tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Outcomes After Function-Sparing Surgery Without Radiotherapy for Soft Tissue Sarcoma of the Extremities and Trunk
Authors: Elizabeth H. Baldini, Joel Goldberg, Christopher Jenner, Judith B. Manola, George D. Demetri, Christopher D.M. Fletcher, Samuel Singer
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1999)

To define the rate of local recurrence (LR) and identify prognostic factors for LR for patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) treated with function-sparing surgery (FSS) without radiotherapy (RT).Between 1970 and 1994, 242 patients with STS of the trunk and extremity presented with primary localized disease, 74 of whom were treated with FSS without RT (31%). The median tumor size was 4 cm (range, 0.5 to 31 cm). There were 40 patients with grade 1 tumors and 34 with grade 2 and 3 tumors. Median follow-up was 126 months.The 10-year actuarial local control rate was 93% +/- 4%. Resection margin status was a significant predictor for LR. Patients with closest histologic resection margins of less than 1 cm had a 10-year local control rate of 87% +/- 6% compared with 100% for patients with closest histologic resection margins of >/= 1 cm (P =.04). There was no significant association between LR and tumor grade, size, site (truncal v extremity), or depth (superficial v deep). For all patients, the 10-year actuarial survival rate was 73% +/- 6%.The 7% LR rate after treatment of STS with FSS without RT reported herein is comparable to published rates following treatment where adjuvant RT is used. These results suggest there may be a select subset of patients with STS in whom carefully performed FSS may serve as definitive therapy and in whom adjuvant RT may not be necessary. However, further study is needed to carefully define this subset of patients and to identify the optimal surgical approach and technique for patients treated without RT.
Diagnostic value of p small round opacities on chest radiography and p' opacities on HRCT in early detection of nodular pneumoconiosis
Authors: Elisaveta Petrova
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Aim 

To perform a comparison between radiological perfusion of p small round opacities (p) on conventional chest radiograph (CCR) and p' opacities on chest HRCT (HRCT) and to assess the diagnostic value of HRCT in patients suspected for nodular pneumoconiosis.

Material and Methods 

84 quartz exposed workers, endangered by pneumoconiosis and patients with reticular, and micro - nodular pneumoconiosis were studied. A comparison between mean profusion of p'- small round opacities on CHRCT with mean profusion of p - small round opacities on CCR was done. A multiple regression analysis was performed.

Results 

Themean profusion of the p' - small opacities on CHRCT was more intensive in comparison to mean profusion of the p – opacities on CCR. A statistically significant correlation between p'- and p - opacities was found (R= 0.36337; P< 0.001).

Conclusion 

CHRCT is more sensitive image method for detection of p small round opacities. We recommend CHRCT for early diagnosis of reticular, reticular nodular and nodular pneumoconiosis.

Key words: p small opacities, CCR, HRCT, nodular pneumoconiosis.
BCG Immunopotentiation of an Antitumor Response: Evidence for a Cell-Mediated Mechanism 2
Authors: Eugenia Hawrylko
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1975)

