tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Routine Preoperative Screening for HIV
Authors: Arnold Leff
Journal: JAMA (1988)

To the Editor.—  Hagen et al 1 make an interesting case for not doing routine preoperative screening for low-risk populations. This requires that low-risk persons can be adequately separated from high-risk persons by history. One study 2 indicated that as many as 33% to 50% of individuals believed to carry the virus did not indicate their high-risk status by history alone, 3 and there is still a small percentage of patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) who have no identifiable risk factors.  In addition, one must consider the risk to the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)—positive patient of surgery. Although there is no direct evidence, one could postulate that a person infected with HIV with altered cellular immunity is at increased risk for further degradation of their immune systems by
Medicine and the US embargo against Cuba
Authors: G. E. Martin
Journal: JAMA (1996)

To the Editor.  —In his Commentary, Dr Chelala 1 offers a laudable if naive approach to improving Cuba's health situation, suggesting that providing food and medicine will help. That is like treating the complications of diabetes and not the hyperglycemia.  The lack of food and medicine is not, popular wisdom notwithstanding, the result of the embargo, but of mismanagement by a centralized collective farming system and by the crushing economic burden of maintaining the most powerful armed forces in Latin America. 2 Cuba's widespread, rich, and varied soils, 200 inland rivers, and tropical rainfall allow for year-round cultivation of vegetables and other food crops, 3 yet only recently have farmers been allowed to grow some staples on small plots, not enough to meet the population's needs for vegetables and protein. Cuba should permit farmers to cultivate the land, without restrictions on what crops to grow or which livestock to raise,
Development of an integration mutagenesis system in<i>Lactobacillus gasseri</i>
Authors: Kurt Selle, Yong Jun Goh, Sarah O'Flaherty, Todd R Klaenhammer
Journal: Gut Microbes (2014)

Lactobacillus gasseri ATCC 33323 is a member of the acidophilus-complex group, microbes of human origin with significant potential for impacting human health based on niche-specific traits. In order to facilitate functional analysis of this important species, a upp-based counterselective chromosomal integration system was established and employed for targeting the lipoteichoic acid (LTA) synthesis gene, ltaS, in L. gasseri ATCC 33323. The ltaS gene encodes a phosphoglycerol transferase responsible for building the glycerol chain of LTA. No isogenic mutant bearing the deletion genotype was recovered, but an integration knockout mutant was generated with insertion inactivation at the ltaS locus. The ltaS deficient derivative exhibited an altered cellular morphology and significantly reduced ability to adhere to Caco-2 intestinal cell monolayers, relative to the wild-type parent strain.
Health and ergogenic effects of caffeine.
Authors: B H Jacobson, F A Kulling
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (1989)

The indiscriminate use of caffeine by people of all ages may present health hazards. The public at large needs to be more informed of the presence of caffeine in commonly consumed foods and beverages, particularly by infants, children and pregnant women. It is the responsibility of all consumers to investigate the caffeine content of suspected products so that intake may be objectively monitored. Although doubts still exist about the efficacy of caffeine as an ergogenic aid, particularly for exercise of high intensity and short duration, the IOC and the National Collegiate Athletic Association of the US have adopted bans on the use of caffeine to aid sport performance. Currently, both of these organizations prohibit the concentration of caffeine in urine to exceed 15 micrograms-ml-1. That is to say, only very large amounts of caffeine are not permitted at present. Additional research is needed to confirm or deny the contraindications presented by the ingestion of caffeine on a chronic basis.
Reovirus as an Oncolytic Agent Against Experimental Human Malignant Gliomas
Authors: M. E. Wilcox, W. Yang, D. Senger, N. B. Rewcastle, D. G. Morris, P. M. A. Brasher, Z. Q. Shi, R. N. Johnston, S. Nishikawa, P. W. K. Lee, P. A. Forsyth
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2001)

