tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Studies Utilizing the Portable Electromagnetic Ballistocardiograph
Authors: HARRY MANDELBAUM, ROBERT A. MANDELBAUM
Journal: Circulation (1952)

Ballistocardiographic studies were done on 28 subjects with left bundle branch block and on 18 subjects with right bundle branch block. The influence of ventricular asynchronism, and the predominance of left or right ventricular disease, upon the derivation and interpretation of the ballistocardiogram, is discussed. The ballistocardiogram was found to be a valuable objective guide in the detection of subjects whose bundle branch block was not associated with significant heart disease. The ballistocardiogram also provided helpful confirmatory evidence of coronary artery or hypertensive heart disease when this was the suspected or certain diagnosis in subjects with bundle branch block.
COVID-19: home poisoning throughout the containment period
Authors: Gael Le Roux, Sandra Sinno-Tellier, Alexis Descatha
Journal: The Lancet Public Health (2020)

The world is facing a major pandemic situation, with more than 2 million confirmed cases and 139 000 related deaths, as of April 18, 2020.1 Although health systems have to deal with such disasters to decrease massive contaminations, several countries, such as France, have implemented containment measures.2,3 Poison control centres are—perhaps unexpectedly—being involved too in the COVID-19 outbreak as they are observing a change in the typology of the calls they receive, which is directly related to containment measures.
The role of community-wide wearing of face mask for control of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic due to SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Vincent Chi-Chung Cheng, Shuk-Ching Wong, Vivien Wai-Man Chuang, Simon Yung-Chun So, Jonathan Hon-Kwan Chen, Siddharth Sridhar, Kelvin Kai-Wang To, Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan, Ivan Fan-Ngai Hung, Pak-Leung Ho, Kwok-Yung Yuen
Journal: Journal of Infection (2020)

BackgroundFace mask usage by the healthy population in the community to reduce risk of transmission of respiratory viruses remains controversial. We assessed the effect of community-wide mask usage to control coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).MethodsPatients presenting with respiratory symptoms at outpatient clinics or hospital wards were screened for COVID-19 per protocol. Epidemiological analysis was performed for confirmed cases, especially persons acquiring COVID-19 during mask-off and mask-on settings. The incidence of COVID-19 per million population in HKSAR with community-wide masking was compared to that of non-mask-wearing countries which are comparable with HKSAR in terms of population density, healthcare system, BCG vaccination and social distancing measures but not community-wide masking. Compliance of face mask usage in the HKSAR community was monitored.FindingsWithin first 100 days (31 December 2019 to 8 April 2020), 961 COVID-19 patients were diagnosed in HKSAR. The COVID-19 incidence in HKSAR (129.0 per million population) was significantly lower (p<0.001) than that of Spain (2983.2), Italy (2250.8), Germany (1241.5), France (1151.6), U.S. (1102.8), U.K. (831.5), Singapore (259.8), and South Korea (200.5). The compliance of face mask usage by HKSAR general public was 96.6% (range: 95.7% to 97.2%). We observed 11 COVID-19 clusters in recreational 'mask-off' settings compared to only 3 in workplace 'mask-on' settings (p = 0.036 by Chi square test of goodness-of-fit).ConclusionCommunity-wide mask wearing may contribute to the control of COVID-19 by reducing the amount of emission of infected saliva and respiratory droplets from individuals with subclinical or mild COVID-19.
<i>Notes from the Field:</i> Multiple Cruise Ship Outbreaks of Norovirus Associated with Frozen Fruits and Berries — United States, 2019
Authors: Jared R. Rispens, Amy Freeland, Beth Wittry, Adam Kramer, Leslie Barclay, Jan Vinjé, Aimee Treffiletti, Keisha Houston
Journal: MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (2020)

This investigation highlights the importance of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) surveillance at sea to identify contaminated foods at sea not yet implicated on land and to prevent transmission of AGE illness through U.S. ports.
The conundrum of COVID-19 treatment targets: the close correlation with rheumatology. Response to: ‘Management of rheumatic diseases in the time of covid-19 pandemic: perspectives of rheumatology pracitioners from India’ by Gupta <i>et al</i> and ‘Antirheumatic agents in covid-19: is IL-6 the right target?’ by Capeechi <i>et al</i>
Authors: Sara Monti, Carlomaurizio Montecucco
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2020)

