tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
IMPROVEMENT IN LEFT VENTRICULAR GLOBAL LONGITUDINAL STRAIN IS ASSOCIATED WITH IMPROVED OUTCOMES IN SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS FOLLOWING AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT
Authors: Rami Kafa, Kenya Kusunose, Andrew Goodman, Zoran Popovic, Roosha Parikh, Joseph Sabik, Lars Svensson, Brian Griffin, Milind Desai
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2015)
P04.24 * MUTATIONS OF THE TERT PROMOTER CORRELATE WITH ENHANCED TELOMERASE ACTIVATION AND PREDICT A WORSE PROGNOSIS IN PRIMARY GLIOBLASTOMA PATIENTS
Authors: S. Spiegl-Kreinecker, D. Loetsch, M. Laaber, J. Pichler, S. Weis, B. Ghanim, G. Webersinke, A. Olschowski, W. Berger
Journal: Neuro-Oncology (2014)

The stabilization of telomeres by upregulation of telomerase is compulsive for indefinite proliferation and cell immortalization therefore representing a main feature of malignant solid tumors, including gliomas. However, the mechanisms responsible for cancer-associated telomerase activation are not completely understood. Recently, defined mutations in the TERT promoter were identified in a variety of tumors, most frequent in primary glioblastomas (GBM). Presence of the mutations was associated with increased TERT expression. In the present study GBM derived tumor tissue from 126 patients operated at the Wagner Jauregg Hospital were screened for TERT promoter mutations. Subsequently the collected data were correlated with telomere associated parameters (telomerase activity, TERT mRNA expression, telomere lengths), the glioma biomarkers MGMT promoter methylation and IDH1 mutation as well as clinical parameters including patient survival. Using direct sequencing, the TERT promoter mutations (C228T, C250T) were found in 73% of tumors with predominance of C228T (72% of the mutated cases). Thirty-four (27%) samples contained none of the investigated TERT promoter mutations while mutations at both sites occurred in none of the investigated GBM cases. TERT promoter mutations were accompanied by a significant upregulation of telomerase activity (p = 0.0005) and TERT mRNA expression (p = 0.0004). Accordingly, telomere lengths of TERT promoter mutated tumors were significantly shorter compared to the TERT promoter wild-type subgroup (p = 0.001). Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analyses revealed a significantly shorter overall survival for GBM patients harbouring mutant tumors (p < 0.0001). In the multivariate Cox regression analysis TERT promoter mutation was found to have independent prognostic power (p = 0.049) but reached elevated significance in the interaction with age (p = 0.007). Accordingly, the prognostic quality of TERT promoter mutations was confined to the subgroup of patients aged younger than 65 years and completely absent in the older patient cohort. Significantly enhanced TERT mRNA expression and reduced telomere lengths in the aged patients were only observed in the subgroup lacking TERT promoter mutations. Summarizing, these results suggest that the negative prognostic value of TERT promoter mutation is restricted to patients of younger age further corroborating age-associated differences in the way of glioblastoma-associated telomere stabilization.
US Senate confirms Burwell as secretary of health
Authors: M. McCarthy
Journal: BMJ (2014)

In a 78 to 17 vote, the US Senate Thursday confirmed Sylvia Mathews Burwell as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. All the no votes were cast by Republicans, but 24 Republicans joined the majority voting for the nominee.

Burwell, 48, will replace outgoing Kathleen Sebelius, the former governor of Kansas who led the department during …
1283 MC2791, A SPECIFIC Sirt1 AGONIST DRUG, DECREASES LIPIDS AND REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES ACCUMULATION IN AN IN VITRO MODEL OF STEATOSIS IN DIFFERENTIATED HepaRG CELLS
Authors: N. Pediconi, S. Piconese, S. Valente, S. Di Cocco, D. Rotili, V. Barnaba, A. Mai, M. Levrero
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2013)
Abstract IA-21: Malignant progression and the stem-cell state
Authors: Robert A. Weinberg
Journal: Cancer Research (2009)

