shukoor65/lab-rag-model huggingface dataset:
Children with epilepsy: the effect of seizures, syndromes, and etiological factors on cognitive functioning. Overall, children with epilepsy have poorer concentration and mental processing and are less alert than age-matched controls. The relationship between cognitive functioning and epilepsy is complex, however, with widely differing degrees of intellectual impairment--ranging from minimal to severe and progressive--related to diverse types of epileptic seizures, syndromes, and etiological factors. Prolonged and frequently repeated seizures are typically associated with more severe effects on cognitive functioning, particularly if epilepsy is symptomatic, i.e., secondary to a demonstrable brain lesion. A combination of such factors may contribute to the mental deterioration seen in many children suffering from severe epilepsy.
Phase I study of liposomal MTP-PE-activated autologous monocytes administered intraperitoneally to patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. We have conducted a phase I study with autologous monocytes activated ex vivo and administered intraperitoneally in nine patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Blood monocytes were collected by leukapheresis and then purified by counterflow elutriation (up to 10(9) cells, with a purity of greater than 90%). Ex vivo activation was obtained by incubating these cells with 1 micrograms liposomal MTP-PE/10(6) monocytes for 18 hours in hydrophobic culture bags at 37 degrees C in 5% carbon dioxide humidified air. The activated monocytes were then infused in the peritoneal cavity once a week for 5 consecutive weeks through an implanted peritoneal infusion system, Port-A-Cath (Pharmacia Deltec, St Paul, MN), on an intrapatient dose-escalating schedule (10(7) to 10(9) monocytes). No severe adverse reactions occurred. Toxicity was mild, the chief acute reactions being fever (27%), chills (13%), and abdominal pain (25%). None of the side effects led to dose reduction. No consistent change in hemostatic function, liver function, or renal function was observed. Significant increases in granulocyte counts, neopterine, and acute phase reactants (fibrinogen, C-reactive protein) occurred in the peripheral blood. In vitro monocyte activation was demonstrated by the relapse of procoagulant activity and monokines (interleukin-1 [IL-1], IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF alpha]) in the supernatants of cultured monocytes. Evidence for in vivo monocyte activation was provided by the increase of these monokines in the peritoneal fluids. Kinetic studies with indium-111 (111In)-labeled activated autologous monocytes in five patients suggest that these infused monocytes may remain in the peritoneal cavity for up to 7 days. This locoregional immunotherapeutic approach seems to be encouraging in view of adjuvant therapeutic modality in ovarian cancer patients with minimal residual intraabdominal disease following second-look laparotomy.
Cancer screening by primary care physicians. Can we explain the differences? BACKGROUND. Physicians perform cancer screening tests less often than recommended. METHODS. Forty primary care physicians were surveyed to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and experiences regarding cancer and cancer screening, and patients' medical records were reviewed to measure physicians' screening rates. RESULTS. Over 80% of physicians believed doctors should urge screening. On average, 23% of their patient visits were scheduled primarily for preventive care interventions. Screening performance scores expressed the percentage of compliance with the American Cancer Society's recommendations and demonstrated the low levels of compliance for six out of seven tests; however, there was substantial variance in performance among physicians. The best predictors of screening performance were (1) the percentage of visits scheduled primarily for prevention (mammography, and pelvic and breast examinations [P less than .05]); and (2) the number of medical journals read regularly (stool occult blood test [P less than .01], sigmoidoscopy [P less than .01], and Papanicolaou smear [P less than .02]). Also, female physicians performed more Papanicolaou smears (P less than .05) and scheduled more visits for preventive care (P less than .001). CONCLUSIONS. A small group of predictors explain large portions of the variance in cancer screening performance.
Intermediate septal accessory pathways: electrocardiographic characteristics, electrophysiologic observations and their surgical implications Intermediate septal accessory pathways are located in close proximity to the atrioventricular (AV) node and His bundle, have unique features that distinguish them from typical anterior and posterior accessory pathways and have been associated with a high risk for unsuccessful pathway division and the production of complete AV block after surgery. Between July 1986 and May 1990, 4 of 70 patients (3 men and 1 woman; mean age 33 +/- 13 years) undergoing surgery for accessory pathway division were found to have an intermediate septal accessory pathway. The presenting arrhythmia was atrial fibrillation with rapid anterograde conduction over the accessory pathway in two patients and recurrent orthodromic reciprocating tachycardia in two patients. In all patients, the delta wave on the electrocardiogram (ECG) was inverted in lead V1, but two patterns of delta wave configuration were observed. In three patients (type 1 intermediate septal accessory pathway), the delta wave was upright in lead II, inverted in lead III and isoelectric in lead a VF; the transition from a negative to an upright delta wave occurred in lead V2. The fourth patient exhibited a different delta wave pattern (type 2 intermediate septal accessory pathway). The delta wave was upright in each of leads II, III and aVF; the transition from a negative to an upright delta wave occurred at lead V3. Intraoperative electrophysiologic study localized the atrial insertion of type 1 pathways to the midpoint of Koch's triangle close to the AV node.
