tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Effect of prenatal exposure to tobacco on lung function of infants born preterm
Authors: Manuel Sanchez-Solis, Luis Garcia-Marcos, Virginia Perez, Pedro Mondejar, Maria Dolores Pastor
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Introduction: The exposure of foetus to tobacco during pregnancy, in otherwise healthy infants born at term, is associated to lower expiratory flows as measured both by means of the rapid thoracoabdominal compression technique (RTC) and by the raised-volume rapid thoracoabdominal compression technique (RVRTC). The aim of the present study is to measure lung function by RVRTC in healthy infants born preterm exposed or non-exposed to tobacco in pregnancy.

Methods: Forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory flows at 50%, 75%, 85% 25-75% of FVC (FEF50, FEF75, FEF85, FEF25-75) and forced expiratory flow at 0.5 sec (FEV0.5), were obtained by RVRTC in 44 healthy infants born preterm (26 males), without neonatal respiratory distress. A multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for gender, gestational age, corrected age, length and prenatal tobacco exposure, was performed.

Results: 

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Table 1





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Table 2. Multivariate regression coefficients of lung function parameters of infants born preterm exposed to tobacco in pregnancy





Conclusions: In infants born preterm, at a corrected age of ∼7 months, prenatal tobacco exposure is significantly associated to a lower FVC, but does not change forced expiratory flows.
Cutaneous necrosis by cold agglutinins associated with glomeruloid reactive angioendotheliomatosis
Authors: None Porras-Luque, None FernÁndez-Herrera, None DaudÉN, None Fraga, None FernÁndez-Villalta, None GarcÍA-DÍez
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (1998)

The cold agglutinin syndrome is a haemolytic disorder that can cause skin lesions, mainly on the acral areas, with acrocyanosis being the most frequent manifestation. Cutaneous necrosis due to cold agglutinins is very rare. Reactive angioendotheliomatosis (RAE) is an uncommon condition that exclusively affects the skin, characterized by a hyperplasia of endothelial cells and pericytes that can result in the formation of glomeruloid structures. The association of cold agglutinin syndrome with glomeruloid RAE has not been previously described. We report a 70-year-old man diagnosed as having a B-cell low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. He had two episodes of cutaneous necrosis in acral areas which were related to exposure to cold and due to IgM anti-IT cold agglutinins. Biopsy specimens showed vessel proliferations composed of dilated vascular spaces in the dermis and subcutis. Some vessel lumina were partially occluded by eosinophilic thrombi of fibrin and erythrocytes. Numerous closely packed capillaries were observed within pre-existing dilated vessels. This intravascular proliferation of capillaries displayed a glomeruloid pattern. We emphasize the possible presence of a cold agglutinin syndrome in patients with skin necrosis and findings of RAE with a glomeruloid pattern. Cold agglutinaemia may cause these distinctive histological changes.
Phase II Multicenter Study of Brief Single-Agent Methotrexate Followed by Irradiation in Primary CNS Lymphoma
Authors: P. O’Brien, D. Roos, G. Pratt, K. Liew, M. Barton, M. Poulsen, I. Olver, G. Trotter
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2000)

PURPOSE: To assess, in a multi-institutional setting, the impact on relapse, survival, and toxicity of adding two cycles of intravenous methotrexate to cranial irradiation for immunocompetent patients with primary CNS lymphoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients with a median age of 58 years and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status 0 to 3 were entered onto this phase II study. The protocol consisted of methotrexate 1 g/m 2 on days 1 and 8 followed by cranial irradiation on day 15. A whole-brain dose of 45 Gy was followed by a boost of 5.4 Gy. Intrathecal chemotherapy and spinal irradiation were given only to patients for whom cytologic examination of CSF was positive for CNS lymphoma. The median follow-up time was 36 months, with a minimum potential follow-up of 12 months. RESULTS: Median survival was 33 months, with 2-year probability of survival 62% ± 15% (95% confidence interval). Twenty patients have relapsed. The predominant site of relapse was the brain. Neither performance status nor age was found to influence survival. Six patients developed a dementing illness at a median of 16 months after treatment, and three of these died as a consequence. CONCLUSION: A brief course of intravenous methotrexate before cranial irradiation is associated with 2-year and median survival rates superior to those reported for radiotherapy alone and similar to more intensive combined-modality regimens. Neurotoxicity remains an important competing risk for these patients.
Airway Smooth Muscle
Authors: Wayne Mitzner
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2004)

