tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Acute Myelogenous Leukemia After Treatment for Malignant Germ Cell Tumors in Children
Authors: Dominik T. Schneider, Elisabeth Hilgenfeld, Dirk Schwabe, Wolfgang Behnisch, Andreas Zoubek, Rüdiger Wessalowski, Ulrich Göbel
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1999)

PURPOSE: To identify the long-term sequelae of therapy for malignant germ cell tumors (GCTs). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1980 and 1998, 1,132 patients were prospectively enrolled onto the German nontesticular GCT studies. A total of 442 patients received chemotherapy using combinations of the drugs cisplatin, ifosfamide, etoposide, vinblastine, and bleomycin, and 174 patients were treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Median follow-up duration was 38 months (range, 6 to 199 months). RESULTS: Six patients developed therapy-related acute myelogenous leukemia (t-AML). There was no t-AML among patients treated with surgery (n = 392) or radiotherapy only (n = 124). The Kaplan-Meier estimates of the cumulative incidence (at 10 years) of t-AML were 1.0% for patients treated with chemotherapy (three of 442) and 4.2% for patients treated with combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy (three of 174). Notably, four of these six patients had been treated according to a standard protocol with modest cumulative chemotherapy doses. Five patients had received less than 2 g/m 2 epipodophyllotoxins, and four patients had received less than 20 g/m 2 ifosfamide. Four patients presented with AML, two with myelodysplasia in transformation to AML. In five patients, cytogenetic aberrations were found, four of which were considered characteristic for t-AML. Four patients died despite antileukemic therapy. One patient is alive but suffered a relapse of his GCT, and one patient is alive and well. No secondary solid neoplasm was observed. CONCLUSION: In patients with AML after treatment for GCT, several pathogenetic mechanisms must be considered. AML might evolve from a malignant transformation of GCT components without any influence of the chemotherapy. On the other hand, the use of alkylators and topoisomerase II inhibitors is associated with an increased risk of t-AML. Future studies will show if the reduction of treatment intensity in the current protocol reduces the risk of secondary leukemia in these patients.
Effect of Radiation on the Production of Interleukins and T-Lymphocyte Activities&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2"&gt;2&lt;/xref&gt;
Authors: I Manori, A Kushelevsky, S Segal, Y Weinstein
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1985)

The effect of 0-400 rad 60Co gamma-ray doses on distinct steps in the process of murine T-cell activation by concanavalin A (Con A) was investigated. When C57BL/6 spleen cells were stimulated immediately after irradiation, production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) was not impaired. Concomitantly, the display of IL-2 receptors in Con A-induced reactivity to IL-2 was not affected. The proliferative response was markedly diminished by increasing doses of radiation. The effect of radiation was found to depend not only on the delivered dose but also on the time interval between irradiation and stimulation of the lymphoid cultures. When the mitogenic stimulus was delayed for 24 hours following irradiation, IL-1 production was not diminished, whereas IL-2 production was impaired by doses greater than 200 rad. The proliferative response was diminished to a markedly higher degree as compared to the degree it was diminished in cell cultures stimulated by Con A immediately after irradiation. IL-2 production and the proliferative response to Con A of irradiated cell suspensions, cultured without mitogen for 24 hours post irradiation, were also assessed after adjustment for cell death. In this case, an impairment in IL-2 production that was dose dependent was apparent, but still the levels of IL-2 secreted by 400-rad irradiated cells reached high levels. In contrast, the proliferative response to Con A could not be restored. When T-cell growth factor was added concomitantly with Con A to irradiated cell cultures, a radioprotective effect could be observed.
Endogenous and exogenous metabolites in exhaled breath condensate in asthma
Authors: E.K. Anaev, T.N. Anokhina, I.A. Revelsky, A.A. Rodionov, A.I. Revelsky, A.G. Chuchalin
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Profile of metabolites in different biological fluids reflects the physiological and pathophysiological processes in the human organism initiated by internal and external factors. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) analysis can provide information about the state of metabolic processes in the respiratory tract.   Aim:  To investigate various metabolites in EBC in asthma patients and healthy controls.   Methods:  EBC was collected from 20 asthma patients and 30 healthy subjects using an ECoScreen condenser. Metabolites were determined in EBC using gas-chromatography - mass-spectrometry method (GC-MS) and identified in NIST-2005 library.   Results:  There were found semi-volatile metabolites (SVMs) in EBC in asthma patients and healthy subjects. SVMs belong to different classes of chemical compounds: saturated fatty acids (SFAs), hydrocarbons, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, phenols and alkaloids.The limit of compounds detection was 0.1-10 ppb. 18 SVMs are presented in the Human Metabolome Database (HMDB): 13 endogenous metabolites and 5 exogenous metabolites. SVMs were determined earlier in the blood, urine, but there is still no information in HMDB about these metabolites in EBC. The most representative group consisted of 12 SFAs, 11 of them are endogenous metabolites. The content of stearic and palmitic acids in EBC of patients with asthma was significantly decreased in compared with healthy. We found negative correlations between SFAs in EBC and spirometry parameters (FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC) (p   Conclusion:  The pathological process in the respiratory tract changes the expression of SFAs in EBC, indicating the involvement of these metabolites in the pathogenesis of asthma.
Original article: TRAIL mediated signaling in human mast cells: the influence of IgE‐dependent activation
Authors: B. Berent‐Maoz, S. Salemi, D. Mankuta, H.‐U. Simon, F. Levi‐Schaffer
Journal: Allergy (2008)