Abstract The process of invasion and metastasis represents a complex, multi-step succession of events that, when completed, enables a cancer cell to spawn a macroscopic, clinically detectable tumor. Given the complexity of this process, much effort has been expended in attempting to elucidate how cancer cells acquire the entire spectrum of cell-biological phenotypes that in aggregate are needed to negotiate the steps of the invasion-metastasis cascade, as it is often called. The discovery of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) program and its importance in conferring multiple malignancy-associated traits provides one solution to this puzzle, as the expression of one or more EMT-inducing transcription factors can serve to pleiotropically induce many of these cellular phenotypes. Indeed, the expression of these transcription factors may occur in primary tumors through the actions of paracrine signals that are received by carcinoma cells from the nearby tumor-associated stroma. Several years ago, we and others discovered that the product of the EMT program is not, as we had anticipated, a mesenchymal cell, but instead is a cell exhibiting many stem-cell properties and concomitantly expressing a variety of mesenchymal markers. Indeed, extension of this work now suggests that similar dynamics operate in both immortalized mammary epithelial cells and their transformed derivatives. This indicates that the EMT program not only enables cancer cells to physically disseminate, but in addition, because of the self-renewal potential associated with the stem-cell state, confers on these disseminated cells an ability to spawn the large number of cells forming a metastasis. Recent research has revealed that stem-like cells can also be found in cultures of mammary epithelial cells that have undergone various degrees of transformation. Of interest is the fact that these cells retain stem-cell-like properties for extended periods of time in culture. Moreover, non-stem-like cells in culture appear to be able to spontaneously convert into stem-cell-like derivatives, a process that appears to be accelerated by cell transformation. This raises the possibility that the typically depicted hierarchy of stem cells generating non-stem cells may need to be revised to accommodate the reversal of this process, that is a bidirectional trafficking between cells in the stem-cell and non-stem-cell compartments of a normal or neoplastic tissue. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(23 Suppl):IA-21.
Total occlusion of the esophagus following placement of an over-the-scope clip: an unusual complication, and how to solve it
Authors: Khanh Pham, Georg Dimcevski
Journal: Endoscopy (2016)

The over-the-scope clip (OTSC; Ovesco Endoscopy AG, Tübingen, Germany) has recently proven to be of great benefit for the closure of gastrointestinal defects, especially fistula following bariatric surgery [1]. Until recently, there were no good methods of removing the OTSC after unintended placement, but a newly developed dedicated cutter has proven to be efficient [2].
AB0844 Interplay between body mass index and brain natriuretic peptide in screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis
Authors: S.Y. Lee, W.T. Chung, S.W. Lee, C.W. Lee, E.J. Kang
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2013)

<h3>Background</h3> Systemic sclerosis (SSc) may lead to pulmonary artery hypertension. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a marker of cardiac failure, is a diagnostic marker of early pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with SSc. Obesity promotes a relative BNP deficiency because insulin resistance is associated with lower BNP level. So our aim was to analyzed affection of the body mass index (BMI) in level of BNP in screening for PAH in SSc <h3>Objectives</h3> To analyzed affection of BMI in level of BNP in screening for PAH in SSc <h3>Methods</h3> Between January 2010 and september 2011, outpatients referred to our unit and satisfying LeRoy criteria for SSc were assessed for PAH. Doppler echocardiography, BNP measurement, and BMI measurement were done concomitantly for a complete clinical, instrumental, and biochemical evaluation. Right-heart catheterization was carried out in cases of PAH <h3>Results</h3> Twenty-nine patients were enrolled (23 women, 6 men; 4 limited SSc, 25 diffuse SSc); precapillary PAH was found in 2 patients (0 limited SSc, 2 diffuse SSc). All subjects were divided into three group: Group A, BMI&lt;25 (n=25); Group B, BMI 25 to 30 (n=3), and Group C, BMI&gt;30 (n=1). Group A: increased with BNP. while BNP decreased in group C. The estimated PAP correlated with BNP (R =0.3; 95% CI 0.14–0.44) but not with BMI (R =0.7, 95% CI 0.14–1.45). BNP (p=0.032) and creatinine (p=0.049) were independent predictors of PAH, while BMI was not (p=0.50). <h3>Conclusions</h3> In our single-center study, Low BMI was correlation with high BNP in SSC. So BMI affected the level of BNP in PAH of SSC. <h3>References</h3> Prevalence of Exercise Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Scleroderma. Jose Luis Callejas-Rubio, Eduardo Moreno-Escobar, Pilar Martín de la Fuente, Lourdes Lόpez Pérez, Raquel Rios Fernández, Daniel Sánchez-Cano, José Pomares Mora, Norberto Ortego-Centeno, July 15 2008; J Rheumatol 2008;35:1812–6. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None Declared
UNRESTRICTED USE OF EVEROLIMUS- VERSUS SIROLIMUS-ELUTING STENTS IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
Authors: Kang-Yin Chen, Seung-Woon Rha, Yong-Jian Li, Guang-Ping Li, Amro Elnagar, Byoung Geol Choi, Sung il Im, Sunwon Kim, Jin Oh Na, Seongwoo Han, Seongwoo Han, Cheol Ung Choi, Hong Euy Lim, Jin Won Kim, Eung Ju Kim, Hong-Seog Seo, Chang Gyu Park, Dong Joo Oh, Myung Ho Jeong
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2012)
Needle Biopsy of the Parietal Pleura
Authors: Paul Heller, William F. Kellow, Bernhard Chomet
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1956)

