tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Plasma lipopolysaccharide binding protein and bactericidal/permeability increasing factor in CRF and HD patients.
Authors: B J Pereira, S Sundaram, B Snodgrass, P Hogan, A J King
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (1996)

The recent characterization of lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP) and bactericidal/permeability increasing factor (BPI) have provided the opportunity to examine the natural factors that regulate cytokine production in response to endotoxin in patients on hemodialysis (HD). Whole blood was collected in EDTA from 28 undialyzed patients with chronic renal failure (undialyzed CRF), 36 patients on chronic HD (HD) and 15 healthy controls, and plasma levels of LBP and BPI were measured by a sandwich ELISA. Plasma LBP levels in undialyzed patients with CRF (P = 0.04) and patients on HD (P = 0.01) were significantly higher than those in healthy controls, but not significantly different from each other. Plasma BPI levels in undialyzed patients with CRF and patients on HD were not significantly different from those in healthy controls. There was no correlation between serum creatinine and plasma levels of either LBP or BPI. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were harvested from healthy volunteers by FLcoll-Hypaque separation, and 0.125 mL of 10 x 10(6)/mL suspensions were incubated with 0.125 mL of test plasma (containing different LBP/BPI ratios) and 0.25 mL of RPMI, containing 1 ng/mL of endotoxin, for 24 h at 37 degrees C. Samples were subjected to three freeze-thaw cycles, and total interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) or interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) production was measured by a specific non-crossreactive RIA. The results of this study showed: (1) IL-1Ra production by endotoxin-stimulated PBMC incubated with pooled plasma from HD patients with LBP/BPI ratios of 11 x 10(2), 167 x 10(2), 379 x 10(2), and 778 x 10(2), respectively was 1466 +/- 195 pg, 3105 +/- 462 pg, 8179 +/- 1020 pg, and 4770 +/- 1185 pg (P < 0.001); (2) Paired plasma collected before dialysis (predialysis) and at 15 min after the start of dialysis (15 minute) with cellulose membranes showed a negligible change in plasma LBP levels (-3 +/- 5%), but a 6681 +/- 1788% increase in plasma BPI levels. Consequently, compared with predialysis plasma, there was a 35 +/- 6% decrease in endotoxin-stimulated IL-1 alpha production by PBMC incubated with plasma drawn at 15 min (P = 0.001); (3) Compared with the PBMC incubated with predialysis plasma from HD patients, there was a 39 +/- 5%, 53 +/- 5%, and 60 +/- 5% decrease in endotoxin-stimulated IL-1 alpha production in the presence of 1 ng/ mL, 10 ng/mL, or 1 microgram/mL of recombinant BPI, respectively (P < 0.003). These results suggest that the plasma LBP:BPI ratio could influence cytokine production in response to bacterial endotoxin; the high LBP:BPI ratios observed in patients with chronic renal failure probably imparts an increased susceptibility to endotoxin-stimulated cytokine production; and natural or pharmacological increases in plasma BPI levels and the consequent decrease in LBP:BPI ratios could attenuate this susceptibility to endotoxin-stimulated cytokine production.
Attenuation of hypoxic ventilatory response after recovery from chronic hypoxaemia in a case of pulmonary A-V fistula
Authors: S Kobayashi, M Nishimura, K Miyamoto, Y Kawakami
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1994)

We studied respiratory chemosensitivity in a patient with pulmonary arterio-venous (AV) fistulae before and after surgical removal of the lesions. The patient had had moderate hypoxaemia with hyperventilation before the operation. When first studied, 21 days following surgery, both hypoxic and hypercapnic ventilatory responses were found to be lower than they were preoperatively. During the next 1-2 months, hypoxic ventilatory response continued to fall significantly to a steady value, whereas hypercapnic response showed no further fall. There has been no previous report of such a phenomenon in humans after recovery from chronic hypoxaemia.
Occult constrictive pericardial diseases.
Authors: D H Spodick
Journal: Circulation (1978)

