tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Radiation exposure during radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory atrioventricular connections.
Authors: HCalkins, LNiklason, JSousa, Rel-Atassi, JLangberg, FMorady
Journal: Circulation (1991)

BACKGROUNDCatheter ablation of accessory atrioventricular (AV) connections has been demonstrated to be effective in more than 85% of patients. One of the risks of this procedure is radiation exposure during the fluoroscopic imaging necessary to guide catheter manipulation. The objective of the present study was to measure the radiation received by patients and physicians during radiofrequency catheter ablation and to estimate the resultant somatic and genetic risks.METHODS AND RESULTSRadiation exposure to patients and physicians was measured during attempts at radiofrequency catheter ablation of accessory AV connections in 31 consecutive patients. Radiation exposure was measured using thermoluminescent sensors placed on the patient and on the physician. Somatic and genetic risks were estimated based on the radiation levels recorded using these sensors. The durations of fluoroscopy and of the catheter ablation procedure were recorded for each patient. Catheter ablation was successful in 28 of 31 patients (...
From the authors
Authors: T. Vassilakopoulos, S. Zakynthinos, C. Roussos
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2005)

To the extent that resistive breathing is a potent stimulus for upregulation of cytokines involved in the process of angiogenesis, a review dealing with the immune response to resistive breathing may present the angiogenetic response as well.Exercise training induces a series of adaptive responses in the cardiovascular and skeletal muscular system, including myofibrillar protein changes, increased activity of oxidative and glycolytic enzymes, and an increased number of capillaries.Such changes in the capillary bed of skeletal muscles in athletes have been detected since the mid 1970s [2, 3].Since then, angiogenesis has been studied extensively and found to be an extremely complex process involving, among others, the dissolution of the extra cellular matrix underlying endothelium, cell migration and endothelial cell proliferation [4, 5].Specific growth factors and predominantly vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-b1 were found to regulate the angiogenic response to a variety of stimuli [4].A single bout of exercise increases the mRNA levels for the previously mentioned factors [6].Recent data have shown that acute exercise upregulates the mRNA expression, while there is a graded response in the expression of mRNA of this angiogenic factor with the metabolic stress.Furthermore, it is demonstrated that mRNA for VEGF and bFGF in the diaphragm of rats rises significantly as a result of active increased ventilation due to hypoxia and/or hypercapnia, while no changes in mRNA levels were observed in paralysed, mechanically ventilated animals at similar arterial blood gases and ventilation levels [7, 8].However, there is evidence that resistive breathing upregulates mRNA for VEGF, but not for bFGF and TGF-b1 [9].Therefore, angiogenesis, as a result of loading of the respiratory system, is an important part of the integrated immune response to resistive breathing.
What if Americans ate less fat?
Authors: J. C. Bailar
Journal: JAMA (1992)

To the Editor.  —Browner et al 1 concluded that an average reduction in fat intake from 37% of calories to 30% would add no more than 3 to 4 months to life expectancy in the United States. This conclusion is far more uncertain than would be apparent to the nonspecialist.  The authors' elaborate mathematical model used data from many different sources. The model has not been validated; each of the data sources is subject to uncertainty, and the errors and approximations may interact in unexpected ways. The following are some examples.  Browner et al considered only the direct effects of reducing fat intake as such. Other benefits, such as weight loss and increased intake of vegetables and fruits, were omitted. They limited their conclusions to coronary heart disease (CHD) and certain cancers; they ignored other health effects, positive or negative, such as any adverse effects of reducing serum cholesterol levels
The epidemic of gang-related homicides in Los Angeles County from 1979 through 1994
Authors: H. R. Hutson
Journal: JAMA (1995)