BCG-immunopotentiated antitumor immunity was studied in a model in which irradiated murine tumor cells, mastocytoma P815, were injected into subcutaneous sites prepared by a prior injection of BCG; challenge in a distant foot-pad was used as an indicator of specific resistance. The onset of antitumor immunity correlated with the proliferation of lymph node cells draining the immunization sites and the development of delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) to the tumor. Tuberculin hypersensitivity, however, was depressed during the evolution of DTH to the tumor. Antitumor immunity was transferred locally with spleen or lymph node cells that were sensitive to anti-theta sera and complement but not to anti-lg and complement. They had velocity sedimentation rates in a bovine serum albumin gradient of 3.9-5.9 mm/hour and were relatively resistant to vinblastine at the peak of the immune response. Sera from immunized mice failed to confer antitumor immunity either in vitro or on transfer in vivo.
Clinical features of patients with pneumococcal urinary antigen positivity, in a cohort of hospitalised community acquired pneumonia
Authors: Chamira Rodrigo, Thomas Bewick, Sonia Greenwood, Wei Shen Lim
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Streptococcus pneumoniae  accounts for up to 50% of hospitalised community acquired pneumonia. Diagnosis of pneumococcal disease has always been a challenge. Urinary antigen testing provides a non-invasive, sensitive and specific daignostic tool.  We investigated the clinical features of patients with pneumococcal urinary antigen positivity in patients admitted with community acquired pneumonia.  We conducted an observational, prospective cohort study in two large UK teaching hospitals, from September 2008 to September 2010. Consecutive adult patients (aged over 16), admitted with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) were recruited.A standardised proforma was used to collect clinical information.Urine samples were tested using the Binax NOW® immunochromatographic test.  A total of 920 urine samples were available for analysis. 205(22.3%) had a positive antigen test.  Patients with a positive antigen test were more likely to be hypotensive (16.8% of antigen positive vs. 6.8% of antigen negative patients, OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.7-4.8, p  Incidence of parapneumonic effusion and critical care admission rates (OR 2.22, 95%CI 1.49-3.34, p  Patients with a positive pneumococcal antigen test were more unwell at presentation with a greater likelihood of complications.This is likely to be due to the higher bacterial load in patients with a positive antigen test. Thus, urinary antigen testing appears to add prognostic value in addition to its diagnostic capabilities, when used in pneumococcal disease.
Psoriasis, cardiovascular disease and flow‐mediated dilatation
Authors: T. Aldeen, M. Khorshid
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2011)

Journal Article Psoriasis, cardiovascular disease and flow‐mediated dilatation Get access T. Aldeen, T. Aldeen Dermatology Department, Basildon Hospital, Basildon SS16 5NL, U.K. E‐mail: t.aldeen@yahoo.com Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar M. Khorshid M. Khorshid Dermatology Department, Basildon Hospital, Basildon SS16 5NL, U.K. E‐mail: t.aldeen@yahoo.com Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 165, Issue 4, 1 October 2011, Pages 923–924, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2011.10499.x Published: 01 October 2011
Benzodiazepine use in pregnancy and major malformations or oral clefts
Authors: E. Garne, U. Bergman, C. Cates, K. S Khan, C. Wykes, H. Gee
Journal: BMJ (1999)

Editor—Dolovich et al have reported their meta-analysis concerning use of benzodiazepines during the first trimester of pregnancy and the risk of oral clefts or major congenital malformations.1 In the cohort studies no increased risk of congenital malformations was found, while case-control studies showed an increased risk of both oral clefts and major congenital malformations. The authors excluded studies from the meta-analysis if only stillbirths or abortions were included.

The paper missed important information about the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. During the past 10-15 years prenatal diagnosis of congenital malformations has increased significantly in many countries and is often followed by termination of pregnancy if severe malformations are diagnosed.2 The Eurocat project is a European epidemiological programme surveying congenital malformations. The Eurocat registries are population based and based on multiple sources of information; they include information about live births, deaths of fetuses with gestational age ⩾20 weeks, and induced abortions after prenatal diagnosis of malformations.

During 1990-4 there were 13 registries following strict Eurocat methodology and where induced abortion after prenatal diagnosis of congenital malformations was noted. The 13 registries covered 1 284 599 births. For this period the contribution of induced abortion in the registries ranged from 4.0-7.6 per 1000 births in the three French registries to 0.7-3.1 per 1000 births in the other European countries.2 The table shows the proportion of induced abortion among cases of major congenital malformations. If studies concerning risk factors during pregnancy include only information from live births and stillbirths they will miss the large number of cases diagnosed prenatally in which termination of pregnancy is subsequently carried out. This is not discussed in the paper.1

