tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Long-term follow-up of alpha-interferon treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Monika van Zonneveld, Pieter Honkoop, Bettina E. Hansen, Hubertus G.M. Niesters, Sarwa Darwish Murad, Robert A. de Man, Solko W. Schalm, Harry L.A. Janssen
Journal: Hepatology (2004)

Data on the long-term effects of interferon alfa (IFN) treatment on disease progression and mortality in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) are limited. To evaluate factors that influence clinical outcome and survival, we performed a follow-up study on 165 hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive CHB patients treated with IFN between 1978 and 2002. The median IFN dose was 30 megaunits (MU)/week (range, 2-70 MU/week), and the median duration of therapy was 16 weeks (range, 1-92 weeks). Response to treatment was defined as HBeAg loss within 12 months after the end of IFN therapy. Median follow-up was 8.8 years (range, 0.3-24 years). Fifty-four patients (33%) responded to IFN treatment. Relapse (HBeAg reactivation) occurred in 7 of the 54 (13%) responders. Fifty-two percent of the responders lost hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) as compared with 9% of the nonresponders (P <.001). Liver histology showed a decreased necroinflammatory activity and less progression of fibrosis in responders. Twenty-six patients died during follow-up. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was found in 8 patients, 6 of whom were nonresponders. Of the two responders who developed HCC, one patient had relapsed after discontinuation of therapy. Multivariate analysis showed significantly improved survival (relative risk (RR) of death 0.28, 95% CI 0.10-0.78) and reduced risk of developing HCC (RR 0.084, 95% CI 0.09-0.75) in responders. In conclusion, response to IFN therapy results in a prolonged clinical remission with an increased rate of HBsAg seroconversion and improved liver histology. Our results indicate that after correction for baseline factors, response to IFN therapy increases survival and reduces the risk of developing HCC.
ETHNICITY-SPECIFIC ASSOCIATIONS OF NOVEL MARKERS OF L-ARGININE METABOLISM WITH THE ANKLE-BRACHIAL INDEX
Authors: Faisal F. Syed, Rainer H. Boger, Thomas Mosley Jr, Edzard Schwedhelm, Nicole Lüneburg, Iftikhar J. Kullo
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2010)
Zinc, Copper, and Cholesterol
Authors: Harold H. Sandstead
Journal: JAMA (1981)

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> The recent article, "Zinc Lowers High-Density Lipoprotein [HDL]-Cholesterol Levels," by Hooper et al (1980;244:1960) supports the hypothesis of Klevay<sup>1</sup>that relative or absolute copper deficiency may contribute to elevated serum cholesterol level and to the occurrence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in humans. Zinc is the principle nutrient that causes a relative deficiency of copper. Pharmacologic intakes of zinc have been shown to induce copper deficiency in humans (1978;240:2166). The mechanism appears to be a suppression of intestinal absorption of copper (1978;240:2188) and, perhaps, an increased biliary excretion of copper. Copper deficiency in rats causes an increase in plasma low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and a relative decrease in plasma HDL-cholesterol.<sup>2</sup>Similar abnormalities in serum cholesterol level were observed in one human subject who was experimentally deprived of copper for 16 weeks by feeding a mixed diet containing 0.8 mg of copper daily, a level that did not induce
Experience with Coeliac Axis Compression Syndrome
Authors: A. J. Edwards, J. D. Hamilton, W. D. Nichol, G. W. Taylor, A. M. Dawson
Journal: BMJ (1970)

Seven patients with "coeliac axis compression syndrome" are reported. Five were treated surgically, but only two did well. A survey of 200 healthy adults showed epigastric bruits in 6.5%; only one of these had dyspepsia, though dyspepsia was present in 12.5% overall.Caution is urged in attributing a causal relationship between coeliac axis compression and pain and in proceeding to arteriography when compression is suspected on clinical grounds.
Effects of Medicaid Drug-Payment Limits on Admission to Hospitals and Nursing Homes
Authors: Stephen B. Soumerai, Dennis Ross-Degnan, Jerry Avorn, Thomas J. McLaughlin, Igor Choodnovskiy
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1991)

Many state Medicaid programs limit the number of reimbursable medications that a patient can receive. We hypothesized that such limitations may lead to exacerbations of illness or to admissions to institutions where there are no caps on drug reimbursements.
Fetal Loss and Caffeine Intake
Authors: Ming Wei
Journal: JAMA (1994)