CLINICAL analysis and the application of traditional laboratory methods1 usually enable a clinician to determine the cause of an "idiopathic pleural effusion," but considerable time may elapse before a diagnosis is definitely established. It has become a matter of good practice initially to consider such an effusion in a young person as a manifestation of tuberculosis, and in older patients as a sign of pleural involvement by neoplastic disease, and then to defer definite diagnosis until further observation has confirmed or invalidated these initial impressions. As far as tuberculosis is concerned, this practice appears to be justified by the fact . . .
P182 COPD: Is it all in vein?
Authors: E Sur
Journal: Thorax (2013)

<h3>Introduction &amp; Objectives</h3> In patients with COPD, an arterial blood gas (ABG) is considered the gold standard method of directly measuring serum pH, pO<sub>2</sub>, pO<sub>2</sub> and calculating bicarbonate (HCO<sub>3</sub>) levels. These values allow the assessment of a patient's acid base status and adequacy of ventilation and oxygenation. The aim of this study was to identify if a venous blood gas can accurately reflect an arterial blood gas in determining the ventilatory function of patients presenting with acute exacerbations of COPD. <h3>Methods</h3> This prospective observational study was conducted in a Scottish urban ED. All consecutive patients presenting with acute exacerbations of COPD were eligible. An ABG was taken from each patient, as deemed necessary by the treating physician, along with a venous gas at the time of venepuncture. Pearson9s correlation coefficient and Bland Altman analysis methods were used to identify correlation and agreement between the arterial and venous data sets. <h3>Results</h3> 68 paired samples were obtained over a two month period. Correlation was strong (r = 0.953) between arterial and venous pH. Bland Altman analysis showed an average difference (bias) of 0.017, with 95% limits of agreement (LOA's) of -0.052 to 0.087. Arterial and venous values for HCO<sub>3</sub> were also strongly correlated (r = 0.914). The agreement was -0.834mmol/l with 95% LOA's of -4.82 to 3.15 mmol/l. Despite arterial and venous pCO<sub>2</sub> strongly correlating (r = 0.973), the agreement bias was 4.66mmHg with 95% LOA's of -4.94 to 14.26 mmHg. Arterial hypercarbia, defined as pCO<sub>2 </sub>&gt; 45 mmHg, was present in 31 patients (46%). All cases of arterial hypercarbia were detected on venous blood gas sampling using a pCO<sub>2</sub> screening cut-off of 45mmHg. This was found to be 100% sensitive (95% CI 89–100%) and 86% specific (95% CI 71–95%). <h3>Conclusion</h3> There is a strong correlation between arterial and venous pH, pCO<sub>2</sub> and HCO<sub>3</sub>. Agreement between pH and HCO<sub>3</sub> is acceptable enough to substitute a venous blood gas value for an arterial blood gas value. However, venous pCO<sub>2</sub> does not agree with arterial pCO<sub>2</sub>, therefore cannot be substituted. A venous pCO<sub>2</sub> screening cut-off of 45 mmHg has 100% sensitivity in detecting arterial hypercarbia. Had a venous blood gas been performed initially, 47% of ABG's could be avoided in these patients.
Right hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm: rare complication of plastic biliary stent insertion
Authors: H. Inoue, S. Tano, R. Takayama, K. Nimomiya, K. Nishikawa, M. Katurahara, N. Horiki, Y. Takei
Journal: Endoscopy (2011)

