tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
France debates ethics of sperm injection techniques
Authors: A. Dorozynski
Journal: BMJ (1995)

The rapid expansion in France of the technique of intracytoplasmic sperm injection for infertility, in which sperm are injected into the cytoplasm of ova, has stirred up a controversy over the safety and the ethical propriety of the technique. There are particular concerns over a newer technique involving the injection of spermatids, the round, unflagellated precursors of sperm, which are found in the testicles and semen of many infertile men.

Some doctors and geneticists fear that intracytoplasmic sperm injection may lead to anomalies in the sex chromosomes of the fetuses and perhaps to the transmission—for the first time in …
On Materials for Testing Glucose in the Urine
Authors: Elaine Kohler
Journal: Diabetes Care (1978)

Semiquantitative methods for measurement of glucose in the urine are useful for monitoring glucose homeostasis in subjects with diabetes mellitus where quantitative blood and urine glucose measurements are not available. The use of a “plus” scale for glucose measurement is confusing because the same plus values are assigned to different quantities of glucose with different methods. The two-drop Clinitest method is the most quantifiable and readable test for urine sugar, particularly if there is high sugar spill. Therefore, it is the most useful method for monitoring insulin-dependent juvenile diabetes. Its major disadvantages are its potential toxicity, the cumbersome methodology, the cost, and the possibility of interference from other reducing substances. The enzyme “dipstick” methods are most sensitive for detecting the presence of glucose. Among the available “dipstick ” methods, Diastix is the most quantifiable and readable. These methods are inhibited by the presence of ketones and a number of other substances. Tes-Tape is the least expensive and, where there are inhibiting substances, the most useful, because it can be read at the liquid front where the glucose reaction is chromatographically separated. Clinistix and Chemstrip are essentially screening methods for the presence of glucose and not useful for quantification. Basing therapy on these and other plus values is irrational and should be discontinued.
Medullary Carcinoma and Thyrocalcitonin
Authors: M. Tubiana, G. Milhaud, G. Coutris, J. Lacour, C. Parmentier, B. Bok
Journal: BMJ (1968)

Seven patients with medullary carcinoma of the thyroid were investigated, and the thyrocalcitonin activity of the primary tumours, metastatic deposits, and the serum was estimated.Medullary carcinomas of the thyroid with amyloid stroma contain 100 to 600 times more thyrocalcitonin than normal thyroid tissue, and lymph nodes with metastatic deposits are equally rich in the hormone. High values of thyrocalcitonin are also found in the blood of these patients. Medullary carcinoma of the thyroid with amyloid stroma is the first disease to be recognized in which there is hypersecretion of thyrocalcitonin.
Her Relative Was the Cadaver
Authors: E. George Salter
Journal: JAMA (1982)

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> What is the percentage of a student's encountering a relative in the form of a cadaver in a gross anatomy laboratory? Such an event may occur in a science fiction novel or it may be the theme of a television production, but seldom does one have personal experience in such a coincidence. This unusual situation occurred earlier this year in the gross anatomy laboratory of a large, southern university. On the initial day of class the students were exposed to all nine of the cadavers. After the first day's dissection and before the beginning of the second laboratory session, the director of the course was informed of a potentially bizarre occurrence. A student informed the director that the distinct possibility existed that one of the cadavers (not the one she was dissecting) was a great aunt. At a meeting of the student and instructor before the second
Immunological responses to l-asparaginase
Authors: Robert G. Peterson, Robert E. Handschumacher, Malcolm S. Mitchell
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1971)

In a series of 40 patients treated with L-asparaginase for various neoplastic diseases, 6 patients had generalized anaphylactic reactions to L-asparaginase. Each of these reactors had antibodies detectable by passive hemagglutination, but precipitins were detectable in only one of this group of six patients. That patient had received two courses of the enzyme. 1 wk after the anaphylactic reaction, complement-fixing antibodies were present in all the patients that were studied. Specific reagin antibodies (IgE) were demonstrated in one patient by the release of histamine from his leukocytes after incubation in vitro with L-asparaginase. Binding of L-asparaginase to serum antibodies after incubation in vitro was detected by selective precipitation of the complexes with 30% ammonium sulfate or by ultracentrifugation. Total inactivation of the enzyme did not occur even at optimal proportions or at antibody excess. Passive hemagglutinating antibodies to L-asparaginase were present in all patients who had an allergic reaction at least 1 day before the reaction occurred, when that sample was available, and were absent in all patients who did not manifest clinical allergy. Titration of antibodies by passive hemagglutination may thus provide a means of predicting impending anaphylaxis in this system, particularly when coupled with a sudden decrease in circulating levels of L-asparaginase activity.
Embolization from the Atria in Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease
Authors: Daniel T. Beer
Journal: JAMA (1961)