Reovirus is a naturally occurring oncolytic virus that usurps activated Ras-signaling pathways of tumor cells for its replication. Ras pathways are activated in most malignant gliomas via upstream signaling by receptor tyrosine kinases. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of reovirus as an experimental treatment for malignant gliomas.We investigated whether reovirus would infect and lyse human glioma cell lines in vitro. We also tested the effect of injecting live reovirus in vivo on human gliomas grown subcutaneously or orthotopically (i.e., intracerebrally) in mice. Finally, reovirus was tested ex vivo against low-passage cell lines derived from human glioma specimens. All P values were two-sided.Reovirus killed 20 (83%) of 24 established malignant glioma cell lines tested. It caused a dramatic and often complete tumor regression in vivo in two subcutaneous (P =.0002 for both U251N and U87) and in two intracerebral (P =.0004 for U251N and P =.0009 for U87) human malignant glioma mouse models. As expected, serious toxic effects were found in these severely immunocompromised hosts. In a less immunocompromised mouse model, a single intratumoral inoculation of live reovirus led to a dramatic prolongation of survival (compared with control mice treated with dead virus; log-rank test, P<.0001 for both U251N and U87 cell lines). The animals treated with live virus also appeared to be healthier and gained body weight (P =.0001). We then tested the ability of reovirus to infect and kill primary cultures of brain tumors removed from patients and found that it killed nine (100%) of nine glioma specimens but none of the cultured meningiomas.Reovirus has potent activity against human malignant gliomas in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo. Oncolysis with reovirus may be a potentially useful treatment for a broad range of human cancers.
Pensions to Medical Men and their Widows
Authors: A. B. Steele
Journal: BMJ (1873)

The phantoms used in standardized dose assessment are based on a median (i.e., 50th percentile) individual of a large population, for example, adult males or females or children of a particular age. Here we describe phantoms that model instead the influence of obesity on specific absorbed fractions (SAFs) and dose factors in adults. <b>Methods:</b> The literature was reviewed to evaluate how individual organ sizes change with variations in body weight in mildly and severely obese adult men and women. On the basis of the literature evaluation, changes were made to our deformable reference adult male and female total-body models. Monte Carlo simulations of radiation transport were performed. SAFs for photons were generated for mildly and severely obese adults, and comparisons were made to the reference (50th) percentile SAF values. <b>Results:</b> SAFs studied between the obese phantoms and the 50th percentile reference phantoms were not significantly different from the reference 50th percentile individual, with the exception of intestines irradiating some abdominal organs, because of an increase in separation between folds caused by an increase in mesenteric adipose deposits. Some low-energy values for certain organ pairs were different, possibly due only to the statistical variability of the data at these low energies. <b>Conclusion:</b> The effect of obesity on dose calculations for internal emitters is minor and may be neglected in the routine use of standardized dose estimates.
SURVIVAL, RECURRENCE AND PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN SURGICALLY RESECTED ESOPHGEAL CANCER
Authors: B Al-Alao, H Parissis, I J Rychlik, A Graham, J McGuigan
Journal: Gut (2013)

<h3>Introduction</h3> Esophageal cancer is one of the most malignant tumors, with a dismal prognosis in spite of recent advances in early diagnosis, imaging modalities and current neo-adjuvant therapy. These patients need to be stratified according to prognostic variables for precise identification of high-risk groups. <h3>Aims/Background</h3> We reviewed our experience in surgically treated esophageal cancer and explored factors influencing overall survival (OS) and Progression free survival (PFS). <h3>Method</h3> One hundred and sixty nine patients with esophageal carcinoma were uniformly treated with curative intent between 2005 and 2010. Results and prognostic factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate analyses. <h3>Results</h3> Ninety-six patients (57%) survived at end of follow up. Median OS was 52 months and a 5-years OS rate was 50%. Median follow up for the whole cohort was 25 months (0–79). Fifty patients (30%) developed recurrence at end of follow up. Median PFS was 33 months and 5-years PFS rate was 20%. Complete resection rate R0 was achievable in 113 patients (67%), R1 in 24 (25%) and R2 in 15 (9%). Adenocarcinoma was the commonest histology type in 109 patients (65%). The majority were males 126 (75%) and median age of 65(28–85) years. Depths of invasion were T1 in 37 (22%), T2 in 36 (21%), T3 in 76 (45%) and Tx in 20 (12%) patients. Gastric serosal involvement was positive in 36 (21%) patients, and lymphatic space invasion recorded in 68 (40%). Lymph nodes involvement was N0 in 100 (60%) patients. Independent prognostic factors for OS determined by multivariate analysis were: recurrence of tumor; odd ratio (OR)=3.5 (95% CI 1.8–6.5; p&lt;0.001), nodal involvement (N1 vs. N0); OR=2 (95% CI 1.1–3.8; p&lt;0.05) and performance status (I vs. 0); OR=2.1 (95% CI 1.2–3.8; p&lt;0.01). Adjuvant chemotherapy use; OR=0.47 (95% CI 0.29–0.76; p&lt;0.001) was the only independent predictive factor for prolonged PFS. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Tumor recurrence and lymph involvement after resection plays an important prognostic role in esophageal cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy extends disease free but not overall survival.
Endoscopic therapy for cholangitis in cirrhosis
Authors: D Carr-Locke
Journal: Hepatology (1996)

