Spodick, MD (242:1658, 1979), inThe Journal, suggesting that the time is ripe for a randomized clinical trial of percutaneous, transluminal coronary angioplasty. This technique has been introduced cautiously and with rather limited acceptance to date. It is true, as advocated by Dr Spodick, that balloon angioplasty presents many of the conditions for a properly designed, randomized controlled trial. There is, however, one major point where controlled trials of surgical and other technical procedures differ from trials of pills and injections. This is the problem of standardizing the procedure itself. Any technique must be developed, refined, honed, and perfected. Until this is achieved, everything else is meaningless. The great controversy regarding the reliability of the Veterans Administration Cooperative Study on coronary artery surgery arose primarily because the study was done too soon—before the technical aspects of
Is the all-round ability of the triathlete detrimental to group homogeneity?
Authors: D P Mather
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2006)

Is the all-round ability of the triathlete detrimental to group homogeneity?It is with interest that I read the article by Roels et a 1 investigating the relation between the V ˙O2 MAX attained by swimmers and triathletes during swimming and cycle ergometry.The successful use of the ''snorkel'' system, first validated in 2003, 2 is certainly a major breakthrough in the study of exercise physiology because, before this time, the measurement of respiration was quite different for swimmers from that in other exercising subjects, and therefore difficult to compare.I am concerned though that the practice of using triathletes in comparative studies measuring physiological responses is likely to introduce confounders and bias.Many triathletes enter the sport from one of the disciplines, and therefore have a specialist training history.Although it is widely accepted that specialist training will influence the patterns of oxygen use in the tissues, it is also known that a degree of genetic history is an important factor in the success of an athlete in a particular sport, especially swimming.Therefore future studies would be better designed to control for factors in the training history of triathletes, to ensure that the subject groups are as homogeneous as possible.
Biotech Crops' Seal of Safety Does Not Convince Skeptics
Authors: B. Keogh
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2012)

long-term toxic effects of consuming foods genetically manipulated to promote herbicide tolerance, insect resistance, or other traits, and that longer-term studies are needed to truly demonstrate safety. In 1992, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration called foods containing ingredients derived from the recombinant DNA technology used to make GMOs “substantially similar” to conventional ones and deemed them “generally recognized as safe.” Since then, proponents and government agencies have insisted that the more extensive tests required for drugs or pesticides aren’t necessary. Only a latent trend—such as an inexplicable spike in cancer rates—could signal that consuming GMOs over several decades may lead to health problems stemming from the buildup of toxins in the body.
Lipid Peroxidation and 5-Lipoxygenase Activity in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Pierachille Santus, Alessandra Sola, Paolo Carlucci, Francesca Fumagalli, Antonio Di Gennaro, Michele Mondoni, Chiara Carnini, Stefano Centanni, Angelo Sala
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2004)

We studied the urinary excretion of the isoprostane 8-iso-prostaglandin F(2alpha) as an index of in vivo oxidant stress, and the production of leukotriene (LT) B(4) (LTB(4)) by neutrophils in subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and normal subjects. Overnight urinary excretion of the isoprostane was significantly higher in patients with COPD than in control subjects, and LTB(4) production by challenge of neutrophils obtained from patients with COPD was also significantly higher than that observed in control neutrophils. Treatment with a standardized polyphenol extract caused a significant decrease in isoprostane excretion, accompanied by a statistically significant increase of Pa(O(2)). Furthermore, changes in FEV(1) significantly correlated with the changes in isoprostane urinary excretion observed from enrollment to the end of treatment. The results of this study suggest that enhanced oxidative stress in subjects with COPD is paralleled by the increased ability of neutrophils to synthesize the chemotactic factor LTB(4), and may ultimately contribute to the infiltration/activation of neutrophils into the airways of subjects with COPD. Antioxidant treatment in subjects with COPD is effective in reducing oxidant stress as shown by the decrease of urinary isoprostane, a reduction that correlates with the severity of the disease, as indicated by changes in Pa(O(2)) and FEV(1).
A case of tinea corporis caused by Arthroderma benhamiae (teleomorph of Tinea mentagrophytes) in a pet shop employee
Authors: Yumi Shiraki, Masataro Hiruma, Yoko Matsuba, Rui Kano, Koichi Makimura, Shigaku Ikeda, Hideoki Ogawa
Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (2006)
Out-patient rehabilitation improves activities of daily living, quality of life and exercise tolerance in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: KE Bendstrup, J Ingemann Jensen, S Holm, B Bengtsson
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1997)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects on activities of daily living, quality of life, and exercise tolerance of a comprehensive out-patient rehabilitation programme for patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In this randomized and controlled trial, the main outcome measures were Activities of Daily Living (ADL) score, York Quality of Life Questionnaire (YQLQ) score, Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRDQ) score, 6 min walking distance (6MWD), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), and forced vital capacity (FVC). The rehabilitation programme included physical training, occupational therapy, education, and smoking cessation therapy, and lasted for 12 weeks. The patients were evaluated at entry, halfway through, and at the end of the programme. Follow-up was at 24 weeks. Forty seven patients were recruited, and 16 in each group completed the trial. There were significant differences in the improvements in ADL and CRDQ between the control and the treatment groups at 12 and 24 weeks, and at 24 weeks, respectively. At 6, 12 and 24 weeks, improvements in the 6MWD were 21.6 versus 79.8, 36.1 versus 113.1 and 21.4 versus 96.2 for control and treatment groups, respectively (p&lt;0.004). A correlation matrix showed only ADL and 6MWD to be significantly correlated; the matrix was also used to validate the translated questionnaires. The programme required 124 staff-hours in total. An inexpensive, comprehensive out-patient rehabilitation programme can produce long-term improvement in activities of daily living, quality of life, and exercise tolerance in patients with moderate-to-severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy for Premenopausal Women With Early Breast Cancer
Authors: Silvia Dellapasqua, Marco Colleoni, Richard D. Gelber, Aron Goldhirsch
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2005)

