tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Mortality Attributable to Cigarette Smoking in China
Authors: Tai Hing Lam
Journal: JAMA (1997)

The few published prospective studies of smoking and mortality in China have reported low relative risks, but the durations of follow-up were short.To assess the mortality of ever- and never-smokers in a cohort after 20 years of follow-up.A cohort analytic study in a machinery factory in Xi'an, China, involving 1696 people aged 35 years or older (1124 men and 572 women) examined in May 1976.All-cause and tobacco-associated mortality.A total of 56% of the men and 12% of the women were ever-smokers at baseline. Through August 31, 1996, 218 persons (173 men and 45 women) had died. The relative risks (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for ever smoking (after adjusting for age, marital status, occupation, education, diastolic blood pressure, and triglyceride and cholesterol levels) for deaths resulting from all causes, all cancer, and coronary heart disease were, respectively, 2.42 (95% CI, 1.72-3.42), 2.50 (95% CI, 1.41-4.43), and 3.61 (95% CI, 1.35-9.67) in men and 2.32 (95% CI, 1.18-4.56), 1.98 (95% CI, 0.50-7.92), and 4.67 (95% CI, 0.78-27.8) in women.Previous prospective studies of smoking-related mortality in China tended to underestimate the risks, probably because of short durations of follow-up. We have demonstrated that smoking is a major cause of death in China, and the risks are similar to those seen in the United States and the United Kingdom. Thus, about half of the 300 million smokers in China will eventually die of smoking-related diseases if urgent tobacco-control measures are not instituted to prevent this growing epidemic.
Cystic Fibrosis and Heterozygote Fitness
Authors: Richard B. Johnson
Journal: JAMA (1990)

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> The article by Drs Wilfond and Fost<sup>1</sup>on the cystic fibrosis gene confines itself to the medical and social implications for heterozygote detection. The reliable detection of heterozygotes has important theoretical implications for the science of medical genetics: it will allow the testing of the hypothesis of increased heterozygote fitness for common lethal autosomal recessive diseases. Presumably, the commonness of certain genetic diseases such as sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by the increased reproductive fitness of heterozygotes over that of noncarriers. The increased resistance of sickle cell heterozygotes to malaria is the paradigm for such balanced polymorphisms. About one in 21 whites is a carrier for the genetically lethal disease of CF. If we assume that the fitness of heterozygotes over that of noncarriers is small, then only when selective pressures are great (like that of falciparum malaria in tropical Africa) could
Self-Care Predictors of Metabolic Control in NIDDM Patients
Authors: Kathryn M Rost, Karen S Flavin, Lois E Schmidt, Janet B McGill
Journal: Diabetes Care (1990)

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the relationship between self-care behavior and metabolic control is comparable in patients with non-insulindependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) on insulin and not on insulin. We studied 84 NIDDM patients hospitalized for an elective admission in Washington University's Model Demonstration Unit. At admission, patients reported the frequency of exercise, blood glucose monitoring, and meal skipping for the previous 2 wk. Metabolic control over the previous 8–12 wk was determined from glycosylated hemoglobin assays. In cross-sectional analysis controlling for patient sociodemographic and health characteristics, glycosylated hemoglobin levels were positively related to meal skipping (P = 0.0008) and negatively related to the frequency of blood glucose monitoring (P = 0.0025). Self-care behaviors explained 26% of the variance in glycosylated hemoglobin levels in NIDDM patients. Multivariate modeling demonstrated no significant interaction effects between insulin treatment and self-care on metabolic control. In conclusion, these findings support the clinical significance of self-care activities for metabolic control in NIDDM patients, particularly meal skipping and blood glucose monitoring.
Community participation is essential in clinical trials
Authors: C. Wills
Journal: BMJ (2000)

EDITOR—Health research should be treated as a public good, but currently the positive impact of clinical trials in developing countries is limited. The research agenda is usually set without consulting the communities concerned, and disadvantaged people may not have fair access to treatment in trials.