CHOLANGITIStheir presentation.Group 2 comprised 12 patients with cirrhosis, the ethology of which was not provided but IN CIRRHOSISwere subclassified into Child Class A in 5, B in 2, and Chijiiwa K, Kozaki N, Naito T, Kameoka N, Tanaka C in 5. Group 1 consisted of 27 patients labeled ''acute M. Treatment of choice for choledocholithiasis in paobstructive suppurative cholangitis,'' a diagnosis made tients with acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis by the combination of clinical features of cholangitis, and liver cirrhosis.Am J Surg 1995;170:356-360.presence of pus in the bile, and evidence of complete biliary obstruction.The presence of pus and evidence ABSTRACT of obstruction are not further described, and it is un-Objective: To identify the treatment of choice for clear how these diagnostic conclusions were made.choledocholithiasis in patients with vs. without acute
Vitamin A Intoxication
Authors: Eugene Bifulco
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1953)

INTOXICATION from overdosage of vitamin A is suggested by the following recognized signs and symptoms: anorexia, irritability, generalized pruritus, painful extremities, arthralgia and sparse, coarse hair.1 Hepatomegaly and splenomegaly coupled with hypoplastic anemia, clubbing of fingers, and an abnormal appetite for butter and fish oils have been recorded. It is interesting that similar symptoms develop in rats given toxic doses of vitamin A. The fact that until recently vitamin A intoxication has been reported only in infants and children is not surprising; it is this group that receives supplemental vitamin A in a variety of fish oils or concentrates. The . . .
A serum inhibitor of immune regulation in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
Authors: J J Twomey, A H Laughter, A D Steinberg
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1978)

Normal mononuclear leukocytes were incubated with serum from patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and healthy subjects and then studied on lymphoproliferative tests. Serum from SLE patients that contained an autoantibody to a subpopulation of thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes inhibited suppressor T-cell activity induced with concanavalin A. These sera did not inhibit lymphoproliferative responses or suppression by monocytoid cells. Mitogen-activated suppressor cells were not inhibited with serum from SLE patients or healthy subjects lacking T-cell autoantibody. This abnormality may contribute to the altered immune response that occurs with SLE.
False-Positive Tc-99m HMPAO Leukocyte Scan Secondary to Adenocarcinoma of the Ileum
Authors: Juan Pablo Suárez Fernandez, Belén Llana, Luz Domínguez, Carmen Roiz, Nahla Zeidán, Lucía García
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (2004)

An 81-year-old man was hospitalized for hypochromic anemia and weight loss. Abdominal ultrasound, gastrointestinal transit studies, and colonoscopy showed stenosis of the ileum near the ileocecal valve, and the presence of an ileosigmoid fistula. Differential diagnosis included a primary neoplasm of the ileum (adenocarcinoma or lymphoma) versus inflammatory bowel disease. The patient underwent a Tc-99m hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime-labeled leukocyte scan to rule out Crohn disease. Focal abdominal uptake of the tracer was seen, indicating an inflammatory process. The patient underwent surgery, and a primary neoplasm of the terminal ileum was found. Histologic examination revealed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the ileum with extensive areas of necrosis and neutrophil infiltration.
Methylxanthines and Breast Cancer
Authors: Jason Pozner
Journal: JAMA (1986)