To the Editor.  —Infante-Rivard et al 1 conclude that caffeine intake during pregnancy causes spontaneous abortion. They cite our study of karyotyped losses, but disregard our interpretation. 2   About half of spontaneous abortions have chromosome aberrations. This diversity allows application of two criteria to assess causality: (1) an association specific to a particular type of loss and (2) the time of exposure coherent with pathogenesis. 3   Chromosomal aberrations arise no later than conception, and some long before; over 90% of conceptuses are nonviable and abort spontaneously. Exposure to caffeine after conception cannot cause aberrations, nor is it likely to produce detectable increases in loss rates because aberrations are already so highly lethal. By contrast, causes of chromosomally normal loss might operate either before or after conception; causal effects of exposure during pregnancy are biologically plausible.  We studied 899 karyotyped cases and 1423 controls (deliveries, ≥28 weeks). We compared cases with
Epigastric impedance: a non-invasive method for the assessment of gastric emptying and motility.
Authors: G R McClelland, J A Sutton
Journal: Gut (1985)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To study the association of cannabis use on in-hospital outcomes in patients with cancer related pain. <h3>Background:</h3> Cancer related pain is a serious health concern with data suggesting more than 50% of oncology patients suffer from cancer related pain. As the use of cannabis is legalized and increasing in many areas of USA, it is important to understand the effect of cannabis use on in-hospital outcomes in this patient population as compared to non-cannabis users. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> The Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was reviewed from 2007 to 2014 to identify patients with cancer related pain using the ICD CM code for neoplasm related pain, and appropriate codes for cannabis abuse. Trends were analyzed using the Cochrane-Armitage test. Differences between categorical variables were tested using the chi-square test and continuous variables were analyzed using the Student t-test. Predictors to assess the association between cannabis abuse and in hospital mortality were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model. <h3>Results:</h3> We identified 682,933 patients in our study period with hospitalization due cancer related pain, of which 4,254 had a history of cannabis abuse. During this period, we observed a rising trend in cannabis abuse in this patient population from 116 to 1185. The cannabis-cancer pain group was associated with lower in hospital mortality (4.7% vs 9.0%; p &lt;0.0001), higher median cost of hospitalization ($16,665 vs $14,595) and higher incidence of discharge against medical advice (1.8% vs 0.4%, p &lt;0.0001). However, length of stay was similar among the two groups (7.0 vs 6.9 days, p = 0.74). <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Based on this data, cannabis use is associated with decreased in-hospital mortality and is not associated with any difference in duration of hospitalization. This data elucidates an increasingly important area of study to determine the effects of cannabis use in cancer related pain. <b>Disclosure:</b> Dr. Myers has nothing to disclose. Dr. Savani has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kumar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Brock has nothing to disclose.
Pentazocine in Methadone Hydrochloride Maintenance
Authors: Dale K. Lindberg
Journal: JAMA (1973)

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> In a letter in the Jan 29, issue ofThe Journal(223:557, 1973), Degnan and Haupt stated that pain medications for methadone hydrochloride maintenance patients can be prescribed as for the general population with the normal precautions taken when doing minor (or major) surgery. I would like to give a few warnings to this advice. First of all, pentazocine (and I think it is a good analgesic) is a narcotic antagonist and will cause a methadone maintenance patient to suffer acute withdrawal symptoms shortly after administration. Also, we must always remember that the addict, prior to his stabilization with methadone, was always trying to hustle the doctor into prescribing such drugs as morphine, meperidine hydrochloride, hydromorphone hydrochloride. These traits remain and the physician might be asked to prescribe these drugs in excessive amounts by his patient. My advice in this regard is to be cautious and to
The Endoscopic Demonstration of Coeliac Disease
Authors: F. Stevens, C. McCarthy
Journal: Endoscopy (1976)

The first part of the duodenum has been studied endoscopically in treated and untreated coeliac patients. Biopsies taken from the duodenal cap during endoscopic examination, show villous atrophy similar to that found in the distal duodenum and jejunum. Using the indigocarmine scattering method, severe atrophy of the mucosal surface can be demonstrated throughout the duodenal cap, in vivo, in untreated coeliac disease.
SIRT1 Promotes Proliferation and Prevents Senescence Through Targeting LKB1 in Primary Porcine Aortic Endothelial Cells
Authors: Yi Zu, Ling Liu, Mary Y.K. Lee, Cheng Xu, Yan Liang, Ricky Y. Man, Paul M. Vanhoutte, Yu Wang
Journal: Circulation Research (2010)

