tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Soundings: Professional courtesy
Authors: Kevin Barraclough
Journal: BMJ (2005)

I sometimes wonder if people are getting angrier. A few years ago I came across some old BMJs and I was struck by how courteous the correspondence was. Doctors disagreed but they were polite about it. These days I sometimes read the letters and wonder if the correspondence really is about hypertension or whether the researcher somehow insulted the correspondent's wife. It may be because of the changed mode of communication. The actual letter—the thing with a stamp and paper—has clearly gone the way of the red squirrel and been replaced by the swifter, sharper toothed email. I have noticed that an email that seemed merely brief one day can appear thoroughly churlish the next.

The abuse in the journal correspondence columns is never quite explicit. It simmers under the surface—tetchy and irritable—like a sarcastic school teacher. You sense that the author has not quite got the courage to be honest about their rage. “Barraclough states that...” But you know, with the certainty born of years in the playground, that the term “ignorant git” has been deleted from the final version. It is a slight but unnecessary violence upon the world. The ambient temperature of scholarly debate falls a fraction of a degree, and our collective professional life slips minutely towards an ice age of anomie.

The problem could be the ease with which people can respond without thought. In the days of quill and parchment a response took hours. Maybe now there are just too many opinions out there. Would we all be poorer if the opinion columns of the Daily Mail slipped sideways into a black hole?

I must admit that I am not faultless in this matter. I remember giving a devastating and incisive critique of Jane Austen, which foundered somewhat when someone asked me if I had actually read any of the novels. It is much easier to have a pithy opinion when not constrained by the complexities of the facts. And reality, particularly in medicine, has a way of being complex.

TS Eliot, being a mere poet, was once surprised to be recognised by a London taxi driver. “I've a bit of an eye for a celebrity,” the cabbie said. “I had Bertrand Russell in the cab yesterday. `Well, Lord Russell,' I said. `What's it all about then?' And do you know? He couldn't tell me.”
Abstract 13740: Increasing Prevalence and Hospital Charges in Pediatric Heart Failure Related Hospitalizations in the United States: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Joseph W Rossano, Jeffrey J Kim, Jamie A Decker, Jack F Price, Farhan Zafar, Daniel E Graves, David L Morales, Jeffrey S Heinle, Biykem Bozkurt, Susan W Denfield, William J Dreyer, John L Jefferies
Journal: Circulation (2010)

Introduction: Heart failure admissions and cost have increased dramatically over time among adult patients. However, there are very little data regarding the prevalence and cost of pediatric heart ...
Continuing medical education: Recertification and the maintenance of competence
Authors: P. G Bashook, J. Parboosingh
Journal: BMJ (1998)

<h3>Abstract</h3> <b>This is the fourth in a series of seven articles looking at international trends and forces in doctors9 continuing professional development</b> Completion of postgraduate specialist training is a landmark event for most doctors. The award of a certificate is acknowledgment that a doctor has undergone a recognised training programme and been assessed as competent to practise as a specialist in his or her field. Specialists begin practice with a common knowledge base and similar clinical skills but go on to develop different areas of expertise in response to patients9 needs. In time, the knowledge and skills of doctors within a specialty will vary appreciably. <h3>Summary points</h3> Recertification should assess real performance in practice and competence to continue to learn Recertification programmes in the United States use examinations and performance assessments as "snapshots" of competence taken every 7–10 years In other countries most programmes evaluate documented participation in continuing education as evidence of continuing competence as a specialist The proposed continuous recertification programme uses computer technology to document self directed learning from practice and to monitor performance Poor performers could be recognised early, given focused assistance and additional periodic examinations at testing centres, and if necessary their certificates could be rescinded
Abstract P5-01-03: Opto-acoustic nomograms for improving breast cancer diagnosis
Authors: Philip Lavin, Thomas Stavros
Journal: Cancer Research (2015)