<h3>Objective.</h3> —To determine trends in gang homicides and the population at greatest risk for homicide by reviewing all gang-related homicides in Los Angeles County, California, from January 1979 to December 1994. <h3>Design.</h3> —Homicide files of the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from 1979 to 1994 involving violent street gang activity were reviewed. Gang files were reviewed for demographic data, weapons used, homicides by drive-by shootings, and times and geographic areas of occurrence. <h3>Setting.</h3> —Los Angeles County from January 1, 1979, to December 31, 1994. <h3>Main Outcome Measures.</h3> —Age, race, and sex of gang-related homicide victims; frequency of weapon use; and the change in gang-related homicide rates during the study period. <h3>Results.</h3> —A total of 7288 gang-related homicides occurred in Los Angeles County from 1979 through 1994; 5541 of these homicides occurred in Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department jurisdictions. During the study period, the proportion of all homicides that were gang related increased from 18.1% to 43.0% (<i>P</i>&lt;.001). Of the 5541 gang-related homicide victims, 4580 (85.6%) were aged 15 to 34 years, 93.3% were African American or Hispanic, 5157 (93.2%) were male, 3559 (64.2%) were gang members, and 1408 (25.4%) occurred during drive-by shootings. Firearms were used in an increasing proportion of homicides, from 71.4% in 1979 to 94.5% in 1994. Homicides by semiautomatic handguns dramatically increased during the study period. Gang-related homicide rates for African-American males aged 15 to 19 years increased from 60.50 per 100 000 population per year in 1979 to 1981 to 192.41 per 100 000 population per year in 1989 to 1991. <h3>Conclusions.</h3> —Gang-related homicides in Los Angeles County have reached epidemic proportions and are a major public health problem. To prevent gang violence, the root causes of violent street gang formation must be alleviated, the cycle of violent street gang involvement must be broken, and access to firearms must be limited. (<i>JAMA</i>. 1995;274:1031-1036)
Improving the predictive ability of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram with a linear logistic model incorporating clinical variables.
Authors: P JVatterott, K RBailey, S CHammill
Journal: Circulation (1990)

To improve the predictive accuracy of the signal-averaged electrocardiogram, we created a linear logistic model for predicting ventricular tachycardia during electrophysiologic testing. This signal-averaged electrocardiographic model was created from data obtained from 214 patients undergoing electrophysiologic testing (70 had ventricular tachycardia during electrophysiologic testing) by using stepwise logistic regression to rank eight clinical and nine signal-averaged electrocardiographic variables. The best predictors were ejection fraction, history of infarction, ventricular ectopic pairs or nonsustained ventricular tachycardia on Holter monitoring, QRS duration after 25-Hz filtering, and root mean square voltage of the terminal 40 msec of the QRS complex after 40- and 80-Hz filtering. Cross validation (a statistical technique that can be used to accurately evaluate how a predictive model will perform on a prospective patient population) was used to validate the model. After cross validation, the model...
Effects of supine and lateral positions on cardiac output and intracardiac pressures: an experimental study.
Authors: SNakao, P CCome, M JMiller, SMomomura, PSahagian, B JRansil, WGrossman
Journal: Circulation (1986)

Hemodynamic measurements in human subjects and in experimental animals are generally made in the supine position; not much attention is paid to potential beneficial or harmful effects of right or left lateral positions on cardiac output or other hemodynamic variables. To evaluate the potential influence of such positional changes on cardiac performance, we measured cardiac output and left and right ventricular pressures (with micromanometer catheters) in anesthetized experimental animals (eight dogs and nine pigs) in the supine, right lateral, and left lateral positions. Cardiac output increased from supine to left lateral (mean +/- SD, 2.6 +/- 0.9 to 3.1 +/- 1.0 liters/min; p less than .001) and from supine to right lateral positions (2.6 +/- 0.9 to 3.1 +/- 1.1 liters/min; p less than .001). There was an associated decrease in arteriovenous oxygen saturation difference from supine to left lateral position (31 +/- 8% to 24 +/- 4%; p less than .001) and from supine to right lateral position (32 +/- 9% to 2...
Altered vascular responses to platelets from hypercholesterolemic humans.
Authors: SKaul, B JWaack, R CPadgett, R MBrooks, D DHeistad
Journal: Circulation Research (1993)

Activated platelets release potent vasoactive factors. Previous studies have focused on mechanisms by which vascular abnormalities lead to altered responses of atherosclerotic arteries. We tested the hypothesis that the activation of platelets from hypercholesterolemic humans produces abnormal vascular responses. Responses to intraluminal and abluminal activation of platelets from normal subjects and type II hypercholesterolemic patients (total cholesterol, 274 +/- 16 [mean +/- SEM] mg/dl) were examined in carotid arteries from normal rabbits perfused in vitro. Intraluminal activation of normal platelets produced pronounced dilatation of arteries preconstricted with phenylephrine. Vasodilator responses to intraluminal activation of platelets from hypercholesterolemic patients were greatly impaired. Vasodilator responses to platelets from hypercholesterolemic patients were not restored to normal by LY53,857 (10(-5) M), a 5-hydroxytryptamine2-serotonergic antagonist, by SQ29,548 (10(-5) M), a thromboxane A2...
Inotropic and toxic effects of a polar cardiac glycoside derivative in the dog.
Authors: G HMudge, B LLloyd, D JGreenblatt, T WSmith
Journal: Circulation Research (1978)