We thank Capecchi et al 1 for their comment on our paper. The authors suggested that interleukin 6 (IL-6) represents the key cytokine responsible for the majority of pulmonary and cardiovascular complications of COVID-19. Similarly, we have received a comment from Gupta et al 2 who reported the management of rheumatological treatments during COVID-19 pandemic among practitioners in India, revealing that choices were apparently made according to the beliefs on the possible relationships between drug mechanism of action and effect on the viral infection. Both correspondence comments highlighted some striking similarities with changes seen in rheumatological conditions such as the systemic effects of chronic inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis, or laboratory findings resembling macrophage activation syndrome, and argued on the potential applications of rheumatological targeted therapies in this new context, especially …
Abstract 11802: Low-intensity Pulsed Ultrasound Ameliorates Cardiac Diastolic Dysfunction in Mice -a Potential Novel Therapeutic Strategy for Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction-
Authors: Yuto Monma, Tomohiko Shindo, Ryo Kurosawa, Sadamitsu Ichijo, Takashi Nakata, Ayana Matsumoto, Haruka Sato, Masahito Miura, Hiroaki Shimokawa
Journal: Circulation (2019)

Background: We have previously demonstrated that low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) ameliorates LV systolic dysfunction caused by myocardial infarction or pressure-overload in mice. In the cur...
Efficacy of oral ondansetron in acute FPIES: A case series of 6 patients
Authors: Sebastien Le, Delphine de Boissieu, Nicolas Garcelon, Florence Lageix, Hélène Bodilis, Albanne Branellec, Chantal Karila, Hassan Faour, Christophe Delacourt, Guillaume Lezmi
Journal: Allergy (2020)
Ex vivo limb perfusion for traumatic amputation in military medicine
Authors: Alexander Kaltenborn, Nicco Krezdorn, Sebastian Hoffmann, André Gutcke, Kirsten Haastert-Talini, Peter M. Vogt, Axel Haverich, Bettina Wiegmann
Journal: Military Medical Research (2020)

Abstract Background Limb loss has a drastic impact on a patient’s life. Severe trauma to the extremities is common in current military conflicts. Among other aspects, “life before limb” damage control surgery hinders immediate replantation within the short post-traumatic timeframe, which is limited in part by the ischemic time for successful replantation. Ex vivo limb perfusion is currently being researched in animal models and shows promising results for its application in human limb replantation and allotransplantation. Presentation of the hypothesis The current lack of replantation possibilities in military operations with high rates of amputation can be addressed with the development of a portable ex vivo limb perfusion device, as there are several opportunities present with the introduction of this technique on the horizon. We hypothesize that ex vivo limb perfusion will enable overcoming the critical ischemic time, provide surgical opportunities such as preparation of the stump and limb, allow for spare-part surgery, enable rigorous antibiotic treatment of the limb, reduce ischemia-reperfusion injuries, enable a tissue function assessment before replantation, and enable the development of large limb transplant programs. Testing the hypothesis Data from in vivo studies in porcine models are limited by the relatively short perfusion time of 24 h. In the military setting, notably longer perfusion times need to be realized. Therefore, future animal studies must focus especially on long-term perfusion, since this represents the military setting, considering the time for stabilization of the patient until evacuation to a tertiary treatment center. Implications of the hypothesis The development and clinical introduction of ex vivo limb perfusion in the military setting could lead to a drastic reduction in the number of limb amputations among service members. Ex vivo limb perfusion enables replantation surgery in Role 4 facilities and changes the clinical setting from a highly urgent, life-threatening situation to a highly methodical, well-prepared starting point for optimal treatment of the wounded service member. With its introduction, the principle of “life before limb” will change to “life before limb before elective replantation/allotransplantation after ex vivo limb perfusion”.
Environmental fungal sensitisation associates with poorer clinical outcomes in COPD
Authors: Pei Yee Tiew, Fanny Wai San Ko, Sze Lei Pang, Sri Anusha Matta, Yang Yie Sio, Mau Ern Poh, Kenny J.X. Lau, Micheál Mac Aogáin, Tavleen Kaur Jaggi, Fransiskus Xaverius Ivan, Nicolas E. Gaultier, Akira Uchida, Daniela I. Drautz-Moses, Huiying Xu, Mariko Siyue Koh, David Shu Cheong Hui, Augustine Tee, John Arputhan Abisheganaden, Stephan C. Schuster, Fook Tim Chew, Sanjay H. Chotirmall
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2020)

