tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Laboratory diagnostics of pulmonary mycobacteriosis
Authors: Larysa Surkova, Aksana Zalutskaya, Evgeni Sahalchyk
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Increase in risk groups on mycobacteriosis (AIDS and other immunosupressed patients), difficulties in differential diagnostics with TB, differences in mycobacteriosis incidence in different countries demand studying regional features of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) occurrence and improving mycobacteriosis diagnostics.  The aim of the study was definition of occurrence and clinical value of NTM and improving mycobacteriosis diagnostics.  In 2009, 45 NTM cultures were isolated from 23 patients with TB or TB suspicion in centre using solid media and BACTEC MGIT 960. The proportion of NTM among all mycobacterial cultures was 0.9%. NTM identification was carried out using biochemical and cultural tests and molecular method Genotype Mycobacterium CM (Hain Lifescience, Germany).  60.9% NTM strains isolated from 14 patients were fast-growing (M. abscessus, M. fortuitum, M. chelonae, M. peregrinum, M. smegmatis, M. phlei) and 39.1% strains isolated from 9 patients were slowly growing (M. avium complex, M. kansasii, M. gordonae, M. terrae). 73.9% NTM strains isolated from 17 patients were clinically relevant; NTM strains isolated from 6 patients hadn9t clinical relevance. NTM cultures were isolated many times from 10 patients, once from 13 patients. Mixed cultures (M. tuberculosis and NTM) were isolated from 5 patients. This fact can be evidence of TB superinfection in patients with mycobacteriosis during hospital stay.  Mycobacteriosis can be diagnosed in patients with pulmonary inflammatory process progressing in spite of antituberculous therapy in case of NTM culture isolation in 3 samples and more. Laboratory diagnostics of pulmonary mycobacteriosis should include a complex of microbiological and molecular methods.
Failure of Perception of Hypocapnia: Physiological and Clinical Implications
Authors: J C King, S D Rosen, P G F Nixon
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (1990)

Hyperventilation causes hypocapnia and respiratory alkalosis and thereby predisposes to coronary vasoconstriction and cardiac arrhythmia. Diagnostic methods for use between episodes have not been established. In this study of 100 patients and 25 control subjects the resting end-tidal PCO 2 (Pet CO 2 ) levels and the results of a forced hyperventilation test did not show a significant difference between the groups. However the patients hyperventilated more profoundly in response to emotional stimulation, and were less aware of inappropriate breathing and hypocapnia. It is suggested that these differences should be accommodated in cardiac rehabilitation.
Abstract 2600: Mitochondria Dysfunction Precedes Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis in the Pressure-Overloaded Neonatal Left Ventricle
Authors: Eric R Griffiths, Ingeborg Friehs, Elisabeth Scherr, Dimitrios N Poutias, Francis X McGowan, Pedro J del Nido
Journal: Circulation (2008)

Objective: In pressure overload LV hypertrophy (LVH) cardiomyocyte apoptosis has been recognized as a major contributor to the progression from compensated hypertrophy to failure. We hypothesize that the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway is the likely source via electron transport chain (ETC) dysfunction and oxidative stress with resultant activation of the intrinsic mitochondrial pathway. Methods: Neonatal rabbits underwent thoracic aortic banding at 10 days of age. Compensated hypertrophy (4wks), decompensated hypertrophy (6wks), and age-matched controls (n=4/group) were studied by serial echocardiography measuring LV mass/volume ratio (M/V) and fractional shortening (FS). ETC Complex I activities were determined by spectophotometry in isolated mitochondria (nmolesNADH/mg/min). Cardiomyocyte apoptosis (TUNEL staining) and Bcl-2/Bax ratios (immunoblotting) were measured. Data are expressed as median ± SEM with p≤.05 being significant by t-test. Results: At 4wks M/V ratio was significantly increased (control 1.47±0.11 vs. banded 2.01±0.18, p=.009) and FS was preserved. Complex I activity was significant decreased (control 1,355±123 vs banded 949±25, p=.04), however no significant loss of cardiomyocytes had yet occurred. By 6wks M/V ratio was significantly decreased (LV dilation; control 1.67±0.13 vs banded 1.26±0.09, p=.01) and FS was impaired (39.2±1.3 vs 27.7±4.3, p=.016). Complex I activity was further decreased (Control 940±47 vs Banded 773±21, p=.03). Bcl-2/Bax ratios were significantly decreased (control 0.97±.002 vs banded 0.9±.003, p=.028) with a resultant significant increase in cardiomyotcyte apoptosis compared to 4wk banded animals (3.93±0.86 vs 13.03±4.19 TUNEL pos nuclei/1000 nuclei, p=.05). Conclusion: In pressure overload hypertrophy, the transition from compensated LVH to failure and cardiomyocyte apoptosis is preceded by mitochondrial ETC dysfunction followed by a decrease in Bcl-2/Bax ratios. The likely mechanism is through increased reactive oxygen species generation and increased oxidative stress. Interventions to mitigate oxidative stress during compensated hypertrophy may prevent the onset of failure.
Affective and impulsive personality disorder traits in the relatives of patients with borderline personality disorder
Authors: J M Silverman, L Pinkham, T B Horvath, E F Coccaro, H Klar, S Schear, S Apter, M Davidson, R C Mohs, L J Siever
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1991)