Background: Mast cells activation through FcɛRI cross‐linking has a pivotal role in the initiation of allergic reactions. The influence of this activation on programmed cell death of human mast cells has not yet been clarified. This study evaluates the influence of IgE‐dependent activation alone and in synergy with TRAIL on the expression of molecules involved in the apoptotic signal transduction. Methods: Human cord blood derived mast cells (CBMC) were cultured with myeloma IgE followed by activation with anti‐human IgE. The expression of proteins involved in apoptotic signal transduction was assessed by immunoblot analysis. To test the effect of activation on a pro‐apoptotic stimulus, activated, IgE‐treated and resting CBMC were incubated with TRAIL, or in a medium with suboptimal concentrations of stem cell factor (SCF). Results: In accordance with a previous study of ours, it was found that IgE‐dependent activation increased TRAIL‐induced caspase‐8 and caspase‐3 cleavage. However, it did not have a significant influence on CBMC death induced by SCF withdrawal. IgE‐dependent activation increased the expression of FLIP and myeloid cell leukemia 1 (MCL‐1) anti‐apoptotic molecules as well as the pro‐apoptotic one, BIM. In addition, a decrease in BID expression was observed. TRAIL could reverse the increase in FLIP but did not influence the upregulation of MCL‐1 and of BIM. Conclusions: These findings suggest that IgE‐dependent activation of human mast cells induces an increase in both pro‐survival and pro‐apoptotic molecules. We therefore hypothesized that IgE‐dependent activation may regulate human mast cell apoptosis by fine‐tuning anti‐apoptotic and pro‐apoptotic factors.
Continuous apple consumption induces oral tolerance in birch‐pollen‐associated apple allergy
Authors: P. Kopac, M. Rudin, T. Gentinetta, R. Gerber, Ch. Pichler, O. Hausmann, B. Schnyder, W. J. Pichler
Journal: Allergy (2011)

