tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
A Phase I/II Trial of Bortezomib, Low Dose Intravenous Melphalan and Dexamethasone for Patients with Relapsed Multiple Myeloma.
Authors: Rakesh Popat, Catherine Williams, Mark Cook, Charles Craddock, Supratik Basu, Charles Singer, Liz Odeh, Nicola Foot, Heather Oakervee, James D. Cavenagh
Journal: Blood (2006)
CD40-Activated B-Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Cells for Tumor Immunotherapy: Stimulation of Allogeneic Versus Autologous T Cells Generates Different Types of Effector Cells
Authors: Raymund Buhmann, Annette Nolte, Doreen Westhaus, Bertold Emmerich, Michael Hallek
Journal: Blood (1999)
Requests for EEG services in a district general hospital
Authors: J. Heath, B. Thomas, D Smith, R Bartolo, R M Pickles, P B Tedman
Journal: BMJ (2001)

Two week rule for cancer referralsReducing waiting times from diagnosis to treatment might be more effectiveEditor-In their editorial on the two week rule for cancer referrals Jones et al discuss the fact that steps to meet the target for "urgent" referrals have led to a doubling of waiting time for "routine" cases. 1 This is exactly the result we would expect from our calculations modelling waiting times with a Monte Carlo model based on Poisson fluctuations in demand. 2 To sustain a waiting time below two weeks, capacity needs to exceed mean demand by approximately two patients a week for a wide range of values of mean demand.This applies to any appointment, including those for diagnostic and staging procedures, as well as for treatment.Applying this excess capacity to a subgroup of urgent referrals is inherently less efficient than applying it to reduce the waits for all patients.If a fast track for urgent referrals is created by transferring resources from routine cases, this is likely to lead to demand exceeding capacity for routine cases and hence to ever increasing waiting times.These calculations assume that variations are due to random fluctuations in a constant demand, which is an effective model for oncology referrals. 2There is some evidence from dermatology that reductions in waiting times lead to increase in demand, negating the benefit of increased resources. 3t might also apply to referrals for suspected cancer, in which case the extra capacity required will exceed our calculations.This effect should not apply to the number of cases of diagnosed cancer, which will be limited by the incidence of the disease.This suggests that resources may be more effectively targeted at reducing the waiting times from diagnosis to treatment than on reducing the time from referral by a general practitioner to diagnosis.
Abstract 3779: Arterial Wall Remodeling in Response to Atheroma Regression with Very Intensive Lipid Lowering: Insights from the ASTEROID Trial
Authors: Stephen J Nicholls, Ilke Sipahi, Anne Colagiovanni, Kathy Wolski, Paul Schoenhagen, Tim Crowe, Joel S Raichlen, Valerie A Cain, Samir R Kapadia, E M Tuzcu, Steven E Nissen
Journal: Circulation (2006)
Abstract P240: End of Life Costs in Community Patients with Heart Failure
Authors: Shannon M Dunlay, Nilay D Shah, Holly K VanHouten, Veronique L Roger
Journal: Circulation (2012)

Background: Heart failure (HF) care constitutes an increasing economic burden on the healthcare system, and has become a key focus in the healthcare debate. Costs incurred at the end of life can be particularly high in some populations, however, end of life costs among a community population of HF patients have not been well delineated. Methods: Olmsted County residents with incident HF from 1987-2006 were identified and followed until death. Direct medical costs incurred in the last 6 months prior to death were obtained using population-based administrative data through 2010. For those that died within 6 months of HF diagnosis, costs were included from diagnosis until death. Costs were inflated to 2010 U.S. dollars using the general Consumer Price Index (CPI). Results: A total of 862 HF patients were identified, died during follow-up, and had complete cost data (mean age 79.4 years, 46.4% male, 56.5% EF≥50%). Median costs within the last 6 months of life were $12,069 per person (25 th -75 th percentile $1768 - $30,841, mean $24,052), with the majority accumulated during hospitalizations (median $8849 per person, mean $20,263, 84.2% total costs for population). A total of 596 (69.1%) patients were hospitalized in the last 6 months of life, and 235 (27.3%) died in the hospital. Costs progressively increased in the months prior to death (Figure), with nearly half (43.4%) of total costs in the last 6 months of life accumulated during the month before death. End of life costs did not change over the study period (p=0.154 adjusted for age and sex). Conclusions: End of life costs are high among community HF patients, particularly in the final month of life. Most of these costs are accumulated during hospitalizations, and a large proportion of HF patients died in the hospital. Among patients with HF nearing the end of life, alternative strategies of care that avoid hospitalizations may be particularly cost-saving.
Abstract 18229: Evaluation of Atherosclerosis in Ancient Egyptian Mummies Using Multidetector Computed Tomography
Authors: John N Makaryus, Karen Lisk, Amgad N Makaryus
Journal: Circulation (2011)

