tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
AB0720 IMPACT OF SPONDYLOARTHRITIS ON THE MALE SEXUAL FUNCTION: LIMITING FACTORS
Authors: Alia Fazaa, Leila Rouached, Mourad Dali Khereddine, Saoussen Miladi, Kmar Ouenniche, Leila Souabni, Selma Chekili, Salma Kassab, Kawther Ben Abdelghani, Nouira Yassine, Ahmed Laatar
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2019)

<h3>Background:</h3> The impact of Spondyloarthritis (SpA) on patients' sexual life and erectile function has been gathering the attention of the scientific community over the last decade <sup>1,2</sup>. Several factors may condition sexual function for SpA patients: microangiopathy, pain, decreased range of motion, joint swelling and extraarticular features such as fatigue. <h3>Objectives:</h3> To assess the erectile function and the sexual desire in a cohort of male patients with SpA and to identify the factors related to the disease limiting the sexual life. <h3>Methods:</h3> This is a cross sectional study including sexually active male patients with SpA (ASAS criteria). A questionnaire was performed, consisting in two parts. One part filled by a rheumatologist with data of the disease (comorbidities, the presence of a coxitis, disease activity (BASDAI and aSDAS), function index (BASFI) and current treatment). The other part consisted in a questionnaire filled by an urologist, with data on pain during intercourse, the international index of erectile function (IEEF5), intensity and frequency of sexual desire and disease impact on private life. For statistical analysis, we used Khi<sup>2</sup>-test for qualitative variables and Student-test for quantitative variables. A p value ≤0.05 was considered significant. <h3>Results:</h3> We included 37 male patients with SpA, 18.9% had psoriatic arthritis, 51.4% had ankylosing spondylitis and 29.7% had inflammatory bowel disease spondyloarthritis. The mean age was 42.5 ± 1.8 years. Sixty two percent of patients were married. Mean disease duration was 11.4 ± 7.1 years. The mean disease activity and functional scores were as follow: BASDAI=2.57 ± 1.96, aSDAS CRP=2.36 ± 1.09, BASFI=2.59 ± 2.54). For the treatment side: 40.5% were on NSAIDs, 70.3% on csDMARDs and 56.8% of patients were on biotherapy (33.3% on adalimumab, 52.4% on infliximab and 14.3% on Etanercept). The mean visual analog pain scale during intercourse was 2.97 ± 1.89 and the erectile function was deteriorated in 80.6% of patients. <h3>Conclusion:</h3> Our results suggest the impact of SpA on patients' sexual function. Pain during intercourse and the limitation of the sexual desire were the most limiting factors of the sexual function. <h3>References</h3> [1] Tristano aG. The impact of rheumatic diseases on sexual function. Rheumatol int2009;29:853–60. [2] Bal S, et al. sexual functions in ankylosing spondylitis. Rheumatol int2011;31(7):889-94. <h3>Disclosure of interests:</h3> None declared
A comparative study of endoderm differentiation in humans and chimpanzees
Authors: Lauren E. Blake, Samantha M. Thomas, John D. Blischak, Chiaowen Joyce Hsiao, Claudia Chavarria, Marsha Myrthil, Yoav Gilad, Bryan J. Pavlovic
Journal: Genome biology (2018)

There is substantial interest in the evolutionary forces that shaped the regulatory framework in early human development. Progress in this area has been slow because it is difficult to obtain relevant biological samples. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) may provide the ability to establish in vitro models of early human and non-human primate developmental stages.
The choice of the assay for measuring albumin has a major impact on routine laboratory values
Authors: Laura Labriola, Michel Jadoul
Journal: Kidney International (2019)

In their recent study comparing different assays to measure albumin level, van de Logt et al.1 van de Logt A.-E. Rijpma S.R. Vink C.H. et al. The bias between different albumin assays may affect clinical decision-making. Kidney Int. 2019; 95: 1514-1517 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (18) Google Scholar show that the use of bromocresol green (BCG) (but not bromocresol purple [BCP]) leads to a substantial overestimation of plasma and serum albumin concentration (mean bias: 6.2 g/l), in comparison to the reference immunonephelometric assay in patients with hypoalbuminemia (including patients with membranous nephropathy, liver cirrhosis, or sepsis) and in chronic kidney disease patients with albumin concentrations within reference values. The investigators pointed out that up to 59% of patients with membranous nephropathy would receive inappropriate prophylactic anticoagulant therapy on the basis of albumin measured by BCG assay. The bias between different albumin assays may affect clinical decision-makingKidney InternationalVol. 95Issue 6PreviewDifferences between laboratory assays can have important clinical implications. For creatinine assays this became apparent soon after the introduction of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula and resulted in international efforts towards standardization. Albumin in blood is measured by different assays, either chromogenic using Bromocresol green (BCG) or Bromocresol purple (BCP), or by an immunoassay. Since differences between these assays have received limited attention we evaluated bias and imprecision of BCG and BCP assays in comparison to the immunoassay using blood samples from patients with membranous nephropathy and nephrotic syndrome. Full-Text PDF
Gene Fractionation and Function in the Ancient Subgenomes of Maize
Authors: Simon Renny-Byfield, Eli Rodgers-Melnick, Jeffrey Ross-Ibarra
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (2017)