EDITORgreatly along the coronary sinus.It is possible that the catheter, although encapsulated by a sheath, was not adherent and that it moved to an area of increased threshold.Most of our failures oc- curred with the right ventricular leads which were not modified for the coronary sinus.The pulse generator used by Patel has a pulse duration of 0.5 msec.We have noted that some -patients have had a threshold rise which has been corrected with reprogramming the current output of the Cordis pacemaker.This pulse generator has a wider pulse dura- tion and delivers more energy.We have noted that a pulse duration of 1.5 msec significantly reduced the threshold two to three times in comparison to a pulse duration of 0.5 msec.We recommend the use of a pacemaker generator with a variable output to allow for this threshold rise.The cause of this threshold rise may be related to a sheath forming about the lead, but further correlation with postmortem data is needed.
Drug points: Urinary retention with misuse of "ecstasy"
Authors: A A Bryden, P J N Rothwell, P H O'Reilly
Journal: BMJ (1995)

Dr A A BRYDEN, Mr P J N ROTHWELL, and Mr P H O'REILLY, (Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport, Cheshire 5K2 7JE) write: A healthy 19 year old man was referred to us with a 24 hour history of acute retention of urine. Other than a painful palpable bladder, general examination and analysis of urine showed nothing abnormal. We inserted a urethral …
Therapeutic Delays Lead to Worse Survival Among Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Amit G. Singal, Akbar K. Waljee, Nishant Patel, Emerson Y. Chen, Jasmin A. Tiro, Jorge A. Marrero, Adam C. Yopp
Journal: Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2013)

Although prior studies have shown underuse of appropriate therapy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), no studies to date have assessed the prevalence and clinical impact of therapeutic delays among patients with HCC. The goal of this study was to characterize and identify factors associated with underuse and delays in treatment of these patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted of patients with cirrhosis diagnosed with HCC at a large urban safety net hospital between January 2005 and June 2012. Dates for HCC diagnosis and any treatments were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analysis was used to determine factors associated with treatment underuse and delayed treatment, which was defined as time from diagnosis to treatment exceeding 3 months. The authors identified 267 treatment-eligible patients with HCC, of whom only 62% received HCC therapy. On multivariate analysis, tumor stage (odds ratio [OR], 0.48; 95% CI, 0.36-0.65), Child-Pugh class (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.28-0.84), and black race (OR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.31-0.99) were associated with lower rates of treatment use. The median time to treatment was 1.7 months, with 31% of patients experiencing delayed treatment. Delayed treatment was associated with the presence of ascites (hazard ratio [HR], 2.8; 95% CI, 1.3-6.1) and current treatment with transarterial chemoembolization (HR, 4.8; 95% CI, 1.8-12.5). After adjusting for tumor stage and Child-Pugh class, treatment underuse (HR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.24-0.46) and delayed treatment (HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.30-0.84) were both associated with significantly worse survival. Results showed that, in addition to one-third of patients not receiving HCC-directed therapy, another 30% experienced significant therapeutic delays, leading to worse survival.
Mental Patients' Perceptions of Illness Etiology
Authors: RAYMOND M. WEINSTEIN
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1974)

By means of a questionnaire, the author studied hospitalized mental patients' perceptions of the factors contributing to their illness in terms of the economic, family, and social problems they experienced. Childhood problems of all types were reported and connected to illness less frequently than were adult problems. Patients often placed various difficulties concerning worries, failures, rejections, and interpersonal conflicts in an etiological context but not those which concerned deprivations and hardships. Statistically significant relationships were observed between the number of problems that patients believed were responsible for their illness and the patients' age, marital status, diagnosis, and length of hospitalization. Type of hospital commitment was related to a lesser extent; sex, social class, and prognosis were unimportant variables.
Community acquired pneumonia in a Greek hospital: Adherence of Greek doctors to the IDSA/ATS and national guidelines
Authors: Charalampos Triantafyllidis, Vasilios Kapordelis, Georgios Papaetis, Dora Orfanidou, Maria Apostolidou, Ioannis Nikolopoulos, Angelos Pefanis
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Background:  The adherence of Greek physicians to practice guidelines for CAP and its impact on cost and patients9 outcome remain unknown.   Material & methods:  We performed a prospective observational study in 252 immunocompetent hospitalized patients so as to investigate whether the 2007 IDSA/ATS and the Greek guidelines for CAP are followed by chest physicians in “Sotiria” General hospital in Athens, Greece. We: a) assessed whether the decision of hospital admission was correct or not and b) evaluated whether the treatment regimen was in accordance to guidelines. Fine score (PSI) was applied by the authors to determine the severity of CAP.   Results:  The mortality rate was 12.3%. 120 (48%) patients were admitted to the hospital, despite the fact they were classified as risk class I or II. Accordance to guidelines as far as the initial antimicrobial regimen is concerned was poor (152 patients, 60%). A trend towards shorter length of hospitalization was observed in patients treated with an initial antimicrobial in accordance to guidelines compared to those receiving initial regimen in discordance to guidelines.   Conclusion:  The implementation of CAP guidelines by chest physicians in the major Greek hospital for thoracic diseases is poor. Improvement of adherence may shorten the length of hospitalization and reduce the financial burden for the national health system.
Every Man Dies Alone/Berlin at War: Life and Death in Hitler's Capital. 1939–45Every Man Dies Alone, by FalladaHans, Translated by HofmannMichael. Brooklyn, N.Y., Melville House, 2010, 544 pp., $29.95.Berlin at War: Life and Death in Hitler's Capital. 1939–45, by MoorhouseRoger. London, United Kingdom, Bodley Head, 2010, 448 pp., £25.00.
Authors: Judith Freedman
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (2010)
Influence of AECOPD to ROS production in neutrophils
Authors: Mindaugas Vaitkus, Simona Lavinskiene, Kristina Bieksiene, Jolanta Jeroch, Raimundas Sakalauskas
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