Rationale : Endothelial senescence causes endothelial dysfunction, promotes atherogenesis and contributes to age-related vascular disorders. SIRT1 is a conserved NAD + -dependent deacetylase possessing beneficial effects against aging-related diseases, despite that the detailed functional mechanisms are largely uncharacterized. Objective : The present study is designed to evaluate the protective effects of SIRT1 on endothelial senescence and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods and Results : An in vitro senescence model was established by prolonged culture of primary endothelial cells isolated from porcine aorta. The freshly isolated “young” cells gradually underwent senescence during 1 month of repetitive passages. Both mRNA and protein expressions of SIRT1 were progressively decreased. In contrast, the protein levels of LKB1, a serine/threonine kinase and tumor suppressor, and the phosphorylation of its downstream target AMPK(Thr172) were dramatically increased in senescent cells. Overexpression of LKB1 promoted cellular senescence and retarded endothelial proliferation, which could be blocked by increasing SIRT1 levels. Knocking down of SIRT1 induced senescence and elevated the protein levels of LKB1 and phosphorylated AMPK(Thr172). Regardless of the nutritional status, hyperactivation of AMPK was able to induce endothelial senescence. SIRT1 antagonized LKB1-dependent AMPK activation through promoting the deacetylation, ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation of LKB1. The survival signaling of Akt was also found to be modulated by SIRT1 and LKB1, and could cross-regulate AMPK activity. Conclusions : SIRT1 and LKB1/AMPK are the 2 key sensor systems for regulating endothelial cell survival, proliferation and senescence. The protective activities of SIRT1 may be achieved at least in part by fine tuning the acetylation/deacetylation status and stabilities of LKB1 protein.
Interferon-gamma overcomes glucocorticoid suppression of cachectin/tumor necrosis factor biosynthesis by murine macrophages.
Authors: C E Luedke, A Cerami
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1990)

Glucocorticoids almost completely inhibit the synthesis by isolated macrophages of cachectin/tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a cytokine implicated as a major endogenous mediator of septic shock. Despite this in vitro effectiveness, the clinical use of glucocorticoids has failed to demonstrate any clear benefit in the treatment of septic shock. In an effort to understand what other mechanisms might play a role in the patient with sepsis, we examined the effect of interferon-gamma (IFN gamma) on the synthesis of cachectin/TNF. We show here that IFN gamma, although unable by itself to induce cachectin/TNF synthesis, enhanced the endotoxin-induced production of cachectin/TNF in vitro. Furthermore, IFN gamma overcame the inhibition of cachectin/TNF synthesis caused by the glucocorticoid, dexamethasone. These effects of IFN gamma were accounted for by increased levels of cachectin/TNF mRNA. The in vivo implications of these studies are discussed with emphasis on their relevance in human sepsis.
Chest Pain in Patients with Isolated Pulmonic Stenosis
Authors: RICHARD P. LASSER, GABRIEL GENKINS
Journal: Circulation (1957)

Chest pain like angina pectoris has been described in patients with pulmonary hypertension and cor pulmonale but its origin is obscure. In this article 5 patients are reported with isolated pulmonic stenosis and chest pain. On the basis of the clinical, electrocardiographic, hemodynamic, and pathologic findings the authors conclude that the chest pain is caused by ischemia of the right ventricular myocardium due to increased work and reduced coronary flow to the right ventricle.
Abstract 4796: Cancer stem cell vaccine inhibits metastases of primary tumors and induces humoral immune responses against cancer stem cells
Authors: Lin Lu, Huimin Tao, Yang Xia, John Owen, Jeffrey S. Moyer, Mark E.P Prince, Alfred E. Chang, Max S. Wicha, Qiao Li
Journal: Cancer Research (2014)