This study tested the hypothesis that the risk for affective and impulsive personality disorder traits commonly found in patients with borderline personality disorder would be greater in the first-degree relatives of probands with borderline personality disorder than in two comparison groups.Blind family history interviews were conducted with family informants to assess the extent to which first-degree relatives of 29 probands with borderline personality disorder, 22 probands with other personality disorders who met three or fewer of the criteria for borderline personality disorder, and 43 probands with schizophrenia fulfilled operationalized criteria for the two kinds of personality disorder traits and for other diagnostic categories. The crude proportions of adult relatives with each diagnosis, as well as the age-adjusted morbid risks, were assessed in the three groups of relatives.The risks for affective and impulsive personality disorder traits were independently greater in the 129 relatives of the borderline probands than in the 105 relatives of the probands with other personality disorders and the 218 relatives of the schizophrenic probands. There was no similarly greater risk for any other psychiatric disorder assessed, including major affective disorder. In addition, the relatives of borderline probands with current or past major depressive disorder showed a greater risk for major affective disorders than the relatives of never-depressed probands with other personality disorders but not the relatives of never-depressed borderline probands.These results suggest familial transmission of the hallmark borderline-related personality characteristics and raise the possibility that these familial traits may be partially independent.
Osteopenia
Authors: Sundeep Khosla, L Joseph Melton
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2007)

A 55-year-old asymptomatic woman, who is 5 years postmenopausal, is concerned about osteoporosis, since her mother had a hip fracture at the age of 70 years. The patient has no personal history of fractures and has never taken corticosteroids. She does not smoke but does drink one to two glasses of wine a day. Her weight is 105 lb (48 kg), and her height is 62 in. (1.6 m); her body-mass index is 19.2. Measurements of bone mineral density with the use of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry show T scores of −1.7 at the spine and −1.5 at the femoral neck (indicating osteopenia). What should you advise?
Multiple pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of Huntington disease.
Authors: Shihua Li, Xiao-Jiang Li
Journal: Molecular Neurodegeneration (2006)

Huntington disease (HD) is caused by expansion of a polyglutamine (polyQ) domain in the protein known as huntingtin (htt), and the disease is characterized by selective neurodegeneration. Expansion of the polyQ domain is not exclusive to HD, but occurs in eight other inherited neurodegenerative disorders that show distinct neuropathology. Yet in spite of the clear genetic defects and associated neurodegeneration seen with all the polyQ diseases, their pathogenesis remains elusive. The present review focuses on HD, outlining the effects of mutant htt in the nucleus and neuronal processes as well as the role of cell-cell interactions in HD pathology. The widespread expression and localization of mutant htt and its interactions with a variety of proteins suggest that mutant htt engages multiple pathogenic pathways. Understanding these pathways will help us to elucidate the pathogenesis of HD and to target therapies effectively.
Human NK cell repertoire diversity reflects immune experience and correlates with viral susceptibility
Authors: Dara M. Strauss-Albee, Julia Fukuyama, Emily C. Liang, Yi Yao, Justin A. Jarrell, Alison L. Drake, John Kinuthia, Ruth R. Montgomery, Grace John-Stewart, Susan Holmes, Catherine A. Blish
Journal: Science Translational Medicine (2015)