Introduction and background:  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by specific pattern of inflammation involving polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), macrophages and other cells. PMN are the major reactive oxygen species (ROS) producing cells. Our previous data showed that ROS production is decreased in stable COPD (SCOPD). It is still not known about ROS production in acute exacerbation of COPD (AECOPD).   Aim:  To investigate ROS production in PMN during AECOPD.   Methods:  10 patients with SCOPD, 5 with AECOPD and 10 non-smoking healthy individuals (HI) were studied. PMN were isolated from peripheral blood using a high-density gradient. ROS production was induced using phorbol-myriste-acetate (PMA, 0.1-30 nM) and  S. aureus  bacteria (1-167 bacteria/neutrophil). ROS production was measured flow cytometrycally by mean of fluorescence intensity in PMN population.   Results:  The production of spontaneous ROS in PMN was 29.7±4.1% higher in AECOPD group than in SCOPD (p  The higher ROS production in PMN after stimulation with different  S. aureus  concentration was found in AECOPD group compared with SCOPD and HI (p   Conclusion:  Our data shows that ROS production is increased in AECOPD. Chemical (PMA) and biological ( S. aureus  bacteria) factors activates more intensive ROS generation.
Modification of cisplatin toxicity with diethyldithiocarbamate.
Authors: J M Berry, C Jacobs, B Sikic, J Halsey, R F Borch
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1990)

Diethyldithiocarbamate (DDTC), a heavy metal-chelating agent, has been shown to decrease cisplatin (CP) toxicity in preclinical studies. This phase I dose-escalation study was undertaken to investigate DDTC as a chemoprotector in patients with advanced cancer. Thirty-five courses of CP in doses ranging from 120 to 160 mg/m2 were given intravenous (IV) bolus to 19 patients. DDTC at 4 g/m2 was infused over 1 hour, starting 45 minutes after CP. There was minimal nephrotoxicity with a mean creatine clearance of 99 mL/min +/- 4 pretreatment and 86 mL/min +/- 4 on day 21. Two courses were associated with a WBC count less than 2,000/mm3 and one course with a platelet count of 15,000/mm3. Two patients had grade 2 neurotoxicity. Hearing loss occurred in 11 patients: five greater than or equal to 20 dB, five greater than or equal to 40 dB, and one greater than or equal to 60 dB. All patients who received cranial irradiation had ototoxicity compared with 43% of those without radiation (P less than .05). All patients experienced toxicity during the DDTC infusion, including hypertension, flushing, diaphoresis, agitation, and local burning. We conclude that DDTC can protect against CP nephrotoxicity at doses up to 160 mg/m2. Ototoxicity became the dose-limiting factor.
Specificity of Delayed Cutaneous Hypersensitivity Reactions to Extracts of Human Tumor Cells2
Authors: James L. Weese, Ronald B. Herberman, Ariel C. Hollinshead, Grace B. Cannon, Marian Keels, Antoine Kibrite, Alvaro Morales, Devron H. Char, Robert K. Oldham
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1978)