It has been suggested that central nervous system (CNS) neuroexcitation plays an important role in digitalis-induced cardiac arrhythmias. To elucidate further the role of the CNS in digitalis-induced arrhythmias, the inotropic and toxic effects of a highly polar semisynthetic cardiac glycoside, 3beta-O-(4 amino-4,6 dideoxy-beta-D-galactopyranosyl)-digitoxigenin (ASI-222) were compared to those of digoxin and correlated with plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of each drug. Thirteen dogs anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital were given repeated intravenous doses of digoxin or ASI-222. Ventricular tachycardia was elicited at a mean dose of digoxin of 0.12 mg/kg, compared with 0.09 mg/kg for ASI-222 (not significant). Terminal ventricular fibrillation occurred after 0.18 mg/kg of digoxin, a value significantly larger than the ASI-222 dose (0.14 mg/kg, P less than 0.05) required to produce lethal arrhythmias. Digoxin produced a 21% increase in LV dP/dt at a plasma digoxin concentration of 20....
Fit and Colonoscopy Uptake after the First Round of Testing in a Randomized Health Services Study Offering Competing Strategies for Colorectal Cancer Screening (Piccolino Study)
Authors: N Pilonis, M Bugajski, P Wieszczy, M Rupinski, M Pisera, E Pawlak, J Regula, MF Kaminski
Journal: Endoscopy (2021)

Aims Primary colonoscopy and fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) are considered first tier tests for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. Although colonoscopy is considered the most efficacious test, FIT may achieve higher participation rates. We assessed diagnostic yield of FIT and colonoscopy after the first round of testing in the PICCOLINO study.
Autonomic function in hypertension. Are there racial differences
Authors: R JParmer, J HCervenka, R AStone, D TO'Connor
Journal: Circulation (1990)

Previous biochemical assessment of sympathetic nervous system activity including plasma catecholamines, plasma renin activity, and plasma dopamine-beta-hydroxylase levels has suggested racial differences in the contribution of the sympathetic nervous system to the pathogenesis or maintenance of hypertension. We, therefore, performed physiological and pharmacological studies in white and black subjects with essential hypertension and their age-matched normotensive counterparts to assess autonomic and sympathetic nervous system function. One hundred one male subjects (47 white hypertensive, 17 black hypertensive, 22 white normotensive, and 15 black normotensive subjects) were evaluated for baroreceptor reflex sensitivity to low-pressure (amyl nitrite inhalation) and high-pressure (phenylephrine infusion) stimuli; cold pressor test heart rate and blood pressure responses; and blood pressure response to phentolamine alpha-adrenergic blockade. Hypertensive subjects exhibited an increase in resting heart rate, ...
Current strategies to circumvent the antiviral immunity to optimize cancer virotherapy
Authors: Dong Ho Shin, Teresa Nguyen, Bulent Ozpolat, Frederick Lang, Marta Alonso, Candelaria Gomez-Manzano, Juan Fueyo
Journal: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (2021)

Cancer virotherapy is a paradigm-shifting treatment modality based on virus-mediated oncolysis and subsequent antitumor immune responses. Clinical trials of currently available virotherapies showed that robust antitumor immunity characterizes the remarkable and long-term responses observed in a subset of patients. These data suggest that future therapies should incorporate strategies to maximize the immunotherapeutic potential of oncolytic viruses. In this review, we highlight the recent evidence that the antiviral immunity of the patients may limit the immunotherapeutic potential of oncolytic viruses and summarize the most relevant approaches to strategically redirect the immune response away from the viruses and toward tumors to heighten the clinical impact of viro-immunotherapy platforms.
Six-month follow-up of gut microbiota richness in patients with COVID-19
Authors: Yanfei Chen, Silan Gu, Yunbo Chen, Haifeng Lu, Ding Shi, Jing Guo, Wen-Rui Wu, Ya Yang, Yongtao Li, Kai-Jin Xu, Cheng Ding, Rui Luo, Chenjie Huang, Ling Yu, Min Xu, Ping Yi, Jun Liu, Jing-jing Tao, Hua Zhang, Longxian Lv, Baohong Wang, Jifang Sheng, Lanjuan Li
Journal: Gut (2021)