Abstract Background/Objective: Diagnostic specificity remains disappointingly low for ultrasound-based methodologies optimized to achieve near 100% sensitivity. Opto-acoustic (OA) imaging is a fusion of real time co-registered, interleaved laser optic and ultrasound imaging that shows fused functional findings (relative de-oxygenation of hemoglobin) and morphologic information (tumor angiogenesis) within and around breast masses using a hand-held duplex OA probe. We assess the improvement in sensitivities and specificities of nomograms (N) based on regression models to classify (CL) benign (B) vs. malignant (M) and to project probability of malignancy (POM) based on five feature-based metrics scored by 21 independent readers (IRs) and an expert reader. We examine OA feature separation and nomogram performance. Methods: Masses from a series of 100 subjects with 80 biopsies (42 B, 38 M) were blindly evaluated prior to both core biopsy and excision. The OA algorithm was locked. Three internal OA findings (density of vascularity [V], relative blood oxygen saturation [O], and hemoglobin [H]) and two external OA findings (boundary zone [Z] and peri-tumoral radiating vessels [R]) were assigned 0-5/6 ordinal scores. Feature distributions were compared using a two-sided Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: There were consistently significant differences between the feature distributions for benign vs. malignant: density of vascularity (14/21 IRs), relative blood oxygen saturation (11/21 IRs), hemoglobin (16/21 IRs), boundary zone (all IRs), and peri-tumoral radiating vessels (all IRs) always with lower scores for benign vs. malignant. The mean IR sensitivities were near 100% for all IRs. The mean specificities from the nomograms were 49% (POM), 43% (CL), and 48% (averaged). Conclusions: The study results indicate that OA findings can be independently and quickly mastered by practicing IRs to consistently differentiate masses. Nomograms offer further confidence to enhance decision making to differentiate. If confirmed in a larger series, OA findings might be useful in differentiation and thus sparing biopsies in addition to more customized surgeries. Citation Format: Philip Lavin, Thomas Stavros. Opto-acoustic nomograms for improving breast cancer diagnosis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-01-03.
Abstract 16701: Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Heart Failure and Caregivers Influence Their Own and Their Partners' Mental Component of Quality of Life
Authors: Misook L Chung, Debra K Moser, Mary Kay Rayens, Terry A Lennie
Journal: Circulation (2010)

Background: Depressive symptoms are common in patients with heart failure (HF) and in their family caregivers. The theory of emotional contagion suggests that depressive symptoms of individuals in ...
Studies on Noninfective Tumors Produced in Turkeys by Rous Sarcoma Virus&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN1"&gt;2&lt;/xref&gt;
Authors: Frank J. Rauscher, Vincent Groupé
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1960)

The production of noninfective tumors with low doses of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), as originally described by Bryan, Calnan, and Moloney, in the chicken, was found to be markedly enhanced in turkey poults. Although the dilution endpoint for tumor production in both chicks and turkey poults was identical, tumors produced in turkeys with as much as 100,000 ED50 of RSV were found to be noninfective. Data are presented which show that the infecting dose of virus, age of the tumor, and virus-neutralizing factors in tumor extracts and serums were important factors influencing the infective titer of tumor tissue in turkeys. Sarcomas induced by a relatively large dose of virus yielded large and fairly uniform amounts of virus provided the tumors selected for assay were harvested within 10 to 14 days after induction. Similarly the serums of such birds were found to be free or to contain only small amounts of specific antibody. When tumors were harvested at more than 15 days after induction, they were found to contain only small amounts of virus or were noninfective. Almost invariably, a noninfective tumor induced by the larger doses of virus came from a bird whose serum contained large amounts of specific antibody. This reciprocal relationship between virus yield and antibody content of the donor bird was also dependent on the amount of initial infecting dose of RSV. That other unknown factors were also involved in the phenomenon of noninfectivity was indicated by the fact that tumors induced with less than 1 ED50 of virus were noninfective, while the serums of their hosts contained no demonstrable virus-neutralizing activity. Finally, it was found that portions of the same tumor varied greatly in the content of infective virus.
Impact of Intensive Lifestyle Intervention on Depression and Health-Related Quality of Life in Type 2 Diabetes: The Look AHEAD Trial
Authors: Richard R Rubin, Thomas A Wadden, Judy L Bahnson, George L Blackburn, Frederick L Brancati, George A Bray, Mace Coday, Scott J Crow, Jeffrey M Curtis, Gareth Dutton, Caitlin Egan, Mary Evans, Lin Ewing, Lucy Faulconbridge, John Foreyt, Sarah A Gaussoin, Edward W Gregg, Helen P Hazuda, James O Hill, Edward S Horton, Van S Hubbard, John M Jakicic, Robert W Jeffery, Karen C Johnson, Steven E Kahn, William C Knowler, Wei Lang, Cora E Lewis, Maria G Montez, Anne Murillo, David M Nathan, Jennifer Patricio, Anne Peters, Xavier Pi-Sunyer, Henry Pownall, W Jack Rejeski, Renate H Rosenthal, Valerie Ruelas, Katie Toledo, Brent Van Dorsten, Mara Vitolins, Donald Williamson, Rina R Wing, Susan Z Yanovski, Ping Zhang
Journal: Diabetes Care (2014)