Introduction Allergic sensitisation to fungi such as Aspergillus are associated to poor clinical outcomes in asthma, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis; however, clinical relevance in COPD remains unclear. Methods Patients with stable COPD (n=446) and nondiseased controls (n=51) were prospectively recruited across three countries (Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong) and screened against a comprehensive allergen panel including house dust mites, pollens, cockroach and fungi. For the first time, using a metagenomics approach, we assessed outdoor and indoor environmental allergen exposure in COPD. We identified key fungi in outdoor air and developed specific-IgE assays against the top culturable fungi, linking sensitisation responses to COPD outcomes. Indoor air and surface allergens were prospectively evaluated by metagenomics in the homes of 11 COPD patients and linked to clinical outcome. Results High frequencies of sensitisation to a broad range of allergens occur in COPD. Fungal sensitisation associates with frequent exacerbations, and unsupervised clustering reveals a “highly sensitised fungal predominant” subgroup demonstrating significant symptomatology, frequent exacerbations and poor lung function. Outdoor and indoor environments serve as important reservoirs of fungal allergen exposure in COPD and promote a sensitisation response to outdoor air fungi. Indoor (home) environments with high fungal allergens associate with greater COPD symptoms and poorer lung function, illustrating the importance of environmental exposures on clinical outcomes in COPD. Conclusion Fungal sensitisation is prevalent in COPD and associates with frequent exacerbations representing a potential treatable trait. Outdoor and indoor (home) environments represent a key source of fungal allergen exposure, amenable to intervention, in “sensitised” COPD.
Anthony David Barry Chant
Authors: Harvey Chant
Journal: BMJ (2020)

After qualifying Anthony David Barry Chant (“Tony”) worked in Cardiff under the supervision of Archie Cochrane, publishing an early randomised controlled trial comparing venous sclerotherapy with surgery for varicose veins. After more training in south Wales and Bath, he was appointed consultant general surgeon with a vascular interest in Southampton in 1974. There he developed a national reputation …
Author Correction: Cold-induced epigenetic programming of the sperm enhances brown adipose tissue activity in the offspring
Authors: Wenfei Sun, Hua Dong, Anton S. Becker, Dianne H. Dapito, Salvatore Modica, Gerald Grandl, Lennart Opitz, Vissarion Efthymiou, Leon G. Straub, Gitalee Sarker, Miroslav Balaz, Lucia Balazova, Aliki Perdikari, Elke Kiehlmann, Sara Bacanovic, Caroline Zellweger, Daria Peleg-Raibstein, Pawel Pelczar, Wolf Reik, Irene A. Burger, Ferdinand von Meyenn, Christian Wolfrum
Journal: Nature Medicine (2018)
Doctors’ deaths from covid-19 should be reported to the coroner
Authors: Raymond M Agius
Journal: BMJ (2020)

The sad news at the time of writing (2 April 2020) that four doctors working in the NHS have died of covid-19 is aggravated by the fear that these might be the “tip of the iceberg” including nurses and other healthcare workers, as well as social care or other workers, who might yet succumb in the course of this …
Tumor Microenvironment Remodeling Enables Bypass of Oncogenic KRAS Dependency in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Pingping Hou, Avnish Kapoor, Qiang Zhang, Jiexi Li, Chang-Jiun Wu, Jun Li, Zhengdao Lan, Ming Tang, Xingdi Ma, Jeffrey J. Ackroyd, Raghu Kalluri, Jianhua Zhang, Shan Jiang, Denise J. Spring, Y. Alan Wang, Ronald A. DePinho
Journal: Cancer Discovery (2020)