Human natural killer cell diversity is a metric of immune function associated with less effective antiviral response.
Abstract 1593: Effects of Testosterone on Oxygen Uptake, Insulin Resistance and Muscle Strength in Elderly Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Giuseppe Caminiti, Maurizio Volterrani, Rosalba Massaro, Giuseppe Marazzi, Fausta Micheletta, Lucia Gatta, Caterina Mammi, Romina Ciolli, Giuseppe M Rosano
Journal: Circulation (2007)
Survival impact of adjuvant chemotherapy for resected early-stage rectal adenocarcinoma.
Authors: Rebecca Yin Tay, Murtaza Jamnagerwalla, Malcolm Steel, Hui-Li Wong, Joseph James McKendrick, Ian Faragher, Suzanne Kosmider, Ian Hastie, Jayesh Desai, Peter Gibbs, Rachel Wong
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2015)

712 Background: Recent data have created uncertainty regarding the benefit of the current standard of care adjuvant fluoropyrimidine-containing chemotherapy following preoperative chemoradiotherapy and surgical resection for locally advanced rectal cancer. In particular, patients with a pathologic complete response may derive no benefit from adjuvant chemotherapy. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients with early stage rectal adenocarcinoma, diagnosed between 1 January 2003 and 30 June 2013 at three Melbourne health services (Eastern Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital, and Western Health). Patients were identified from a search of the ACCORD (Australian Comprehensive Cancer Outcomes and Research Database) database, where a defined data set is prospectively collected on consecutive patients. Patient demographics, pre-treatment staging, post-operative treatment, recurrence, and survival were analyed. Results: A total of 580 patients with localized rectal cancer were identified, of whom 451 had received neoadjuvant long-course chemoradiation followed by resection of the primary tumor. 369 patients (82%) subsequently received adjuvant 5-fluorouracil. At a median follow-up of 45.9 months, 63 (19%) patients in the adjuvant chemotherapy group and 21 (29%) in the surveillance only group had relapsed. Median relapse-free survival (RFS) has not been reached in either group; 3-year RFS was 81% in the adjuvant chemotherapy group compared to 71% in the surveillance only group (p=0.034). Five-year overall survival was 83% in the adjuvant chemotherapy group compared to 71% in the surveillance only group (p=0.038). The impact of age, surgical complications, treatment-related toxicity, and pathological complete response post-neoadjuvant therapy on the uptake of post-operative chemotherapy and on survival are being evaluated. Conclusions: A high proportion of patients in routine practice receive adjuvant chemotherapy following neoadjuvant treatment and surgery for early stage rectal cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a significant improvement in 3-year relapse-free and 5-year overall survival.
Validation of Novel 3-Dimensional Electrocardiographic Mapping of Atrial Tachycardias by Invasive Mapping and Ablation
Authors: Ashok J. Shah, Meleze Hocini, Olivier Xhaet, Patrizio Pascale, Laurent Roten, Stephen B. Wilton, Nick Linton, Daniel Scherr, Shinsuke Miyazaki, Amir S. Jadidi, Xingpeng Liu, Andrei Forclaz, Isabelle Nault, Lena Rivard, Michala E.F. Pedersen, Nicolas Derval, Frederic Sacher, Sebastien Knecht, Pierre Jais, Remi Dubois, Sandra Eliautou, Ryan Bokan, Maria Strom, Charu Ramanathan, Ivan Cakulev, Jayakumar Sahadevan, Bruce Lindsay, Albert L. Waldo, Michel Haissaguerre
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2013)
Effect of ABVD chemotherapy with and without mantle or mediastinal irradiation on pulmonary function and symptoms in early-stage Hodgkin's disease.
Authors: A Hirsch, N Vander Els, D J Straus, E G Gomez, D Leung, C S Portlock, J Yahalom
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1996)