We read with great interest the recent article published in Gut in which Yeoh et al demonstrated that gut microbiota composition of recovered patients with COVID-19 remained significantly distinct from uninfected controls.1 Persisting symptoms, also known as ‘long COVID-19’, have been reported in a significant proportion of patients following hospital discharge.2 3 Gut dysbiosis might link to long COVID-19 risks.1 Few studies have focused on the recovery process of gut microbiota following SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Here, we conducted a prospective study to longitudinally monitor alterations of gut microbiota in patients with COVID-19 using 16S rDNA sequencing (detailed methods in online supplementary materials). Faecal microbiota was monitored at three timepoints, acute phase (from illness onset to viral clearance), convalescence (from viral clearance to 2 weeks after hospital discharge), postconvalescence (6 months after hospital discharge).### Supplementary data

[gutjnl-2021-324090supp001.pdf]

The gut microbiota richness, measured by Chao 1 index, was obviously lower (p<0.01, Wilcoxon rank-sum test; figure 1A) in the acute phase of COVID-19 (median 217, IQR 164–266) as compared with uninfected controls (median 432, IQR 332–468). There was a non-significant increase of the Chao 1 index from the acute phase (median 217, IQR 164–266) to the convalescence (median 241, IQR 202–279) and postconvalescence (median 259, IQR 193–302). A Bray-Curtis based principal coordinated analysis revealed that the overall microbial composition of …
Anisotropic conduction and functional dissociation of ischemic tissue during reentrant ventricular tachycardia in canine myocardial infarction.
Authors: RCardinal, MVermeulen, MShenasa, FRoberge, PPage, FHélie, PSavard
Journal: Circulation (1988)

We measured the conduction characteristics at the epicardial surface of the left anterior ventricular wall in the in situ canine heart before and 3 to 5 days (n = 9 dogs) after permanent occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD). During ventricular stimulation generating wavefronts conducted along the longitudinal or the transverse fiber direction, 61 unipolar electrograms were recorded with a fine-meshed plaque electrode. Before occlusion, the fastest conduction velocity was consistently found in a direction perpendicular to the nearby LAD segment (longitudinal direction), and the slowest velocity in a direction parallel to the LAD segment (transverse fiber direction). In 3- to 5-day-old infarct preparations, a layer of subepicardial muscle with 1 to 3 mm thickness survived over necrotic tissue. The velocities and directions of fast and of slow conduction measured in ischemic subepicardial muscle were not significantly different from preocclusion values during stimulation at a basic...
Effect of ischemia and reperfusion on sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium uptake.
Authors: PKaplan, MHendrikx, MMattheussen, KMubagwa, WFlameng
Journal: Circulation Research (1992)

To investigate the mechanism underlying postischemic cardiac dysfunction (myocardial stunning), contractility and adenine nucleotide metabolism were studied in three groups of isolated perfused rabbit hearts (control, ischemic, and reperfused), whereas Ca2+ uptake by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was measured in homogenates obtained from them. The hearts were Langendorff-perfused under constant pressure with Krebs-Henseleit solution at 37 degrees C. Global normothermic ischemia was produced by closing the perfusion line. In the reperfused group, after 15 minutes of ischemia, Krebs-Henseleit solution was perfused for 10 minutes. Developed left ventricular pressure (control, 104 +/- 6.3 mm Hg) and left ventricular dP/dt (2,063 +/- 256.6 mm Hg.sec-1) were significantly decreased in reperfused hearts (left ventricular pressure, 78 +/- 5.9 mm Hg; left ventricular dP/dt, 1,339 +/- 216.3 mm Hg.sec-1). Myocardial ATP content (control, 13.6 +/- 0.98 mumol/g dry wt) decreased during ischemia (4.5 +/- 1.23 mumol/g...
Mechanisms governing the postural response and baroreceptor abnormalities in chronic congestive heart failure: effects of acute and long-term converting-enzyme inhibition.
Authors: R JCody, K WFranklin, JKluger, J HLaragh
Journal: Circulation (1982)