To cite this article: Kopac P, Rudin M, Gentinetta T, Gerber R, Pichler C, Hausmann O, Schnyder B, Pichler WJ. Continuous apple consumption induces oral tolerance in birch‐pollen‐associated apple allergy. Allergy 2012; 67 : 280–285. Abstract Background: Patients with birch pollen allergy (major allergen: Bet v 1) have often an associated oral allergy syndrome (OAS) to apple, which contains the cross‐reactive allergen Mal d 1. As successful birch pollen immunotherapy does not consistently improve apple related OAS symptoms, we evaluated whether regular apple consumption has an effect on OAS and immune parameters of Mal d 1 or Bet v 1 allergy. Methods: A total of 40 patients with a clear history of birch pollen rhinoconjunctivitis and associated OAS to apple were included in an open, randomized, controlled clinical trial: 27 patients consumed daily defined amount of apple (1–128 g), doubling the amount every two to three weeks, while 13 patients remained untreated. Primary endpoint was the proportion of patients that achieved tolerance to at least 128 g of apple at the end of the study after 8 months. Exploratory endpoints were questionnaire about cross‐reactive food and pollen allergy symptoms, conjunctival provocation test with birch pollen and Bet v 1, and in vitro tests (tIgE, sIgE, and IgG4 to Mal d 1 and Bet v 1; basophil activation test with both allergens). Results: Seventeen of 27 patients in active group and none of 13 patients in control group ( P = 0.0001) could tolerate a whole apple after the intervention. However, differences in endpoints reflecting systemic immune reactivity did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: In patients with OAS to apple, tolerance can be safely induced with slowly, gradually increasing consumption of apple. However, the observation of a relapse after discounting of apple consumption and absence of immunologic changes suggest that induced tolerance is only transient.
Probiotics for the prevention of allergy: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Carlos A. Cuello-Garcia, Jan L. Brożek, Alessandro Fiocchi, Ruby Pawankar, Juan José Yepes-Nuñez, Luigi Terracciano, Shreyas Gandhi, Arnav Agarwal, Yuan Zhang, Holger J. Schünemann
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2015)
Rehabilitation success after bridging to lung transplantation with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and mechanical ventilation
Authors: Martin Dierich, Mark Greer, Tobias Welte, Gregor Warnecke, Jens Gottlieb
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and mechanical ventilation (MV) are used in end stage lung disease as a bridge to lung transplantation (LTx). The success of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) after ECMO and MV is unknown. Hypothesis: 3-week inpatient PR improves physical functioning (PF) and health related quality (HRQOL) after MV and ECMO as efficient as in non supported (NS) patients (pts.).   Methods:  pts. were divided in 3 groups (ECMO/MV/NS). Vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume (FEV1, % predicted), peak work rate (PWR), 6-min. walk distance (6-MWD) and HRQOL (Short Form 36 questionnaire (SF36)) were assessed at baseline (BL) and completion of PR.   Results:  440 pts. (ECMO 21, MV 26, NS 393) were included. Overall and intra-group improvement in each parameter was significant (p  Conclusion:  barriers after bridging with ECMO and MV are overcome in PR partially. PF and HRQOL in NS are superior, while ECMO and MV reveal comparable results.
Patient awareness in controlling tuberculosis
Authors: M. Amin Afridi, Ziauddin Answari, Nazim Nathani, Bilal Chaudhari, Bipin Champaniri
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Background : Tuberculosis is spreading specially due close living ties in vulnerable groups. We treat 250 patients/year in a very multi-ethnic community.

Aim : As part of TB control programmes, we assessed the level of our patients' awareness about TB through a written questionnaire.

Results : 60 questionnaires were sent to random patients treated for TB over last 3 years. 22 patients returned them.

View this table:



Discussion : Educating people improves treatment outcomes and designed multi-professional models have proved significant improvement [2011 Sep 21;7(309):1826-31]. Our study showed,in countries like UK, a significant number of people have limited knowledge of TB and some are taking months to seek help.

Conclusion : Without public awareness, TB control programmes will be difficult to succeed and all measures should be taken to educate general public.
Contralateral breast cancer: annual incidence and risk parameters.
Authors: P Broët, A de la Rochefordière, S M Scholl, A Fourquet, V Mosseri, J C Durand, P Pouillart, B Asselain
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1995)

To screen for factors that might predict the risk of developing metachronous contralateral breast cancer (CBC), taking into account the influence of local or distant recurrence, and to assess the annual incidence of CBC.Of 4,748 women with invasive unilateral breast cancer, clinical stage I to IIIa, treated between 1981 and 1987, 282 metachronous CBCs were diagnosed. Due to competing risks between the occurrence of CBC and other events, several options for multivariate analysis were considered.The median follow-up time was 80 months (range, 1 to 158). The cumulative rate of CBC was 4.1% +/- 0.3% at 5 years, and the annual incidence rate of CBC increased slowly, while the risk of local recurrence and metastases decreased after the fourth year. Whichever model we chose, age less than 55 years (relative risk [RR] = 1.40) at the time of diagnosis of the first breast cancer, as well as the presence of lobular type carcinoma (RR = 1.50), was associated with an increased risk of developing a tumor in the contralateral breast. Adjuvant chemotherapy significantly decreased (RR = 0.54) the risk of CBC.Lobular histology and age less than 55 years are found to increase the risk of CBC, while adjuvant chemotherapy significantly decreased the risk of CBC. The progressive rise in the annual incidence rates of CBC, together with the absence of a link between clinical prognostic factors of the first cancer and CBC, suggested that CBC can be considered as a second primary breast cancer.
TV: The Story of God
Authors: Trevor Jackson
Journal: BMJ (2005)