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) chemotherapy alone and of ABVD with mantle or mediastinal irradiation (RT) on the pulmonary function of patients with early-stage Hodgkin's disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1989 and 1993, 60 patients with clinical stage I to IIIA HD enrolled onto randomized trials at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) underwent prospective evaluation of pulmonary function. All patients received six cycles of ABVD, and 30 patients received mantle or mediastinal RT. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and symptom evaluation were conducted before, during, and after completion of chemotherapy and RT, and at various intervals thereafter. The median follow-up time was 30 months. RESULTS During chemotherapy, symptoms of cough and dyspnea on exertion developed in 32 of 60 patients (53%) and declines in pulmonary function occurred in 22 of 60 patients (37%). Discontinuation of bleomycin was necessary in 14 of 60 patients (23%). Following chemotherapy, there was a significant decline in median forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusing capacity of carbon monoxide (DLCO). In patients who received mantle or mediastinal RT, there was a further decline in FVC following radiation therapy. At the most recent follow-up evaluation, five of 29 patients (18%) who received ABVD alone and nine of 30 (30%) who received ABVD and RT reported persistent mild pulmonary symptoms (P = .36), which did not significantly affect normal daily activity. CONCLUSION ABVD chemotherapy induced acute pulmonary toxicity that required bleomycin dose modification in a substantial number of patients. The addition of RT resulted in a further decrease in FVC; however, this did not significantly affect the functional status of patients.
The â'farm-effect' on the age of onset of asthma through childhood into adolescence - A prospective cohort study
Authors: Jon Genuneit
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Background: Many cross-sectional studies have documented the protective ‘farm-effect’ on childhood asthma investigating cumulative incidence of disease among children within a wide age range.  Aims: This study investigated the ‘farm-effect’ on asthma by age of onset to determine whether it is acting at all ages in childhood.  Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted around Ulm, southern Germany, with baseline assessment among 6-10 year-olds in 2006 as part of the GABRIELA study. Data from baseline (n=2248) and yearly follow-ups in 2010-2012 (92% completed at least one follow-up) are reported. Subjects who indicated an asthma diagnosis before the age of 5 were excluded. Farm children were living on a farm run by the family; exposed non-farm children were regularly exposed to farm life; the rest were the unexposed reference. We modeled stratified weighted cox regression adjusting for potential confounders.  Results: Overall, 129 (7.5%) children had a diagnosis of asthma. The ‘farm-effect’ was seen with constant protection across all ages of onset. The adjusted hazard ratio (95%CI) for asthma was 0.54 (0.32;0.91) for farm children vs. the unexposed reference. For exposed non-farm children vs. the reference it was 1.06 (0.69;1.64). Interestingly, the cumulative incidence of asthma became higher for girls than for boys around onset of puberty only among the unexposed reference. This held true after dichotomising the exposure into living on a farm at baseline.  Conclusion: The ‘farm-effect’ persists throughout childhood into adolescence. The gender-switch in asthma risk around puberty may be delayed or abolished among subjects exposed to farming environments.
Chromogenic factor VIII activity assay
Authors: Karen A. Moser, Dorothy M. (Adcock) Funk
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (2014)

Factor VIII (FVIII) may be measured by three different methodologies in the clinical laboratory: one-stage clotting assay, two-stage clotting assay, and chromogenic assay. These assays differ in ease of use, variety of reagents available, sensitivity to mild hemophilia A, and interference from lupus anticoagulants. This review will outline the methodology for each of the FVIII activity assays, with a discussion of assay interferences and variability. In some cases, chromogenic FVIII activity assays may be preferable to clot-based assays, and these clinical situations will be reviewed as well.
Sampling Errors in Phylogeny
Authors: N Takahata, F Tajima
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (1991)

The sampling variance of nucleotide diversity or branch length in a phylogenetic tree constructed by any distance method provides a criterion to judge whether a deduction or an inference made from data is statistically significant.However, computation of the sampling variance is usually tedious, particularly when the number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) or DNA sequences is large, and must rely on computers.Recently, Nei and Jin ( 1989) have developed a computer algorithm, but it can be applied only to a simple substitution model.In this paper, we derive simple formulas for the minimum and maximum values of the sampling variance, which are independent of underlying substitution models.Application of these formulas demonstrates satisfactorily accurate estimates of the sampling variances and therefore their practical use.
Central Nervous System Cancers, Version 1.2015
Authors: Louis Burt Nabors, Jana Portnow, Mario Ammirati, Joachim Baehring, Henry Brem, Paul Brown, Nicholas Butowski, Marc C Chamberlain, Robert A Fenstermaker, Allan Friedman, Mark R Gilbert, Jona Hattangadi-Gluth, Matthias Holdhoff, Larry Junck, Thomas Kaley, Ronald Lawson, Jay S Loeffler, Mary P Lovely, Paul L Moots, Maciej M Mrugala, Herbert B Newton, Ian Parney, Jeffrey J Raizer, Lawrence Recht, Nicole Shonka, Dennis C Shrieve, Allen K Sills, Lode J Swinnen, David Tran, Nam Tran, Frank D Vrionis, Stephanie Weiss, Patrick Yung Wen, Nicole McMillian, Anita M Engh
Journal: Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2015)

