tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Impact of Iron Deficiency Anemia on Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Terence T. Lao, Lai-Fong Ho
Journal: Diabetes Care (2004)

OBJECTIVE—Increased Hb and ferritin have been associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). This study was performed to determine whether the prevalence of GDM is influenced by iron deficiency anemia. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—In a retrospective case-control study, 242 women with iron deficiency anemia (Hb &amp;lt;10 g/dl with features of iron deficiency) were compared with 484 nonanemic women matched for year of birth, who were delivered within the same 24-month period in our hospital, with respect to maternal demographics, infant outcome, and the prevalence of GDM diagnosed according to the World Health Organization criteria. RESULTS—There was no difference in the prepregnancy weight or BMI, but the anemic group had more multiparas and significantly lower gestational weight and BMI increments and prevalence of GDM (odds ratio [OR] 0.52, 95% CI 0.27–0.97), which was inversely correlated (P = 0.045) with the duration of anemia. To determine the independent effect of anemia on GDM, multiple logistic regression analysis was performed adjusting for the effects of multiparity and BMI, and anemia was confirmed to be significantly associated with decreased prevalence of GDM (adjusted OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.23–0.90). CONCLUSIONS—The prevalence of GDM is reduced in iron deficiency anemia, which probably served as a surrogate for other factors such as nutritional inadequacy and reduced gestational weight gain. Further studies on the relationship between nutritional improvement and the increasing prevalence of GDM in the developing world are warranted.
Liver failure during pregnancy
Authors: C E Eapen, B Ramakrishna, R Jose, G Loganathan, G Chandy
Journal: Gut (2007)

This is an introduction to the Gut tutorial “Liver failure during pregnancy” hosted on BMJ Learning—the best available learning website for medical professionals from the BMJ Group.

This module discusses the clinical management of acute liver failure occurring in pregnancy. Early recognition of possible causes and prompt treatment are crucial for successful outcome. Differentiating pregnancy-related …
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition Prevents the Release of Monocytes From Their Splenic Reservoir in Mice With Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Florian Leuschner, Peter Panizzi, Isabel Chico-Calero, Won Woo Lee, Takuya Ueno, Virna Cortez-Retamozo, Peter Waterman, Rostic Gorbatov, Brett Marinelli, Yoshiko Iwamoto, Aleksey Chudnovskiy, Jose-Luiz Figueiredo, David E. Sosnovik, Mikael J. Pittet, Filip K. Swirski, Ralph Weissleder, Matthias Nahrendorf
Journal: Circulation Research (2010)

Monocytes recruited to ischemic myocardium originate from a reservoir in the spleen, and the release from their splenic niche relies on angiotensin (Ang) II signaling.Because monocytes are centrally involved in tissue repair after ischemia, we hypothesized that early angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor therapy impacts healing after myocardial infarction partly via effects on monocyte traffic.In a mouse model of permanent coronary ligation, enalapril arrested the release of monocytes from the splenic reservoir and consequently reduced their recruitment into the healing infarct by 45%, as quantified by flow cytometry of digested infarcts. Time-lapse intravital microscopy revealed that enalapril reduces monocyte motility in the spleen. In vitro migration assays and Western blotting showed that this was caused by reduced signaling through the Ang II type 1 receptor. We then studied the long-term consequences of blocked splenic monocyte release in atherosclerotic apolipoprotein (apo)E(-/-) mice, in which infarct healing is impaired because of excessive inflammation in the cardiac wound. Enalapril improved histologic healing biomarkers and reduced inflammation in infarcts measured by FMT-CT (fluorescence molecular tomography in conjunction with x-ray computed tomography) of proteolytic activity. ACE inhibition improved MRI-derived ejection fraction by 14% on day 21, despite initially comparable infarct size. In apoE(-/-) mice, ischemia/reperfusion injury resulted in larger infarct size and enhanced monocyte recruitment and was reversible by enalapril treatment. Splenectomy reproduced antiinflammatory effects of enalapril.This study suggests that benefits of early ACE inhibition after myocardial infarction can partially be attributed to its potent antiinflammatory impact on the splenic monocyte reservoir.
Injuries patterns among professional golfers: an international survey
Authors: Caroline Barclay, Sophie West, Qasim Shoaib, Dylan Morrissey, Ben Langdown
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2011)