While the latest exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History in New York explores evolution (BMJ 2005;331: 1379. [PubMed]), several hundred miles away at the start of the US Bible belt some of those who reject Darwin's theory are building a museum of creation. So far creationists have raised $25m (£14m; €21m) towards the project, which is nearing completion in Petersburg, Kentucky, and which claims to show that the world came into being exactly as told in the book of Genesis. It would not be so worrying if the museum, which bizarrely displays mankind side by side with dinosaurs and includes a tableau titled “Adam names the animals,” was intended as a bit of theme-park style fun. But, as UK fertility expert and television presenter Robert Winston tells us in the third and final episode of The Story of God, this is serious stuff.​stuff.




Figure 1



Comfortable with uncertainty: Robert Winston

Credit: BBC




Lord Winston, like the subject of his series, is omniscient and omnipresent in each episode, popping up all over the globe to discuss animism, polytheism, and mono-theism in their multiple incarnations. While he takes religion to task for its extremist tendencies (sacrifices, massacres, and suicide bombings), he also acknowledges the real need many people seem to have for its succour. A practising Jew, Winston sees no contradiction between his belief in God and his adherence to scientific principle. Science and religion are united by the principle of uncertainty, he explains.

In the third episode he skilfully and sensitively explores the tensions that have emerged in our post-Enlightenment world as science has increasingly pushed religion to the margins. God has retreated, he says, to become “a god of the gaps,” the little spaces that are left after Galileo, Newton, Darwin, and others encroached on what used to be safe religious territory and offered new scientific explanations for natural phenomena. But now religion is fighting back, and scientists, including doctors, are being forced on the defensive.

It was this that took Winston to the United States, and to the Creation Museum. “I admit I was dismayed by what I saw,” he says. “The fact that it was being done with such sincerity made it all the worse.” Equally worryingly, he tells us that 45% of Americans believe that if Genesis says one thing and if the scientific textbooks say another, Genesis must be right.

Lord Winston has cornered the market in communicating matters of scientific complexity to a lay audience. In this series his scope was broader, and he rose admirably to the challenge. But as he found in Kentucky, it is hard to argue with those who are intent on the literal interpretation of mythological narratives. Citing how comfortable scientists are with the principle of uncertainty, he asks, “Why does faith have to be built on absolute certainty. Isn't faith built in spite of instead of because of it?”
Impact of Humidification Systems on Ventilator-associated Pneumonia
Authors: Jean-Claude Lacherade, Marc Auburtin, Charles Cerf, Andry Van de Louw, Lilia Soufir, Yves Rebufat, Saïda Rezaiguia, Jean-Damien Ricard, François Lellouche, Christian Brun-Buisson, Laurent Brochard
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2005)

Rationale and objectives: The respective influence on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia of currently available systems used for warming and humidifying the gases delivered to mechanically ventilated patients, that is, heated humidifiers and heat and moisture exchanger filters, remains controversial.Methods: We addressed this question in a multicenter randomized study comparing heated humidifiers (with heated circuits) and filters in an unselected population of 369 intensive care patients receiving mechanical ventilation for more than 48 h.Main Measurements and Results: The diagnosis of pneumonia was confirmed according to strict microbiologic criteria. There was no difference in pneumonia rate between the two groups (53 of 184 [28.8%] versus 47 of 185 [25.4%] for humidifiers versus filters; p = 0.48), or in the incidence density of pneumonia (27.4/1,000 ventilatory days versus 25.3/1,000 ventilatory days for humidifiers versus filters; p = 0.76). The mean duration of mechanical ventilation did not differ between the two groups (14.9 ± 15.1 versus 13.5 ± 16.3 days for humidifiers versus filters, p = 0.36). Endotracheal tube occlusion occurred, respectively, in five patients and one patient in the humidifier and filter groups (p = 0.12). Intensive care mortality was identical in the two groups (about 33%).Conclusion: These results suggest that both heated humidifiers and heat and moisture exchanger filters can be used with no significant impact on the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia and that other criteria may justify their choice.
Stimulation of Malignant Skin Cells by Antibody to Normal Skin Cells of Mice 2 3
Authors: Margaret L. Heidrick, Wayne L. Ryan, Gary L. Curtis
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1978)