In studies from the 1970s and ’80s the problem is of only minor importance. For future studies of risk assessments during pregnancy it is important also to include terminations of pregnancies. These terminations often occur in the more severe cases, and prenatal diagnostic methods are more often performed in risk pregnancies, in anxious mothers taking benzodiazepines, and in mothers with epilepsy. If only live births are studied the conclusions might be wrong because today live births occur in a selected group of all pregnancies.
Long-term in vivo survival of receptor-modified syngeneic T cells in patients with human immunodeficiency virus infection.
Authors: Robert E. Walker, Christine M. Bechtel, Ven Natarajan, Michael Baseler, Kristen M. Hege, Julia A. Metcalf, Randy Stevens, Allison Hazen, R. Michael Blaese, Clara C. Chen, Susan F. Leitman, Jolie Palensky, Janet Wittes, Richard T. Davey, Judith Falloon, Michael A. Polis, Joseph A. Kovacs, David F. Broad, Bruce L. Levine, Margo R. Roberts, Henry Masur, H. Clifford Lane
Journal: Blood (2000)
Serum miR-122 levels correlated to the coagulation disorders of severe sepsis patients
Authors: Huijuan Wanghuijuan, Jie Deng, Pengjun Zhang, Xin Zhang, Weijun Chen, Dan Feng, Yanhong Jia, Lixin Xie
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Purpose: miR-122 is a serum signature for liver injury and a prognostic predictor for sepsis patients. Sepsis patients with coagulation abnormalities may be a major impact on the outcome. The aim of our study was to investigate if there were relations between miR-122 and coagulation disorder during sepsis.  Methods: 123 severe sepsis patients were recruited from Intensive Care Units of Chinese PLA general hospital. 24 healthy subjects were selected as normal controls. After collection of the blood samples of these participants, levels of miR-122 were detected by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assays (qRT-PCR) and coagulation indexes were detected by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbnent Assay (ELISA).  Findings: Serum levels of miR-122 were correlated to the serum levels of Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time (APTT) (R=0.426, p=0.008), Fibrinogen (FIB) (R=0.398, p=0.008), Antithrombin III (AT III) (R=0.913, p  Conclusions: Serum levels of miR-122 were correlated to coagulation disorders of sepsis patients.
Making amends for negligence
Authors: Paul Fenn, Alastair Gray, Neil Rickman, Adrian Towse
Journal: BMJ (2004)

Current system operates well, but reforms are still needed 

That doctors are more likely to be sued for negligence now than they have been in the past is undeniable. In particular, in the 1980s and 1990s the number of claims steadily increased, relativeto the number of treatment episodes. The reasons for this are by no means clear but probably include elements of a cultural shift in attitudes to the medical profession and the growth of the legalservices “industry.” More contentious, however, is whether this change represents a good or a bad thing, and what if anything needs to be done about it. The chief medical officer's consultation paper, “Making Amends,” starts from a premise that something does need to be done, and it puts forward suggestions for reform, including fast track arrangements for smaller cases, but stopping shortof a full no fault scheme for all patients.1 Two contributors to this issue have reacted to the chief medical officer's …
ERS task force statement: diagnosis and treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax
Authors: Jean-Marie Tschopp, Oliver Bintcliffe, Philippe Astoul, Emilio Canalis, Peter Driesen, Julius Janssen, Marc Krasnik, Nicholas Maskell, Paul Van Schil, Thomy Tonia, David A. Waller, Charles-Hugo Marquette, Giuseppe Cardillo
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2015)

Primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) affects young healthy people with a significant recurrence rate. Recent advances in treatment have been variably implemented in clinical practice. This statement reviews the latest developments and concepts to improve clinical management and stimulate further research. The European Respiratory Society's Scientific Committee established a multidisciplinary team of pulmonologists and surgeons to produce a comprehensive review of available scientific evidence. Smoking remains the main risk factor of PSP. Routine smoking cessation is advised. More prospective data are required to better define the PSP population and incidence of recurrence. In first episodes of PSP, treatment approach is driven by symptoms rather than PSP size. The role of bullae rupture as the cause of air leakage remains unclear, implying that any treatment of PSP recurrence includes pleurodesis. Talc poudrage pleurodesis by thoracoscopy is safe, provided calibrated talc is available. Video-assisted thoracic surgery is preferred to thoracotomy as a surgical approach. In first episodes of PSP, aspiration is required only in symptomatic patients. After a persistent or recurrent PSP, definitive treatment including pleurodesis is undertaken. Future randomised controlled trials comparing different strategies are required.
Efficient Photolytic Degradation of Nitrosamines2
Authors: Joel Polo, Yuan L. Chow
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1976)