Oncogenic KRAS (KRAS*) is a key tumor maintenance gene in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), motivating pharmacologic targeting of KRAS* and its effectors. Here, we explored mechanisms involving the tumor microenvironment (TME) as a potential basis for resistance to targeting KRAS*. Using the inducible Kras G12D;Trp53 -/- PDAC mouse model, gain-of-function screens of epigenetic regulators identified HDAC5 as the top hit enabling KRAS* independent tumor growth. HDAC5-driven escaper tumors showed a prominent neutrophil-to-macrophage switch relative to KRAS*-driven tumors. Mechanistically, HDAC5 represses Socs3, a negative regulator of chemokine CCL2, resulting in increased CCL2, which recruits CCR2+ macrophages. Correspondingly, enforced Ccl2 promotes macrophage recruitment into the TME and enables tumor recurrence following KRAS* extinction. These tumor-associated macrophages in turn provide cancer cells with trophic support including TGFβ to enable KRAS* bypass in a SMAD4-dependent manner. Our work uncovers a KRAS* resistance mechanism involving immune cell remodeling of the PDAC TME. SIGNIFICANCE: Although KRAS* is required for PDAC tumor maintenance, tumors can recur following KRAS* extinction. The capacity of PDAC cancer cells to alter the TME myeloid cell composition to support KRAS*-independent tumor growth illuminates novel therapeutic targets that may enhance the effectiveness of therapies targeting KRAS* and its pathway components.See related commentary by Carr and Fernandez-Zapico, p. 910.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 890.
Design and Rationale of the Biomarker Center of the Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) Trial
Authors: Dana Boyd Barr, Naveen Puttaswamy, Lindsay M. Jaacks, Kyle Steenland, Sarah Rajkumar, Savannah Gupton, P. Barry Ryan, Kalpana Balakrishnan, Jennifer L. Peel, William Checkley, Thomas Clasen, Maggie L. Clark
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2020)

BACKGROUND: Biomarkers of exposure, susceptibility, and effect are fundamental for understanding environmental exposures, mechanistic pathways of effect, and monitoring early adverse outcomes.To date, no study has comprehensively evaluated a large suite and variety of biomarkers in household air pollution (HAP) studies in concert with exposure and outcome data.The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial is a liquified petroleum gas (LPG) fuel/stove randomized intervention trial enrolling 800 pregnant women in each of four countries (i.e., Peru, Guatemala, Rwanda, and India).Their offspring will be followed from birth through 12 months of age to evaluate the role of pre-and postnatal exposure to HAP from biomass burning cookstoves in the control arm and LPG stoves in the intervention arm on growth and respiratory outcomes.In addition, up to 200 older adult women per site are being recruited in the same households to evaluate indicators of cardiopulmonary, metabolic, and cancer outcomes.OBJECTIVES: Here we describe the rationale and ultimate design of a comprehensive biomarker plan to enable us to explore more fully how exposure is related to disease outcome.METHODS: HAPIN enrollment and data collection began in May 2018 and will continue through August 2021.As a part of data collection, dried blood spot (DBS) and urine samples are being collected three times during pregnancy in pregnant women and older adult women.DBS are collected at birth for the child.DBS and urine samples are being collected from the older adult women and children three times throughout the child's first year of life.Exposure biomarkers that will be longitudinally measured in all participants include urinary hydroxy-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile organic chemical metabolites, metals/metalloids, levoglucosan, and cotinine.Biomarkers of effect, including inflammation, endothelial and oxidative stress biomarkers, lung cancer markers, and other clinically relevant measures will be analyzed in urine, DBS, or blood products from the older adult women.Similarly, genomic/epigenetic markers, microbiome, and metabolomics will be measured in older adult women samples.DISCUSSION: Our study design will yield a wealth of biomarker data to evaluate, in great detail, the link between exposures and health outcomes.In addition, our design is comprehensive and innovative by including cutting-edge measures such as metabolomics and epigenetics.
Physico-chemical and biological evaluation of doxycycline loaded into hybrid oxide-polymer layer on Ti–Mo alloy
Authors: Alicja Kazek-Kęsik, Agnieszka Nosol, Joanna Płonka, Monika Śmiga-Matuszowicz, Sebastian Student, Monika Brzychczy-Włoch, Małgorzata Krok-Borkowicz, Elżbieta Pamuła, Wojciech Simka
Journal: Bioactive Materials (2020)