Trials of more relevance to the community may be undertaken in a way that maximises adherence to trial protocols by taking into account the cultural, language, literacy, and socioeconomic barriers that have an impact on people's behaviour and ability to …
Growth promoting substrates for human dermal fibroblasts provided by artificial extracellular matrices composed of collagen I and sulfated glycosaminoglycans
Authors: Anja van der Smissen, Vera Hintze, Dieter Scharnweber, Stephanie Moeller, Matthias Schnabelrauch, Annett Majok, Jan C. Simon, Ulf Anderegg
Journal: Biomaterials (2011)
Louisiana Swamp Doctor: The Life and Writings of Henry Clay Lewis
Authors: John H. Talbott
Journal: JAMA (1962)

More than a century ago, a young physician in Louisiana contributed a series of popular humor published in a New York weekly newspaper,<i>Spirit of the Times</i>. These were signed by Madison Tensas, M.D., pseudonym for Henry Clay Lewis, who was born in Charleston, S.C., in 1825. He was orphaned at the age of 6, lived for 10 years in Yazoo, Mississippi territory, and received his formal medical training at the Louisville Medical Institute, opened in 1837. Faculty members at that time included Daniel Drake, professor of pathology and practice of medicine, and Samuel D. Gross, professor of surgery. His first humorous skit was published after his return to Yazoo City following a full term at the Medical Institute. In one flight of whimsy, the swamp doctor compared his life to that of the city physician: "The city physician wears broadcloth and looking in his hat reads 'Paris': we adorn
Abstract 4347: Toxicology and drug delivery by novel Cucurbit[n]uril-type molecular containers.
Authors: Gaya Hettiarachchi, Da Ma, Duc Nguyen, Lyle Isaacs, Volker Briken
Journal: Cancer Research (2013)

Abstract Background. Many drug delivery systems are based on the ability of certain macrocyclic compounds - such as cyclodextrins - to act as molecular containers for pharmaceutical agents in water. Cucurbit[n]urils (CB[n]) are a class of molecular containers that bind to a variety of cationic and neutral species with high affinity (Ka &amp;gt; 10ˆ4 Mˆ-1) and therefore show great promise as a drug delivery system (Isaacs, 2009). Initial in vitro toxicity analysis demonstrated good biocompatibility of five different CB[n]-type compounds. We hypothesized that these nanocontainers can be used to increase solubility of hydrophobic small chemical compound drugs. Methodology. In this study we investigated the toxicology and bioactivity of one novel cucurbit[n]urils CB[n]-type container (named Motor1). The container induced no toxicity at concentrations of up to 10 mM in human cell lines originating from kidney, liver or blood tissue using assays for metabolic activity and cytotoxicity. Furthermore, the Motor1 container was tolerated in mice without any toxicity after intravenous dosing of up to 1.5g/kg bodyweight. Interestingly, Motor1 was able to bind the cancer drug paclitaxel and increase its solubility in water by a factor of 2000. Finally, bioactivity assays showed that the increase in solubility by paclitaxel via Motor1 led to a more efficient killing of the cervical cancer cell line HeLa. Conclusion. Our study reveals very low toxicity of a novel member of the cucurbit[n]uril family of nanocontainers. It demonstrates the increase in solubility of four commercially available drugs by the containers by factors ranging from 400-2700fold. Importantly, the increase in solubility of paclitaxel led to increased killing of cancer cells in vitro. These results provide initial proof-of-concept towards the use of CB[n] molecular containers as an advanced drug delivery system. Citation Format: Gaya Hettiarachchi, Da Ma, Duc Nguyen, Lyle Isaacs, Volker Briken. Toxicology and drug delivery by novel Cucurbit[n]uril-type molecular containers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4347. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4347
Venereal Disease Control Among Homosexuals
Authors: Michael G. Ritchey
Journal: JAMA (1975)