The maize genome experienced an ancient whole genome duplication ∼10 MYA and the duplicate subgenomes have since experienced reciprocal gene loss such that many genes have returned to single-copy status. This process has not affected the subgenomes equally; reduced gene expression in one of the subgenomes mitigates the consequences of mutations and gene deletions and is thought to drive higher rates of fractionation. Here, we use published data to show that, in accordance with predictions of this model, paralogs with greater expression contribute more to phenotypic variation compared with their lowly expressed counterparts. Furthermore, paralogous genes in the least-fractionated subgenome account for a greater degree of phenotypic diversity than those resident on the more-fractionated subgenome. Intriguingly, analysis of singleton genes reveals this difference persists even after fractionation is complete. Additionally, we show that the two subgenomes of maize may differ in their epigenetic profiles.
Abstract 8987: Strain Determination by a High Resolution DENSE 3D Speckle Tracking Method Using a New Nongated 4D Echo Image Loops: Validation Against Sonomicrometry
Authors: Kaavya Mandi, Kevin Truong, Christine Kang, Vivian Chen, Shahryar Ashraf, Cole Streiff, David Roundhill, Zhijun Zhang, Xubo Song, Meihua Zhu, Muhammad Ashraf, David J Sahn
Journal: Circulation (2012)

Background: We tested our DENSE 3D speckle tracking method for strain computation on new nongated 4D echocardiography images, which is a significant resource for 3D imaging of fetal hearts without requiring EKG gating. Methods: We studied freshly harvested rabbit hearts (n=5) due to their smaller size, in a water tank to facilitate ultrasound scanning. Each heart was connected to a calibrated pulsatile pump through a latex balloon in the LV cavity secured at the mitral annulus. Two 0.7mm sonomicrometry crystals were secured into myocardium along the long axis of the LV. Pulsatile heart motion was generated by injecting 5 different stroke volumes (SV; 1,2,3,4 and 5ml) into the LV with the calibrated pump. At each SV, sonomicrometry displacement data was recorded and 4D images acquired with an X6-1probe on a Philips iU22 ultrasound system. Image data was exported in AVS format and processed in our MatLab based DENSE speckle tracking method for strain computation. Results: Increasing SV increased stretching of myocardial tissue which was detected as well as correlated increases in longitudinal strain both by sonomicrometry and the DENSE speckle tracking strain method. Sonomicrometry derived strains showed a good correlation with 3D DENSE derived strains at all SVs studied (r=0.85, p&lt;0.05). Conclusions: New nongated 4D echocardiography is feasible for strain determination in imaging of small hearts.
Abstract 12134: Relationship of Plasma Aldosterone Concentration to Cardiovascular Events Following Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients Without Advanced Heart Failure
Authors: Reynaria Pitts, Elise Gunzburger, David Kallend, Anders Olsson, John J McMurray, John Kittelson, Gregory G Schwartz
Journal: Circulation (2015)

