tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
PWE-169 Analysis of faecal volatiles from young children infected with and without rotavirus: Abstract PWE-169 Figure 1
Authors: H Al-Kateb, N Cunliffe, B deLacy Costello, C Probert, N Ratcliffe
Journal: Gut (2012)

<h3>Introduction</h3> Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea among infants and young children. Rotavirus is usually an easily managed disease of childhood, but worldwide nearly 500 000 children under 5 years of age still die from rotavirus infection each year and almost two million more become severely ill. Rotavirus A (responsible for about 90% of infections) is typically diagnosed by finding the virus in the child9s stool by enzyme immunoassay. This study was undertaken to expand our knowledge of VOCs from the stool of children and assess whether rotavirus causes easily measurable changes in the gut chemistry of infected young children. <h3>Methods</h3> The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the stool of 53 children from Malawi (26 non-infected children with an unspecified GI problem and 27 rotavirus children diagnosed with the virus) were analysed using Headspace Trap-GC/MS. The faecal samples were placed in headspace vials and were heated from frozen to 90°C. The VOC9s were preconcentrated and focused prior to GC/MS analysis. Those VOCs were identified by comparing their mass spectra with those contained in the NIST/EPA/NIH Mass Spectral Database. <h3>Results</h3> A total of 186 different compounds have so far been identified. Of the 53 stool samples ethanol was found in 69% and 63% samples respectively between the non and infected classes, which contrasts with previous work where ethanol was found in all healthy adult and all healthy neonate stool. This could be due to the more dilute stool due to diarrhoea. Carbon disulphide has previously been found to be ubiquitous in healthy adult stool, again the frequency was much less at 27% and 22% respectively. In contrast the majority of samples contained ethanoic acid, with more samples in the rotavirus group. There were very little differences in the frequency (ca. 92%) and abundance of ethanol in both sample classes, curiously ethanol has been previously shown to be present in all adult samples and absent in neonates. In contrast 2,3-butanedione and other aldehydes were significantly present both at greater frequency and typically at higher concentrations in rotavirus samples compared to non-rota samples, see Abstract PWE-169 figure 1. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Very little work has been published on volatile compounds from stool in particular from the stool of children, this work adds to this knowledge. Some compounds such as ethanol were found in approx. equal amounts in the diarrhoea of infected and non-infected stool, however in general there was a greater frequency and abundance of VOCs in the rota infected samples, particularly of aldehydes and 2,3-butandione. <h3>Competing interests</h3> None declared.
A non-peptide AT2 receptor agonist attenuates clinical and histological signs in murine collagen-induced arthritis
Authors: Bettina Sehnert, Georg Schett, Reinhard E Voll, Ulrike M Steckelings
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2012)