With the support and participation of area homosexual organizations and a local bar, the City Health Department developed an outreach/education/screening program for venereal disease (VD) control. Venereal disease education and blood testing were conducted during four sequential Wednesday evenings in the bar on a volunteer basis, anonymously if requested. Of the 118 sera drawn, ten were reactive on serologic testing. Two of these reactive blood tests led to the discovery of two new cases of primary syphiles. No cultures were positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The subject response rate confirms the value of an anonymous reporting method; the discovery of two cases of primary syphilis lends credence to case finding by field-screening a high-risk population.
Expression of Neurofilament Antigens by Normal and Neoplastic Human Adrenal Chromaffin Cells
Authors: John Q. Trojanowski, Virginia M.-Y. Lee
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1985)

ADRENAL chromaffin cells belong to a diverse population of cells with both neuronal and endocrine properties, termed "neuroendocrine cells."1 2 3 4 Chromaffin and ganglion cells of the adrenal medulla differentiate from neural-crest precursors along divergent pathways, but adrenal chromaffin cells retain the ability to express neuronal properties.4 For example, cultured rat and human adrenal chromaffin cells, as well as their assumed neoplastic counterparts, pheochromocytoma cells, exhibit phenotypic properties of neurons when grown in the presence of nerve growth factor.4 5 6 Adrenal chromaffin cells in situ cannot be manipulated in the same manner to determine whether they can be induced to express neuronal properties, . . .
Observations on DIAGNOSTIC AND OTHER ERRORS IN QUESTIONS OF VENEREAL DISEASE
Authors: L. W. Harrison
Journal: BMJ (1929)

TifE subject of this paper was suggested me such cases as the following.A man of good position asked me to him gonorrhoea.He said that a year previously he contracted gonorrhoea, which had cleared up completely complication.About three months before him he had married, after passing careful tests by a conscientious specialist.A month after marriage his wife developed Bartholinian abscess, and on the strength of this thelhusband was lie had infected his wife with gonorrlhoea.imagine h.is distress.I examined him tlhree times anid ind any evidence of disease in his urethra or adinexa.nent fixation test far a gonococcal infection calrried ])r.Osmond gave a comnpletely negative hesitation in saying that he was not suffering On my advice, his wife was seen by Dr. Margaret Rorke, who reported that she could find absolutely no gonorrhoea,and that the bacteriological tests strongly infection as the cause of the Bartholinian You will realize that there were the miiakings marriage wreck in thishistory, and all from Lion that a Bartholiniian abscess spells gonorrihoea, failure to make bacteriological tests of thle to examiiine other parts of tlle genito-urinary confirmation ofthee suspicion.In the course of a few years a specialist in venereal (liseases meets a respectable niumber of in which mistakes in diagnosis have beeii made tlroughl take evenn aX little trouble over examinationl anid the conisequences are often so distressing so full of possibilities for wreckage of domestic hialppiness, that I thiought it would not be a bad thling them the suibject of a contributioni to this Section.Fearing lest I should omit mention
Report of three cases of circulating heparin‐like anticoagulants
Authors: Pilar Llamas, Julio Outeiriño, José Espinoza, Ana B. Santos, Alejandro Román, José F. Tomás
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (2001)

Abstract Clinically significant endogenous circulating heparin‐like anticoagulant activity has been associated with hematological malignancies, liver damage, and other pathological conditions. The source of high plasma concentrations of endogenous heparin‐like anticoagulants is poorly understood. We report three cases of circulating heparin‐like anticoagulants in three patients with hematological malignancies: CLL, multiple myeloma, and T‐prolymphocytic leukemia. The severity of bleeding in our patients ranged from severe epistaxis and deep‐site hematoma to bleeding of biopsy site and occasional ecchymosis. Am. J. Hematol. 67:256–258, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sensitivity and Specificity of Tc-99m-Pyrophosphate Myocardial Scintigraphy for the Detection of Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: KENNETH P. LYONS, HAROLD G. OLSON, WILBERT S. ARONOW
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (1980)