A 68-year-old-woman was referred to our hospital because of obstructive jaundice. The patient had itching, but no abdominal pain, fever, or weight loss. Laboratory tests showed elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase (2035 U/L; normal 35 – 104 U/L), γ-glutamyltransferase (497 U/L; normal < 39 U/L), and bilirubin (16.8 mg/dL; normal < 1.2 mg/dL). C-reactive protein (1.35 mg/L; normal < 0.5 mg/L) and tumor antigen CA 19-9 (960.8 U/L; normal < 37 U/L) levels were slightly raised. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed enhanced wall thickening of the intrahepatic duct (IHD), the confluent portion, and the common hepatic duct (CHD), which was compatible with Klatskin's tumor, bismuth type IIIa. CT also revealed massive tumor invasion of the right hepatic artery ([Fig. 1]). We performed emergency endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and a plastic biliary stent (8.5 Fr, 10 cm) was inserted into the right hepatic bile duct. Cytological examination of the bile revealed a class V adenocarcinoma. After 20 days, the patient again had fever, jaundice, and tarry stool.
Unilateral Physiological FDG Uptake in Teres Minor Muscle Seems Well Associated With IV Tracer Injection Procedures
Authors: Koya Nakatani, Yuji Nakamoto, Kaori Togashi
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (2014)

FDG uptake in teres minor (TM) muscle is often physiologically observed. Here we reviewed data of 578 consecutive patients; TM uptake was observed in 138 patients-in 2 of 68 patients who were administered with FDG via a preexisting line and in 136 of 510 after on-site puncture. In 126 patients with TM uptake without unsuccessful on-site puncture, 78% of TM uptake sites were on the ipsilateral side of injection, 8% on the contralateral side, and 14% on both sides; Cohen κ coefficient was 0.815 when confined to unilateral uptake. Therefore, TM uptake seems well associated with tracer injection procedures.
GENDER DIFFERENCES DURING DIAGNOSIS AND EVOLUTION OF PROGRESSIVE TRICUSPID AORTIC STENOSIS IN WHITE PATIENTS WITHOUT CARDIAC CO-MORBIDITIES
Authors: Sinziana Seicean, Milind Desai, Andreea Seicean, Terrie-Ann Benjamin, Peyman Naji, Olcay Aksoy, Brian Griffin
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2015)
Comparative Assessment of Four Different Tl-201 Tumor Uptake Indices in the Evaluation of Brain Tumors
Authors: J J Zhang, S M Kim, D Andrews, C M Intenzo
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (1998)

The objective of this study was to determine which semiquantitative thallium-201 brain tumor index correlated best with clinical outcome. Fifty-two patients had Tl-201 brain single-photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) performed for the evaluation of recurrent brain tumor. A semi-quantitative tumor index was calculated utilizing four currently available techniques: 1) the ratio of average counts of the region of interest (ROI) in the lesion area and its mirror image in normal brain tissue, 2) the ratio of maximum counts of the region of interest in the lesion area and its average counts in the mirror image, 3) the ratio of maximum counts of the region of interest in the lesion area and its mirror image and 4) the ratio of the average counts of the region of interest in the lesion area and the region of interest of the scalp. A two-tailed Student's t test was performed. The mean value plus one standard deviation was used to assess the sensitivity and specificity correlated with clinical follow-up evaluation, defined as inactive or active at the time of brain SPECT by the referring neurosurgeons. Results of correlation coefficient, P value, mean, standard deviation, sensitivity, and specificity of each index using cutoff values were obtained. For those patients with recurrence or residual malignant tumor after therapy, the maximum count ratio index correlated best with clinical outcome. It provided a sensitivity of 92% and specificity of 88% in differentiating active from inactive brain tumors.
COMPARISON BETWEEN A NEW GRADING SCALE INCLUDING PLATELET FUNCTION TEST AND THE CURRENT BLEEDING SCALES IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE CORONARY SYNDROME USING PRASUGREL
Authors: Yongwhi Park, Jong-Hwa Ahn, Jin-Sin Koh, Jeong Rang Park, Seok Jae Hwang, Young-Hoon Jeong, Choong Hwan Kwak, Jinyong Hwang
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2015)
Abstract 3648: Nanofluidic technologies to define biological and response profile in neoadjuvant patients with ovarian cancer
Authors: Marisa Mariani, Cristiano Ferlini, Amanda Wilmot, Shohreh Shahabi
Journal: Cancer Research (2012)