<h3>Background and objectives</h3> The renin-angiotensin system is known to play a critical role in inflammation, fibrosis, and end-organ damage. Nevertheless, anti-inflammatory, antifibrotic and antiapoptotic features regulated by angiotensin II type 2 receptor (At2R) signalling are increasingly discussed. Compound 21 (C21) is the first non-peptide AT2 receptor agonist that stimulates selectively the AT2 receptor without affecting the AT1 receptor. This study was designed to examine the impact of C21 on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) to investigate if AT2 receptor agonists might represent promising candidates for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. <h3>Materials and methods</h3> Daily treatment with C21 was started 20 days after CIA induction prior to the onset of clinical symptoms by intraperitoneally injections. Etanercept was used as a positive control. Mice were monitored daily starting from day 20 after immunisation for signs of arthritis in the hind and front paws by two independent observers. The clinical severity of arthritis was quantified according to a graded scale (0–4) for each paw and expressed as mean score of all four paws. After sacrificing the mice at day 45 the hind paws were fixed in 4% formalin then decalcified with EDTA and embedded in paraffin for histological analysis. H&amp;E, toluidine blue and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase stained sections were graded on a scale from 0–3. TH1 cytokines and Tregs were analysed by a multiplex assay using flow cytometry. <h3>Results</h3> C21 administered intraperitonially starting 20 days after CIA induction suppressed clinical symptoms on day 45 (p&lt;0.05) compared to the PBS group. The effect of C21 on joint swelling was comparable to Etanercept which the authors used as a positive control. Analysing the cumulative incidence, a slower development of the disease was detected in C21 treated mice. Histological scores of the hind paws showed lower numbers of inflammatory cells (p&lt;0.01) and milder cartilage degradation (p&lt;0.01), whereas no significant difference was detectable on bone destruction. Antimouse CII IgG2a levels did not differ significantly between the groups. A trend was observed towards a decrease in IL-1α concentrations after C21 treatment. Furthermore, C21 treated CIA-mice showed an increased number of CD4+Foxp3+cells. <h3>Discussion</h3> C21 attenuates clinical and histological signs in established CIA. The expansion of the relative number of CD4+Treg cells might be responsible for the observed anti-inflammatory effect induced by C21. Nevertheless, further experiments are required to characterise the underlying mechanisms. As C21 does not seem to exhibit severe side-effects it might become an attractive candidate for arthritis therapy.
Abstract 1819: Over-expression of PIM1 kinase contributes to CYP24A1 gene up-regulation in prostate cancer.
Authors: Wei Luo, Mikhail Chernov, Yingyu Ma, Candace Johnson, Donald Trump
Journal: Cancer Research (2013)

Abstract The traditional role of vitamin D is in the control of calcium homeostasis and bone mineralization. Over the past 2 decades, studies have demonstrated that vitamin D is useful for the prevention and treatment of various cancers. 24-hydroxylase, encoded by CYP24A1 gene, is the key enzyme which inactivates vitamin D. Increased expression of CYP24A1 has been found in several human tumors. CYP24A1 is regulated directly by 1,25(OH)2D3 (1,25D3) through genomic signaling. Studies have revealed that protein kinase signaling pathways may also be involved in the regulation of CYP24A1 expression. By screening a chemical compound library, we discovered that small chemical compounds with inhibitory activity toward protein kinases including PIM1 and HIPK2 inhibited CYP24A1 expression. Furthermore, siRNA-mediated PIM1 knockdown reduced 1,25D3-induced CYP24A1 mRNA and protein expression in human prostate cancer PC3 cells. In contrast, HIPK2 knockdown had no effect. The serine/threonine kinase PIM1 has been implicated as an oncogene in various human cancers including lymphomas, gastric, colorectal and prostate carcinomas. We analyzed mRNA expression of CYP24A1 and PIM1 in 26 case-matched pairs of human benign and malignant prostate by qRT-PCR. CYP24A1 expression was increased in 6 out of 26 malignant prostate samples compared to benign lesions (&amp;gt; 1.5 fold). PIM1 expression was increased in 10 out of 26 malignant prostate samples compared to benign lesions (&amp;gt; 1.5 fold). Five of the 6 samples with increased CYP24A1 in malignant lesions also had increased PIM1 expression. Fisher's exact test shows that increased CYP24A1 expression is significantly associated with increased PIM1 expression in malignant prostate (P = 0.0184). These data indicate that PIM1 may be involved in increased CYP24A1 expression in prostate cancer. This study was supported by NIH/NCI grants 5R01CA067267 and 5R01CA095045. Citation Format: Wei Luo, Mikhail Chernov, Yingyu Ma, Candace Johnson, Donald Trump. Over-expression of PIM1 kinase contributes to CYP24A1 gene up-regulation in prostate cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1819. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1819
P15.17 * PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT BY MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKER IS BENEFICIAL FOR PATIENTS WITH MALIGN BRAIN TUMORS
Authors: M. Grontoft, M. Westermark, S. Hylin, G. Stragliotto
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2014)