It is well accepted that many organs in the human body no longer provide evolutionary advantage and appear to be lacking known function. These include the appendix, most body hair, wisdom teeth, male nipples, and external ear muscles, to name just a few. Even worse, many such organs, such as the appendix or wisdom teeth, can be the source of serious pain and medical problems. In this perspective, it is suggested that airway smooth muscle falls into this category—that of an organ with no essential physiologic function that can lead to serious medical problems. The function of smooth muscle in the airway wall has been speculated on for many years, but when looked at closely from a functional perspective, there really seems to be no need for airway smooth muscle. Indeed, most of the proposed reasons for presence of airway smooth muscle have not been based on experimental validation. In a recent discussion, Seow and Fredberg (1) commented that there is no known disease entity or physiologic deficit associated with loss of airway smooth muscle. They further suggested that perhaps airway smooth muscle was a vestigial remnant of its common embryologic origin with the gastrointestinal system, having no modern function. This conjecture, however, is in stark contrast to much classical thinking. In his extensive review article (2), Macklin could not imagine that such a system was there for no physiologic purpose, stating that “Organized as it is, into a very complex system, this muscle would seem of the utmost functional importance—in fact quite indispensable in respiration.” In this discussion, we consider the validity of 10 possible roles for airway smooth muscle that have appeared in the literature over the past 125 years. The emphasis will not be on whether smooth muscle is indispensable in respiration, but rather whether it is needed at all. These possible roles consist of the following: (1) peristalsis to assist exhalation, (2) peristalsis to assist mucus propulsion, (3) peristaltic contraction in the fetal lung to generate fluid pressure, (4) promoting lymphatic and venous flow, (5) ventilation/perfusion matching, (6) protecting the peripheral lung, (7) protecting airway structure, (8) stabilizing airways, (9) enhancing the effectiveness of cough, and (10) optimizing anatomic dead space volume.
Diallyl sulfide attenuates PhIP-induced cell cycle changes and cell death in MCF-10A cells
Authors: Ayoola A. Aboyade-Cole, Chantell Wilson, Selina Darling-Reed, Michael McCaskill, Yasmeen Barnes-Nkrumah, Oneil Newell, Ronald Thomas
Journal: Cancer Research (2006)

1549   Environmental factors, such as diet, have been shown to play a key role in cancer induction. One compound which has drawn much focus in this regard is 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo-[4,5b]pyridine (PhIP), the most abundant heterocyclic amine in the human diet. PhIP is bioactivated by cytochrome P450 enzymes to its N-hydroxy intermediate, N-OH PhIP, which is further metabolized by acetyl and sulfotransferases into DNA binding metabolites shown to induce tumors of the prostate, colon, & mammary glands. We propose that diallyl sulfide will attenuate PhIP-induced alterations in the cell cycle and cell viability. Seven million cells were plated in T-175 culture flasks and treated for 24, 48 and 72 hours with PhIP (100uM), DAS (100uM) and N-OH PhIP (5uM). DAS pretreated groups were dosed with 100uM of DAS for 6 hours prior to dosing with PhIP (100uM) or N-OH PhIP (5uM). All samples were fixed in absolute ethanol and stained with propidium iodide for cell cycle analysis on the FACSCalibur flow cytometer. In addition, cell viability was assessed using the CellTiter 96® AQueousOne Solution Cell Proliferation Assay. Fifty thousand cells were plated per well in 96 well plates and treated in the same manner as the flow treated samples for 24, 48 and 72 hours. A 20uL aliquot of AqueousOne Solution was added to each well and incubated at 37°C for four hours. The plates were read on the Bio-Tek Ex800 microplate reader, where the absorbance at 480 nm was determined for each well. PhIP at 24 and 48 hours reduced the percentage of cells in the S phase by 9% and 13%, respectively. At 48 hours, DAS further reduced the PhIP-induced alterations in S phase from 13% to 39%. However, DAS pretreatment increased the percentage of cells in S phase at 72 hours. Similar results were seen with N-OH PhIP. PhIP reduced cell viability at 24, 48 and 72 hours by 16%, 8% and 17%, respectively. Pre-treatment with DAS attenuated reduction in cell viability only at the 72 hour time point by 9%. Similar results were seen with N-OH PhIP. N-OH PhIP reduced cell viability at 24, 48 and 72 hours by 21%, 30% and 33%, respectively and DAS pretreatment attenuated this reduction at 72 hours by 11%. We conclude that PhIP inhibits DNA synthesis at 24 and 48 hours to allow cells to repair DNA damage. DAS enhances this inhibition in DNA synthesis. At 72 hours, DNA synthesis ensues after the damage has been repaired in the DAS/PhIP treated cells. The same is true with N-OH PhIP. Further studies are underway to investigate these phenomena. This research was supported by NIH/RCMI Grant #G12 RR03020.
Inhibition of Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Receptor Signaling Restricts the Growth of Human Breast Cancer in the Bone of Nude Mice
Authors: Dina Chelouche Lev, Sun Jin Kim, Amir Onn, Valerie Stone, Do-Hyun Nam, Sertac Yazici, Isaiah J. Fidler, Janet E. Price
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2005)