Tc-99m-pyrophosphate myocardial scintigraphy was performed on 1,077 patients admitted to the Coronary Care Unit. Results of scintigraphy were compared to the diagnosis as established by ECG, enzymes, and clinical findings to determine the sensitivity and specificity of scintigraphy for the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Scintigrams were graded according to the intensity of myocardial radioactivity and the distribution pattern of activity as either diffuse or localized. In a coronary care unit, a scintigram of positive intensity grade is 92% sensitive and 68% specific for the diagnosis for AMI. A localized pattern of myocardial radioactivity is 66% sensitive and 93% specific for AMI. With a localized pattern of the highest intensity, the sensitivity is 28% with a specificity of 99.8% for AMI. Therefore, a myocardial scintigram of normal intensity grade excludes the diagnosis of AMI with a 92% probability. A localized pattern is a strong indicator of an AMI and a localized pattern of the greatest intensity is very specific for AMI.
Statins and The BMJ
Authors: F. Godlee
Journal: BMJ (2014)

Lots of lessons, but we still need the data

An expert panel convened by The BMJ has concluded that two articles published last year1 2 and corrected in May should not be retracted.3 The panel’s report comes after a lengthy and public row over proposals to extend the use of statins to healthy people at low risk of heart disease.4 What are the lessons from this episode for The BMJ and the scientific community? And what does it mean for the wider debate on statins?

The panel of seven internationally respected clinicians and researchers met seven times over two months. They acted independently of the journal, undertook a detailed statistical review of the two articles, received written evidence from all parties, and reviewed the journal’s processes. They concluded that the only unequivocal error had been corrected and “were unanimous in their decision that the two papers do not meet any of the criteria for retraction.”

The panel was itself under fierce public scrutiny. While those who had called for retraction questioned the panel’s independence,5 the Retraction Watch website said that the panel’s report was “the most detailed justification for a journal’s decision not to retract a paper that …
A1.6 Vascular adhesion molecule VCAM-1 overexpression in collagen induced arthritis : a model for rheumatoid arthritis vascular dysfunction
Authors: Anne Denys, Gaëlle Clavel, Luca Semerano, Delphine Lemeiter, Marie-Christophe Boissier
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2014)

<h3>Background and Objective</h3> Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients are at risk of developing early coronary heart disease. Cardiovascular risk in RA is attributed to both traditional risk factors and to uncontrolled systemic in ammation over a long period. The aim of this study was to develop a model that would mimic both vascular dysfunction and articular inflammation in RA, using collagen induced arthritis (CIA). We mainly focused on VCAM-1 expression, early marker of vascular activation and dysfunction. <h3>Materials and Methods</h3> Arthritis was induced in 11 weeks old C57BL/6 mice with 2 injections (at day 0 and 21) of chicken type II collagen (cCII) emulsioned in complete Freund adjuvant (CFA). Half of mice were fed a fat-enriched diet (Western Diet (WD)) (n = 12) while the other half were fed a standard diet. Control mice (not immunised with cCII) were fed either WD (n = 12) or standard diet (n = 12). The aorta and synovial membrane were removed at day 105 after the first cCII immunisation. We analysed VCAM-1, IL-6 and IL-17 mRNA level in both the aorta and the synovium by real time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). VCAM-1 localisation in the aortic sinus layers (intima, media and adventitia) was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). <h3>Results</h3> Immunised mice fed either WD or standard diet had higher qRT-PCR VCAM-1 expression in aorta vs. non immunised mice (p&lt;0.05). Although all mice groups, constitutively expressed VCAM-1 on aortic sinus endothelial cell monolayer, the whole intimal layer stained for VCAM-1 at IHC in both immunised mice (fed standard or western diet) as well as in non immunised mice fed WD. Conversely, the expression of IL-6 and IL-17 in the aorta was similar in all groups. <h3>Conclusion</h3> In CIA, C57BL6 mice display aortic inflammation characterised by VCAM-1 overexpression, independently from the diet (WD or standard diet). C57BL6 CIA might be a pertinent model to study the early mechanisms of large blood vessels vascular dysfunction in RA.
Diffuse Collagen Disease
Authors: George E. Ehrlich
Journal: JAMA (1984)