From the Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy; International Breast Cancer Study Group Coordinating Center, Bern; Oncology Institute of Southern Switzerland, Bellinzona & Lugano, Switzerland; International Breast Cancer Study Group Statistical Center, Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; and Frontier Science and Technology Research Foundation, Boston, MA.
Wnt10b Gain-of-Function Improves Cardiac Repair by Arteriole Formation and Attenuation of Fibrosis
Authors: David T. Paik, Meena Rai, Sergey Ryzhov, Lehanna N. Sanders, Omonigho Aisagbonhi, Mitchell J. Funke, Igor Feoktistov, Antonis K. Hatzopoulos
Journal: Circulation Research (2015)

Rationale: Myocardial infarction causes irreversible tissue damage, leading to heart failure. We recently discovered that canonical Wnt signaling and the Wnt10b ligand are strongly induced in mouse hearts after infarction. Wnt10b regulates cell fate in various organs, but its role in the heart is unknown. Objective: To investigate the effect of Wnt10b gain-of-function on cardiac repair mechanisms and to assess its potential to improve ventricular function after injury. Methods and Results: Histological and molecular analyses showed that Wnt10b is expressed in cardiomyocytes and localized in the intercalated discs of mouse and human hearts. After coronary artery ligation or cryoinjury in mice, Wnt10b is strongly and transiently induced in peri-infarct cardiomyocytes during granulation tissue formation. To determine the effect of Wnt10b on neovascularization and fibrosis, we generated a mouse line to increase endogenous Wnt10b levels in cardiomyocytes. We found that gain of Wnt10b function orchestrated a recovery phenotype characterized by robust neovascularization of the injury zone, less myofibroblasts, reduced scar size, and improved ventricular function compared with wild-type mice. Wnt10b stimulated expression of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in endothelial cells and angiopoietin-1 in vascular smooth muscle cells through nuclear factor-κB activation. These effects coordinated endothelial growth and smooth muscle cell recruitment, promoting robust formation of large, coronary-like blood vessels. Conclusion: Wnt10b gain-of-function coordinates arterial formation and attenuates fibrosis in cardiac tissue after injury. Because generation of mature blood vessels is necessary for efficient perfusion, our findings could lead to novel strategies to optimize the inherent repair capacity of the heart and prevent the onset of heart failure.
International Union of Pharmacology. LXXII. Recommendations for Trace Amine Receptor Nomenclature
Authors: Janet J. Maguire, William A. E. Parker, Steven M. Foord, Tom I. Bonner, Richard R. Neubig, Anthony P. Davenport
Journal: Pharmacological Reviews (2009)

Trace amines such as <i>p</i>-tyramine and β-phenylethylamine are found endogenously as well as in the diet. Concomitant ingestion of these foodstuffs with monoamine oxidase inhibitors may result in the hypertensive crisis known as the "beer, wine, and cheese effect" attributed to their sympathomimetic action. Trace amines have been shown to act on one of a novel group of mammalian seven transmembrane spanning G protein-coupled receptors belonging to the rhodopsin superfamily, cloned in 2001. This receptor encoded by the human <i>TAAR1</i> gene is also present in rat and mouse genomes (<i>Taar1</i>) and has been shown to be activated by endogenous trace amine ligands, including <i>p</i>-tyramine and β-phenylethylamine. A number of drugs, most notably amphetamine and its derivatives, act as agonists at this receptor. This review proposes an official nomenclature designating TAAR1 as the trace amine 1 receptor following the convention of naming receptors after the endogenous agonist, abbreviated to TA<sub>1</sub> where necessary. It goes on to discuss briefly the significance of the receptor, agents acting upon it, its distribution, and currently hypothesized physiological and pathophysiological roles. In humans, a further five genes are thought to encode functional receptors (<i>TAAR2</i>, <i>TAAR5</i>, <i>TAAR6</i>, <i>TAAR8</i>, and <i>TAAR9</i>). <i>TAAR3</i> seems to be a pseudogene in some individuals but not others. <i>TAAR4</i> is a pseudogene in humans, but occurs with <i>TAAR3</i> as a functional gene in rodents. Nine further genes are present in rats and mice. The endogenous ligands are not firmly established but some may respond to odorants consistent with their expression in olfactory epithelium.
Safety of Cabazitaxel + Prednisone (Cbz + P) in Patients (Pts) with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (Mcrpc) Previously Treated with Docetaxel (Doc): Cohort Compassionate-Use Programme (Cup)
Authors: A. Heidenreich, H. Scholz, H. Ozen, C. Pripatnanont, I.M. van Oort, W.R. Gerritsen, E. Efstathiou, J.A. Rinck, J. Lee, A. Boumessous, Z. Su, S. Hitier, A. Ardavanis
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2014)