Abstract Purpose: Bone is a common site for breast cancer metastasis. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and PDGF receptors (PDGFR) are involved in the regulation of bone resorption. This study examined the effects of STI571 (imatinib mesylate), which inhibits PDGFR tyrosine kinase signaling, on the growth of human breast cancer cells in the bone of nude mice with consequent osteolysis. Experimental Design: Human breast cancer MDA-MB-435 cells were injected into the tibia of female nude mice. Two weeks later the mice were treated with p.o. and injected water (control), daily p.o. STI571, weekly injection of paclitaxel, or daily STI571, plus weekly paclitaxel, for up to 8 weeks. Growth of tumors in bones and osteolysis were monitored by digital radiography and tumors were collected for histochemical analysis. Results: Mice treated with STI571 or STI571 plus paclitaxel had smaller bone tumors with less lytic bone destruction than did mice treated with water or paclitaxel alone. The results of treatment with paclitaxel plus STI571 did not differ from those with STI571 alone. Immunohistochemistry showed that PDGF-A, PDGF-B, PDGFRα, and PDGFRβ were expressed in the bone tumors. STI571 treatment inhibited PDGFR phosphorylation in tumor cells and tumor-associated endothelial cells, coincident with increased apoptosis, reduced proliferation, and lower microvessel density in the tumors. Conclusions: Activated PDGFRs are expressed by endothelial and tumor cells in breast cancer tumors growing in the bone of nude mice. Interfering with PDGFR signaling may be an approach to control the progressive growth of breast cancer cells and thus reduce bone lysis.
Consideration of a New Definition of Clinically Relevant Myocardial Infarction After Coronary Revascularization
Authors: Issam D. Moussa, Lloyd W. Klein, Binita Shah, Roxana Mehran, Michael J. Mack, Emmanouil S. Brilakis, John P. Reilly, Gilbert Zoghbi, Elizabeth Holper, Gregg W. Stone
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2013)
Longitudinal follow-up of lung function in ataxia telangiectasia
Authors: Daphna Vilozni, Moran Lavie, Ifat Sarouk, Yonit Levi, Ori Efrati
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Rationale: Individuals with Ataxia Telangiectasia (AT) are vulnerable to the development of significant pulmonary complications with age. This condition calls for a follow up on lung function evaluation.

Objectives: To follow the individual patient's lung functions during 3-5 years

Methods: Yearly best spirometry data were collected from 39 AT patients (age 10.4±5.3years; 13 patients younger than 7 years). The yearly decline in spirometry indices were defined in relation to the preceding year, initial age, and airway hyper-reactivity (a positive response to β2-agonist).