Background Golf is a popular sport played worldwide. The majority of professional golfers work as teaching professionals based at golf clubs. All professional players spend numerous hours on the golf course, placing themselves at increased risk of injury. There have been no recent, large studies investigating injury patterns among male and female professional golfers. Objective To investigate the frequency, types and mechanism of injury sustained by male and female professional golfers and to compare injury patterns between touring and teaching professionals. Methods Injury data was analysed from 526 professional golfers recruited through the Professional Golfers Association database. A web based survey was conducted focusing on injury frequency, location and mechanism and any subsequent time or income loss. Results 70% of the study population were full time teaching or club professionals and 5% were full time touring players. Overall 66% had sustained an injury during their professional career and 31% had injured themselves within the last year. There were no significant gender differences (x 2 =0.25, P=0.62). The most frequently injured sites were lower back (44%), wrist (44%), elbow (23%), neck (20%) and shoulder (19%). Men were 2.5 times more likely to sustain a lower back injury than women (OR 2.53). There was no relationship between the number of hours spent playing golf and likelihood of injury (x 2 =17.30, p value=0.16). Most players took time out from playing golf (72%) and received physiotherapy following injury (83%). Conclusion The majority of professional golfers will sustain an injury at some point during their career. The back and wrist are the most commonly injured sites. There were no differences in the frequency or types of injury sustained by touring and teaching professional golfers.
In vivo expansion of HLA-B35 alloreactive T cells sharing homologous T cell receptors: evidence for maintenance of an oligoclonally dominated allospecificity by persistent stimulation with an autologous MHC/peptide complex.
Authors: A Steinle, C Reinhardt, P Jantzer, D J Schendel
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1995)

The nature of alloantigens seen by T lymphocytes, in particular the role of peptides in allorecognition, has been studied intensively whereas knowledge about the in vivo emergence, diversity, and the structural basis of specificity of alloreactive T cells is very limited. Here we describe human T cell clones that recognize HLA-B35 alloantigens in a peptide-dependent manner. TCR sequence analysis revealed that several of these allospecific clones utilize homologous TCR: they all express TCRAV2S3J36C1 and TCRBV4S1J2S7C2 chains with highly related CDR3 sequences. Thus peptide-specific alloreactivity is reflected in homologous CDR3 sequences in a manner similar to that described for T cells that recognize nominal peptide/self-MHC complexes. The in vivo frequency of this TCR specificity was studied in unstimulated PBL of the responding cell donor who was not sensitized against HLA-B35. The vast majority (approximately 75%) of the VA2S3J36 junctional regions obtained from two samples of PBL, isolated at a 9-yr interval, encode CDR3 identical or homologous to those of the functionally characterized HLA-B35 allospecific T cells. These data are most easily explained by a model of alloreactivity in which persistent or recurrent exposure to a foreign peptide/self-MHC complex led to the in vivo expansion and long-term maintenance of specific T cells that show fortuitous crossrecognition of an HLA-B35/peptide complex and dominate the alloresponse against HLA-B35.
Proactive Tobacco Cessation Outreach to Smokers of Low Socioeconomic Status
Authors: Jennifer S. Haas, Jeffrey A. Linder, Elyse R. Park, Irina Gonzalez, Nancy A. Rigotti, Elissa V. Klinger, Emily Z. Kontos, Alan M. Zaslavsky, Phyllis Brawarsky, Lucas X. Marinacci, Stella St Hubert, Eric W. Fleegler, David R. Williams
Journal: JAMA Internal Medicine (2014)