Introduction: Ancient Egyptian mummies have been the subject of scientific inquiry for hundreds of years. In the modern era, paleoradiology has been successful in elucidating the medical problems and potential causes of death of our ancient relatives who are well preserved due to the intricate Egyptian process of mummification. We used 64-multidetector CT technology to study the occurrence of arterial atherosclerosis in five ancient mummies. Methods: We performed whole-body, 64-slice CT scanning using the 64-CT GE Lightspeed VCT (GE Healthcare) on five mummies on loan from the Brooklyn Museum in Brooklyn, New York in order to assess the presence of arterial vascular calcification. Vessel wall calcification is considered pathognomonic for the presence of atherosclerosis. The degree of vessel wall calcification was assessed based upon calcium deposit concentration along the expected course of each vessel using calcification standards applied to living subjects. Results: The five scanned mummies lived at various times between 1075 B.C.E. and 325 C.E. The identities of four of the five mummies, in addition to their names and demographic data, were known due to information gathered during the excavation process. Four out of the five mummies had some degree of atherosclerosis. No atherosclerosis was detectable on the mummy whose identity was unknown. The mummy Pasebakhaienipet demonstrated mild right femoral, severe right carotid artery, and moderate left carotid artery calcification. Demetrios had severe right femoral calcification. The mummy Hor showed moderate calcification of the right femoral artery. The final mummy Thothirdes had mild bilateral femoral atherosclerosis. Conclusion: Our scans indicate that despite a diet which was based primarily upon agriculture and less so on meat/saturated fat, in addition to a lifestyle which was by no means sedentary based upon available evidence, Egyptian remains still showed evidence of often significant atherosclerosis, indicating that vascular disease is not a modern phenomenon but a product of the interplay between human genetic predisposition and environmental factors.
Abstract 9783: Echocardiographic Normalization in Children With Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy: Results From the Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry
Authors: Melanie D Everitt, Lynn A Sleeper, Minmin Lu, Charles Canter, Elfriede Pahl, James D Wilkinson, Linda J Addonizio, Jeffrey A Towbin, Joseph Rossano, Rakesh K Singh, Jacqueline Lamour, Steve A Webber, Steven D Colan, Renee Margossian, Paul F Kantor, John L Jefferies, Steven E Lipshultz
Journal: Circulation (2013)

Background: Children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDCM) commonly have a poor outcome; however, some improve with normalization of ventricular size and systolic function at follow-up. The incidence of and predictors for such normalization are largely unknown. Methods: All children age ≤18 years with IDCM who had both depressed left ventricular (LV) function (FS or EF z-score&lt;-2) and LV dilation (end diastolic dimension [LVEDD] z-score&gt;2) on the first echo were identified. At least 1 follow-up echo within 2 years of diagnosis was required for inclusion. Competing risks methodology was used to estimate cumulative incidence and predictors for normalization (FS/EF z-score&gt;-2 and LVEDD z-score&lt;2) within 2 yrs of diagnosis. Results: Among 1387 children with IDCM enrolled from 1990-2009 in the Pediatric Cardiomyopathy Registry (PCMR), 868 (63%) met inclusion criteria of depressed LV function and dilation. Of these, 773 (89%) had echo follow-up and were included for analysis. Echo normalization occurred in 25% by 2 yrs, at a median of 9.4 months. Fig. 1 shows cumulative incidence of the following competing outcomes: (1) normalization; (2) death or transplantation (51% by 2 yr); and (3) persistently abnormal echo (24% by 2 yr). Younger age (RR:0.90, 95% CI:0.86-0.94, p&lt;0.001) and lower LVEDD z-score (RR:0.74, 95% CI:0.66-0.82, p&lt;0.001) were independent predictors for normalization. Nine patients (9%), who had echo normalization within 2 yrs of diagnosis, later deteriorated and underwent heart transplant or died. Conclusions: Echo normalization of LV size and systolic function occurred by 2 yrs in 25% of children with IDCM in this large multi-site registry. Younger children and those with less LV dilation at presentation were more likely to normalize. Continued follow-up of children with echo normalization after IDCM is warranted since a subset of these children had subsequent deterioration leading to death or transplantation.
Abstract 2970: Gr-1 Positive Cells-secreted Growth Hormone is the Major Paracrine Factor for the Improved Cardiac Function of Dilated Cardiomyopathy Models in Bone Marrow Mononuclear Cell Transplantation
Authors: Noritoshi Fukushima, Katsuhisa Matsuura, Toshio Nagai, Hiroshi Akazawa, Atsushi Honda, Kagari Murasaki, Toshinao Takahashi, Tatsuya Shimizu, Teruo Okano, Issei Komuro, Nobuhisa Hagiwara
Journal: Circulation (2009)