OBJECTIVE We examined the effects of an intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI), compared with a diabetes support and education (DSE) control intervention, on long-term changes in depression symptoms, antidepressant medication (ADM) use, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in overweight/obese individuals with type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Look AHEAD was a multisite randomized controlled trial of 5,145 overweight/obese participants assigned to ILI (designed to produce weight loss) or DSE and followed for a median of 9.6 years. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was administered at baseline, annually at years 1–4, and again at year 8. Mean BDI scores and incidence of BDI scores ≥10, indicative of likely mild or greater depression, were examined. Annually through year 10, participants reported their ADM use and completed the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire, which yields physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores. RESULTS ILI significantly reduced the incidence of mild or greater depression symptoms (BDI scores ≥10) compared with DSE (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.85; 95% CI 0.75–0.97; P = 0.0145). Although SF-36 PCS scores worsened over time in both groups, ILI participants reported better physical function than DSE throughout the first 8 years (all P values &amp;lt;0.01). There were no significant differences between treatment arms in the proportion of participants who used ADMs or in SF-36 MCS scores. CONCLUSIONS ILI for overweight/obese patients with type 2 diabetes may reduce the risk of developing clinically significant symptoms of depression and preserve physical HRQoL. These findings should be considered when evaluating the potential benefits of ILIs.
Abstract 2929: Cardiac Sodium Channel Mutations and Sudden Cardiac Death in Women
Authors: Christine M Albert, Edwin G Nam, Eric B Rimm, Hong Wei Jin, David J Hunter, Calum A MacRae, Patrick T Ellinor
Journal: Circulation (2007)

Background: Several cardiac ion channel genes have been implicated in monogenic traits with a high risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Mutations or rare variants in these genes have been proposed a...
How Scientists Explain Disease
Authors: Julia Lowe
Journal: BMJ (2001)

Paul Thagard

Princeton University Press, £11.50, pp 268

ISBN 0 691 05083 X

Rating: ![Graphic][1] ![Graphic][2] ![Graphic][3] 

Why do scientists acquire new beliefs, sometimes abandoning old ones? For anyone who has practised medicine long enough to wonder how and why some theories become fashionable and others fail to thrive, this book will make an interesting read. Paul Thagard finds both the traditional view of science as logic and the postmodern view of science as power inadequate for understanding how science develops.

He starts his exploration by considering various explanatory …

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Abstract 5800: Angiopoietin-2 Induced Left Ventricular Hypertrophy is Reduced by AAV-mediated Angiopoietin-1 Overexpression
Authors: Jan Horstkotte, Claudia Schwab, Tilman Ziegler, Melanie Schroeder, Rabea Hinkel, Cuong Kieu, Urban Deutsch, Christian Kupatt
Journal: Circulation (2009)

Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2), a co-factor in postnatal angiogenesis interacting at the endothelial Tie-2 receptor, is a potential target for therapeutic angiogenesis. Though antagonistic functions of Ang-2 and Angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) have been described, the impact of long lasting Ang-2 expression on cardiac function has not been characterized. Here we analysed the impact of chronic Ang-2 overexpression and interaction with Ang-1 on myocardial morphology and function using a AAV2.9-vector overexpressing Ang-1 (rAAV-Ang-1). Methods: For this purpose conditional Ang-2 overexpressing mice (Tet-off transgenic mice, under control of Tie2-promoter = Ang2-tg) were established and analyzed by echocardiography, non-invasive heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and invasive catheterization. Results: Ang2-tg mice displayed a significant cardiac dilation from 12 wks to 24 wks of age (LV-EDD: Ang2-tg: 0,47±0,02cm, control: 0,39±0,01cm, n=18). Application of doxycycline (Dox) or transfection of rAAV-Ang-1 (Ang2-tg+rAAV-Ang1) reversed the phenotype almost entirely (Ang2-tg+Dox: 0,43±0,01cm, Ang2-tg+rAAV-Ang1: 0,40±0,02cm, control 0,40±0,01cm), while absence of treatment resulted in progressive cardiac dilation (Ang2-tg: 0,55±0,04cm). Furthermore Ang2-tg mice revealed increased heart weight (hw) normalized to body weight (bw) (hw/bw) mg/g. (Ang2-tg: 8,0±1,5, control: 5,2±1,2). Hypertrophy was not observed in Dox or rAAV-Ang1 treated animals. In addition increased HR and reduced MAP shown in Ang2-tg-mice (HR: 615±43bpm, MAP: 84±3mmHg) normalized in Dox-treated (HR: 542±69bpm, MAP:102±9mmHg) or rAAV-Ang1 transfected animals (HR: 506±62bpm, MAP:94±4mmHg) to control level (HR: 545±36bpm, MAP:95±2mmHg). Invasive data confirmed these findings. Summary: Our results indicate that prolonged Ang-2 overexpression induces progressive LV-dilation and myocardial dysfunction. The cardiac morphology at 12 wks is reversible, if Ang-2 overexpression is shut off, or antagonised by or Ang-1 upregulation. It is tempting to speculate that Ang-2 affects the vascular system profoundly, forcing reactive dilation and cardiac dysfunction.
Low Risk IPSS/DIPSS Primary Myelofibrosis: Identification of Patients with Higher Risk of Progression
Authors: Margherita Maffioli, Francisco Cervantes, Mario Cazzola, Alessandro M. Vannucchi, Enrica Morra, Domenica Caramazza, Barbara Mora, Toni Giorgino, Francesco Passamonti
Journal: Blood (2014)
Abstract 14079: Value of Magnetic Field Direction for Percutaneous Epicardial RF Ablation Using Magnetic Maneuvering System
Authors: Hiroshi Nakagawa, Atsushi Ikeda, Tushar Sharma, Jan V Pitha, Ralph Lazzara, Warren M Jackman
Journal: Circulation (2011)