To the Editor.—  In his reply to the question concerning estrogen therapy and breast cancer,1Dr Block states, We have ample clinical and laboratory evidence to show that benign breast lesions are stimulated by xanthines, yet most reports show no significant correlation between fibrocystic disease and methylxanthine intake.2-5Dr Block further suggests that for prevention of breast cancer  prudent physician would be well advised to counsel his patients to avoid xanthines.  The relevance of methylxanthines to benign breast disease should not be extrapolated to breast cancer in the absence of hard evidence linking non-proliferative benign breast disease with increased risk of cancer.6The Fourth International Caffeine Workshop concluded that epidemiologic studies in humans have not established a causal relationship between caffeine consumption and breast cancer and that there was no evidence that caffeine has a carcinogenic potential, or that it functions as a mutagen in doses
Inaccuracy of Estimated Resting Oxygen Uptake in the Clinical Setting
Authors: Nikhil Narang, Jennifer T. Thibodeau, Benjamin D. Levine, M. Odette Gore, Colby R. Ayers, Richard A. Lange, Joaquin E. Cigarroa, Aslan T. Turer, James A. de Lemos, Darren K. McGuire
Journal: Circulation (2013)

The Fick principle (cardiac output = oxygen uptake ( O2)/systemic arterio-venous oxygen difference) is used to determine cardiac output in numerous clinical situations. However, estimated rather than measured O2 is commonly used because of complexities of the measurement, though the accuracy of estimation remains uncertain in contemporary clinical practice.From 1996 to 2005, resting O2 was measured via the Douglas bag technique in adult patients undergoing right heart catheterization. Resting O2 was estimated by each of 3 published formulae. Agreement between measured and estimated O2 was assessed overall, and across strata of body mass index, sex, and age. The study included 535 patients, with mean age 55 yrs, mean body mass index 28.4 kg/m2; 53% women; 64% non-white. Mean (±standard deviation) measured O2 was 241 ± 57 ml/min. Measured O2 differed significantly from values derived from all 3 formulae, with median (interquartile range) absolute differences of 28.4 (13.1, 50.2) ml/min, 37.7 (19.4, 63.3) ml/min, and 31.7 (14.4, 54.5) ml/min, for the formulae of Dehmer, LaFarge, and Bergstra, respectively (P<0.0001 for each). The measured and estimated values differed by >25% in 17% to 25% of patients depending on the formula used. Median absolute differences were greater in severely obese patients (body mass index > 40 kg/m2), but were not affected by sex or age.Estimates of resting O2 derived from conventional formulae are inaccurate, especially in severely obese individuals. When accurate hemodynamic assessment is important for clinical decision-making, O2 should be directly measured.
BRAF<sup>V600E</sup>-mutation is invariably present and associated to oncogene-induced senescence in Erdheim-Chester disease
Authors: Maria Giulia Cangi, Riccardo Biavasco, Giulio Cavalli, Greta Grassini, Elena Dal-Cin, Corrado Campochiaro, Barbara Guglielmi, Alvise Berti, Vito Lampasona, Andreas von Deimling, Maria Grazia Sabbadini, Marina Ferrarini, Claudio Doglioni, Lorenzo Dagna
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2014)