The Karolinska University Hospital (KS) in Solna has northern Stockholm as the catchment area where approximately 100 persons a year are afflicted by malign brain tumors. We present here the psychosocial part of our treatment program from the beginning of 2011. Two medical social workers are directly participating in the neuro-oncology team and will meet all new patients diagnosed with brain tumor. The partner, children, parents and siblings of the patients are also offered support. Since 2010, children under 18 years that have one parent with neurologic disease, have right, by law, to individual psychosocial support. The aim of the medical psychosocial work is to facilitate the coping with life for these patients and their families in order for them to manage this chronic and lethal disease. The social workers assignments include crisis processing, information and support when meeting the welfare system. The patients and/or their families in the treatment program (2011-2013) have expressed great appreciation about their meetings with the social workers. They experienced of particular benefit that the social workers also have knowledge about their specific disease (brain tumor) and symptoms. The whole neuro-oncology team benefits of this privileged relation, that can often reduce the pressure on the other specialties (ie physicians and specialized nurses). The conclusion is that all patients and/or families have a need for psychosocial support.
The seahorse, the almond, and the night-mare: Elaborative encoding during sleep-paralysis hallucinations?
Authors: Todd A Girard
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2013)

Abstract Llewellyn's proposal that rapid eye movement (REM) dreaming reflects elaborative encoding mediated by the hippocampus (“seahorse”) offers an interesting perspective for understanding hallucinations accompanying sleep paralysis (SP; “night-mare”). SP arises from anomalous intrusion of REM processes into waking consciousness, including threat-detection systems mediated by the amygdala (“almond”). Unique aspects of SP hallucinations offer additional prospects for investigation of Llewellyn's theory of elaborative encoding.
Abstract 165: MicroRNA-29c expression as a new prognostic marker for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Koichi Kinoshita, Masayuki Watanabe, Hidenobu Kamohara, Yohei Tanaka, Junji Kurashige, Seiya Saito, Ryuichi Karashima, Kotaro Hirashima, Yu Imamura, Yohei Nagai, Shiro Iwagami, Masaaki Iwatsuki, Naoko Hayashi, Hideo Baba
Journal: Cancer Research (2011)

Abstract Introduction and Objective: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-cording RNAs that act at the posttranscriptional level to control gene expression in virtually every biological process, including oncogenesis. Lately, the discovery of miRNAs in cancer patients opened up the exciting prospective of using miRNAs as powerful cancer biomarkers. We screened miRNAs which would become the prognostic factor in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients and performed validation about miRNAs identified by screening. Matherial and Method: Tissues of ESCC and the matched normal counterparts were obtained from surgical specimens after resection from patients undergoing primary surgical treatment of ESCC. Total RNAs were obtained from the archive of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues using the RecoverAll Total Nucleic Acid Isolation kit for FFPE (Ambion) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Here, we investigated 45 miRNAs expression levels and prognosis in 20 patients with ESCC and assessed by reverse transcription-PCR analysis of the endogenous control RNU6B. About miRNAs which was significant difference for prognosis, we examined a correlation with the clinicopathologic factors including gender, age, TNM stage, vessel invasion and presence of recurrence with 65 ESCC patients. Result: MiR-29c was identified to have an influence on prognosis. We re-analyzed the miR-29c expression level in 65 ESCC samples and investigated the various clinicopathological factors associated with miR-29c expression. The venous invasion and presence of recurrence were significantly correlated with high expression of miR-29c(p&amp;lt;0.05). The Kaplan-Meier analyze showed that, high expression level of miR-29c was found to be correlated with a low overall survival rate(p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusion: Our results suggest that the miR-29c overexpression might be a poor prognotic factor and miR-29c acts as an oncomir associated with the development and progression of ESCC. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 165. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-165
Abstract 3873: Genetic and epigenetic determinants of outcome in locally advanced head-and-neck cancer
Authors: Cristiana Lo Nigro, Milena Gasco, Daniela Vivenza, Laura Lattanzio, Martino Monteverde, Alberto Comino, Nelofer Syed, Tim Crook, Marco Merlano
Journal: Cancer Research (2011)