Introduction: Percutaneous epicardial RF ablation is performed within the narrow pericardial space. The effect of electrode-tissue contact within the pericardial space on RF lesion size has not bee...
Evaluation Of Immunoglobulin Variations (Clonal Changes) In Symptomatic Multiple Myeloma (MM) Patients’ Course
Authors: Eftychia Nikolaou, Panayiotis Panayiotidis, Katerina Sarris, Dimitrios Maltezas, Efstathios Koulieris, Theodoros Iliakis, Nora Vyniou, Ioanna Vardounioti, Vassiliki Karali, Ilias Pessach, Anna Efthymiou, Vassiliki Bartzis, Tatiana Tzenou, Maria Dimou, Theodoros P. Vassilakopoulos, Maria K. Angelopoulou, Panagiotis Tsaftaridis, Nikolitsa Kafasi, Marie-Christine Kyrtsonis
Journal: Blood (2013)
Abstract 19992: Impact of Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention of a Chronic Total Occlusion: Five-Year Outcomes from a 1,781 Patient Multinational Registry
Authors: Bimmer E Claessen, Roxana Mehran, Cosmo Godino, Kotaro Obunai, George Dangas, Mauro Carlino, Young-Hak Kim, Carlo DiMario, Seung-Jung Park, Gregg W Stone, Antonio Colombo, Martin B Leon, Jeffrey W Moses
Journal: Circulation (2010)

Background: This study aims to identify the clinical impact of successful percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of a chronic total occlusion (CTO). Methods: Between 1998 and 2007, a total of 1,781 patients with 1,846 CTO underwent PCI at four centers in the US, UK, Italy and South Korea. We compared patients with a successful (residual stenosis <50%) to patients with an unsuccessful procedure. Endpoints were all cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), the need for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), and a composite endpoint of death or MI at five years. Results: Procedural success was obtained in 1,222 (69%) patients. Stents were used in 1159 (95%) patients, including drug-eluting stents in 763 (66%) patients (72.5% sirolimus-eluting stents and 27.5% paclitaxel-eluting stents). In-hospital rates of death (0% vs 0.4%, p=0.09) and MI (2.5% vs. 2.1%, p=0.73) were similar in patients with successful and unsuccessful CTO PCI. Coronary dissection (4.3% vs. 9.4%, p<0.01) and perforation (1.7% vs 7.4%, p<0...
Abstract 5519: Enhanced Age-related Endothelial Dysfunction in Genetic Deletion of JunD
Authors: Elena Osto, Giuseppe Coppolino, Bogdan Mateescu, Alexander Akhmedov, Tad Malinski, Enrico Perna, Fatima Mechta-Grigoriou, Christian Matter, Thomas F Luescher, Francesco Cosentino
Journal: Circulation (2009)