The specificity of numerous extracts used for delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity (OCH) testing of cancer patients was evaluated. Tests were performed with crude preparations (hypotonic membrane preparations and 3-M KCI extracts) and with Sephadex and gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) fractions prepared from tumors and from tissue culture (TC) cell lines derived from breast cancer and Ewing's sarcoma. The reactivity and specificity of individual extracts varied considerably. Some extracts were quite reactive and showed diseaserelated specificity; i.e., patients with tumors similar to the extract source were more reactive in OCH testing to some types of extracts than were patients with dissimilar tumors. Other extracts produced skin reactions in patients with various tumors or were poorly reactive. Comparative testing between KCI extracts of cells from the pleural effusion of a Ewing's sarcoma patient and of cells from the TC line derived from these pleural effusion cells showed similar reactivity in patients with Ewing's sarcoma. Of patients tested with KCI extracts of the fresh tumors, 88% were reactive compared with 75% of patients tested with KCI extracts of the tissue-cultured tumor cells; 64% of patients tested simultaneously with KCI extracts of the fresh and tissue-cultured tumors were reactive to both. Sephadex fraction II from a metastatic malignant melanoma elicited many OCH reactions but discriminated poorly between breast cancer and melanoma patients. In contrast, gradient PAGE fractions of a primary breast tumor and of MCF-7 cells, a TC line derived from breast cancer, elicited a breast cancer-related pattern of reactivity. PAGE region 2a of the primary breast tumor and of MCF-7, which gave the best discrimination of all the regions tested, was reactive in 86 and 69% of breast cancer patients, respectively, and in 29 and 28% of patients with other types of neoplasms, respectively. A particularly pure separation of MCF-7 PAGE region 2b1-3 gave positive OCH reactions in 58% of breast cancer patients and in none of 16 patients with cancers of other sites. This study indicated that OCH testing may be useful in the detection of cellmediated immunity to tumor-associated antigens on both fresh tumors and on TC derived from tumors. However, for potential clinical use, a careful examination of the reactivity and specificity of each extract and possibly separation by physicochemical means of tumor-associated antigens from cross-reacting antigens or nonspecific materials seem necessary.
Second Malignant Neoplasms in Testicular Cancer Survivors
Authors: Chunkit Fung, Sophie D. Fossa, Clair J. Beard, Lois B. Travis
Journal: Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (2012)

Second malignant neoplasms (SMNs) are a potentially life-threatening late effect of testicular cancer (TC) and its therapy. Although the increased risk for developing solid tumors among TC survivors is largely attributed to radiotherapy, chemotherapy may also be associated with excess risks. However, the baseline risks of developing site-specific SMNs in TC survivors have not yet been quantified, nor have interactions between treatments and other risk factors been elucidated. Studies to date report overall relative risks ranging from 1.4- to 2.8-fold for SMN in TC survivors, with significantly elevated risks apparent for more than 35 years. Analytic investigations show relationships between increasing radiation dose and/or field size and solid tumor risk. Small excess risks of leukemia follow treatment with either chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Recently, concern has been expressed about the increased risk of SMN from radiation exposure during imaging surveillance for recurrence. A small number of studies have examined this issue, generating inconclusive results. Given the current changes in TC treatment that result in lower radiation doses, in the future solid tumors will likely have a considerably lower impact on the lives of TC survivors, although diligent follow-up will be required to accurately quantify long-term risks and to ascertain risks associated with chemotherapy.
Indications for worldwide increased norovirus activity associated with emergence of a new variant of genotype II.4, late 2012
Authors: J van Beek, K Ambert-Balay, N Botteldoorn, J S Eden, J Fonager, J Hewitt, N Iritani, A Kroneman, H Vennema, J Vinjé, P A White, M Koopmans, Collective on behalf of NoroNet
Journal: Eurosurveillance (2013)