<h3>Objectives</h3> Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare form of histiocytosis characterised by uncontrolled chronic inflammation. The oncogenic BRAF<sup>V600E</sup> mutation has been reported in biopsies in 19 out of 37 patients with ECD from the largest published cohort, but never found in the patients' peripheral blood. Also, the role of the mutation in the pathogenesis of the disease has not been elucidated yet. BRAF<sup>V600E</sup> has been associated with oncogene-induced senescence (OIS), a protective mechanism against oncogenic events, characterised by the induction of proinflammatory pathways. <h3>Methods</h3> We verified the BRAF status in biopsies and peripheral blood from 18 patients with ECD from our cohort and matched controls by means of immunohistochemistry and of an ultrasensitive assay, based on the combination of a locked nucleic acid PCR and pyrosequencing. Droplet digital PCR was used to confirm the findings. We also evaluated the presence of senescence markers in ECD histiocytes. <h3>Results</h3> BRAF<sup>V600E</sup> mutation was present in all the biopsy and peripheral blood samples from patients with ECD and in none of the controls. ECD histiocytes and a fraction of circulating monocytes from patients with ECD showed signs of a constitutive activation of the MAPK pathway. Moreover, BRAF-mutated histiocytes expressed markers of OIS. <h3>Conclusions</h3> The oncogenic BRAF<sup>V600E</sup> mutation is present in biopsies and in the peripheral blood from all patients with ECD who were evaluated and is associated with OIS. These findings have significant implications for the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of ECD.
Prognostic and biologic significance of chromosomal imbalances assessed by comparative genomic hybridization in multiple myeloma
Authors: Norma C. Gutiérrez, Juan L. García, Jesús M. Hernández, Eva Lumbreras, Mariana Castellanos, Ana Rasillo, Gema Mateo, José M. Hernández, Sonia Pérez, Alberto Orfao, Jesús F. San Miguel
Journal: Blood (2004)
A one-system theory that is not propositional
Authors: James E. Witnauer, Gonzalo P. Urcelay, Ralph R. Miller
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2009)

Abstract We argue that the propositional and link-based approaches to human contingency learning represent different levels of analysis because propositional reasoning requires a basis, which is plausibly provided by a link-based architecture. Moreover, in their attempt to compare two general classes of models (link-based and propositional), Mitchell et al. refer to only two generic models and ignore the large variety of different models within each class.
Breathing difficulties in the newborn.
Authors: H B Valman
Journal: BMJ (1979)

Respiratory distress syndromeThe respiratory distress syndrome is the commonest cause of respiratory problems in the newborn and a common cause of death in preterm infants.Although preterm babies are particularly susceptible, it also occurs in the obese infants of mothers with diabetes mellitus.Hypoxia before, during, or after birth is a predisposing factor.
Translating Medical Science Into Medical Practice
Authors: Lucian L. Leape
Journal: JAMA (1995)

As medical therapy becomes ever more effective, the need to make the fruits of scientific progress available to all who need them becomes increasingly more urgent. One way is to establish guidelines or standards for provision of services of proven value and to monitor compliance with those recommendations. In their carefully done and provocative study of ambulatory testing in Medicare patients, Weiner et al<sup>1</sup>provide disturbing evidence of a substantial shortfall in the provision of several key diagnostic tests for monitoring patients with diabetes mellitus. See also p 1503. The use of claims data to assess quality of care has been repeatedly criticized, primarily because of its lack of clinical detail and inaccuracies in coding. While these deficiencies limit the usefulness of claims data for evaluating outcomes such as mortality and complications, they are less relevant here because the authors have confined their analysis to the question of whether
Selective release of some invariant chain-derived peptides from HLA-DR1 molecules at endosomal pH.
Authors: R G Urban, R M Chicz, J L Strominger
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1994)

The predominant peptides bound to major histocompatibility complex class II molecules expressed on human B cells are derived from a relatively limited number of self proteins. To determine whether any of the prebound self peptides might be released in endosomes during recycling, water-soluble HLA-DR1 molecules were incubated with a high affinity synthetic peptide at pH 4.0 and 7.0 at 37 degrees C. The resulting bound peptide repertoire was then acid extracted, and separated by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. Using a combination of mass spectrometry and ultraviolet spectroscopy, prebound self peptides and newly bound synthetic peptide were characterized. Most self peptides bound to HLA-DR1 were not appreciably released during extended exposure to pH 4.0. However, some invariant chain-derived peptides were uniquely released at this pH.
On Reading, Writing and Sailing — Hope for General Practice? — Industrial Accidents
Authors: John Lister
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1965)

IT is perhaps worth recording the reactions of a relative layman, who occasionally submits a paper for publication, to the erudite remarks of a distinguished team of medical editors who spoke at a symposium on medical journalism at the recent World Medical Association meeting in London.Several speakers mentioned the large numbers of articles that editors have to reject, and it seemed that their task might be made easier if authors accepted the high standards suggested by Lord Brain and Sir Austin Bradford Hill in their comments on the scientific paper.Lord Brain enunciated the principles that precede the preparation . . .