Widening socioeconomic disparities in mortality in the United States are largely explained by slower declines in tobacco use among smokers of low socioeconomic status (SES) than among those of higher SES, which points to the need for targeted tobacco cessation interventions. Documentation of smoking status in electronic health records (EHRs) provides the tools for health systems to proactively offer tobacco treatment to socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers.To evaluate a proactive tobacco cessation strategy that addresses sociocontextual mediators of tobacco use for low-SES smokers.This prospective, randomized clinical trial included low-SES adult smokers who described their race and/or ethnicity as black, Hispanic, or white and received primary care at 1 of 13 practices in the greater Boston area (intervention group, n = 399; control group, n = 308).We analyzed EHRs to identify potentially eligible participants and then used interactive voice response (IVR) techniques to reach out to them. Consenting patients were randomized to either receive usual care from their own health care team or enter an intervention program that included (1) telephone-based motivational counseling, (2) free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for 6 weeks, (3) access to community-based referrals to address sociocontextual mediators of tobacco use, and (4) integration of all these components into their normal health care through the EHR system.Self-reported past-7-day tobacco abstinence 9 months after randomization ("quitting"), assessed by automated caller or blinded study staff.The intervention group had a higher quit rate than the usual care group (17.8% vs 8.1%; odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.5-4.0; number needed to treat, 10). We examined whether use of intervention components was associated with quitting among individuals in the intervention group: individuals who participated in the telephone counseling were more likely to quit than those who did not (21.2% vs 10.4%; P < .001). There was no difference in quitting by use of NRT. Quitting did not differ by a request for a community referral, but individuals who used their referral were more likely to quit than those who did not (43.6% vs 15.3%; P < .001).Proactive, IVR-facilitated outreach enables engagement with low-SES smokers. Providing counseling, NRT, and access to community-based resources to address sociocontextual mediators among smokers reached in this setting is effective.clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01156610.
Psychosocial aspects of surrogate motherhood
Authors: Olga B.A. van den Akker
Journal: Human Reproduction Update (2006)

This review addresses the psychosocial research carried out on surrogacy triads (surrogate mothers, commissioning mothers and offspring) and shows that research has focused on a number of specific issues: attachment and disclosure to surrogate offspring; experiences, characteristics and motivations of surrogate mothers; and changes in profiles of the commissioning/intended mothers. Virtually all studies have used highly selected samples making generalizations difficult. There have been a notable lack of theory, no interventions and only a handful of longitudinal studies or studies comparing different populations. Few studies have specifically questioned the meaning of and need for a family or the influence and impact that professionals, treatment availability and financial factors have on the choices made for surrogate and intended mothers. Societal attitudes have changed somewhat; however, according to public opinion, women giving up babies still fall outside the acceptable remit. Surrogate and intended mothers appear to reconcile their unusual choice through a process of cognitive restructuring, and the success or failure of this cognitive appraisal affects people's willingness to be open and honest about their choices. Normal population surveys, on the contrary, are less accepting of third party reproduction; they have no personal need to reconsider and hence maintain their original normative cognitively consonant state.
A comparison of antibiotic-sterilized, stent-mounted pulmonary and aortic valve allografts in the mitral region of dogs
Authors: J. L. Monro, J. B. Gavin, B. G. Barratt-Boyes
Journal: Thorax (1974)

<b>Monro, J. L., Gavin, J. B., and Barratt-Boyes, B. G. (1974).</b><i>Thorax</i>, <b>29</b>, 323-328. <b>A comparison of antibiotic-sterilized, stent-mounted pulmonary and aortic valve allografts in the mitral region of dogs.</b> The mitral valves of 40 dogs were replaced with antibiotic-sterilized, stent-mounted semilunar valve allografts. Twenty grafts were pulmonary valves and 20 were aortic valves. Six dogs in each group died from causes related to the operation. All remaining dogs with pulmonary valve grafts died of causes related to the allograft itself (vegetative endocarditis (5), peripheral leak (1), cusp rupture (4), cusp shrinkage (4)). In the aortic valve group there were seven deaths from allograft endocarditis and one from a peripheral leak, but six dogs had competent allografts when sacrificed up to 12 months after surgery. It is concluded that the inherent strength and bulk of the aortic valve cusps make this valve a more suitable mitral valve replacement than the more delicate pulmonary valves.
CTLs are targeted to kill β cells in patients with type 1 diabetes through recognition of a glucose-regulated preproinsulin epitope
Authors: Ania Skowera, Richard J. Ellis, Ruben Varela-Calviño, Sefina Arif, Guo Cai Huang, Cassie Van-Krinks, Anna Zaremba, Chloe Rackham, Jennifer S. Allen, Timothy I.M. Tree, Min Zhao, Colin M. Dayan, Andrew K. Sewell, Wendy Unger, Jan W. Drijfhout, Ferry Ossendorp, Bart O. Roep, Mark Peakman
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2008)

