tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Investigating of CEA, CA125, CA15-3, CA19-9, fT3, fT4, TSH, vitamin B12, folic acid and ferritin in malignant and benign diseases due to enviromental asbestos exposure
Authors: Isa Döngel, Mehmet Bayram, Semsettin Sahin, Ismail Benli
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Aim:  To identify several biochemical marker levels in mesothelioma (MM), in subjects with pleural plaques (PP) due to environmental asbestos exposure (EAE) and in healthy subjects with EAE.   Method:  277 patients with PP from villages close to ophiolitic units (OU) (serpentin asbest containing), 121 healthy subjects from villages close to OU, 118 healthy subjects without EAE and 24 MM patients were included to the study.   Results:  CA125, CA15-3, Folate, Vit B12,ferritin levels of MM patients were higher, fT3 levels of MM were lower.  AUC of the CA125 and CA15-3 in identifying MM were 0.78 and 0.67 in ROC curve respectively.  Other tumor markers were irrevelant.   Conclusion:  CA125 and CA15-3 may have role on diagnosis of MM. Ferritin, folate, VitB12 levels were increased in MM patients where as fT3 levels were decreased.
Abstract 17582: Encouraging Neurodevelopmental Outcomes in Children with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome at Five Years of Age
Authors: Cheryl Brosig, Kathleen Mussatto, George Hoffman, Raymond G Hoffmann, Mahua Dasgupta, Nancy Ghanayem
Journal: Circulation (2011)

Introduction: Patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) have neurodevelopmental (ND) problems, some of which can be linked to perioperative risk factors. We hypothesized that children with HLHS would perform worse than test norms on ND outcome measures at early school age. Methods: English-speaking patients with HLHS at 4-6 years of age were eligible to participate. 44/72 (61%) patients agreed to participate, 37 completed ND testing before close of the study. Three patients were excluded from analyses due to late stroke. Mean age at testing was 5 years (range 4 to 6 years). ND testing included intelligence, visual motor integration, motor skills, memory, and language skills. Parents and teachers completed measures of behavior and attention problems. Patient scores and parent/teacher ratings were converted to z scores and compared to test norms. Scores are displayed in Figure 1 as multidimensional deviations from the test norm at z=0. Higher scores on child measures represent better outcomes, whereas higher scores on parent/teacher rating scales indicate more problems. Results: The average ND performance of the tested cohort fell within one standard deviation from test norms for all measures. Children with HLHS performed significantly lower than test norms on measures of visual-motor integration, fine motor skills, memory, and word structure (z=-.42 to -.54). On parent and teacher completed measures, children with HLHS scored higher than test norms on attention problems (z=.40 to .62). Conclusion: ND outcome for preschool aged survivors of staged palliation for HLHS in the modern era is encouraging. Although overall ND performance was normal, the cohort showed relative weakness in attention and executive functioning. Ongoing developmental monitoring of these children is recommended to guide interventions that may improve individual outcomes, and to assess the impact of changes in clinical management strategies on functional outcomes.
Assessment of the Stanford V Regimen and Consolidative Radiotherapy for Bulky and Advanced Hodgkin’s Disease: Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Pilot Study E1492
Authors: Sandra J. Horning, Jovanne Williams, Nancy L. Bartlett, John M. Bennett, Richard T. Hoppe, Donna Neuberg, Peter Cassileth
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2000)