One thousand autopsied cases were studied to determine the incidence of embolism from the atria in arteriosclerotic heart disease. In this study, it was found that 1 case of embolization occurred in a total of 52 patients with atrial fibrillation (2%), and 2 cases of embolization occurred in a total of 243 cases who were nonfibrillators (0.8%). Atrial embolization was uncommon in arteriosclerotic heart disease regardless of the prevailing atrial rhythm during life. This situation is contrasted with that present in rheumatic heart disease where atrial fibrillation is associated with a definitely increased risk of embolization.
Effect of Oral Contraceptives on Depressive Mood Changes and on Endometrial Monoamine Oxidase and Phosphatases
Authors: E. C. G. Grant, J. Pryse-Davies
Journal: BMJ (1968)

Significant variations in the incidence of depression and loss of libido were found with the various types of oral contraceptives. The highest incidence occurred with strongly progestogenic compounds (especially with those containing a small amount of oestrogen) which have high monoamine oxidase activity for most of the cycle. The lowest incidence was found with the strongly oestrogenic sequential regimens which have weak monoamine oxidase activity for most of the cycle.
Cathepsin S activity regulates antigen presentation and immunity.
Authors: R J Riese, R N Mitchell, J A Villadangos, G P Shi, J T Palmer, E R Karp, G T De Sanctis, H L Ploegh, H A Chapman
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1998)

MHC class II molecules display antigenic peptides on cell surfaces for recognition by CD4(+) T cells. Proteolysis is required in this process both for degradation of invariant chain (Ii) from class II-Ii complexes to allow subsequent binding of peptides, and for generation of the antigenic peptides. The cysteine endoprotease, cathepsin S, mediates Ii degradation in human and mouse antigen-presenting cells. Studies described here examine the functional significance of cathepsin S inhibition on antigen presentation and immunity. Specific inhibition of cathepsin S in A20 cells markedly impaired presentation of an ovalbumin epitope by interfering with class II-peptide binding, not by obstructing generation of the antigen. Administration of a cathepsin S inhibitor to mice in vivo selectively inhibited activity of cathepsin S in splenocytes, resulting in accumulation of a class II-associated Ii breakdown product, attenuation of class II-peptide complex formation, and inhibition of antigen presentation. Mice treated with inhibitor had an attenuated antibody response when immunized with ovalbumin but not the T cell-independent antigen TNP-Ficoll. In a mouse model of pulmonary hypersensitivity, treatment with the inhibitor also abrogated a rise in IgE titers and profoundly blocked eosinophilic infiltration in the lung. Thus, inhibition of cathepsin S in vivo alters Ii processing, antigen presentation, and immunity. These data identify selective inhibition of cysteine proteases as a potential therapeutic strategy for asthma and autoimmune disease processes.
B.C.G. Dissemination in Congenital Hypogammaglobulinaemia
Authors: J. Bouton, D. Mainwaring, R. W. Smithells
Journal: BMJ (1963)

THROMBOLYTIC THERAPY WITH STREPTOKINASE BEDJIAMJBOuR vessels beyond the reach of surgical methods of mechanical removal.Steroids should be given with the streptokinase, which should be followed by anti- coagulant therapy.Local streptokinase therapy, which should be initiated by administration of an antibody- neutralizing dose, can be controlled thereafter by relatively simple laboratory tests. SummaryTwo patients with peripheral arterial occlusion have been treated by local perfusion of streptokinase.The first was a 33-year-old woman with thrombosis in the left brachial artery during the puerperium.The second was a 64-year-old man with thrombosis in the left superficial femoral artery.Streptokinase was infused through a catheter into the artery above the thrombus and in each case the flow of blood was restored, after 30 hours perfusion in the first patient and 60 hours in the second.It is concluded that streptokinase can be of benefit to carefully selected relatively fit patients with recent thrombotic or embolic arterial occlusion.We are grateful to Professor W. A.
Airflow Limitation in Morbidly Obese, Nonsmoking Men
Authors: Israel Rubinstein, N. Zamel, L. DuBarry, V. Hoffstein
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1990)