JunD is a transcription factor that regulates genes involved in antioxidant defense. This study aimed to investigate whether JunD deficient mice ( JunD −/− ) are more prone to age-related, oxidative stress-mediated, endothelial dysfunction in comparison to age-matched wild type (WT) mice. Methods. Thoracic aortic rings from young (3 months old), middle aged (6 months old) and old (22 months old) male JunD −/− and WT mice were suspended for isometric tension recording. Endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine (Ach, 10 −9 –10 −6 mol/L) was assessed after submaximal contraction with norepinephrine (10 −6 mol/L). Calcium ionophore stimulated nitric oxide (NO), superoxide anion (O 2 − ) and peroxynitrite (ONOO − ) were measured with electrochemical nanosensors placed near the surface (5±2 μ m) of a single endothelial cell. Results. The age-associated impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxations to Ach (Ach, 10 −9 –10 −6 mol/L) was significantly enhanced in JunD −/− as compared to age-matched WT. Maximal relaxations were 55±5 vs 78±4% at 6 months and 39±3 vs 50±2% at 22 months for JunD−/− and WT mice, respectively (n=6 – 8, p&lt;0.05 vs age-matched group). Endothelium-independent relaxations to sodium nitroprusside (10 −10 –10 −5 mol/L) did not differ in JunD −/− and WT of different age groups (n=6 – 8, p&lt;NS). Age-induced decrease of NO production was higher in JunD −/− as compared with WT (475±32 vs 350±28 nmol/L and 358±26 vs 220±23 nmol/L for 6 and 22 months old WT and JunD −/− , respectively; n=3–5, p&lt;0.05 vs age-matched group). O 2 − and ONOO − generation increased with age in WT and more significantly in JunD −/− mice (O 2 − , 67±6 vs 103±8 nmol/L and 116±9 vs 210±16 nmol/L; ONOO − , 224±17 vs 319±22 nmol/L and 313±21 vs 492±29 nmol/L for 6 and 22 months old WT and JunD −/− , respectively; n= 3–5, p&lt;0.05 vs age-matched group). eNOS and MnSOD protein expression was downregulated in JunD −/− mice as compared with WT controls (n=3–5, p&lt;0.05 vs age-matched group). Relaxations to Ach in JunD −/− mice were restored by free radical scavengers superoxide dismutase (SOD) (150 U/ml) and catalase (1200 U/ml). Conclusion . Our results indicate that JunD protects against vascular oxidative stress providing new insights into the pathophysiology of age-associated endothelial dysfunction.
Abstract 15384: Endurance Exercise Training Impairs the Myocardial Response to Acute Pressure Challenge
Authors: Rory Weiner, Jonathan Kim, Francis L Wang, Malissa J Wood, Thomas J Wang, Adolph M Hutter, Michael H Picard, Aaron L Baggish
Journal: Circulation (2011)

Background: Endurance exercise training (EET) imparts volume loading on the left ventricle (LV) leading to eccentric hypertrophy. The effect of exercise-induced eccentric hypertrophy on the myocard...
Abstract 5764: Molecular Imaging Tracking Phagocytosis and Protease Activity Reports on Cardiac Allograft Rejection
Authors: Thomas Christen, Matthias Nahrendorf, Moritz Wildgruber, Filip K Swirski, Elena Aikawa, Peter Waterman, Koichi Shimizu, Ralph Weissleder, Peter Libby
Journal: Circulation (2008)

Recently developed molecular and cellular imaging techniques that probe macrophage (MΦ) functions might provide an alternative to invasive endomyocardial biopsy. Yet, which aspect of MΦ host response represents a useful marker for detecting parenchymal rejection remains uncertain. We transplanted cardiac isografts from B6 mice and allografts from Balb/c mice heterotopically into B6 recipients. During rejection, crucial Mϕ functions including phagocytosis and release of proteases render these abundant innate immune cells attractive imaging targets. Seven days after transplantation we injected either a fluorescent protease sensor or a magnetofluorescent phagocytosis sensor. Histological and flow cytometric analyses established that Mϕ function as the major cellular signal source. In vivo, we obtained a 3D functional map of Mϕ showing higher uptake of phagocytosis sensor during rejection using MRI (contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) 51.5±8.5 in allografts (n=4) versus 19.8±8.7 in isografts (n=3), p&lt;0.05) and higher protease activity in allografts than in isografts using fluorescence mediated tomography (FMT, fluorescence 41.2±5.2 pmol in allografts (n=8) versus 23.5±5.7 pmol in isografts (n=6), p&lt;0.05). Finally, detection of significantly attenuated signals in recipients deficient in recombinase-1 demonstrated the sensitivity of Mϕ-targeted imaging. Reporters on either phagocytosis or protease activity can detect cardiac allograft rejection noninvasively, may facilitate the evaluation of novel tolerance-inducing strategies, and have translational potential.
Abstract 509: Critical Role of the Transcriptional Repressor BCL-6 in Bone Marrow-Derived Inflammation and Atherosclerosis
Authors: Rajendra K Tangirala, Grant D Barish, Ruth T Yu, Diana Becerra, Alexander L Dent, Ronald M Evans
Journal: Circulation (2008)

The transcription factor BCL-6 has been extensively implicated in non-Hodgkin lymphoma and B-cell development. More recent studies reveal additional roles for BCL-6 in the macrophage lineage to rep...