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines) for Central Nervous System (CNS) Cancers provide interdisciplinary recommendations for managing adult CNS cancers. Primary and metastatic brain tumors are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms with varied outcomes and management strategies. These NCCN Guidelines Insights summarize the NCCN CNS Cancers Panel's discussion and highlight notable changes in the 2015 update. This article outlines the data and provides insight into panel decisions regarding adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy treatment options for high-risk newly diagnosed low-grade gliomas and glioblastomas. Additionally, it describes the panel's assessment of new data and the ongoing debate regarding the use of alternating electric field therapy for high-grade gliomas.
ABC of interventional cardiology: Pathophysiology and investigation of coronary artery disease
Authors: E. D Grech
Journal: BMJ (2003)

The addition of an inhaled long-acting β<sub>2</sub>-agonist (LABA) to an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) gives optimal control of asthma in most patients and two fixed combination inhalers (salmeterol/fluticasone and formoterol/budesonide) are increasingly used as a convenient controller in patients with persistent asthma. There is a strong scientific rationale for the combination of these two drug classes. ICS suppress the chronic inflammation of asthma and reduce airway hyperresponsiveness and this is achieved at low doses in most patients. LABA act on different aspects of the pathophysiology of asthma. In addition to their bronchodilator action, LABA also inhibit mast cell mediator release, plasma exudation and may reduce sensory nerve activation. Thus these two classes of drug address complementary aspects of the pathophysiology of asthma that neither drug class is able to achieve alone. There are several positive interactions between LABA and ICS. Corticosteroids increase the expression of β<sub>2</sub>-receptors by increasing gene transcription. Experimentally this protects against the loss of β<sub>2</sub>-receptors in response to long-term exposure to β<sub>2</sub>-agonists. While this is unlikely to be important in bronchodilator responses to β<sub>2</sub>-agonists, in view of the large β-receptor reserve, it is probably important in preventing loss of β-agonist effects on the nonbronchodilator actions of LABA discussed earlier. β<sub>2</sub>-Agonists may potentiate the molecular mechanism of corticosteroid actions, with increased nuclear localization of glucocorticoid receptors and additive or sometimes synergistic suppression of inflammatory mediator release. Thus LABA and ICS may optimize each others beneficial actions in the airways, but the low systemic effects of these drugs do not result in any increase in adverse effects. Long-acting β<sub>2</sub>-agonists corticosteroid inhaler therapy is therefore a logical advance and results in effective control of asthma in the majority of patients without significant adverse effects. This simplified approach to long-term asthma therapy has a strong scientific rationale.
Radioimmunolocalization of Tumours by External Scintigraphy after Administration of<sup>131</sup>I Antibody to Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin: Preliminary Communication
Authors: R H J Begent, F Searle, G Stanway, R F Jewkes, B E Jones, P Vernon, K D Bagshawe
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (1980)

(131)Iodine ((131)I) labelled antibody directed against human chorionic gonadatrophin (hCG) was given on 21 occasions to 18 patients with hCG-producing neoplasms. Tumours were localized by external scintigraphy in 13 of 21 investigations. Positive results were obtained reliably when serum hCG exceeded 500 miu/ml and in some cases sensitivity was comparable to that of computerized tomography. A positive result probably implies viability in the tumour and this was of practical value in discriminating between necrotic deposits and living tumour before surgery.
Abstract 14556: Role of miR-146a for Smooth Muscle Cell- and Endothelial Cell Function During Neointima Formation
Authors: Rebecca Widmer-Teske, Wiebke Bielenberg, Jan-Marcus Daniel, Holger Nef, Harald H Tillmanns, Christian Hamm, Daniel G Sedding
Journal: Circulation (2011)

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a new class of small noncoding RNA molecules, comprising key regulators for major cellular events including proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. It is no...
Patients must come first
Authors: P. Richards, F. Harris
Journal: BMJ (1994)

EDITOR,--One body of evidence and two different conclusions is nothing new in medicine. One reason is the difference between, on the one hand, the luxury of opinion without responsibility and, on the other, the necessity of making publicly accountable decisions. The Council of Deans of UK Medical Schools and Faculties repeatedly debated the potential risk to patients from students infected with hepatitis B virus and the responsible policy to adopt. We took impeccable expert advice. After two years of deliberation we arrived at the recommended policy challenged by A M L Lever, …