Abstract The inability to target cancer stem cells (CSC) may be a significant factor contributing to treatment failure. We have developed a strategy to target the CSC populations in melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma using CSC lysate-pulsed dendritic cells (DC). Using mouse models we demonstrate that DC pulsed with CSCs enriched by virtue of their expression of the CSC marker ALDH (CSC-DC) significantly reduced development of pulmonary metastases and prolonged survival. The effect was associated with down regulation of CCR7 and CCR10 in tumor cells and decreased CCL27 and CCL28 expression in lung tissue. CSC-DC vaccine significantly reduced ALDHhigh CSCs in the primary tumors. Direct targeting of CSCs was demonstrated by specific binding of IgG produced by ALDHhigh CSC-DC vaccine-primed B cells to ALDHhigh CSCs, resulting in lysis of these target cells in the presence of complement. When administered in the adjuvant setting after localized radiation therapy of established tumors, CSC-DC vaccine reduced development of local tumor growth as well as systemic disease and prolonged survival demonstrating the efficacy of this approach. These data suggest that the CSC-DC vaccine approach may be useful in the adjuvant setting where local and systemic relapse are high after conventional treatment of cancers. Citation Format: Lin Lu, Huimin Tao, Yang Xia, John Owen, Jeffrey S. Moyer, Mark E.P Prince, Alfred E. Chang, Max S. Wicha, Qiao Li. Cancer stem cell vaccine inhibits metastases of primary tumors and induces humoral immune responses against cancer stem cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 4796. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-4796
C1galt1-deficient mice exhibit thrombocytopenia due to abnormal terminal differentiation of megakaryocytes
Authors: Takashi Kudo, Takashi Sato, Kozue Hagiwara, Yukinori Kozuma, Takashi Yamaguchi, Yuzuru Ikehara, Michito Hamada, Ken Matsumoto, Masatsugu Ema, Soichiro Murata, Nobuhiro Ohkohchi, Hisashi Narimatsu, Satoru Takahashi
Journal: Blood (2013)
Tespa1 is involved in late thymocyte development through the regulation of TCR-mediated signaling
Authors: Di Wang, Mingzhu Zheng, Lei Lei, Jian Ji, Yunliang Yao, Yuanjun Qiu, Lie Ma, Jun Lou, Chuan Ouyang, Xue Zhang, Yuewei He, Jun Chi, Lie Wang, Ying Kuang, Jianli Wang, Xuetao Cao, Linrong Lu
Journal: Nature Immunology (2012)
Case 69-1961
Authors: Richard C. Cabot, Benjamin Castleman, Betty U. Kibbee
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1961)

Presentation of Case A sixty-four-year-old Italian man with a long history of chronic alcoholism entered the hospital because of anorexia. Seven years previously because of melena a gastrointestinal series was performed, and a gastric ulcer was demonstrated. At that time abdominal examination was negative. The cephalin flocculation was ++; the serum albumin was 3.1 gm., and the globulin 3.5 gm. per 100 ml. The patient complained of dyspnea, chest pain, arthralgia, anorexia with intermittent epigastric distress and pain in the region of the heart. He improved on a medical regimen and one transfusion of blood, but never worked again. Four . . .
Urinary Creatinine Concentrations in the U.S. Population: Implications for Urinary Biologic Monitoring Measurements
Authors: Dana B. Barr, Lynn C. Wilder, Samuel P. Caudill, Amanda J. Gonzalez, Lance L. Needham, James L. Pirkle
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2004)

Biologic monitoring (i.e., biomonitoring) is used to assess human exposures to environmental and workplace chemicals. Urinary biomonitoring data typically are adjusted to a constant creatinine concentration to correct for variable dilutions among spot samples. Traditionally, this approach has been used in population groups without much diversity. The inclusion of multiple demographic groups in studies using biomonitoring for exposure assessment has increased the variability in the urinary creatinine levels in these study populations. Our objectives were to document the normal range of urinary creatinine concentrations among various demographic groups, evaluate the impact that variations in creatinine concentrations can have on classifying exposure status of individuals in epidemiologic studies, and recommend an approach using multiple regression to adjust for variations in creatinine in multivariate analyses. We performed a weighted multivariate analysis of urinary creatinine concentrations in 22,245 participants of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994) and established reference ranges (10th–90th percentiles) for each demographic and age category. Significant predictors of urinary creatinine concentration included age group, sex, race/ethnicity, body mass index, and fat-free mass. Time of day that urine samples were collected made a small but statistically significant difference in creatinine concentrations. For an individual, the creatinine-adjusted concentration of an analyte should be compared with a "reference" range derived from persons in a similar demographic group (e.g., children with children, adults with adults). For multiple regression analysis of population groups, we recommend that the analyte concentration (unadjusted for creatinine) should be included in the analysis with urinary creatinine added as a separate independent variable. This approach allows the urinary analyte concentration to be appropriately adjusted for urinary creatinine and the statistical significance of other variables in the model to be independent of effects of creatinine concentration.
Re: Karim A. Touijer, Clarisse R. Mazzola, Daniel D. Sjoberg, Peter T. Scardino, James A. Eastham. Long-term Outcomes of Patients with Lymph Node Metastasis Treated with Radical Prostatectomy Without Adjuvant Androgen-deprivation Therapy. Eur Urol 2014;65:20–5
Authors: Michael Froehner, Rainer Koch, Manfred P. Wirth
Journal: European Urology (2013)
Biologic anticancer activity of designed ankyrin repeat proteins (darpins) targeted against dnmt1 and conjugated to docetaxel leads to eradication of chemoresistant mutated squamous cell epsophageal cancer stem cells
Authors: J. Giannios, S. Delis, V. Barbunis
Journal: Gut (2011)