Septicaemia after colonoscopy in patients with cirrhosis. Two patients with ulcerative colitis and chronic active hepatitis with cirrhosis, who developed Gram negative septicaemia after colonoscopy are described. These and two similar reported cases indicate that giving prophylactic antibiotics to patients with cirrhosis undergoing colonoscopy should be considered, particularly when the cirrhosis is advanced.
The chemoreflex control of breathing and its measurement. The chemoreflex control of breathing is described in terms of a graphical model. The central chemoreflex, the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide mediated by the central chemoreceptors, is modelled as a straight-line relation between the ventilatory response and the arterial level of carbon dioxide. The peripheral chemoreflex, the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide and hypoxia mediated by the peripheral chemoreceptors, is broken into two relations. First, a straight-line relation between the ventilatory response and the arterial level of carbon dioxide whose slope (sensitivity) increases as the oxygen level varies from hyperoxic to hypoxic. Second, a rectangular hyperbolic relation between the ventilatory response and the arterial level of oxygen with ventilation increasing with increasing hypoxia. The three ventilatory response relations (one central and two peripheral) add to produce the total chemoreflex ventilatory response which forms the feedback part of the respiratory regulator. The forward part consists of the relation between the arterial level of carbon dioxide and ventilation when ventilation is controlled (the metabolic hyperbola). The forward and feedback parts of the respiratory regulator can be combined so as to predict resting ventilation and carbon dioxide levels under a number of circumstances. Methods of measurement of these chemoreflex ventilatory responses are also described so as to illustrate the physiological principles involved in the model.
Are demented patients with Parkinson's disease accurately reflected in prevalence surveys? A survival analysis. We re-reviewed 257 patient records previously reviewed for an incidence study of dementia in Parkinson's disease (PD) to determine the frequency, date of death, and cause of death. We posited that if disease duration is shortened when dementia occurs, then dementia may be far more common than reflected in prevalence studies. There were 17 deaths among 65 demented patients and 28 deaths among 168 nondemented patients. When we matched a subset of the nondemented patients to the demented patients by age and disease duration distributions, the demented subjects had significantly more deaths (p less than 0.02), and survival among demented subjects was decreased (p less than 0.05). Dementia was a significant predictor of death in this sample. We conclude that dementia reduces survival in patients with PD. Incidence is a much better measure of dementia in PD than prevalence because shortened duration makes it less likely to detect dementia in prevalence surveys.
Management of nasal fractures. Fracture of the nasal skeleton is a relatively common injury. Satisfactory treatment requires appropriate skills, diagnosis, and management. Some injuries require immediate attention; others are better treated in delayed fashion. Closed reduction provides satisfactory treatment in the majority of nasal fractures; however, open reduction often is a more appropriate choice. Injuries to the nasal septum should be recognized and given proper treatment.
Quality of life before and after orthotopic hepatic transplantation. Fifty-three nonalcoholic patients were evaluated prior to liver transplantation and again approximately 3 years after surgery using the Sickness Impact Profile and Social Behavior Adjustment Schedule. Test-retest scores reflected significant improvement across all health and psychosocial scales of the Sickness Impact Profile. On the Social Behavior Adjustment Schedule, significant improvement was observed on scales measuring disturbed behavior, social role performance, and burden. Comparisons between groups indicated that the liver transplant patients were still impaired on eight of the Sickness Impact Profile scales after transplant; however, the severity of disturbance was not considered to be clinically significant. No between-group differences were noted on the Social Behavior Adjustment Schedule. These results indicate that liver transplantation is associated with substantial improvement in life quality, although as a group, the patients undergoing this surgery do not recover to the level of functioning demonstrated by normal individuals.
Chylothorax complicating right upper lobectomy. Chylothorax after pleuropulmonary surgery is unusual. We have described the case of a patient in whom this complication followed a right upper lobectomy. Early recognition is important to avoid potential morbidity and mortality.