The principles and practice of nitrosamine degradation by photochemical means were described. Two types of apparatus were constructed for this purpose. A nitrosamine waste solution containing 10-3-10-1 N in hydrochloric acid and about 10 mole-equivalents of an HNO2 scavenger (i.e., urea, guanidine, or hydrazoic acid) was efficiently and irreversibly degraded to the parent amines and N2 (and/or N2O) by irradiation. Efficiency of the degradation depended on the type of apparatus used. With the use of one apparatus, about 11 g N-nitrosodimethylamine was photolytically converted to dimethylamine, N2, and N2O in 24 hours. Protonated guanidine catalyzed the photohydrolysis processes.
A retrospective study of outcome of Mohs’ micrographic surgery for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma using formalin fixed sections
Authors: R.J. Turner, N. Leonard, A.J. Malcolm, C.M. Lawrence, M.G.C. Dahl
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2000)

The surgical management of recurrent or large squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can be challenging as tumours often extend beyond visible margins. Micrographic surgery is a potentially effective method of ensuring complete clearance of tumour. A retrospective study of all cases of SCC treated by micrographic surgery in this department between 1986 and 1996 has been done. Sixty-one patients were treated using a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue technique with a median follow-up of 4 years. In two cases there was local recurrence and in three others metastasis to local lymph nodes. The overall cure rate was 92% (56 of 61), which compares favourably with published series using chemosurgery and frozen tissue techniques. The results show that this technique of micrographic surgery is a satisfactory and cost-effective alternative to conventional frozen section techniques in the treatment of SCC. The formalin-fixed tissue method has the advantage of providing high-quality permanent histological sections using existing conventional pathology services.
Assessment of aerobic fitness in cystic fibrosis and asthmatic children
Authors: Paul D. Burns, Patrick Jamieson, Elise J. Buchan, James Y. Paton
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2014)

Aims:  It is known that cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with a higher aerobic fitness have a better prognosis. The aim of this study was to assess the peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in a group of CF patients and compare this to asthma patients and children complaining of shortness of breath on exertion (SOBOE) but with no history of asthma.  Methods:  We reviewed VO2peak in asthma (n=41), CF (n=28) and unexplained SOBOE (n=18) patients. Lung function and an incremental exercise test was performed. The mean, SD and 95% CIs were calculated on VO2peak % predicted, VO2peak ml.min-1.kg-1 and FEV1 Z scores.  Results:  There was no significant difference in VO2peak (p>0.05) between the three groups. The asthma group had a significantly lower FEV1 Z score than the SOBOE (p  Conclusions:  We have shown that our CF population have a normal aerobic capacity. There was no significant difference between any of the groups. The normal aerobic fitness in the CF patients may reflect the fact they have regular physiotherapy and exercise training. The low aerobic capacity in some asthma patients indicates they may also benefit from an exercise training programme.
Meta-analysis of chemotherapy versus combined modality treatment trials in Hodgkin's disease. International Database on Hodgkin's Disease Overview Study Group.
Authors: M Loeffler, O Brosteanu, D Hasenclever, M Sextro, D Assouline, A A Bartolucci, P A Cassileth, D Crowther, V Diehl, R I Fisher, R T Hoppe, P Jacobs, J L Pater, S Pavlovsky, E Thompson, P Wiernik
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1998)

To perform a meta-analysis of all randomized trials that compared chemotherapy (CT) alone versus combined modality treatment (CT + radiotherapy [RT]) for which individual patient data could be made available.Data on 1,740 patients treated on 14 different trials that included 16 relevant comparisons have been analysed. Eight comparisons were designed to evaluate the benefit of additional RT after the same CT (CT1 v CT1 + RT; additional RT design). Eight comparisons were designed to evaluate whether RT in a combined modality setting can be substituted by CT using either more cycles of the same CT or regimens that contain additional drugs (CT1 + CT2 v CT1 + RT or CT1 v CT2 + RT; parallel RT/CT design).Additional RT showed an 11% overall improvement in tumor control rate after 10 years (P = .0001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4% to 18%). No difference could be detected with respect to overall survival (P = .57; 95% CI, -10% to 4%). In contrast, when combined modality treatment was compared with CT alone in the parallel-design trials, no difference could be detected in tumor control rates (P = .43; 95% CI, -6% to 9%), but overall survival was significantly better after 10 years in the group that did not receive RT (P = .045; 8% difference; 95% CI, 1% to 15%). There were significantly fewer fatal events among patients in continuous complete remission (relative risk [RR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.17 to 2.53; P = .005) if no RT was given.Combined modality treatment in patients with advanced-stage Hodgkin's disease overall has a significantly inferior long-term survival outcome than CT alone if CT is given over an appropriate number of cycles. The role of RT in this setting is limited to specific indications.
Phase II Trial of Oral Estramustine, Oral Etoposide, and Intravenous Paclitaxel in Hormone-Refractory Prostate Cancer
Authors: David C. Smith, Peg Esper, Myla Strawderman, Bruce Redman, Kenneth J. Pienta
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1999)