PURPOSE: This study was performed, in a multi-institutional setting, to evaluate the efficacy and feasibility of the Stanford V chemotherapy regimen plus radiotherapy to bulky Hodgkin’s disease sites. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A two-stage design was implemented in a phase II study involving 47 patients with bulky mediastinal stage I/II or stage III/IV Hodgkin’s disease. Twelve weeks of the Stanford V chemotherapy regimen were given with consolidative radiotherapy (36 Gy) to lymph nodes ≥ 5 cm and/or macroscopic splenic disease. Treatment was administered in one of five institutions participating in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 4.8 years, 45 patients are alive and 40 have been continuously disease-free. The estimated freedom from progression was 87% at 2 years and 85% at 5 years. Overall survival was 96% at 2 and 5 years. There was one death from Hodgkin’s disease and one death from an M5 acute leukemia. Six of seven relapsed patients received high-dose therapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation. The freedom from second progression for the seven relapsed patients was estimated at 98% at 3 years. CONCLUSION: Stanford V chemotherapy and consolidative radiotherapy to bulky disease is effective in bulky and advanced Hodgkin’s disease in a multi-institutional setting. On this basis, an Intergroup study comparing doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine with the Stanford V regimen has been initiated.
Abnormalities in spirometry, impulse oscillometry and exhaled nitric oxide in the university freshmen who have outgrown of bronchial asthma
Authors: Shingo Takanashi, Akihito Hayashi, Takeshi Morimoto, Kageaki Taima, Junichi Denpoya, Yoshihito Tanaka, Hisashi Tanaka, Ken Okumura
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Background:  Incidence of asthma, particularly in childhood, is rising. Current asthma prevalence is higher in children than in adults, suggesting that children with asthma may outgrow their disease. It has been long believed that the prognosis for asthma occurring in infancy or childhood is good, and that in most patients the symptoms would resolve by the age of puberty. However, little is known about the lung function of outgrown subject. In this study, we recruited the subjects who had outgrown of asthma and performed spirometry, impulse oscillometry and exhaled nitric oxide (eNO) measurement.   Method:  The freshmen in our university with a history of asthma (group A, n=54) and without a history of asthma (group B, n=63) were recruited. All group A subjects were currently free from symptoms and underwent no treatment. Lung function was estimated by CHEST-HI801 (CHEST, JAPAN). Impulse oscillometry was performed using MostGraph (CHEST, JAPAN). Exhaled NO level was measured by NO analyzer (SIEVERS NOA, USA).   Results:  FEV1% was significantly lower in group A than in group B (88.6±6.1% vs 91.2±4.6%; p=0.01). The mean levels of%FEV1,%Vdot50 and%Vdot25 were lower in group A than in group B, though not significant. The levels of R5-20 and Fres were significantly higher in group A than in group B (R5-20: 0.81±0.07 cmH2O/L/s vs 0.62±0.05 cmH2O/L/s; p=0.03) (Fres: 7.9±0.4 Hz vs 6.4±0.3 Hz; p   Conclusions:  The subjects who had outgrown of asthma still have impaired lung function, a follow-up examination of lung function may be needed.
Direct Oral Anticoagulants for the Prevention of Stroke in Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: Understanding Differences and Similarities
Authors: Paul P Dobesh, John Fanikos
Journal: Drugs (2015)

The presence of atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained cardiac arrhythmia, significantly increases the risk for stroke. Current guidelines recommend that the vitamin K antagonist warfarin or direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs), such as the approved direct thrombin inhibitor dabigatran and the approved direct factor Xa inhibitors apixaban, rivaroxaban, and edoxaban, should be used for thromboprophylaxis in patients with nonvalvular AF at risk for stroke or systemic embolic events (SEE). Warfarin, the mainstay of stroke prevention in AF, increases the risk of major bleeding. Furthermore, warfarin therapy comes with several limitations including frequent monitoring and the need for dose adjustments, unpredictable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, and the potential for significant drug-drug and food-drug interactions. The DOACs were developed to overcome these limitations while maintaining or surpassing warfarin's efficacy and safety profiles. All four DOACs have similar or better efficacy and safety compared with warfarin and are therefore valuable alternatives for the prevention of stroke and SEE in patients with nonvalvular AF. Understanding the subtle differences in the DOACs' pharmacology, phase 3 study designs, and trial outcomes will allow for a more tailored approach in selecting the right oral anticoagulant for each patient.
Long term follow up after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Authors: N. Laudi, M. Arora, L. J. Burns, J. S. Miller, P. B. McGlave, J. N. Barker, N. K. Ramsay, P. J. Orchard, M. L. Macmillan, D. J. Weisdorf
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2004)