<h3>Introduction</h3> Current anticancer therapies succeed at eradicating bulky disease but miss a tumour reservoir consisting of stem/progenitor cells (SCs) that lead to disease recurrence and metastasis. Tumour stem cells are characterised by upregulation of hTERT which is the limiting factor for telomerase activity. DNA methylation leads to hTERT gene expression. <h3>Methods</h3> We obtain specimens of surgically resected oesophageal Ca from distant lymph node metastatic sites from patients chemoresistant to vinca alkaloids like vinorelbine-tartrate, and isolate the mutated tumour stem cells. We treat them with DARPins targeting DNMT1 conjugated to docetaxel. <h3>Results</h3> Post-treatment, we observed downregulation of DNMT1 blocking methylation of hTERT promoter inhibiting its transcription and subsequent telomerase activity. Stem cell markers p63, CD44, CD117, CD90, CD133, BCRP1, b-catenin and methylation marker SCNN1B were downregulated. After DNA demethylation, there was upregulation of thymosin b10, p16/Rb, RASSF2, p53 and PTEN lipid/protein phosphatase. Subsequently, there was inhibition of chemoresistant factors, such as choline-kinase, PI3K-AKT/PKB-mTOR, Ras/Raf/Erk/TGFa/EGFR, COX-2, PGE2, PDGF, VEGF, cyclin D1, HIF-1a, survivin and aurora – A/STK15/BTAK. There was enhancement in adheren junction formation. Docetaxel polymerised microtubules blocking cell cycle at G2/M while it phosphorylated antiapoptotic bcl-2 upregulating tumour suppressor gene beclin1 which induced autophagy. Activation of procaspase 10 and procaspase 8 formed DISC which induced type I, II and III PCD and aponecrosis of mutated tumour stem cells. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Combination of molecularly targeted therapies such as DARPins and conventional cytostatic agents such as docetaxel could provide a potent strategy to eradicate metastatic mutated ESCC stem cells resistant to conventional chemotherapy with vinca alkaloids such as vinorelbine.
Ultrasound as an Aid in the Diagnosis of Hydrops of the Gallbladder
Authors: Prem C. Chandnani
Journal: JAMA (1977)

ACUTE cholecystitis and acute hydrops of the gallbladder present as a surgical emergency. Ultrasonography provides a simple, rapid, and noninvasive procedure, which is helpful in the evaluation and diagnosis of gallbladder disease. A case of acute hydrops of the gallbladder in which cholecystosonography was helpful in its management is presented. <h3>Report of a Case</h3> A 96-year-old woman was admitted for abdominal pain of one day's duration. The patient experienced crampy abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant but denied nausea or vomiting, alteration in bowel habits, or change in color of stool or urine. The patient had no jaundice, abdominal distention, or fever. She gave a history suggesting mild cholecystitis for 55 years. Tenderness was present in the right upper quadrant and the right costovertebral angle. A complete blood count showed leukocytosis with shift to the left. Hematocrit reading was 40%, and hemoglobin level was 10 gm/100 ml. The patient
Assessment Of Factors Associated With PPV23 Vaccine Uptake Among Young Adults With Asthma In Olmsted County, MN
Authors: Maria J. Bachman, Joshua Gauger, Chriss Derauf, Slavica Katusic, Jen Rand-Weaver, YuBin Choi, Elizabeth Krusemark, Young J. Juhn
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2014)