Abstract Objectives: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is used in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer. In this study, we determined the impact of chemotherapy on gene and microRNA (miRNA), expression in ovarian cancer specimens using nanofluidic technology. We performed the validation of this technique by using RNA extraction from archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue. Molecular pathways involved in prediction of the outcome in neoadjuvant patients were analyzed. Methods: Seventy-eight patients with advanced ovarian cancer who were treated with primary surgical debulking versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy (15/78) were investigated. All patients were treated with Paclitaxel and Carboplatin. A chip 48.48 served to analyze a panel of 96 potential predictors of the outcome and response to chemotherapy. All the samples were normalized for multiple housekeeping genes and as consistent reference the ovarian cancer cell line A2780 was used. When needed for the analysis each factor was then categorized as high and low expression using the mean value as cutoff. Overall survival was analyzed using the methods of Kaplan and Meier and comparisons between groups by log-rank and Wilcoxon test. Results: We assessed the impact of neoadjuvant chemotherapy on the selected genes and microRNAs. Among the cell growth and proliferation genes MKI67, PLK1, PBK were reduced. Deactivation of the TUBB3 survival pathway, which was reduced while its negative regulator GNAI1 was increased. ERBB2 resulted downregulated in the neoadjuvant setting, while HGF and PTEN were increased. MicroRNAs expression broadly increased, with the only exception of miR-20a and miR-141. Patients exhibiting high levels of COL11A1 and PLK1 were poor performers, while the opposite occurred for GLI1. At the micro-RNA level the best predictors were miR-193a-5p, miR-375 and miR-20a. The poor performers (miR-193a-5p, miR-375) were featured by high levels of the micro-RNA while the opposite was evident for miR-20a. Conclusions: Use of the nanofluidic technology provides deeper insight into the specific roles of clinically relevant major molecular networks. Chemotherapy induced modification of genes and microRNA expression can be used as a model to develop future prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic modalities. Moreover, our findings suggest that neoadjuvant patients with ovarian cancer may benefit from biologic agent targeting HGF treatment. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3648. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3648
Abstract 1752: Prognostic significance of Aquaporin(AQP) expression in gastric and colorectal cancer
Authors: Soshi Osawa, Yutaka Shimada, Shinichi Sekine, Sawada Shigeaki, Shiro Kashima, Jyunya Fukuoka, Tomoyuki Okumura, Kazuhiro Tsukada
Journal: Cancer Research (2010)

Abstract Introduction : Aquaporins (AQPs) are a membrane proteins involved in water transport and have been found to be expressed in several cancers. We have already reported that AQP 5 expression is associated with differentiation for gastric cancer (J Physiol Science 2009). However, the role of AQP family expression has not been well evaluated yet. In this study, we examined the expression of AQP 1, 4, 5 and 8 in gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, and compared them with the clinico-pathological characteristics of the patients. Method : The expression of AQP1, 4, 5, and 8 was comprehensively examined by tissue microarray (TMA1150) that has been established in our hospital. The specimens of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer were obtained from the patients who receive an operation between 1993 to 2004. Clinico-pathological data were obtained from the patients’ medical records. After careful examination of two independent pathologists, the results were scored according to the intensity and the distribution. Finally, AQP expressions were compared to the clinical pathologic finding of the patients. Result : In stomach cancer, positivity of AQP1, 4, 5, and 8 expressions were 40.7% (22/54), 43.2% (19/44), 97.6% (41/42) and 18.2% (8/44) respectively. AQP4 positive patients have a significant better prognosis than that of negative patients (p=0.004) and low expression of AQP4 tended to relate to poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (p=0.07). However there was no significant difference between the prognosis, histological type, disease stage (TNM classification) and AQP1, 5, and 8 expressions. With regard to colorectal cancer, positivity of AQP1, 4, 5, and 8 expressions were 27.4% (20/73), 45.9% (34/74), 98.4% (61/62), and 76.4% (55/72) respectively. AQP4 positive patients tended to have a favorable prognosis (p=0.12), on the other hand AQP1 positive group tended to have a worse prognosis (p=0.06). There was the other relationship between low expression of AQP4 and N factor (p=0.04). Conclusion : AQP 1 and 4 expression have some roles in the progression of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer, however the role of AQP 5 and 8 are still unknown. Our findings suggested that AQP 1 and 4 may be a molecular target of gastric cancer and colorectal cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1752.