Safety and efficacy of repeat thrombolytic treatment after acute myocardial infarction. Thrombolytic treatment for acute myocardial infarction increases the risk of subsequent reocclusion of the infarct related artery. The efficacy and safety of repeat thrombolytic treatment was assessed in 31 patients treated with streptokinase (n = 13) or tissue plasminogen activator (n = 18) a median of five days (1-716) after the first infusion. The indication for readministration was prolonged chest pain with new ST segment elevation. Efficacy was assessed by infarct artery patency at angiography at a median of eight days after readministration in 22 patients and by non-invasive criteria in 23 patients (reperfusion was deemed to be likely if serum creatine kinase was not increased or reached a peak less than 12 hours after infarction). Angiography showed patency of 70% of the infarct arteries after readministration of streptokinase and of 75% after tissue plasminogen activator. The corresponding patency rates assessed noninvasively were 73% and 75%. Reinfarction was prevented in nine (29%) patients. Allergic reactions occurred in four of eight patients who received streptokinase twice (plasmacytosis and acute reversible renal failure developed in one patient). Two patients had major bleeding and two minor bleeding, all after tissue plasminogen activator, and one of them died of cerebral haemorrhage. Repeat thrombolytic treatment results in late patency rates similar to the rates after the initial administration. Allergic reactions were common in those treated twice with streptokinase.
A prospective evaluation of hepatic resection for colorectal carcinoma metastases to the liver: Gastrointestinal Tumor Study Group Protocol 6584. We report here the results of the first multiinstitutional prospective evaluation of patients considered to have potentially resectable hepatic metastases from colorectal carcinoma. One hundred fifty-six patients were enrolled from 15 institutions. Six patients were subsequently excluded. One hundred fifty patients underwent surgery and are evaluable for analysis (median follow-up time, 3.1 years; range, 4 months to 5.1 years). Curative resection could be performed on 46% of patients (69 of 150), noncurative resection on 12% (18 of 150), while 42% were found to be unresectable (63 of 150). Thirty-day surgical mortality and morbidity rates in patients with attempted resection were 2.7% and 13%, respectively. The curative resection group was observed to have an improved median survival (37.1 months) compared with the noncurative resection group (21.2 months) and the unresectable group (16.5 months) (P less than .01). Computed tomographic (CT) scan was a poor predictor for resectability, and age was not a contraindication to curative resection. Preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) values were also a poor predictor for resectability. However, the median CEA value 61 to 180 days postsurgery was significantly higher in unresectable patients compared with median CEA levels in noncuratively and curatively resected groups (P less than .01). Our results imply that curative resection leads to an increase in median survival. Noncurative resection provides no benefit to asymptomatic patients, since unresectable and noncurative resection groups have similar life expectancies. Longer follow-up will be needed to demonstrate the ultimate impact of curative resection on survival.
Mitotane enhances cytotoxicity of chemotherapy in cell lines expressing a multidrug resistance gene (mdr-1/P-glycoprotein) which is also expressed by adrenocortical carcinomas. P-Glycoprotein (Pgp), product of the mdr-1 gene, is a 130- to 180-kDa plasma membrane phosphoglycoprotein which mediates multidrug resistance in cell culture by increasing efflux of the natural product chemotherapeutic agents. High levels of expression of mdr-1/Pgp are found in both the normal adrenal and adrenocortical cancers. By RNA in situ hybridization the expression in adrenocortical cancer is shown to be widely distributed. The present study demonstrates that decreased drug accumulation mediated by mdr-1/Pgp can be overcome by clinically achievable concentrations of mitotane (o,p'-DDD). The increase in drug accumulation with the addition of mitotane is due at least in part to a decrease in drug efflux and results in an increase in cytotoxicity when agents of the natural product class are used. This effect is observed in cells with a broad range of mdr-1/Pgp expression, including levels comparable to those found in most adrenocortical cancers. Similar increases in drug accumulation can be demonstrated in an unselected adrenocortical cancer cell line that expresses mdr-1/Pgp. The finding that multidrug resistance mediated by mdr-1/Pgp can be reversed by mitotane provides a rational basis for exploring the use of mitotane in combination with natural product chemotherapeutic agents in adrenocortical cancer.
Establishment and characterization of a human carcinoid in nude mice and effect of various agents on tumor growth. The authors have established a long-term tissue culture cell line (BON) derived from a metastatic human carcinoid tumor of the pancreas. The cells have been in continuous passage for 46 months. Tissue culture cells produce tumors in a dose-dependent fashion after SC inoculation of cell suspensions in athymic nude mice. BON tumors, grown in nude mice, are histologically identical to the original tumor; they possess gastrin and somatostatin receptors, synthesize serotonin and chromogranin A, and have a doubling time of approximately 13 days. The antiproliferative effects of the long-acting somatostatin analogue, SMS 201-995 (300 micrograms/kg, t.i.d.), and 2% alpha-difluoromethylornithine on BON xenografts in nude mice were examined. Tumor size was significantly decreased by day 14 of treatment with either agent and at all points of analysis thereafter until the animals were killed (day 33). In addition, tumor weight, DNA, RNA, and protein contents were significantly decreased in treated mice compared with controls. Establishment of this human carcinoid xenograft line, BON, provides an excellent model to study further the biological behavior of carcinoid tumors and the in vivo effect of chemotherapeutic agents on tumor growth.