Bone marrow-derived mononuclear cells (BMMNC) are thought to be the promising source of paracrine factors, but the precise mechanisms remains unknown. Recently we observed that intravenous transpla...
Interleukin-2–Receptor Blockade with Daclizumab to Prevent Acute Rejection in Renal Transplantation
Authors: Flavio Vincenti, Robert Kirkman, Susan Light, Ginny Bumgardner, Mark Pescovitz, Philip Halloran, John Neylan, Alan Wilkinson, Henrik Ekberg, Robert Gaston, Lars Backman, James Burdick
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1998)

Monoclonal antibodies that block the high-affinity interleukin-2 receptor expressed on alloantigen-reactive T lymphocytes may cause selective immunosuppression. Daclizumab is a genetically engineered human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that binds specifically to the alpha chain of the interleukin-2 receptor and may thus reduce the risk of rejection after renal transplantation.We administered daclizumab (1.0 mg per kilogram of body weight) or placebo intravenously before transplantation and once every other week afterward, for a total of five doses, to 260 patients receiving first cadaveric kidney grafts and immunosuppressive therapy with cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone. The patients were followed at regular intervals for 12 months. The primary end point was the incidence of biopsy-confirmed acute rejection within six months after transplantation.Of the 126 patients given daclizumab, 28 (22 percent) had biopsy-confirmed episodes of acute rejection, as compared with 47 of the 134 patients (35 percent) who received placebo (P=0.03). Graft survival at 12 months was 95 percent in the daclizumab-treated patients, as compared with 90 percent in the patients given placebo (P=0.08). The patients given daclizumab did not have any adverse reactions to the drug, and at six months, there were no significant differences between the two groups with respect to infectious complications or cancers. The serum half-life of daclizumab was 20 days, and its administration resulted in prolonged saturation of interleukin-2alpha receptors on circulating lymphocytes.Daclizumab reduces the frequency of acute rejection in kidney-transplant recipients.
Measures against transmission of pandemic H1N1 influenza in Japan in 2009: simulation model
Authors: H Yasuda, K Suzuki
Journal: Eurosurveillance (2009)

The first outbreak of pandemic H1N1 influenza in Japan was contained in the Kansai region in May 2009 by social distancing measures. Modelling methods are needed to estimate the validity of these measures before their implementation on a large scale. We estimated the transmission coefficient from outbreaks of pandemic H1N1 influenza among school children in Japan in summer 2009; using this transmission coefficient, we simulated the spread of pandemic H1N1 influenza in a virtual community called the virtual Chuo Line which models an area to the west of metropolitan Tokyo. Measures evaluated in our simulation included: isolation at home, school closure, post-exposure prophylaxis and mass vaccinations of school children. We showed that post-exposure prophylaxis combined with isolation at home and school closure significantly decreases the total number of cases in the community and can mitigate the spread of pandemic H1N1 influenza, even when there is a delay in the availability of vaccine.
Pharma-Ecology – The Occurrence and Fate of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in the Environment <i>By Patrick K. Jjemba</i> Hoboken, New Jersey:John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc., 2008. 314 pp. ISBN: 978-0-470-04630-2, $95 
Authors: Rolf U. Halden
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2009)
Abstract 2190: Anemia and Survival in Chronic Heart Failure: a meta-analysis
Authors: Hessel F Groenveld, Kevin Damman, Jan van Wijngaarden, Dirk J van Veldhuisen, Hans Hillege, Peter van der Meer
Journal: Circulation (2007)