6660 Background: Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) in low-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) can result in prolonged remission but most patients eventually relapse and die of their disease. We report long term outcomes of AHSCT for patients with relapsed low-grade NHL. Methods: Between May 1983 and 2001, 67 patients with low-grade NHL received an AHSCT at the University of Minnesota at a median of 28 months (5 to 182) from the time of diagnosis. At transplant, 62 patients (93%) were in complete remission (CR) or partial remission (PR), 5 (8%) had refractory disease and 9 (14%) had transformed into a higher grade NHL. Results: Post AHSCT, 32 patients (53%) were in CR and 19 (32%) were in PR. At a median follow-up of 8 years (2 to 18 years), overall survival (OS) was 50% (95% confidence interval (CI) 38–62%) at 4 years and 33% (95% CI 20–46%) at 10 and 18 years, whereas progression free survival (PFS) was 30% (95% CI 17–39%) at 4, 18% (95% CI 8–28%) at 10 and 14% (95% CI 4–25%) at 18 years. Transplant related mortality in the first 100 days (TRM) was 3% (95% CI 0–7%). Rate of relapse was 62% (95% CI 48–75%) at 4 and 72% (95% CI 56–87%) at 10 years. 11 patients (18%) developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) / acute myeloid leukemia (AML) at 1 to 8 years post AHSCT and 3 developed solid tumors. In a multiple regression analysis, the International Prognostic Index (IPI) score at transplant was the most important predictor for both OS and PFS. The median OS has not been reached in patients with an IPI score of 0 at transplant, whereas it was 3.8, 2.3 and 1.6 years for IPI scores of 1, 2 and 3 respectively (P=0.002). Good response to AHSCT (CR/PR) (RR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2–0.9, P=0.04) and age less than 50 (RR 0.5, 95% CI 0.2–0.8, P=0.01) were also predictors of good OS and PFS. Conclusions: We present mature follow up data of patients undergoing AHSCT for relapsed low grade NHL and demonstrate extended OS and PFS. Long term remission is seen in nearly 20% of patients. However, prolonged survival is tempered by a significant risk of post transplant second malignancies including MDS/AML and solid tumors. Safer or earlier application of AHSCT may reduce these late risks and improve survival. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Prevalence and spread of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in Ngaoundere, Cameroon
Authors: C. Lonchel Magoué, P. Melin, J. Gangoué-Piéboji, M.-C. Okomo Assoumou, R. Boreux, P. De Mol
Journal: Clinical Microbiology and Infection (2013)
Transthoracic needle biopsy
Authors: Vukoica Karlicic, Marija Karlicic
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

INTRODUCTION: Transthoracic needle biopsy (TNB) is a safe method used to achieve diagnosis for most thoracic lesions, whether the lesions located in the pleura, the lung parenchyma or mediastinum. TNB are performed on an autpatient basis by using only 1% lidocain local anesthesia.  METHODS: TNB was performed in 148 patients, 44 (29,7%) women and 104 (71,3%) men, age 28- 82, average 74 years; changes in the thoracic wall, pleura, parenchyma et the lung and mediastinum.  Needles that were used in the procedure were BardMagnum 18-19G x 200mm, and sample length was 19 mm. Needles were activated using BardMagnum automatic trigger, under RT control with the C-arm Ziehm-Vision.  RESULTS: In 148 patients the TNB was done:  Success of the procedure was greater if the changes were bigger and closer to the thoracic wall. Total diagnostic success is 92,8%.  Carcinoma bronchogenes was proven in 134 (90,5%) patients: carcinoma squamocelulare 62 (46,2%), adenocarcinoma 52 (38,8%), carcinoma macrocelulare 5 (3,7%), SCLC 15 (11,1%).  Lymphoma - 5 (3,3%)  TB – 2 (1,3%)  Thymoma malignum - 1 (0,6%)  Carcinoma metastaticum - 4 (2,7%)  Mesothelioma - 2 (1,3%)  Complications: pneumothorax - 4 (2,7%), hemoptysis - 8 (5,4%).  CONCLUSION: TNB is safe and cheap diagnostic procedure for histological and/or cytological confirmation of changes in the lung and mediastinum. Sensitivity of TNB is 92,8% and specificity 100%.
Abstract 239: Endothelial Injury- Repair Disequilibrium with Excess Cholesterol Milieu is Linked with Increased Endothelial Cells Apoptosis in Contrast to Decreased Circulating Endothelial Progenitors Clonogenic Potential.
Authors: Marian T Calfa, Lucia M Mauro, Alexander C Ferreira, Wenche Jy, Yeon S Ahn, Joaquin J Jimenez, Eduardo D Marchena
Journal: Circulation (2007)
Don't mention the P word
Authors: S. Gillam
Journal: BMJ (2015)