To determine the effect of obesity on pulmonary function.Case-control study, using nonobese, age- and height-matched [corrected] nonsmokers.Metabolic and obesity clinics of two major teaching hospitals.One hundred and three obese, lifelong nonsmokers without cardiopulmonary disease.One hundred and ninety healthy, nonobese nonsmokers recruited from among hospital personnel.Complete pulmonary function measurements in all patients and controls. These measurements included maximum expiratory flow-volume curve, lung volumes and airway resistance using body plethysmograph, single-breath diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide, and total lung capacity using the helium dilution technique. Obese persons were found to have lower functional residual capacity, expiratory reserve volume, and total lung capacity by helium dilution than nonobese controls. In addition, residual volume and diffusing capacity were higher in the obese group. Finally, we found that obese men, but not women, had reduced maximum expiratory flow rates at 50% and 75% of exhaled vital capacity.Obesity may contribute independently of smoking habits to chronic airflow limitation in men.
Acute kidney injury during leukocyte engraftment after autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with light‐chain amyloidosis
Authors: Maria V. Irazabal, Alfonso Eirin, Morie A. Gertz, Angela Dispenzieri, Shaji Kumar, Francis K. Buadi, Martha Q. Lacy, Suzanne R. Hayman, David Dingli, William J. Hogan, Dennis A. Gastineau, Siobhan V. Glavey, Hatem Amer, Nelson Leung
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (2011)

Abstract Engraftment syndrome (ES) is a complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation characterized by fever, rash, and non‐cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been recognized but is considered a minor criterion in one and excluded another definition of ES. We have noted a high incidence of AKI in patients with immunoglobulin light‐chain amyloidosis (AL) undergoing autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) around the time of leukocyte engraftment. This study was conducted to further investigate the relationship between AKI and ES. Data were collected from 377 AL patients who underwent ASCT from 7/1997 to 10/2009. Patients who experienced an elevation of serum creatinine &gt;0.5 mg/dL within 4 days of leukocyte engraftment and anyone who presented with signs associated with ES regardless of renal manifestations were included. Forty‐one patients met criteria. Twelve were excluded for positive cultures (10), acute interstitial nephritis (1), and acute cellular rejection (1). In addition to AKI (93.1%), patients also exhibit fever (82.7%), hypotension (51.7%), rash (48.2%), edema (93.1%), diarrhea (69.0%), conjunctival hemorrhage (31.0%), pulmonary edema (31.0%), pulmonary hemorrhage (13.8%), and transient encephalopathy (17.2%). Patient with pulmonary involvement were more likely to require dialysis but was not statistically significant. AKI was very common during leukocyte engraftment in AL patients. While infectious etiology accounted for some of the AKI, most appeared to be associated with ES. After infection is ruled out, ES should be considered in the differential diagnosis when evaluating AKI in this population. Am. J. Hematol., 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Response of myasthenia gravis to rituximab in a patient with non‐Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Ajeet Gajra, Neerja Vajpayee, Sara J. Grethlein
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (2004)

Myasthenia gravis is a B-cell-mediated autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterized by weakness and fatigability of skeletal muscles. The underlying defect is an autoantibody-mediated attack on the acetylcholine receptors (AchRs) at the neuromuscular junction. Rituximab is a genetically engineered chimeric murine/human monoclonal antibody indicated for treatment of patients with low-grade or follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Based on its potential for elimination of auto-reactive B-cell clones, rituximab may have a role in the management of some autoimmune disorders. We report a patient with B-cell, follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a long-standing history of myasthenia gravis and the favorable impact of rituximab on both disorders.
Clinical Lecture on Delayed Union and Non-Union of Bones
Authors: G. W. Callender
Journal: BMJ (1872)

