tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Expression of genes associated with neurogenic inflammation in pediatric asthma
Authors: Aleksandra Szczepankiewicz, Paulina Sobkowiak, Aleksandra Hoffmann, Natalia Schoneich, Anna Breborowicz
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Background: Allergic inflammation triggers neuronal dysfunction and structural changes in asthmatic airways enhancing the process of neurogenic inflammation. Important mediators in neuroimmune interactions are neurotrophins, neuropeptides, neurokines and their receptors as well as histamine pathway. They all play an important role in the pathophysiology of allergic asthma.  Aim: We hypothesized that altered expression of genes associated with neuronal dysregulation may affect susceptibility to and the course of asthma. The aim was to investigate the expression of 31 genes related to neurogenic inflammation in allergic bronchial asthma.  Methods: In the analysis we included 25 asthmatic patients, aged between 6-16 years. Asthma diagnosis was made according to GINA guidelines. The control group consisted of 20 healthy children aged between 8-16 years without allergies and asthma without allergic background. We analyzed the expression of 31 genes associated with neurogenic inflammation from peripheral blood leukocytes by use of TaqMan Low Density Array method. As an endogenous control we used 18S rRNA gene. The target genes involved, among others, neurotrophins (BDNF, NGF, NTF3, NTF4), their receptors, tyrosine kinases, neuropeptides: SP, NKA, CGRP NEP/CD10, histamine pathway (HDC, HNMT, DAO, histamine receptors), neurokines (IL1β, IL6), receptors of ion channels (TRPV1, TRPA1).  Results: We did not observe significant differences in the expression of 31 genes associated with neurogenic inflammation. However, we found a trend towards increased expression of neurotrophin 4 gene in asthmatic patients (p=0.081).  Conclusions: The expression of analyzed genes does not seem to be significantly altered in asthma.
Quantification of Weal Reactions with Laser Doppler Flowmetry
Authors: J. Serup, B. Staberg
Journal: Allergy (1985)

Skin-prick experiments with different concentrations of histamine (0.1 mg/ml, 1.0 mg/ml, 10.0 mg/ml) and isotonic NaCl solution for control were performed on the forearms of 10 healthy volunteers. Regular recordings of the cutaneous blood flow by laser Doppler flowmetry were performed in the centre of the weals and 5, 10, 15 and 20 mm from the centre representing the zone of perilesional flare. In the weal centre the blood flow was increased but neither different concentrations of histamine nor the control reaction could be differentiated. Recordings performed 5 and 10 mm from the centre showed, however, significant differences between the different solutions of histamine tested as well as the control reaction. The better differentiation was obtained 5 and 10 min after skin-prick. In conclusion, laser Doppler flowmetry with recordings of the perilesional flare is found useful for quantification of weal reactions.
NHS Direct
Authors: M. Sadler
Journal: BMJ (2001)

Editor—Farrer et al report a case of a 6 month old boy whose mother had rung NHS Direct and who was subsequently admitted with diabetic ketoacidosis.1 We cannot comment on this specific case without access to the caller records, but we are perturbed by the suggestion that attempts to give feedback to NHS Direct were frustrated.

The service welcomes and encourages feedback from callers and clinicians. All general practitioners have been issued with specific feedback forms, which can be made available to other clinicians. More importantly, each site has a medical and a nurse director with key responsibilities for clinical governance, as well as a clinical advisory group of local clinicians. We invite any clinician who has reservations about the handling of a particular case to ring the medical or nurse director of their local site to report their reservations.

NHS Direct has a substantial advantage over most of the NHS in terms of reviewing cases because all calls are taped and can thus be fully analysed along with the relevant decision support guideline. Commonly, such investigation will reveal misunderstanding or erroneous reporting, themselves valuable lessons. However, if fault is found with the handling of the call, nurse advisers can learn from this by working through it with their supervisor. If fault is found with the guideline there is a clear process for central review and amendment of the decision support software. Contrary to the editor's comment, NHS Direct is a machine that is keen to learn and improve.2

We endorse Kempley's comment that “the primary end point of NHS Direct should be whether it meets the need of its callers for information, not whether it reduces work for any sector of the medical profession.”3 Although a reduction in inappropriate demands on the health service is a realistic and desirable aim, it is not the key purpose of the service. Restricting demand by restricting access has often seemed to be the only strategy in the health service. NHS Direct offers the opportunity to meet demand at an appropriate level. If this means reaching out to patients below the water level of the classic iceberg of illness, so be it. This may not necessarily reduce demand elsewhere in the service, but it will mean, as Kempley suggests,3 that the increasingly information hungry population can get its health information from the NHS with the quality control that may be lacking elsewhere.
Neuregulin-1 improves right ventricular function and attenuates experimental pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Pedro Mendes-Ferreira, Carolina Maia-Rocha, Rui Adão, Maria José Mendes, Diana Santos-Ribeiro, Bárbara Silvana Alves, Rui João Cerqueira, Paulo Castro-Chaves, André Pedro Lourenço, Gilles W. De Keulenaer, Adelino Ferreira Leite-Moreira, Carmen Brás-Silva
Journal: Cardiovascular Research (2015)