Results : Young children showed low FVC (%predicted) between 43.1-70.7%. Yearly decline in spirometry was -3.4±9.4%, -2.7±7.6%; -5.9±10.4; for FVC, FEV1 and in PEF respectively. FEF25-75 increased by 1.6±12.1%/year. Patients having airway hyper-reactivity (n=21) showed initially worse flows (%predicted) than others in FEV0.5 (41.6±18.5% vs. 57.7±15.7%, p <0.0055) and in FEF25-75=83.3±19.2% vs. 106.3±20.8%; p <0.0006).

Conclusions: Young A-T patients showed a restricted FVC pattern that deteriorated with age. Patients having hyperactive airways showed initially restrictive/obstructive worse lung function than others. Airway to volume ratio increases with age implying hypoventilation. The findings call for a restricted follow up on lung function in A-T patients.
The Rural Andhra Pradesh Cardiovascular Prevention Study (RAPCAPS)
Authors: Rohina Joshi, Clara K. Chow, P. Krishnam Raju, K. Rama Raju, Arun Kumar Gottumukkala, K. Srinath Reddy, Stephen MacMahon, Stephane Heritier, Qiang Li, Rakhi Dandona, Bruce Neal
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2012)
Better drug history taking: an assessment of the DRUGS mnemonic
Authors: G Hocking, R Kalyanaraman, W F Demello
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (1998)

To improve drug history taking before anaesthesia, we have previously suggested a checklist with the mnemonic DRUGS (Doctor, Recreational, User, Gynaecological, Sensitivities). We have now tested this mnemonic in 1053 patients admitted for surgery, comparing the results with the information obtained in the original clerking. Use of the mnemonic yielded additional information in 621 patients (59%). Drugs which had gone unrecorded in routine clerking were detected in 24% of patients on medication. Of 199 patients with high alcohol intake, this feature had been recorded in only 38 (19%). Unprescribed medicines, being taken by 158, had been noted in only 31 (20%). Of women taking oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy, more than two-thirds had not given this information. Sensitivities had been recorded accurately in 100 patients but the mnemonic yielded relevant information in a further 85. On this evidence, use of the simple DRUGS mnemonic improves drug history taking in anaesthetic practice.
Phase II study of single-agent gemcitabine in previously untreated patients with metastatic urothelial cancer.
Authors: W M Stadler, T Kuzel, B Roth, D Raghavan, F A Dorr
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1997)

PURPOSE To determine the activity of single-agent gemcitabine in previously untreated patients with metastatic transitional cell cancer. METHODS Forty patients with measurable disease and a Karnofsky performance status &gt; or = 60% were enrolled at five institutions between March 1994 and October 1995. Treatment consisted of gemcitabine (1,200 mg/m2) administered weekly times three on a 4-week cycle. One patient was ineligible for response evaluation because pathology review showed a metastatic melanoma. Responses were confirmed by all investigators and an independent radiologist and were maintained for at least 4 weeks. RESULTS There were four complete and seven partial responses, for an overall response rate of 28%. Responses were seen at all sites, including liver. Median progression-free and overall survival times were 20 and 54 weeks, respectively. Toxicity was mild, with only two grade 4 toxicities. Twenty-five percent of patients experienced grade 3 neutropenia or thrombocytopenia that was rapidly reversible. CONCLUSION Gemcitabine exhibits significant activity in metastatic transitional cell cancer with minimal toxicity, but survival remains short. Trials of gemcitabine in combination with other active agents are thus suggested.
Role of Disease and Macronutrient Dose in the Randomized Controlled EPaNIC Trial
Authors: Michael P. Casaer, Alexander Wilmer, Greet Hermans, Pieter J. Wouters, Dieter Mesotten, Greet Van den Berghe
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2012)