Journal Article Stimulation of Malignant Skin Cells by Antibody to Normal Skin Cells of Mice Get access Margaret L. Heidrick, Margaret L. Heidrick Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Wayne L. Ryan, Wayne L. Ryan Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Gary L. Curtis Gary L. Curtis Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar JNCI: Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Volume 60, Issue 6, June 1978, Pages 1419–1425, https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/60.6.1419 Published: 01 June 1978 Article history Received: 29 August 1977 Accepted: 05 December 1977 Published: 01 June 1978
Endothelium-derived relaxing factor and the vascular reply to systemic hypertension.
Authors: A J King, P Mercer, J L Troy, B M Brenner
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (1991)

Endogenous nitric oxide is an important modulator of vascular smooth muscle tone. The role of nitric oxide in the vascular adaptation to systemic hypertension was examined by using N omega-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; 110 micrograms/kg/min), a competitive inhibitor of the conversion of L-arginine to nitric oxide. L-NMMA or saline vehicle (9.6 microL/min) was infused i.v. into several rat models of acute and chronic systemic hypertension. The response to L-NMMA was compared either in uninephrectomized Sprague-Dawley rats treated with deoxycorticosterone on either a high- or low-sodium diet or in untreated uninephrectomized rats on normal chow. Hypertensive deoxycorticosterone rats had a significantly greater pressor response to L-NMMA (139 +/- 2 to 169 +/- 3 mm Hg; N = 9) than did normotensive uninephrectomized rats (112 +/- 4 to 129 +/- 3 mm Hg; N = 7) or deoxycortisterone treated rats on a low-sodium diet (108 +/- 2 to 121 +/- 3 mm Hg; N = 9). By contrast, hypertension induced by the vasoconstrictor angiotensin II did not have an enhanced response (134 +/- 3 to 154 +/- 4 mm Hg; N = 7) nor did spontaneously hypertensive rats (164 +/- 4 to 175 +/- 4 mm Hg; N = 6). This dose of L-NMMA had minimal effects on renal hemodynamics in the normotensive and hypertensive animals, except for those receiving angiotensin II where it led to substantial reductions of inulin and para-aminohippurate clearance. In conclusion, these data point to a role for nitric oxide in the vascular adaptation to volume-mediated hypertension, an effect that was not observed in vasoconstrictor-induced hypertension.
Approach to the Management of Incidental Venous Thromboembolic Events in Patients With Cancer
Authors: Casey L. O’Connell, Howard A. Liebman
Journal: Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2014)

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a frequent clinical complication of cancer and its treatment. Although much of the epidemiologic data regarding this complication have been based on symptomatic events, the use of multidetector row CT scanner technology has led to increased identification of VTE on scans ordered primarily for staging or restaging of malignancy. These incidentally discovered VTEs are variously referred to in the literature as incidental, asymptomatic, unexpected, or unsuspected VTE. A recent guidance paper by the Hemostasis and Malignancy Subcommittee of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis provided recommendations regarding this terminology (now termed incidental) and reporting of incidental VTE for clinical trials. A growing number of retrospective and case-controlled reports have described the prevalence, prognostic implications, and treatment options for these incidentally discovered VTE events, and have reported similar clinical outcomes for patients with incidental and symptomatic VTE. Because most reported patients with incidental VTE have been treated in a manner similar to those with symptomatic events, the present recommendations, except in rare circumstances, support the use of standard anticoagulation in the management of incidental deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.