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious disease that affects both the pulmonary vasculature and the right ventricle (RV). Current treatment options are insufficient. The cardiac neuregulin (NRG)-1/ErbB system is deregulated during heart failure, and treatment with recombinant human NRG-1 (rhNRG-1) has been shown to be beneficial in animal models and in patients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of rhNRG-1 in RV function and pulmonary vasculature in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced PAH and RV hypertrophy (RVH). Male wistar rats (7- to 8-weeks old, n = 78) were injected with MCT (60 mg/kg, s.c.) or saline and treated with rhNRG-1 (40 µg/kg/day) or vehicle for 1 week, starting 2 weeks after MCT administration. Another set of animals was submitted to pulmonary artery banding (PAB) or sham surgery, and followed the same protocol. MCT administration resulted in the development of PAH, pulmonary arterial and RV remodelling, and dysfunction, and increased RV markers of cardiac damage. Treatment with rhNRG-1 attenuated RVH, improved RV function, and decreased RV expression of disease markers. Moreover, rhNRG-1 decreased pulmonary vascular remodelling and attenuated MCT-induced endothelial dysfunction. The anti-remodelling effects of rhNRG-1 were confirmed in the PAB model, where rhNRG-1 treatment was able to attenuate PAB-induced RVH. rhNRG-1 treatment attenuates pulmonary arterial and RV remodelling, and dysfunction in a rat model of MCT-induced PAH and has direct anti-remodelling effects on the pressure-overloaded RV.
Impact of improved irradiation technique, age, and lymph node sampling on the severe complication rate of surgically staged endometrial cancer patients: a multivariate analysis.
Authors: B W Corn, R M Lanciano, K M Greven, J Noumoff, D Schultz, G E Hanks, B L Fowble
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (1994)

PURPOSE Limited information is available regarding factors that predispose to complications following postoperative pelvic radiotherapy (RT) for endometrial cancer. To address this issue, patients with clinically staged I/II endometrial cancer who received postoperative RT following total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH/BSO) with or without lymph node sampling (LNS) were studied. PATIENTS AND METHODS From 1960 through 1990, 235 patients with adenocarcinoma of the endometrium received postoperative RT after surgical staging. Multiple factors were evaluated to determine associations with severe complications. Pretreatment factors included age, stage, comorbidities. Treatment-related factors consisted of LNS, total RT dose, volume of RT fields, dose per fraction, total number of RT fields, number of RT fields treated per day, machine energy, and addition of vaginal implant. RESULTS The 5-year actuarial risk of a severe complication was 5.5%. Factors associated with an increased risk of complications in univariate analysis included age more than 65 years (11% v 2%), use of only one portal per day (40% v 3%), use of anteroposterior/posteroanterior fields (23% v 4%), total dose &gt; or = 50 Gy (8% v 2%), and LNS (11% v 3%). In a multivariate analysis, only older age, LNS, and the use of one field per day were significant. Increased risks associated with a total dose &gt; or 50 Gy and the anteroposterior/posteroanterior technique were entirely attributable to the use of one field per day. A subanalysis among patients who had adequate RT techniques (eg, multiple fields treated per day) showed a significant increase in complications (7% v 1%) for those with and without LNS, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Severe complications associated with adjuvant RT for endometrial cancer were increased among patients who were older or underwent LNS or received suboptimal RT technique. Pelvic RT using proper methods can be delivered with acceptable risks.
PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL STUDIES FOLLOWING SECTION OF THE CORPUS CALLOSUM
Authors: ANDREW J. E. AKELAITIS
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1941)

In a study of seven patients with partial and in three with complete section of the corpus callosum, psychobiological changes were noted in only two. In both of these evidence of involvement of the right cerebrum was present. Consequently it appears that surgical section of the corpus callosum in epileptics does not result in the marked psychological changes noted by those investigators who have based their studies upon degenerative, vascular and neoplastic lesions in and about the corpus callosum.
A Monoclonal Antibody Against γ-Glutamyltransferase From Human Primary Hepatoma: Its Use in Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay of Sera of Cancer Patients2
Authors: Naoyuki Taniguchi, Stephanie House, Noboru Kuzumaki, Noriko Yokosawa, Seiji Yamagiwa, Susumu Iizuka, Akira Makita, Chihiro Sekiya
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1985)