Abstract Despite improved outcome, optimal protocols of combined modality treatments have not been identified in advanced Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Nor has it been established which subgroup of patients will benefit from integrated treatments. Because of the significant treatment-related toxicity, it is critical to design treatments according to molecular predictors in order to maximise therapeutic anti-tumour effect and minimise toxicity. We have investigated the potential utility of candidate predictive biomarkers in a large, homogenous cohort of patients treated in our centre. One-hundred-eighty-three paraffin-embedded specimens were obtained from 160 patients (136 males and 24 females, median age 0 58 years) with stage III-IV, locally advanced, unresectable HNSCC collected at S. Croce General Hospital since1999. All patients were treated with radical, cisplatin-based, chemo-radiotherapy regimens. P53 mutations in exons 4-10, polymorphism P72R in p53 gene and MDM2 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 309 were analysed by sequencing and pyrosequencing. EGFR expression and HPV status were determined by ICH. Methylation in the CpG island of Dab-2 and DUPS2 was analyzed both by MSP and pyrosequencing. We previously showed that a functional SNP in the apoptosis signalling domain of p53 influences clinical response of HNSCC to chemotherapy. We now have investigated the hypothesis that, in addition to molecular genetic determinants, methylation profiling can identify distinct subtypes of HNSCC. p53 mutations were found in 48.5% of samples. Distribution of alleles at codon 72 in p53 was as follows: RR = 50%, RP = 40%, PP = 10%. Distribution of alleles MDM2 SNP309 was: TT =35%, TG = 43%, GG = 22%. Methylation in the Dab-2 and DUPS2 CpG islands was present in 35% and 31%, respectively. We are currently correlating these data with objective response rate, progression-free survival and overall survival. The final statistical analysis will be presented. We report the incidence of mutations, SNPs and epigenetic profiling in specific genes in HNSCC. We shall identify correlations with clinical outcome parameters. The project was partially supported by AIRC grant to M.G. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3873. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3873
Detection of Extensive Melorheostosis on Bone Scintigram Performed for Suspected Metastases
Authors: Luke I. Sonoda, Mohamed Y. Halim, Kottekkattu K. Balan
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (2011)

Melorheostosis is a rare but benign disorder characterized by asymmetric osteosclerotic dysplasia. Radiographic appearances are characteristic and described as "melting wax flowing down a candle." This disorder may involve more than one bone contiguously across the joints following a sclerotomal distribution. It is often asymptomatic but occasionally presents with pain and contractures. The authors report accidental detection of bilateral upper and lower limb melorheostosis in an elderly woman with the history of breast cancer and recent onset of low back pain, which was referred for a bone scintigram for suspected metastases. The images showed bilateral femoral and tibial melorheostosis, which was subsequently confirmed on plain radiograph and by clinical follow-up.
A champion for medicine’s humanity
Authors: Fiona Godlee
Journal: BMJ (2016)

“Man’s inhumanity to man, Makes countless thousands mourn,” wrote Robert Burns in 1784. Evidence of that inhumanity is all around us, in reports from the world’s war zones, the refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe, and closer to home wherever we are. This week, with the annual celebration of Burns’s birthday, we also celebrate your support for a charity whose volunteers provide healthcare to vulnerable people suffering the effects of inhumanity.

Doctors of the World is part of the global Medecins du Monde network, which runs …
Gottron's Papules and Dermatomyositis
Authors: Aranzazu Garcia-Cruz, Ignacio Garcia-Doval
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2010)

A 10-year-old boy was referred to the dermatology department with a 1-year history of what appeared to be extensive warts on both hands. On physical examination, multiple hyperkeratotic, erythematous, flat papules with central atrophy were present on the dorsum of the metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints (Panel A). A skin-biopsy specimen showed acanthosis, hyperkeratosis with focal vacuolar alteration of the basal-cell layer, and perivascular inflammatory infiltrates, findings that were consistent with Gottron's papules. The patient also had discrete facial heliotrope erythema (Panel B). He reported having no history of weakness, and the muscle-strength examination was normal. Laboratory evaluation revealed an elevated . . .
A2.22 Microrna-31 modulates the expression of mobility related genes and the motility of T helper 1 lymphocytes
Authors: M Bardua, C Haftmann, Z Fang, A Buttgereit, M Mcgrath, K Westendorf, P Maschmeyer, H Radbruch, HD Chang, N Rajewsky, A Radbruch, MF Mashreghi
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2016)