AxItc.;St the cases in Ilarley Ward, gentlemen, is that of a man aged 43, s-ho hlas broken his right leg; and, although it is true that, in the areat injnmity of instances, our fractures are easily managed throughout their repair, yet, as in the present case, it occasionally happens that xN-e have atnxitty as to the result, or are obliged even to be con- tent with a repair which is faulty either as regards the look or as re- gards the utility of the limb.I may have an opportunity for showing to yoti, by somiie cases in point, how we are sometimes unable to pre- vent the latter unfavourable eiiding.I nowy, however, propose to tell you of the trouble which occurred ini the case to which I have referred, to give you its explaniation, aiid to point out some common causes of delay in the unioln of boines, wvhicli, if lnot counteracted, furnish the greater number of cases of so-called non-tinion of fracture.This man fell into a xxell, and, stiiking Isis right leg against a piece cof timber in his fall, was brought to the hospital with a transverse -fracture of the tibia and fibula-a fracture caused, you will observe, by direct violeince.l he injured limb was placed on a back-splint, and swung in the oidiniary way; and, fourteen days later, the apparatus wx as readjtisttd.It was not, however, until the expiration of thirteen sweek5 that thie bones united, and then not firmly; so that his leaving "lic said has been delayed unitil the present time, nearly sixteeln i-eeks after the accident happened ; whilst, as most of you are aware, five or six weeks, in an ordinary case, would have sufficed for
Standards for Health Services in Prison
Authors: Alvin J. Thompson
Journal: JAMA (1987)

<h3>Standards for Health Services in Jails, by National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 81 pp, $15, Chicago, National Commission on Correctional Health Care, 1986.</h3> At a time when, by popular demand, the prison population has grown logarithmically, concurrent with an equal and opposite resistance to funding public institutions, it is mandatory in the name of a just society that standards be established for health services in penal institutions. In 1979, the American Medical Association developed such standards, which have been utilized by many county and state medical associations to upgrade medical care in prisons and jails and to assist their compliance with court orders.<i>Standards for Health Services in Prisons</i>and<i>Standards for Health Services in Jails</i>are a revision of the initial 1979 document. The two volumes represent a broad spectrum of professional input and consensus, not only of physicians and dentists but of other health disciplines, including the
Abstract 570: Radiation resistance of orthotopic glioblastoma xenografts is mediated by increasing CD133+ cell fraction, mobilizing G0 cells into G1 phase, and activating self-renewal and mesenchymal genes
Authors: Zhi-gang Liu, Xiu-mei Zhao, Patricia Baxter, Ya-Lan Tao, Jack Su, Adekunle Adesina, Murali Chintagumpala, Susan Blaney, Yun-Fei Xia, Xiao-Nan Li
Journal: Cancer Research (2011)

Abstract Pediatric glioblastoma multiforme (pGBM) is a highly aggressive brain tumor with poor prognosis. Resistance to ionizing radiation, which is one of the major therapeutic regimes, is believed to play a critical role in tumor recurrence and ultimate treatment failure. However, little is known about the cellular and molecular mechanisms of radioresistance in pGBM, particularly the in vivo responses of tumor cells toward clinically relevant fractionated radiotherapy. To gain a better understanding of the radioresistance mechanisms, we administered fractionated radiation (2Gy per day × 5 times) to SCID mice bearing pre-established orthotopic xenograft tumors derived from two independent fresh patient tumors. Examination of the xenograft tumors immediately at the end of radiation treatment showed that the fractionated radiotherapy significantly increased the abundance of CD133+ tumor cells, and drove quiescent G0 phase cells (both CD133+ and CD133-) into G1 phase in both models. Immunohistochemical examination of key regulators of stem cell self-renewal revealed elevation of BMI-1 and SOX2 gene expression in vivo in the xenograft tumors. Additionally, we found that radiotherapy promoted mesenchymal transition, as the intensity and distribution of fibronectin, a mesenchymal marker, was remarkably enhanced. Further analysis of the recurrent xenograft tumors ∼ 5 weeks post-fractionated radiation showed that the increased CD133+ fraction, the elevated expressions of BMI-1 and SOX2 as well as fibronection were maintained. In conclusion, our data demonstrated, for the first time, that failure of radiotherapy is mediated by activated pathways related to self-renewal of cancer stem cells and mesenchymal transition. Since this study was conducted in vivo in clinically relevant animal models in a setting that is the closest to human brain tumors, our findings provided strong preclinical evidence to suggest that new stratigies are needed to inhibit these radiation triggered-pathways to improved therapeutic efficacy in pediatric GBM patient. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 570. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-570
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Regulates Reendothelialization and Neointima Formation in a Mouse Model of Arterial Injury
Authors: Randolph Hutter, Francine E. Carrick, Carolina Valdiviezo, Claire Wolinsky, John S. Rudge, Stanley J. Wiegand, Valentin Fuster, Juan J. Badimon, Bernhard V. Sauter
Journal: Circulation (2004)