Rationale: Early parenteral nutrition to supplement insufficient enteral feeding during intensive care (early PN) delays recovery as compared with withholding parenteral nutrition for 1 week (late PN).Objectives: To assess whether deleterious effects of early PN relate to severity of illness or to the dose or type of macronutrients.Methods: Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial (EPaNIC; n = 4,640) performed in seven intensive care units from three departments in two Belgian hospitals. In part 1, all patients were included to assess the effect of the randomized allocation to early PN or late PN in subgroups of patients with increasing-on-admission severity of illness. In part 2, observationally, the association of the amount and type of macronutrients with recovery was documented in those patient cohorts still present in intensive care on Days 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14.Measurements and Main Results: The primary end point was time to live discharge from the intensive care unit. For part 1, a secondary end point, acquisition of new infections, was also analyzed. All statistical analyses were performed by univariable and adjusted multivariable methods. In none of the subgroups defined by type or severity of illness was a beneficial effect of early PN observed. The lowest dose of macronutrients was associated with the fastest recovery and any higher dose, administered parenterally or enterally, was associated with progressively more delayed recovery. The amount of proteins/amino acids rather than of glucose appeared to explain delayed recovery with early feeding.Conclusions: Early combined parenteral/enteral nutrition delayed recovery irrespective of severity of critical illness. No dose or type of macronutrient was found to be associated with improved outcome.Clinical trial registered with www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT 00512122).
Lack of Thy 1.2 Antigen Expression on the Surfaces of Mouse Mammary Epithelial Cells&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN2"&gt;2&lt;/xref&gt;&lt;xref ref-type="fn" rid="FN3"&gt;3&lt;/xref&gt;
Authors: K Thompson
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1981)

Monoclonal antisera against mouse Thy 1.2 antigen were used to assess the expression of Thy 1.2 antigen on BALB/c and BALB/cfC3H normal mouse mammary gland epithelial cells (MMEC) and on spontaneous and transplanted BALB/cfC3H mammary adenocarcinoma cells. Immunofluorescence (IF) assays with the monoclonal anti-Thy 1.2 sera demonstrated that Thy 1.2 antigen was not expressed on the surface membranes of MMEC (both virus-free BALB/c and virus-infected BALB/cfC3H) and tumor (BALB/cfC3H) mammary epithelial cells. A specific antiserum against MMEC was used to establish the expression of this normal antigen(s) on the surfaces of both MMEC and tumor mammary epithelial cells obtained from virus-free and virus-infected mice. In addition, the expression of the mammary tumor virus envelope glycoprotein gp52 was determined by indirect IF on the surfaces of virus-infected mammary epithelial cells, both MMEC and tumor cells.
Cohort study of an outbreak of viral gastroenteritis in a nursing home for elderly, Majorca, Spain, February 2008
Authors: M A Luque Fernández, A Galmés Truyols, D Herrera Guibert, G Arbona Cerdá, F Sancho Gayá
Journal: Eurosurveillance (2008)

An outbreak of acute gastroenteritis occurred in a nursing home for elderly in Majorca between 4 and 23 February 2008. To know its aetiology and mechanism of transmission a retrospective cohort study was conducted with a fixed cohort including 146 people (96 residents and 50 employees). The data were collected from clinical histories and through a survey by questionnaire. In total 71 cases were identified (53 residents, 18 employees), corresponding to an overall attack rate (AR) of 48.6%. The consumption of tap water, adjusted by age, sex and consumption of meals provided at the nursing home, presented a relative risk (RR) of 4.03 (95%CI, 1.4-11.4). The microbiological analyses confirmed the presence of norovirus and/or rotavirus in five of the seven stool samples submitted. The slow appearance of cases at the beginning of the outbreak is characteristic of a person to person transmission, while the sudden peak in the middle of the month suggests a common source such as the tap water. We therefore concluded that the outbreak likely originated from two sources: an infected employee of the nursing home and the tap water. The high number of dependent residents most probably facilitated the spread of the outbreak.
Clinical relevance of anthropological and cross-cultural research: concepts and strategies
Authors: A Kleinman
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1978)

The author presents a method through which findings from anthropological and cross-cultural research can be applied to problems affecting patient care. The clinical social science approach emphasizes the distinction between disease and illness and cultural influences on the ways "clinical reality" is conflictingly construed in the ethnomedical models of patients and the biomedical models of practitioners. The relevance of such research extends beyond special clinical concerns arising from ethnic differences to ubiquitous problems that result from cultural influences on all aspects of health care. Consultation-liaison psychiatry is a particularly appropriate vehicle for introducing clinical social science into medical and psychiatric teaching and practice.