<h3>Background and objectives</h3> MiR-31 is upregulated in repeatedly activated Th1 and in effector/memory Th lymphocytes isolated from the synovial fluid of patients suffering from rheumatic joint diseases. Several respective miR-31 targets are downregulated and essential for the cytoskeletal rearrangement of repeatedly activated Th1 cells. This suggests that miR-31 regulates the motility and immobilises proinflammatory Th1 cells in inflamed tissues. <h3>Materials and methods</h3> Assuming that Th cells involved in chronic inflammation have a history of repeated stimulation by autoantigens, we have <i><i>in vitro</i></i> generated four times activated Th1 cells. We have determined the transcriptomes and the migratory behaviour of these cells after Antagomir mediated miR-31 knockdown by using microarrays and <i><i>in vitro</i></i> transwell migration assays. For the identification of potential direct targets we have applied the target prediction algorithm TargetScan. In order to determine the putative function of miR-31 in proinflammatory Th1 cells a gene set enrichment (GSE) analysis of the obtained transcriptome data after miR-31 knockdown was performed. <h3>Results</h3> Specific inhibition of miR-31 in repeatedly activated Th1 cells promoted their migration up to 30% in a transwell migration assay. In sum, we have identified 283 differentially expressed genes in repeatedly activated Th1 cells after treatment with a miR-31 specific or an unspecific Antagomir for 36, 48 and 72 h. The GSE analysis revealed an enrichment of genes, which regulate cell-intrinsic and extrinsic pathways involved in motility and tissue localization. Among the putative direct targets we found <i>actin binding LIM Protein 1</i> (Ablim1), <i>Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/Tryptophan 5-Monooxygenase Activation Protein Epsilon</i> (Ywhae), <i>actin gamma 1</i> (Actg1), <i>actin beta</i> (Actb), <i>Lamellipodin</i> (Raph1), <i>T-cell lymphoma invasion and metastasis-inducing protein 1</i> (TIAM1) and <i>Ras homolog gene family, member A</i> (RhoA). From these genes, we could verify the upregulation of Actg1, Actb, Raph1 and RhoA after 48 to 72 h of Antagomir-31 treatment from 1.2 to 3 fold using quantitative RT-PCR. <h3>Conclusion</h3> We show that miR-31 restricts the motility of repeatedly activated Th1 cells <i><i>in vitro</i></i> most likely by repressing genes involved in cytoskeletal rearrangement. MiR-31 might represent a molecular switch important for the persistence of proinflammatory Th cells in inflamed tissues.
THE PLANTAR REFLEX IN EPILEPSY, WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE BABINSKI PHENOMENON.
Authors: J. M. KENISTON
Journal: JAMA (1903)

There is a wide diversity of opinion among writers and observers as to the nature and variety of the reflexes in epilepsy with brief, if any, allusion to the plantar reflex, which apparently either escaped observation or was not recorded until within a comparatively recent period. I find no reference to the subject by Gray or Dercum. Dana<sup>1</sup>says: "Immediately after the attack there is a temporary exhaustive paralysis with loss of knee-jerk." Hare<sup>2</sup>says: "Reflexes are decreased or lost in epilepsy immediately after an attack." Osler<sup>3</sup>states that "after the attack the reflexes are sometimes absent; more frequently they are increased and the ankle clonus can generally be obtained." Strümpell<sup>4</sup>says: "The cutaneous reflexes are still suspended directly after an attack; but the tendon reflexes are generally somewhat exaggerated, although sometimes they are diminished or absent." Gowers<sup>5</sup>states that "for a few seconds after a severe fit reflex action