We assessed the hemodynamic and hormonal response to tilt and the baroreceptor response in 12 patients in sinus rhythm with severe chronic congestive heart failure. We also assessed the response to acute (n = 12) and chronic (n = 8) converting-enzyme inhibition with captopril. The control tilt was characterized by high cardiac filling pressures, absence of significant peripheral pooling and apparent absence of afferent stimuli for hemodynamic and hormonal response. After acute captopril, the hemodynamic response to tilt was improved, but not normalized. The chronic response was characterized by the absence of a reflex increase of systemic vascular resistance on tilt despite peripheral pooling. Five patients developed orthostatic hypotension, but responded to acute infusion of 0.9% sodium chloride. Efferent sympathetic activity (response to cold pressor) was abnormal during the control study, but indistinguishable from normal subjects by the time of chronic captopril therapy. This paralleled an improved re...
Effects of nitroglycerin on echocardiographic measurements of left ventricular wall thickness and regional myocardial performance during acute coronary ischemia.
Authors: R RKomer, AEdalji, W BHood
Journal: Circulation (1979)

The effects of nitroglycerin on regional left ventricular performance, assessed by echocardiographic techniques, were investigated in anesthetized, open-chest dogs during acute myocardial ischemia. During transient occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, there was end-diastolic thinning and marked reduction in systolic thickening in the central ischemic zone. Similar changes of lesser degree were noted in the border zone. The normal zone was unaffected. Infusion of nitroglycerin during ischemia in dosages of 2.5--50 microgram/kg/min reduced left ventricular end-diastolic pressure without changing the abnormalities of systolic wall thickening. Effects of bolus injections of 20 and 50 microgram/kg of nitroglycerin were similar, although this also lowered aortic pressure. In a subgroup of animals in which nitroglycerin infusion was unaccompanied by tachycardia, there was also no evidence that ischemic dysfunction was altered. We conclude that nitroglycerin does not improve regional myocard...
Adenine nucleotide release from isolated perfused guinea pig hearts and extracellular formation of adenosine.
Authors: M MBorst, JSchrader
Journal: Circulation Research (1991)

The quantification of adenine nucleotides released from the heart is hampered by their rapid dephosphorylation to adenosine in the extracellular space catalyzed by highly active ectonucleotidases. To determine the total release of adenine nucleotides from isolated Langendorff-perfused guinea pig hearts, ecto 5'-nucleotidase was effectively blocked by infusion of alpha, beta-methylene-ADP (AOPCP, 50 microM). Adenine nucleotides were measured in the coronary venous effluent by the luciferin-luciferase method after enzymatic rephosphorylation to ATP. In hearts perfused at a constant flow rate (10 ml/min) with normoxic buffer (95% O2, 5% CO2) the release +/- SEM of adenine nucleotides and adenosine was 0.06 +/- 0.01 (n = 11) and 0.04 +/- 0.01 (n = 13) nmol/min. In the presence of AOPCP, the release of adenine nucleotides increased to 0.43 +/- 0.04 nmol/min (n = 9; p less than 0.05), whereas adenosine remained unchanged. Hypoxic perfusion (10% O2, 85% N2, 5% CO2) caused a threefold increase in adenine nucleoti...
Impaired diastolic function and coronary reserve in genetic hypertension. Role of interstitial fibrosis and medial thickening of intramyocardial coronary arteries.
Authors: C GBrilla, J SJanicki, K TWeber
Journal: Circulation Research (1991)

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in rats with genetic hypertension is accompanied by abnormal myocardial diastolic stiffness and impaired coronary reserve. Whether these functional defects are related to a structural remodeling of the myocardium that includes an interstitial and perivascular fibrosis, myocyte hypertrophy, and medial thickening of intramyocardial coronary arteries is uncertain. To address these issues, 14-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats with established hypertension and LVH were treated with low-dose (SLO group: 2.5 mg/kg/day, n = 11) or high-dose (SHI group: 20 mg/kg/day, n = 9) oral lisinopril for 12 weeks to sustain hypertension and LVH or to normalize arterial pressure and myocardial mass, respectively. When SHI and SLO groups were compared with age- and sex-matched 26-week-old untreated spontaneously hypertensive rats (n = 11) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (n = 9), we found 1) normalization of blood pressure (p less than 0.005) and complete regression of LVH (p le...