If I ran the NHS I would begin by abandoning all “pathways.” Many of medicine’s woes are self inflicted. Technological advances have driven a degree of subspecialisation that is insupportable. Patients often attest to the bewildering fragmentation of their care. The sticking plaster, often designed to remedy this after the event, is the care pathway.

One patient recently explained to me how her elderly mother’s discharge was delayed not for lack of facilities at home but because four different people needed to be involved in signing off her “discharge pathway.” Of course, some necessarily complex care requires intricate detailing, but the proliferation …
Suicidal process, suicidal communication and psychosocial situation of young suicide attempters in a rural Vietnamese community
Authors: DANUTA WASSERMAN, TRAN THI HOUNG THANH, PHAM THI DUC MINH, MAX GOLDSTEIN, ANA NORDENSKIÖLD, CAMILLA WASSERMAN
Journal: World Psychiatry (2008)

The study aimed to explore the suicidal process, suicidal communication and psychosocial situation of young suicide attempters in a rural community in Hanoi, Vietnam. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, in a community setting, with 19 suicide attempters aged 15-24 who had been consecutively hospitalized in an intensive care unit. In 12 of 19 cases, the first pressing, distinct and constant suicidal thoughts appeared less than one day before the suicide attempt in question. However, distress and mild, fleeting suicidal thoughts had been present up to six months before the suicide attempt in 16 cases. Five respondents had a suicide plan one to three days before attempting suicide. Altogether, 13 engaged in some form of suicidal communication before their attempt. This communication was, however, difficult for outsiders to interpret. Twelve of the respondents were victims of regular physical abuse and 16 had suffered psychological violence for at least one year before attempting suicide. Eighteen of the respondents used pesticides or raticides in their suicide attempts. None sought advice or consultation in the community despite long-standing psychosocial problems. The strategy of reducing the availability of suicide means (e.g., pesticides or raticides) in Asian countries should be complemented with a long-term suicide-preventive strategy that targets school dropouts and domestic violence, and promotes coping abilities and communication about psychological and social problems as well as recognition of signs of distress and suicidal communication.
An Increased Risk for Lung Cancer Mortality Associated With Sugarcane Farming&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: H Rothschild, J J Mulvey
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1982)

In a study to determine putative occupation-related factors responsible for the excessive mortality due to lung cancer in southern Louisiana, the next-of-kin were interviewed of 284 of 400 persons (71%) randomly sampled from a total of 815 persons who died of lung cancer during 1971 through 1977 and had lived in any of 10 parishes (counties) of southern Louisiana. Of the decedents, 108 (38%) had been employed for at least 6 months as sugarcane farm workers at some time during their lives. Logistic regression analysis indicated this industrial involvement differed significantly (P less than 0.0001) from that of a control group, consisting of persons who had died of any cause other than lung cancer and who were matched for year of death, age, sex race, and parish of residence; only 58 (20%) matched controls had had sugarcane farm employment (odds ratio = 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 2.0-2.9). Employment in other industries or tobacco consumption could not account for the elevated risk of lung cancer mortality associated with sugarcane farming. After adjustment for smoking, the relative risk estimate of lung cancer mortality for sugarcane farm workers was 2.4 (95% confidence limits, 1.7-3.6). The sugarcane farmers who died with lung cancer had worked for longer periods in the sugarcane farm industry than did those sugarcane farmers in whom lung cancer did not develop (P = 0.006). No specific histopathologic cell type was noted to be increased in persons who had been employed in sugarcane farming; however, 2 sugarcane farmers had had mesotheliomas.
Interferon alfa-2a in advanced renal cell carcinoma: treatment results and survival in 159 patients with long-term follow-up.
Authors: L M Minasian, R J Motzer, L Gluck, M Mazumdar, V Vlamis, S E Krown
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1993)