From the perspective of 1984, the concept of diffuse collagen disease may not seem to be such a major advance. After all, rheumatology and clinical immunology are coming of age and assuming an important place in the spectrum of internal medicine, and the diseases that together form this category — today known as the connective tissue disorders or dyscollagenoses in the United States and systemic connectivitis abroad<sup>1</sup>— provide the backbone of these two new specialties. But the holistic viewpoint that groups rheumatoid arthritis with systemic lupus erythematosus, perhaps with Sjögren's syndrome as a bridge, and encompasses progressive systemic sclerosis, polyarteritis nodosa, and variant forms of vasculitis, polymyositis and dermatomyositis, eosinophilic fasciitis, and some rare or disappearing disorders, including perhaps even rheumatic fever, reflects skills in the laboratory and a respectability that could not be claimed in 1942. Thus, the 47th annual meeting of the American Rheumatism Association, held in
Abstract 1610: Repetitive Ischemia Elicits a Third Window of Ischemic Preconditioning
Authors: Lin Yan, Christophe Depre, You-Tang Shen, Komal Jain, Bin Tian, Dorothy E Vatner, Stephen F Vatner
Journal: Circulation (2008)

Ischemic preconditioning (IPC), following 1 or 2 episodes of coronary occlusion (CO) is the most powerful mechanism of cardioprotection, but it remains unclear whether IPC occurs clinically. Since patients with coronary disease experience episodes of repetitive ischemia (RI), we hypothesized that a pattern of RI would provide more clinically relevant cardioprotection. Conscious, chronically instrumented pigs (6/group) were submitted to RI induced by 6 episodes, 12 hrs apart, of coronary stenosis for 90 min (RCS) and compared to pigs submitted to second window IPC (SWIPC) induced by 2 episodes of 10 min CO / 24 hr reperfusion (CR) and to shams. Lethal ischemia, induced by 60 min CO, resulted in an infarct size/area at risk (IS/AAR) of 42±4% in shams, and significantly less, p&lt;0.05, after RCS (6±3%) and after SWIPC (16±4%). SWIPC showed 2–3-fold increases, p&lt;0.05, in translocation of PKCepsilon and the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which were not found in RCS. Pretreatment with the NOS inhibitor L-NNA (35 mg/kg) prevented the protection by SWIPC but not by RCS. Microarrays were performed to further elucidate the differences in molecular mechanisms between the SWIPC and RCS models. The number of genes significantly regulated was greater in RCS (5739) than in SWIPC (2394). Of the 5739 genes regulated in RCS, only 31% were also regulated in SWIPC. Since another difference between the two models is that one involves CS and the other complete CO, we examined another group of RI pigs (n=5) with 6 episodes, 12 hrs apart, of 2–10 min periods of CO, which showed reduced IS/AAR with 60 min CO after RI (14±4%); similar to RCS the cardioprotection was still observed after L-NNA. Both RI models, in further contrast to SWIPC, demonstrated downregulation of genes involved in mitochondrial function, and upregulation of genes involving autophagy (such as cathepsins B and D), endoplasmic reticulum stress (Grp78) and cell cycle (E2F1). These results were confirmed at the protein level by western blotting. Therefore, RI, over a time course of several days, provides a NOS-independent “third window” of protection, which is as effective as traditional SWIPC, but is mechanistically distinct. This research has received full or partial funding support from the American Heart Association, AHA National Center.
NHS information strategy launched
Authors: D. Carnall
Journal: BMJ (1998)

Booking an NHS outpatient appointment in the future should be as easy as booking a package holiday in the sun if the new information strategy announced last week is successful.

Prescriptions will be made ready for collection as the patient walks between consulting room and pharmacy, and networked electronic records will ensure that professionals have 24 hour instant access to information about patients when they need it. A new national electronic library for health will support the information needs of the public, patients, clinicians, and managers and be available on the national electronic NHS network, the NHSNet.

The much criticised Information Management Group of the NHS is to be scrapped and replaced by the NHS Information Authority directed by the “sharply focused” NHS Executive Information Policy Unit.

An additional £1bn ($1.6bn) over the next seven years in England and Wales will be added to current levels of investment to fund the developments, and future savings are expected as the NHS moves from paper to electronic processes.

“Information technology has a central role in the government's ambition …