The final pathway of β cell destruction leading to insulin deficiency, hyperglycemia, and clinical type 1 diabetes is unknown. Here we show that circulating CTLs can kill β cells via recognition of a glucose-regulated epitope. First, we identified 2 naturally processed epitopes from the human preproinsulin signal peptide by elution from HLA-A2 (specifically, the protein encoded by the A*0201 allele) molecules. Processing of these was unconventional, requiring neither the proteasome nor transporter associated with processing (TAP). However, both epitopes were major targets for circulating effector CD8+ T cells from HLA-A2+ patients with type 1 diabetes. Moreover, cloned preproinsulin signal peptide–specific CD8+ T cells killed human β cells in vitro. Critically, at high glucose concentration, β cell presentation of preproinsulin signal epitope increased, as did CTL killing. This study provides direct evidence that autoreactive CTLs are present in the circulation of patients with type 1 diabetes and that they can kill human β cells. These results also identify a mechanism of self-antigen presentation that is under pathophysiological regulation and could expose insulin-producing β cells to increasing cytotoxicity at the later stages of the development of clinical diabetes. Our findings suggest that autoreactive CTLs are important targets for immune-based interventions in type 1 diabetes and argue for early, aggressive insulin therapy to preserve remaining β cells.
IL‐8 and neutrophil elastase levels in the respiratory tract of infants with RSV bronchiolitis
Authors: M. Abu-Harb, F. Bell, A. Finn, W.H. Rao, L Nixon, D Shale, M.L. Everard
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1999)

The aim of this study was to determine whether interleukin (IL)-8 is released within the upper respiratory tract of infants during respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis and whether the large number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) present in the respiratory tract of these infants are contributing to the inflammation through release of inflammatory mediators. Twenty-seven infants with acute bronchiolitis were recruited during one winter epidemic and 20 infant control subjects were recruited from a cohort participating in a community-based vaccine study. Samples of airways fluid were obtained using nasal lavage. The lavage fluid was spun to remove the cells, and the supernatant was stored at -70 degrees C. The supernatants were subsequently assayed for the presence of IL-8, total human neutrophil elastase (HNE) and neutrophil elastase activity. In the children with bronchiolitis compared with control infants, elevated levels of IL-8 (median (range) 1.53 (0-153) versus 0 (0-5.6) ng x mL(-1)) HNE (136 (32-694) versus 14 (0-516) ng x mL(-1)) and elastase activity (4 (1-220) versus 1 (0-339) mU x mL(-1)) were found. These results indicate that interleukin-8 is released in the upper respiratory tract in response to respiratory syncytial virus infection and suggest that polymorphonuclear neutrophil products are playing an important role in the inflammatory response to respiratory syncytial virus infection in infants with acute bronchiolitis. This contrasts with the predominantly eosinophilic response evident in atopic upper and lower respiratory tract disease.
USP22 Regulates Oncogenic Signaling Pathways to Drive Lethal Cancer Progression
Authors: Randy S. Schrecengost, Jeffry L. Dean, Jonathan F. Goodwin, Matthew J. Schiewer, Mark W. Urban, Timothy J. Stanek, Robyn T. Sussman, Jessica L. Hicks, Ruth C. Birbe, Rossitza A. Draganova-Tacheva, Tapio Visakorpi, Angelo M. DeMarzo, Steven B. McMahon, Karen E. Knudsen
Journal: Cancer Research (2013)

Abstract Increasing evidence links deregulation of the ubiquitin-specific proteases 22 (USP22) deubitiquitylase to cancer development and progression in a select group of tumor types, but its specificity and underlying mechanisms of action are not well defined. Here we show that USP22 is a critical promoter of lethal tumor phenotypes that acts by modulating nuclear receptor and oncogenic signaling. In multiple xenograft models of human cancer, modeling of tumor-associated USP22 deregulation demonstrated that USP22 controls androgen receptor accumulation and signaling, and that it enhances expression of critical target genes coregulated by androgen receptor and MYC. USP22 not only reprogrammed androgen receptor function, but was sufficient to induce the transition to therapeutic resistance. Notably, in vivo depletion experiments revealed that USP22 is critical to maintain phenotypes associated with end-stage disease. This was a significant finding given clinical evidence that USP22 is highly deregulated in tumors, which have achieved therapeutic resistance. Taken together, our findings define USP22 as a critical effector of tumor progression, which drives lethal phenotypes, rationalizing this enzyme as an appealing therapeutic target to treat advanced disease. Cancer Res; 74(1); 272–86. ©2013 AACR.
Perinatal mortality in rural China: retrospective cohort study
Authors: Z. Wu
Journal: BMJ (2003)