Background. Anemia is frequently observed in patients with Chronic Heart Failure (CHF), although a wide range prevalences of anemia has been published. Several studies found an increased mortality ...
Abstract 3278: Neuroanatomical Development of Infants Undergoing Heart Surgery Evaluated by QuantitativeThree-Dimensional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Fukiko Ichida, Kazuhiro Watanabe, Mie Matsui, Kyo Noguchi, Naoki Yoshimura, Yoshihiro Oshima, Hirohisa Murakami, Sayaka Watanabe, Keiichi Hirono, Keiichiro Uese, Hideki Origasa, Jun Nakazawa, Toshikatsu Yagihara, Warren B Bilker, Ruben C Gur
Journal: Circulation (2006)
Prognostic Value of High-Dose Dobutamine Stress Magnetic Resonance Imaging in 1,493 Consecutive Patients
Authors: Grigorios Korosoglou, Yacine Elhmidi, Henning Steen, Dieter Schellberg, Nina Riedle, Johannes Ahrens, Stephanie Lehrke, Constanze Merten, Dirk Lossnitzer, Jannis Radeleff, Christian Zugck, Evangelos Giannitsis, Hugo A. Katus
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2010)
Abstract 338: Cardiac-type Calcium Release Mechanism in Cardiac Precursor Cells
Authors: Claudia Altomare, Lucio Barile, Stefano Marangoni, Marcella Rocchetti, Gaspare Mostacciuolo, Alessandro Giacomello, Elisa Messina, Antonio Zaza
Journal: Circulation (2008)

Cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) form three-dimensional structure named cardiospheres (CSs). While CSs are seen as partially committed cardiac precursors, it is unknown whether they already display cardiac-type molecular functions. Whereas IP3-mediated Ca 2+ release is a shared property of many cell types, Ca + release through RyR channels is muscle specific. Aims: To test if cardiac-type Ca 2+ release mechanism is present in CPCs and whether it may develop during the CSs stage. Methods: Cells arose from murine cardiac explants in culture were studied prior to CSs formation (pre-CSs) and after expansion of CSs (post-CSs). Ca 2+ transients were detected in wide optical confocal fields by Fluo4-AM fluorescence. RyR- and IP3-R-mediated Ca 2+ release from intracellular stores was tested by exposures to caffeine (CAF, 10 mM) or ATP (200 μM) respectively in Ca 2+ -free conditions. The expression of the cardiac-specific RyR isoform (RyR2) was tested by immunolabeling and western-blot analysis. Results: In isolated cells CAF-induced response was almost exclusive of post-CSs cells (22.4 % vs. 3.62 %; p&lt;0.05); ATP-induced response was already present in pre-CSs cells and showed only a small increase in post-CSs ones (94.3 % vs 86.1 % p&lt;0.05). The ratio between post-CSs and pre-CSs responses was 6.2 for CAF and 1.1 for ATP. Both CAF and ATP responses were suppressed by the SERCA inhibitor CPA (50 μM), thus confirming intracellular stores as the Ca 2+ source. ATP response only was suppressed by the IP3-R blocker 2APB (10 μM). Ryanodine (20 μM) prevented the response to CAF, but not to ATP. In post-CSs RyR2 protein levels were higher than in pre-CSs and similar to those of adult myocytes. Immunoistochemistry analysis of post-CSs cells results in a distribution of RyR2 expression consistent with immature neonatal cardiomyocytes previously described. Conclusions: At variance with IP3-mediated signaling, RyR mediated Ca 2+ release develops during maturation within the CSs environment, along with expression of the cardiac RyR isoform. Detection of caffeine-induced Ca 2+ responses may be useful in identifying cardio-specific functional maturation in progenitor cell populations.
Abstract 13611: Quality of Life in Elderly Patients with Heart Failure and Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Ming Liu, Bryan P Yan, Alex Pui-Wai Lee, Yat-Yin Lam, Qing Zhang, John E Sanderson, Jing-Ping Sun, Cheuk-Man Yu
Journal: Circulation (2012)