Background: Aldosterone may have adverse effects in myocardium and vessel wall, influencing cardiovascular (CV) risk. Mineralocorticoid antagonists reduce CV risk in patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) complicated by heart failure (HF) or chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (EF). It is uncertain whether aldosterone levels predict adverse cardiovascular outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but without advanced HF. Methods: The dal-Outcomes trial evaluated CV effects of the cholesteryl ester transfer protein inhibitor, dalcetrapib, after ACS. Patients with NYHA class II (with EF&lt; 40%), III, or IV HF were excluded. In a subgroup of 4,073 patients, aldosterone was measured at randomization, 4-12 weeks after ACS. Primary outcomes, assessed over a median follow-up of 37 months, were coronary heart disease death, non-fatal MI, stroke, unstable angina, or resuscitated cardiac arrest; these occurred in 366 patients (9.0%). Hospitalization for heart failure, a secondary outcome, occurred in 72 patients (1.8%). Results: Baseline median aldosterone was 267 (IQR of 201, 371) pmol/L. Kaplan-Meier curves showed no difference in risk of a primary outcome across quartiles of aldosterone (Figure). Cox proportional hazards analysis, adjusted for demographic, clinical, laboratory, and drug treatment variables did not show a significant relationship of aldosterone to risk of a primary endpoint (for doubling of aldosterone, HR 0.95, 95% CI 0.81-1.12, p=0.55). However, after adjustment, a doubling of aldosterone was significantly associated with HF hospitalizations (HR 1.55, 95% CI 1.09-2.2, p=0.015). Conclusion: In patients with recent ACS but without advanced HF, aldosterone does not predict major ischemic CV events, but appears to mark an increased risk of HF hospitalization.
MDS/AML risk post-breast cancer and association with age: SEER data 2001-2009.
Authors: Henry G. Kaplan, Judith April Malmgren, Gregory Sampang Calip, Christopher Li
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2013)

554 Background: Increased acute myeloid leukemia (AML) incidence has been identified post chemotherapy and radiation treatment for primary breast cancer (BC). Risk has not been evaluated in large populations or included myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). Methods: We used 2001-2009 Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database records to identify a cohort of first primary stage I-III BC patients. We identified subsequent MDS/AML diagnoses in the BC cohort, using SEER to query appropriate ICD-O-3 codes. We compared observed MDS/AML rates in the BC cohort to expected rates, estimated for first primary MDS/AML in the entire population, and calculated observed/expected rate ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CI) with age adjustment. Due to SEER data limitations, disease stage was used as a proxy for likelihood of radiation and chemotherapy treatment. Results: BC case distribution by stage was 51% stage I, 39% stage II and 11% stage III. Age distribution was 26% 20-49, 38% 50-64 and 36% 65+ years. Out of 306,691 BC cases, 470 had a subsequent diagnosis of MDS or AML (.15%) with 19% among women age 20-49 years, 36% women age 50-64 and 45% among women age 65+ years. Age adjusted number of expected myeloid leukemia cases is 171. Follow up time to myeloid leukemia diagnosis was on average 2.92 years post BC diagnosis (range .25-8.75 years). Myeloid leukemia cases were 56% AML and 44% MDS. We found an overall increased risk of MDS/AML among all age (20-65+)/all stage (I-III) breast cancer cases compared to the general population (RR=2.75, 95% CI 2.51, 3.00). Risk increased with increasing BC stage: stage I (RR=1.87, 95% CI 1.61, 2.16), stage II (RR=3.57, 95% CI 3.12, 4.06), and stage III (RR=5.66, 95% CI 4.45, 7.07) and decreased with increasing age with the highest risk among women age 20-49 (RR=10.60, 95% CI 8.57, 12.92) (age 50-64 (RR=5.60, 95% CI 4.79, 6.49), age 65+ (RR=1.81, 95% CI 1.57, 2.06)). Conclusions: Patients with stage I-III breast cancer have a significant high risk of MDS/AML post BC diagnosis increasing with higher stage cancer, most likely the result of radiation and/or chemotherapy treatment. Younger age women, 20-49 years, appear to be the most susceptible to this outcome.
Is coding a relevant metaphor for the brain?
Authors: Romain Brette
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2018)

"Neural coding" is a popular metaphor in neuroscience, where objective properties of the world are communicated to the brain in the form of spikes. Here I argue that this metaphor is often inappropriate and misleading. First, when neurons are said to encode experimental parameters, the neural code depends on experimental details that are not carried by the coding variable (e.g., the spike count). Thus, the representational power of neural codes is much more limited than generally implied. Second, neural codes carry information only by reference to things with known meaning. In contrast, perceptual systems must build information from relations between sensory signals and actions, forming an internal model. Neural codes are inadequate for this purpose because they are unstructured and therefore unable to represent relations. Third, coding variables are observables tied to the temporality of experiments, whereas spikes are timed actions that mediate coupling in a distributed dynamical system. The coding metaphor tries to fit the dynamic, circular, and distributed causal structure of the brain into a linear chain of transformations between observables, but the two causal structures are incongruent. I conclude that the neural coding metaphor cannot provide a valid basis for theories of brain function, because it is incompatible with both the causal structure of the brain and the representational requirements of cognition.
Abstract 18750: The Prevalence of Secondary Repolarization Abnormalities Confounding the Electrocardiographic Diagnosis of Acute Myocardial Ischemia in Patients Presenting With Chest Pain
Authors: Diana Rivero, Mohammad Alhamaydeh, Christian Martin-Gill, Clifton Callaway, Barbara Drew, Salah S Al-Zaiti
Journal: Circulation (2017)