Globally, surveillance systems showed an increase in norovirus activity in late 2012. Molecular data shared through the NoroNet network suggest that this increase is related to the emergence of a new norovirus genotype II.4 variant, termed Sydney 2012. Healthcare institutions are advised to be prepared for a severe norovirus season.
Pneumothorax secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Nadia Fettal, Abdessamed Taleb
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Spontaneous pneumothorax is defined by the presence of air in the pleural cavity without history of trauma. This is a significant clinical problem. COPD is a common cause of pneumothorax. The risk of recurrence of spontaneous pneumothorax secondary to COPD is high and various studies quote rates 20-60%.  Methods: retrospective cohort study of all patients COPD admitted with pneumothorax to the pulmonary department between January 2004 and September 2011.  The aim: to assess the frequency of pneumothorax in the COPD and describe its clinical profile and scalable.  Results: in a study period of 6 years, 248 cases with a diagnosis of pneumothorax were reviewed, the rate of pneumothorax secondary to COPD was 67 % (80 patients COPD developed 167 pneumothorax).Our series is composed mainly of men, mean age 59± 8 years. The notion of smoking was found in 100%; ex-smokers 67% and active smokers 33%.The most frequent initial symptom was dyspnea 100% with pleuritic chest pain 42%.The episode of pneumothorax revelated the disease COPD in 32% and was responsible of exacerbation of COPD in 68%.According to GOLD classification, Fifty five (68%) had moderate COPD and twenty five (31%) had severe COPD. All patients received tube chest drainage and hospital stay mean was 12 days range (6-23 days).Twenty eight (35%) had recurrence of pneumothorax. Forty two patients (52%) had emphysema. Four patients developed empyema, six had emphysema subcutaneous and two had pneumonia after chest tube.The evolution was favorable in 74 cases and 6 patients died in an array of acute respiratory failure  Conclusion: pneumothorax represents a factor of mortality for patients suffering of COPD and the surgical treatment is needed to prevent recurrence.
Baseline Striatal Functional Connectivity as a Predictor of Response to Antipsychotic Drug Treatment
Authors: Deepak K. Sarpal, Miklos Argyelan, Delbert G. Robinson, Philip R. Szeszko, Katherine H. Karlsgodt, Majnu John, Noah Weissman, Juan A. Gallego, John M. Kane, Todd Lencz, Anil K. Malhotra
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (2015)

Clinical response to antipsychotic drug treatment is highly variable, yet prognostic biomarkers are lacking. The authors recently demonstrated that successful antipsychotic drug treatment alters resting-state functional connectivity of the striatum. The goal of the present study was to test whether intrinsic striatal connectivity patterns provide prognostic information and can serve as a potential biomarker of treatment response to antipsychotic drugs.The authors used resting-state functional MRI (fMRI) to develop a prognostic index in a discovery cohort of 41 first-episode schizophrenia patients, then tested this index in an independent cohort of 40 newly hospitalized chronic patients with acute psychosis. In the discovery cohort, patients underwent resting-state fMRI scanning at the initiation of randomized controlled treatment with a second-generation antipsychotic. Whole-brain functional connectivity maps were generated for each subject from striatal seed regions. A stringent measure of clinical response was calculated that required sustained improvement over two consecutive study visits. Clinical response was entered into a survival analysis, and Cox regression was applied to the functional connectivity data. A striatal connectivity index was created, comprising functional connections of the striatum that predicted treatment response. This striatal connectivity index was tested on a generalizability cohort of patients with psychotic disorders who were hospitalized for an acute psychotic episode.A total of 91 regions functionally connected with the striatum provided significant prognostic information. Connectivity in these regions was used to create a baseline striatal connectivity index that predicted response to antipsychotic treatment with high sensitivity and specificity in both the discovery and generalizability cohorts.These results provide evidence that individual differences in striatal functional connectivity predict response to antipsychotic drug treatment in acutely psychotic patients. With further development, this has the potential to serve as a prognostic biomarker with clinical utility and to reduce the overall burden associated with psychotic illnesses.
Smoking-a Major Cause of Polycythaemia
Authors: R Aitchison, N Russell
Journal: Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine (1988)

The importance of smoking in the aetiology of polycythaemia has been assessed in a group of patients referred to a general haematology clinic. All patients with true and relative polycythaemia (excluding those with polycythaemia rubra vera) were studied. Of the 21 such patients evaluated, 14 were smokers and had raised carboxyhaemoglobin levels and had no other demonstrable cause for their polycythaemia. The commonest physiological abnormality in these patients was a raised red cell mass combined with a low plasma volume. Six of the 14 patients were able to reduce their smoking with subsequent improvement in their haematocrits. These results suggest that smoking is a major cause of polycythaemia in an unselected series of referrals to a general haematology clinic. The early identification of these patients may be useful in planning therapy.