Background:  Advanced age is a known independent predictor of mortality in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFPEF). But the impact of age on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in HFPEF patients is insufficiently studied. We aimed to investigate the impact of age on HRQoL in HFPEF patients.   Methods:  We studied 495 consecutive HFPEF patients (EF≥50%) admitted to our hospital from 2006-2010 with heart failure symptoms. HRQoL assessment was performed at baseline, 3- and 12 months using Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) score. Changes in HRQoL were compared between two age groups (Group-1 with age   Results:  The overall response rate to MLHFQ was high (81%). During the follow-up period, 39 patients died at 3 months and 49 died at 12 months. The remaining 313 patients were divided into Group-1 (n=106, age=64.3±9.7 years) and Group-2 (n=207, age=81.9±4.8 years). There was no significant difference in the gender (49 men in Group-1 vs. 72 men in Group-2, p=0.06) and EF (62.8±8.2% in Group-1 vs. 63.6±8.5% in Group-2, p=0.44) at baseline. Baseline (28.7±14.9 vs. 32.6±14.2, p=0.11), 3-month (19.7±14.0 vs. 25±15.3, p=0.06) and 12-month (16.0±12.7 vs. 17.3±13.0, p=0.54) MLHFQ scores were similar between the 2 groups. HRQoL improvement was observed in the majority of patients in both groups (76.4% vs. 85.6%, p=0.16). In both groups, mean MLHFQ scores improved significantly from baseline to 3 months (p   Conclusions:  Quality of life in HFPEF patients improved over time irrespective of age. Elderly HFPEF patients experienced similar improvements in quality of life compared to younger patients during follow-up after an index hospital admission.
Abstract 15572: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy With Borderline Septal Hypertrophy is Characterised by Impaired Myocardial Blood Flow Reserve Predominantly Due to Attenuated Capillary Recruitment: A Quantitative Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography Study
Authors: Rajesh Chelliah, Greg Whyte, Sanjay Sharma, Antonis Pantazis, Roxy Senior
Journal: Circulation (2013)

Background: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the commonest cause of sudden death in the young. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) which is the hallmark of HCM may fall in the gray zone area (12...
Abstract 2546: Resting Regional Left Ventricular Function as Assessed using Cardiac 64-slice Computed Tomography to Predict Acute Coronary Syndrome in Patients with Acute Chest Pain
Authors: Ian S Rogers, Sujith K Seneviratne, Michael D Shapiro, Fabian Bamberg, Sam J Lehman, Udo Hoffmann
Journal: Circulation (2007)

Background : Cardiac computed tomography based noninvasive assessment of coronary atherosclerotic plaque and stenosis may be useful to improve risk stratification of patients with acute chest pain. Our goal was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of regional LV dysfunction assessed by MDCT for ACS in patients with acute chest pain but normal initial biomarkers and non-ischemic ECG. Methods : We included consecutive subjects without a known history of MI or left ventricular dysfunction who presented to the emergency department (ED) with acute chest pain but had negative initial troponin and no ischemic ECG changes. All subjects underwent standard contrast-enhanced 64-slice cardiac MDCT (0.6mm slice thickness, 120 kVp, 850 mAs) within = hours of presentation. Images were reconstructed at 10% intervals throughout the cardiac cycle and analyzed using short and long axis cine images of the LV cavity created with four-dimensional viewing software. All MDCT scans were assessed qualitatively for regional LV function using the AHA/ACC 17-segment model independently by two experienced readers, who were blinded to the clinical course and coronary plaque and stenosis findings. Results : One-hundred and seventy-three consecutive patients (mean age 56.2 ± 14 years, 56% male) were included. Twenty-two of these patients were ultimately diagnosed with ACS (MI 5, UAP 17) during their index hospitalization. Overall, 23 patients had impaired regional LV function, 17 of them had ACS (MI 5, UAP 12). The specificity (96%) and negative predictive value (96.6 –100%) for detection of ACS was excellent, even when patients with MI or UAP were excluded from subanalysis. Findings are summarized in table 1 . Conclusion: The absence of regional LV dysfunction at rest by MDCT has a excellent specificity for ACS in patients without a known history of CAD who present with acute chest pain of uncertain origin. This information may be complimentary to the detection of coronary plaque and stenosis. Summary of Left Ventricular Function Analysis