Xenobiotic enzyme profiles and Parkinson's disease. Xenobiotic enzymic systems have been studied in Parkinson's disease. Platelet monoamine oxidase-B activity is increased by the use of phenylethylamine but decreased by the use of dopamine as substrate. Enzymes involved with sulfur oxidation and methylation are underactive.
Emergency medical services and the pediatric patient. III: Resources of ambulatory care centers. Ambulatory care centers have emerged as a new health care resource in many communities. Little information is available about the services that these centers offer to pediatric patients. A national survey of 254 ambulatory care centers was undertaken to determine their characteristics, including the number of pediatric patients seen, staffing patterns, and pediatric equipment and supplies available. Most clinics were located in urban areas and were within 5 miles of a hospital. They were staffed primarily by physicians who were board certified in emergency medicine, internal medicine, or family medicine. Not all centers had registered nurses on duty and few used extended-role nurses or physicians's assistants. The centers saw an average of 18 patients younger than 18 years of age per day. Some ambulatory care centers received emergency medical service and private ambulance calls and encountered serious illness such as chest pain, seizures, and anaphylaxis; the majority, however, handled mainly minor injuries and illnesses. Although most had pediatric equipment and supplies, some did not have a complete set of pediatric resuscitation equipment even though they were part of the emergency system offering care to the pediatric population.
Associated neurologic and ophthalmologic findings in congenital oculomotor nerve palsy. Unlike acquired oculomotor nerve palsy in childhood, the congenital form is usually considered to be an isolated disorder, not associated with other neurologic or systemic disease. In a series of 14 patients with this diagnosis, 10 had associated neurologic disorders. Clinical-neuroradiologic correlation identified the brainstem as the site of the lesion in some patients. The ipsilateral pupil was involved in 12 patients and was miotic with a trace or no reaction to light on the side of the palsy in 8 of the 12 patients. In two of these eight patients, the pupil was documented to be dilated and fixed in early infancy and subsequently became miotic at several months of age, concurrent with emergence of other signs of aberrant reinnervation. Pupillary miosis as a result of aberrant reinnervation appears to be much more frequent after congenital than acquired pupillary-involving oculomotor palsy. Four patients showed better visual acuity in the paretic eye, an unexpected finding. The paretic eye appeared to have a fixational advantage if the patient had nystagmus, presumably due to asymmetric dampening of the nystagmus. Significant anisometropia and astigmatic errors in the paretic eye were present in essentially all patients.
Combined treatment of symptomatic gallbladder stones by extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and instillation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). Twenty-four patients with symptomatic gallbladder stones (12 radiolucent and 12 calcified) were treated by a combined approach of extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and subsequent instillation of methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE). The patients received a mean of 1500 +/- 185 shock-wave discharges. The mean instillation time of MTBE was 13 +/- 4.2 hr. Treatment was tolerated without major adverse effects. Within a time period of three to five days eight of 12 patients with pure radiolucent stones and four of 12 with calcified stones became stone-free. After a median follow-up of five months (range: one week to 26 months), a total of 11 patients (92%) with radiolucent stones and of eight patients (66%) of those with calcified stones were free of stones, fragments, or debris. These clearance rates appear high when compared with reports on monotherapy with ESWL or MTBE, suggesting a positive effect of a combined approach in selected patients. Two patients exhibited recurrent stones after six and seven months, respectively.
Transpalpebral extrusion of a silicone sponge exoplant. We report an unusual case of scleral buckle extrusion in a 63-year-old woman. A 5 mm silicone sponge exoplant eroded through Tenon's capsule, conjunctiva, and full-thickness upper eyelid, traversing the tarsal plate.
The role of endoscopic papillotomy in ascending cholangitis. The role of endoscopic papillotomy in calculous cholangitis is unclear. A retrospective review of 41 patients admitted to hospital with calculous cholangitis was carried out. There were 30 women and 11 men and their ages ranged between 49 and 98 years (mean age 77). All patients presented with abdominal pain, tenderness, chills, and fever. Clinical jaundice was present in 95 per cent of the patients. Initial endoscopic papillotomy was successful in 17 of the 41 patients. In 24 patients cholangitis persisted or recurred and further therapy was carried out. Surgery was successful in controlling sepsis in ten of the 24 patients. Repeat endoscopic papillotomy was successful in four of 13 patients. Surgery was successful in one of nine patients who had failed repeat endoscopic papillotomy. Nasobiliary drainage and percutaneous transhepatic drainage of the common bile duct after failed repeat endoscopic papillotomy was successful in only two of nine patients. Six patients died after failed repeat endoscopic papillotomy. We conclude that initial endoscopic papillotomy should be attempted in patients with calculous cholangitis. Surgical exploration of the common bile duct should then be carried out if initial endoscopic papillotomy fails to control cholangitis.