Background— The rate of reendothelialization is critical in neointima formation after arterial injury. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a potent endothelial mitogen, has been advocated for accelerating endothelial repair and preventing intimal hyperplasia after percutaneous coronary interventions. However, the precise mechanism of action of VEGF treatment and the physiologic role of endogenous VEGF after arterial injury are not well described. To better understand the role of VEGF in arterial repair, we overexpressed both VEGF and a soluble, chimeric VEGF receptor (VEGF-trap), which binds free VEGF with high affinity, in a mouse model of arterial injury. Methods and Results— Four groups of C57BL/6 mice underwent denuding endothelial injury 1 day after systemic injection of recombinant adenovirus expressing (1) VEGF, (2) VEGF-trap, (3) VEGF plus VEGF-trap, or (4) control adenovirus. Circulating levels of adenovirus-encoded proteins were significantly elevated after gene transfer. VEGF overexpression accelerated reendothelialization and increased luminal endothelial cell proliferation 2 weeks after arterial injury ( P &lt;0.05), resulting in decreased neointima formation at 4 weeks compared with control ( P &lt;0.01). Cotreatment with VEGF-trap completely sequestered free VEGF and abrogated the beneficial effect of VEGF overexpression. Interestingly, sequestration of endogenous VEGF by VEGF-trap overexpression alone also led to delayed reendothelialization at 2 weeks ( P &lt;0.01) and increased neointima formation at 4 weeks ( P &lt;0.01). Conclusions— VEGF overexpression accelerated endothelial repair and inhibited neointima formation after arterial injury. Conversely, sequestration of exogenous and/or endogenous VEGF by VEGF-trap delayed reendothelialization and significantly increased neointima size. This demonstrates the therapeutic potential of VEGF but also emphasizes the important physiologic role of endogenous VEGF in vascular repair.
A high‐positive patch test load correlates with further positive patch test reactions irrespective of their location
Authors: J. Brasch, J. Geier, A. Schnuch, W. Uter
Journal: Allergy (2006)

Background: Patch testing is the standard clinical procedure to prove contact sensitization. It is a common practice to attach multiple patch tests at the same time. However, synchronous reactions to unrelated allergens may not be completely unassociated. If so, the reaction in a given test field might be influenced by other positive test reactions in a distance‐related degree. This article analyses whether there is a distance‐related effect of synchronous positive patch test reactions on the outcome of a target patch test. Methods: Data collected from patients patch tested for diagnostic purposes with 15 standard allergens attached in a specific pattern between 1992 and 2004 in 20 centres in a Central European network were retrospectively evaluated. The association between the target patch test result (allergic vs negative reaction to the thiuram mix) and the number and cumulated strength of synchronous positive reactions (positive patch test load) to allergens placed in nearby or distant positions to the target patch was analysed by using logistic regression analysis. Results: The likelihood of a positive reaction to thiuram mix significantly increased with an increasing synchronous positive patch test load generated by positive reactions to allergens unrelated to thiuram mix. The effect of allergens neighbouring the target allergen was not significantly stronger than that of allergens placed in distant positions. Conclusion: For the interpretation of patch test results, the potentially enhancing effects of a synchronous positive patch test load should be considered. The local distribution of the patches on the back is, however, not critical.