PURPOSE Three trials were conducted to define the efficacy and toxicity of interferon alfa-2a in the treatment of metastatic renal cell cancer. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify prognostic factors for survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS Prospectively, 159 patients were treated with interferon alfa-2a. In the first trial, 42 patients received 50 x 10(6) U/m2 intramuscularly three times per week. In the second trial, 64 patients received gradually escalating doses of interferon alfa-2a from 3 to 36 x 10(6) U subcutaneously administered daily. The third trial was randomized; 25 patients received daily interferon alfa-2a alone and 28 were treated with daily interferon alfa-2a and 0.15 mg/kg vinblastine every 3 weeks. RESULTS The overall response proportion was 10% (two complete and 14 partial responses). The median response duration was 12.2 months. The median survival duration was 11.4 months, with 3% of patients alive at 5 or more years. A univariate statistical analysis showed that a Karnofsky performance status &gt; or = 80, prior nephrectomy, and interval from diagnosis to treatment of longer than 365 days were significant prognostic factors for survival. In a multivariate analysis, only prior nephrectomy and Karnofsky performance status &gt; or = 80 were shown to be independent predictors of survival. CONCLUSION Interferon alfa-2a had minimal antitumor activity in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma and long-term survival was achieved in a small proportion of patients. The need for continued investigation and the identification of more effective therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma is evident from the poor overall survival rate observed in these 159 patients. The investigation of new agents and of interferon alfa-2a in combination with other agents remains a priority.
Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency and increased lung cancer risk
Authors: S K Chhetri
Journal: Thorax (2008)

Lung cancer development is a multifaceted process involving environmental and genetic factors, but their intricate interaction and extent of predisposition remains ill-defined. This study investigated the role of alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency (α1ATD), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and tobacco smoke exposure in lung cancer development in 1856 patients with lung cancer. The two …
Inflammatory cytokines promote the retrodifferentiation of tumor‐derived hepatocyte‐like cells to progenitor cells
Authors: Hélène Dubois‐Pot‐Schneider, Karim Fekir, Cédric Coulouarn, Denise Glaise, Caroline Aninat, Kathleen Jarnouen, Rémy Le Guével, Takashi Kubo, Seiichi Ishida, Fabrice Morel, Anne Corlu
Journal: Hepatology (2014)

Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) heterogeneity promotes recurrence and resistance to therapies. Recent studies have reported that HCC may be derived not only from adult hepatocytes and hepatoblasts but also hepatic stem/progenitors. In this context, HepaRG cells may represent a suitable cellular model to study stem/progenitor cancer cells and the retrodifferentiation of tumor-derived hepatocyte-like cells. Indeed, they differentiate into hepatocyte- and biliary-like cells. Moreover, tumor-derived HepaRG hepatocyte-like cells (HepaRG-tdHep) differentiate into both hepatocyte- and biliary-like cells through a hepatic progenitor. In this study we report the mechanisms and molecular effectors involved in the retrodifferentiation of HepaRG-tdHep into bipotent progenitors. Gene expression profiling was used to identify genomic changes during the retrodifferentiation of HepaRG-tdHep into progenitors. We demonstrated that gene expression signatures related to a poor-prognosis HCC subclass, proliferative progenitors, or embryonic stem cells were significantly enriched in HepaRG progenitors derived from HepaRG-tdHep. HepaRG-tdHep retrodifferentiation is mediated by crosstalk between transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) and inflammatory cytokine pathways (e.g., tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFα] and interleukin 6 [IL6]). Signatures related to TNFα, IL6, and TGFβ activation pathways are induced within the first hour of retrodifferentiation. Moreover, specific activation or inhibition of these signaling pathways allowed us to determine that TNFα and IL6 contribute to the loss of hepatic-specific marker expression and that TGFβ1 induces an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition of HepaRG-tdHep. Interestingly, the retrodifferentiation process is blocked by the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A, opening new therapeutic opportunities. Conclusion: Cancer progenitor cells (or metastasis progenitors) may derive from tumor-derived hepatocyte-like cells in an inflammatory environment that is frequently associated with HCC. (Hepatology 2014;60:2076–2089)