Introduction: Chest pain has a plethora of etiologies and ECG manifestations. The presence of non-specific ST-T changes (NSSTTC) on the ECG alters the ST-segment for reasons unrelated to acute myoc...
Swollen, but not tender joints, are independently associated with ultrasound synovitis: results from a longitudinal observational study of patients with established rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Hilde Berner Hammer, Brigitte Michelsen, Joseph Sexton, Ida K Haugen, Sella A Provan, Espen A Haavardsholm, Till Uhlig, Tore K Kvien
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2019)

<h3>Objectives</h3> Joint swelling and tenderness are considered a proxy for inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). With ultrasound-detected inflammation as reference, our objectives were to explore on patient and joint level the associations between ultrasound synovitis and joint swelling, tenderness and patient-reported joint pain (PRJP). <h3>Methods</h3> 209 patients with established RA were examined six times during 12 months with assessment of 32 joints in upper/lower extremities for joint swelling/tenderness and Grey scale (GS)/power Doppler (PD) synovitis. PRJP was assessed on a manikin. Correlations between different sum scores were at each examination calculated using Spearman's rho (r), agreement at joint level was examined by Cohen's kappa and logistic regression models were used to explore the associations between joint assessment and GS/PD scores. <h3>Results</h3> At patient level, swollen joints were strongly correlated with GS/PD sum scores (r=0.64–0.88), while tender joints were primarily associated with PRJP (r=0.54–0.68). At joint level, GS/PD pathology had higher agreement with swelling (kappa 0.54–0.57) than tenderness (kappa 0.20–0.21) or PRJP (0.23–0.25). Higher percentages of joints were swollen according to increasing GS/PD scores, independently of joint tenderness. However, joints being tender, but not swollen, were not associated with GS/PD scores. Receiver operating curves showed swollen but not tender joints to be associated with GS/PD scores. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Swollen joints were strongly associated with ultrasound detected synovitis at both patient and joint level, while this association was not found for tender joints. These results may question if tender joints reflect ongoing inflammation in established RA.
FRI0581 COMPARISON OF CLINICAL CHARACTERISTIC IN ADULTS AND CHILDREN WITH GOUT
Authors: Shaoling Zheng, Pui.Y Lee, Shuyang Chen, Yukai Huang, LI Tian-Wang
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2019)

<h3>Background</h3> The incidence of gout in China is increasing in adults as well as children. The clinical manifestations of juvenile gout are not well described due to the limited number of cases in the past. Delineating the features of adult and juvenile gout may help pediatric providers recognize gout more effectively. <h3>Objectives</h3> We aim to describe and compare the clinical characteristic of adults and children with gout. <h3>Methods</h3> A total of 51 juvenile gout patients (age ≤ 18 years) and 337 adult gout patients in our hospital from Jan 2016 to Dec 2018 were enrolled in the study. Clinical parameters and laboratory data of the 2 groups were analyzed. <h3>Results</h3> The average age of onset in children with gout was 15.0±1.9 years and the youngest patient was 8 years old. Compared to the adult group, juvenile gout patients displayed lower BMI (23.0±3.8 vs. 25.6±3.5 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, <i>P</i>&lt;0.001) but higher serum uric acid levels (9.98±2.65 vs. 8.09±2.47 mg/dL, <i>P</i>&lt;0.001). Interestingly, systemic inflammation was less prominent in children compared to adult as illustrated by lower C-reactive protein levels (7.1±13.5 vs. 23.7±40.7 mg/L, <i>P</i>=0.004) and lower erythrocyte sedimentation rate (12.7±12.9 vs. 33.1±34.2 mm/hr, <i>P</i>&lt;0.001). Renal function impairment was rare in children compared to adults (serum creatinine 98.73±19.04 vs 120.38±34.58 μmol/L, <i>P</i>&lt;0.001). In terms joint manifestations, juvenile gout was associated with greater finger joint involvement (23.53% vs. 6.82%, <i>P</i>&lt;0.001) and less knee involvement (11.76% vs. 41.84%, <i>P</i>&lt;0.001) compared to adults. Ankle involvement was slightly more common in the pediatric group (49.02% vs. 30.56% in adults, <i>P</i>=0.009) while MTP was similarly affected (50.98% vs. 32.94%, <i>P</i>=0.012). In addition, tophi was found in four cases (7.8%) in the juvenile group compared to 113 cases in adults (33.5%), suggesting that although less common, advanced features of gout can also occur in children. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Juvenile gout is associated with higher serum uric acid levels and greater involvement of finger joints. Correlations with BMI and systemic inflammation were less prominent compared to gout in adults. These findings will help clinicians better recognize gout in children. <h3>References</h3> [1] Chen, S.Y. and M.L. Shen, Juvenile gout in Taiwan associated with family history and overweight. J Rheumatol, 2007. 34(11): p.2308-11. [2] Lu, C.C., et al., Clinical characteristics of and relationship between metabolic components and renal function among patients with early-onset juvenile tophaceous gout. J Rheumatol, 2014. 41(9): p.1878-83. <h3>Disclosure of Interests</h3> None declared
SP0067 HOW TO ASSESS US LESIONS FOR GOUT + DEMO
Authors: Sara Nysom
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2019)