<b>Objectives</b> To explore the use of local civil registration data to assess the perinatal mortality in a typical rural county in a less developed province in China, 1999-2000. <b>Design</b> Retrospective cohort study. Pregnancies in a cohort of women followed from registration of pregnancy to outcome of infant seven days after birth. <b>Setting</b> Routine family planning records in 20 rural townships in eastern China. <b>Subjects</b> 3697 pregnancies registered by the local family planning system during 1999. <b>Main outcome measures</b> Abortions, stillbirths, early neonatal mortality, perinatal mortality. <b>Results</b> Only three cases were lost to follow up. The average age of the women at pregnancy was 25.9 years. Three hundred and twelve pregnancies were aborted and 240 ended in miscarriage (total 552, 15%). The perinatal mortality rate was 69 per 1000 births, the rate of stillbirth was 24 per 1000 births, and the early neonatal mortality was 46 per 1000 live births. The early neonatal mortality was 29 in boys and 69 in girls per 1000 live births. The perinatal mortality rate increased notably with parity and was higher in townships having lower income per capita. <b>Conclusions</b> The family planning system at the most local level is a useful data source for studying perinatal mortality in rural China. The perinatal mortality rate in the study county was higher than previously reported for both rural and urban areas in China. The results by parity and sex of the infant raise concern over the impact of the one child policy.
Hailey–Hailey disease: the clinical features, response to treatment and prognosis
Authors: S M Burge
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (1992)

Fifty-eight individuals with Hailey-Hailey disease were studied to delineate the clinical features, response to treatment and prognosis. The disease generally presented between the second and fourth decades, but the morphology of lesions was varied and a delay in diagnosis was common. Nail changes have not been documented in previous studies of Hailey-Hailey disease, but asymptomatic longitudinal white bands were present in the fingernails in 71% of 38 patients examined and are a helpful physical sign. The disease is predominantly flexural. Friction and heat or sweating exacerbate the lesions and pain may limit physical activities. The prognosis was assessed in 27 patients with longstanding disease and the long-term outlook is generally good. Seventeen patients had improved and the disease was static in seven patients. Three patients deteriorated with age. Topical corticosteroids with or without added antibiotics were an effective treatment.
Factors associated with hip joint rotation in former elite athletes
Authors: Jyrki A Kettunen, Urho M Kujala, Heli Räty, Tapio Videman, Seppo Sarna, Olli Impivaara, Seppo Koskinen
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2000)

Objectives —To study factors associated with passive hip rotation range of motion (ROM) in former elite male athletes. Methods —Athletes were interviewed about hip pain, disability, lifetime occupational loading, and athletic training. The passive hip rotation was measured with a Myrin inclinometer in 117 former elite male long distance runners, soccer players, weight lifters, and shooters aged 45–68 years. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to detect hip osteoarthritis. Results —There were no differences in passive hip rotation ROM between the four athlete groups nor between diverging lifetime loading patterns associated with occupational or athletic activities. Among the subjects without hip osteoarthritis, hip pain, and hip disability according to a stepwise linear regression analysis, the only factor that was associated with the passive hip rotation ROM was body mass index (BMI), explaining about 21% of its variation. Subjects with high BMI had lower passive hip rotation ROM than those with low BMI. There was no right-left difference in the mean passive hip rotation ROM in subjects either with or without hip osteoarthritis as determined by magnetic resonance imaging. Nevertheless, hip rotation ROM was clearly reduced in a few hips with severe caput deformity. Conclusions —Long term loading appears to have no association with passive hip rotation ROM. On the other hand, the hip rotation value was lower in subjects with high BMI than in those with low BMI. A clear right-left difference in hip rotation was found only in those subjects who, according to our magnetic resonance imaging criteria, had severe hip osteoarthritis. These findings should be taken into account when hip rotation ROM is used in the clinical assessment of hip joints.