Oxide-polymer coatings were formed on the surface of the vanadium-free Ti-15Mo titanium alloy. The Ti alloy surface was modified by the plasma electrolytic oxidation process, and then, the polymer layer of a poly (D, l-lactide-co-glycolide) with doxycycline was formed. The polymer evenly covered the porous oxide layer and filled some of the pores. However, the microstructure of the polymer surface was completely different from that of the PEO layer. The surface morphology, roughness and microstructure of the polymer layer were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a confocal microscope. The results confirmed the effectiveness of polymer and doxycycline deposition in their stable chemical forms. The drug analysis was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The 1H NMR technique was used to monitor the course of hydrolytic degradation of PLGA. It was shown that the PLGA layer is hydrolysed within a few weeks, and the polyglycolidyl part of the copolymer is hydrolysed to glycolic acid as first and much faster than the polylactide one to lactic acid. This paper presents influence of different microstructures on the biological properties of modified titanium alloys. Cytocompatibility and bacterial adhesion tests were evaluated using osteoblast-like MG-63 cells and using the reference S. aureus and S. epidermidis strains. The results showed that the optimum concentration of doxycycline was found to inhibit the growth of the bacteria and that the layer is still cytocompatible.
Comparison of Aorta and Pulmonary Artery
Authors: Dawn C. Schwenke
Journal: Circulation Research (1997)

Abstract In rabbits, the pulmonary artery and the aorta are susceptible to atherosclerosis. However, susceptibility of the pulmonary artery, compared with the aortic arch, to atherosclerosis and the relationship between the accumulation of cholesterol during the early stages of atherogenesis and the development of atheromatous lesions for these arterial regions remain to be clarified. Cholesterol concentrations for the pulmonary artery and aorta were measured in normal rabbits and in rabbits fed a 0.5% cholesterol diet for 8, 12, and 16 days and 17 weeks. In normal rabbits, the rank order of arterial cholesterol concentrations was pulmonary artery&gt;aortic arch&gt;descending thoracic aorta, with concentrations of total and nonesterified cholesterol 17% and 25% (both P &lt;.05) greater, respectively, for the pulmonary artery than for the descending thoracic aorta. Rank order remained the same during 16 days of cholesterol feeding, but differences between arterial regions were exaggerated. After rabbits were fed cholesterol for 16 days, total and esterified cholesterol concentrations were 57% and 920% (both P &lt;.01) greater, respectively, for the pulmonary artery than for the descending thoracic aorta, with much smaller differences between the aortic regions. In contrast, after rabbits were fed cholesterol for 17 weeks, concentrations of total, esterified, and nonesterified cholesterol were similar for the pulmonary artery and aortic arch, but these forms of cholesterol were increased 100%, 130%, and 53% (all P &lt;.03), respectively, for the aortic arch compared with the descending thoracic aorta. Cholesterol concentrations for the pulmonary artery were positively associated with those for the aortic regions during the first 16 days of cholesterol feeding, but for rabbits fed cholesterol for 17 weeks the associations were either negative or absent. These results indicate that relative rates of cholesterol accumulation in the pulmonary artery and aorta differ at different stages of atherogenesis and suggest that the balance between processes that deliver cholesterol to, and remove cholesterol from, the artery may change in different ways in these arterial regions during atherogenesis.
Glucose-lowering drugs or strategies, atherosclerotic cardiovascular events, and heart failure in people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised cardiovascular outcome trials
Authors: Olivia R Ghosh-Swaby, Shaun G Goodman, Lawrence A Leiter, Alice Cheng, Kim A Connelly, David Fitchett, Peter Jüni, Michael E Farkouh, Jacob A Udell
Journal: The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology (2020)