<h3></h3> Gout is the most common inflammatory joint disease in Western developed countries. Diagnosis and monitoring have historically been based upon clinical assessment combined with biochemical results (primarily p-urate) but over the last decade ultrasonography (US) has received increasing attention for these purposes. US has been shown able to detect monosodium urate deposits in both joints and tendons. In 2015 the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) US Working Group developed definitions of structural lesions in gout. These include double contour sign (deposits of crystals on the surface of cartilage), tophus (larger hyper-echoic aggregation of crystals), aggregates (small hyper-echoic deposits) and erosion (1). The double contour sign has been included in the ACR/EULAR 2015 gout classification criteria as a way to visualize urate deposits in joints (2). Furthermore, US can visualize potential concomitant inflammatory aspects of gout since it can visualize both joint inflammation and tenosynovitis. In this talk the diagnostic properties of US will be described and the potential risk of false positive results due to artefacts or misinterpreted lesions will be discussed. Furthermore, the potential role of US in monitoring of treatment response will be explored. <h3>References:</h3> [1] Gutierrez M, Schmidt WA, Thiele RG, Keen HI, Kaeley GS, Naredo E, Iagnocco A, Bruyn GA, Balint PV, Filippucci E, Mandl P, Kane D, Pineda C, Delle Sedie A, Hammer HB, Christensen R, D"Agostino MA, Terslev L; OMERACT Ultrasound Gout Task Force group. International Consensus for ultrasound lesions in gout: results of Delphi process and web-reliability exercise. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2015;54(10):1797-805. [2] Neogi T, Jansen TLTA, Dalbeth N, Fransen J, Schumacher HR, et al. 2015 Gout Classification criteria: an American College of Rheumatology/European Leaque Against Rheumatisme collaborative initiative. Ann Rheum Diss 2015; 74: 1789-1798. <h3>Disclosure of Interests:</h3> None declared
Abstract 317: Synthetic HDL Inhibits Endotoxin-induced Inflammatory Cytokine Production in Macrophages Through Neutralization of Endotoxins and Suppression of TLR Signaling
Authors: Ling Guo, Emily Morin, Yaxia Yuan, Chang-guo Zhan, Anna Schwendeman, Xiang-an Li
Journal: Circulation Research (2017)

HDL plays critical roles in the regulation of inflammatory signaling in immune effect cells and its plasma levels are negatively correlated with the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Numerous efforts have been made to increase circulating HDL levels or improve HDL functions. In this study, we assessed the effect of synthetic HDL (sHDL) ETC642, a second generation of sHDL, on endotoxin-induced inflammatory cytokine production in macrophages and the underlying mechanism. We first calculated the binding of ETC642 to endotoxins via computer simulation which shows that ETC642 is capable of binding to both LPS and LTA. We next investigated the effect of ETC642 on LPS/LTA-induced NF-κB activation using HEK-Blue cells stably expressing either human TLR-4 or TLR-2. We observed that ETC642 effectively suppressed LPS/LTA-induced NF-κB activation in a dose-dependent manner. We further observed that pre-incubation of the HEK-Blue cells with ETC642 partly suppressed LPS/LTA-induced NF-κB activation, indicating that ETC642 not only neutralized LPS/LTA but also suppressed TLR4- or TLR2-NF-kB signaling. We demonstrated that ETC642 regulates the TLR signaling through modulation of TLR4- or TLR2 to lipid rafts. We finally confirmed the effect of ETC642 in RAW cells and in bone marrow-derived macrophages.