PURPOSE: To evaluate the combination of intravenous (IV) paclitaxel, oral estramustine, and oral etoposide in patients with advanced hormone-refractory prostate cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty patients with carcinoma of the prostate that was progressing despite hormonal therapy and who had undergone antiandrogen withdrawal (if previously treated with an antiandrogen) were enrolled onto this phase II trial. Patients were treated with oral estramustine 280 mg tid and oral etoposide 100 mg/d for 7 days, with paclitaxel 135 mg/m 2 IV over 1 hour on day 2 of each 21-day treatment cycle. Patients received a maximum of six cycles of therapy. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were assessable for response. Twenty-two had measurable disease at baseline; response was not assessable in six of these patients. Overall response was 45% (10 of 22 patients; 95% confidence interval [CI], 24% to 68%), and response was 63% (10 of 16) in assessable patients. Twenty-six patients had a ≥ 50% decrease from their baseline prostate-specific antigen levels during therapy, for a response rate of 65% (95% CI, 48% to 79%) by this criterion. Median duration of response was 3.2 months, with an estimated median survival of 12.8 months. Major toxicities of therapy were leukopenia (eight patients had ≥ grade 4 leukopenia) and anemia. Hematologic toxicity seemed to be associated with liver metastases. Serial measurements in 24 patients using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Prostate (FACT-P) showed no significant change in quality of life (QOL) as a result of therapy. CONCLUSION: The combination of IV paclitaxel, oral estramustine, and oral etoposide is active in patients with advanced prostate cancer. The regimen is tolerable and does not have a significant impact on QOL as measured by the FACT-P in a limited sample of patients.
Chest wall kinematics in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI)
Authors: Antonella LoMauro, Simona Pochintesta, Grazia D'Angelo, Marianna Romei, Andrea Aliverti
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

In Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI), an inherited connective tissue disorder characterized by brittle bones and significant chest wall (CW) deformities, pulmonary complications are the principal causes of death.In order to study how OI alters chest wall function, we studied 7 patients with severe form type III (OI3), 15 with moderate form type IV (OI4) and 26 healthy subjects (CTR). Breathing pattern, regional CW volume changes and thoracoabdominal asynchronies at rest in seated and supine position were measured by opto-electronic plethysmography. Rib cage deformities was assessed from OEP markers by computing the angle of the sternum (α) on the transversal plane.In both positions, minute ventilation was lower in OI than CTR because of lower tidal volume (p  In conclusion, OI3 is characterized by rib cage deformities (pectus carinatum) which alters CW function during breathing.The reduced or paradoxical rib cage motion during inspiration is compensated by an increased action of the diaphragm at rest, associated with large thoracoabdominal asynchrony.
Prolonged Survival of Tumor Allografts in Mice Pretreated With Soluble Transplantation Antigens2
Authors: Eugene B. Rosenberg, James Hill, Arthur Ferarri, Ronald B. Herberman, Chou-Chik Ting, Dean L. Mann, John Fahey
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1973)

Treatment of DBA/2 (H-2d) mice with crude soluble antigens from H-2b cells impaired the capacity of the DBA mice to reject tumor allografts bearing the H-2b transplantation antigens. Seven groups of DBA/2 mice were given one intravenous injection of soluble, unaggregated H-2 antigen prepared by papain digestion of C57BL/6N spleen cell membranes. After 2 days, all mice were challenged subcutaneously with EL-4 (H-2b) tumor cells. At 31 days after tumor challenge, more mice treated with 50, 10, and 1 µg soluble antigen had tumors than did saline-treated controls. At 61 days after challenge, when all saline controls had rejected their tumors, 10 animals treated with 50, 10, and 10-2 µg soluble antigen showed progressive tumor growth. Studies of the humoral and cellular immune responses of mice with and without tumors indicated that the prolonged tumor allograft survival was not due to tolerance and was compatible with immunologic enhancement/