A monoclonal antibody, gamma-120, was raised against a highly purified gamma-glutamyltransferase (gamma GT) from human primary hepatoma. The antibody preferentially bound to the small subunit of gamma GT from human hepatoma and kidney as evidenced by immunoblot analysis. Weak binding to the normal liver enzyme could be detected by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). With the use of this antibody, an ELISA was developed for the quantitation of immunoreactive gamma GT in human serum. Sera of 188 normal control subjects displayed a low level (9.4 micrograms/ml) of immunoreactive gamma GT. Highly elevated levels of immunoreactive gamma GT were detected in the sera of patients with primary hepatoma, metastatic liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and certain types of lung cancer. Slightly elevated levels of immunoreactive gamma GT were seen in the sera of patients with liver cirrhosis. The levels of gamma GT were within a normal range in the sera of patients with gastrointestinal cancers and patients with nonmalignant diseases such as hepatitis and gallstones. The antibody has been shown to be useful for the diagnosis of some of the neoplastic diseases.
Abstract 622: Active Transport of Molecules From Macrophages Into Smooth Muscle Cells: A New Hypothesis for Smooth Muscle Cell Fate and Plaque Stability
Authors: Ruediger C Braun-Dullaeus, Soenke Weinert, Susanne Auffermann-Gretzinger, Lars Eger, Ruth H Strasser, Alexander Schmeisser
Journal: Circulation (2007)

Vascular smooth muscle cells [VSMC], mononuclear cells [MNC] and their local interaction are known to play key roles in atherosclerotic plaque development and destabilization. To study the cellular interactions an in-vitro co-culture model was established. Peripheral blood MNC were isolated by density gradient centrifugation and marked with fluorescence-labeled acetylated low-density lipoprotein [Fl-ac-LDL]. Mitomycin-treated non-proliferating VSMC were seeded semi-confluently and co-cultured with the labeled MNC in a ratio of 1:3. Immuno-cytochemistry revealed that, within 4 weeks of co-culture, >20% of the VSMC cells had acquired Fl-ac-LDL. Transdifferentiation processes of the MNC into VSMC had not taken place but could be excluded by xenogenic cell composure (rat VSMC and human MNC) and subsequent quantitative RT-PCR with human specific primers for VSMC markers. Separation of the cells in a trans-well co-culture system resulted in complete absence of double-labeled cells, too. Moreover, time-lapse mic...
Biodiversity and Resilience of Ecosystem Functions
Authors: Tom H. Oliver, Matthew S. Heard, Nick J.B. Isaac, David B. Roy, Deborah Procter, Felix Eigenbrod, Rob Freckleton, Andy Hector, C. David L. Orme, Owen L. Petchey, Vânia Proença, David Raffaelli, K. Blake Suttle, Georgina M. Mace, Berta Martín-López, Ben A. Woodcock, James M. Bullock
Journal: Trends in Ecology & Evolution (2015)
Current knowledge and future perspectives on acute hepatitis C infection
Authors: S.J. Hullegie, J.E. Arends, B.J.A. Rijnders, W.L. Irving, D. Salmon, M. Prins, A.M. Wensing, P. Klenerman, H. Leblebicioglu, C. Boesecke, J.K. Rockstroh, A.I.M. Hoepelman
Journal: Clinical Microbiology and Infection (2015)
De inertia urbanorum
Authors: C J Squire
Journal: BMJ (1995)

5 SD for HbAj measured by electrophoresis (mean 6-30% (SD 0 75%)) is 10-05%, representing an increment of 59 5%.It might be expected that more patients would have an increment of > 35-3% by one test than had an increment of > 59-3% by a second test when the two tests are so similar (that is, the main part of HbAl is HbA,c).
Effect of retroactive intercessory prayer
Authors: A. M Thornett
Journal: BMJ (2002)

# Cautious approach is needed {#article-title-2} EDITOR—Leibovici used rigorous scientific method in his study to explore the role of intercessory prayer in health care.1 Using a randomised controlled trial design with a large group of patients and selecting a range of appropriate outcome measures, he showed a significant difference in length of stay and duration of fever and concluded that prayer may be a useful treatment. These results, however, need to be interpreted with caution. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to the most clinically important outcome (mortality), and the median values varied little between prayer and non-prayer on both length of stay (seven and eight days) and duration of fever (two days each). The religious affiliation of the person saying the prayer is not given. Many religious groups do not accept the power of prayer given by those with different beliefs. If real, the effect of prayer shown in this study may be unrelated to supernatural power and hence to a particular belief system, or may be specific to beliefs, reflecting the power inherent in a particular religion. Further work is needed in this area before conclusions can be made. 1. 1.↵1. Leibovici L .Effects of remote, retroactive intercessory prayer on outcomes in patients with bloodstream infection: randomised controlled trial.BMJ2001; 323:1450–1451. (22 December.) [OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2] # Paper proves power of statistics, not prayer {#article-title-4} EDITOR—It was very brave of both Leibovici and the BMJ to publish this paper and be prepared for the criticism from the outraged masses.1 The idea that retroactive intercessory prayers could have an influence on the outcome of septicaemia is intriguing and challenges our notions of cause and effect. If it is true, however, this is not the paper to prove it. The data on the most significant finding, length of stay, seem to be skewed by a few abnormally high results in the control group. This is shown by the fact that the median length of stay is the same in both groups but the maximum length … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DBMJ%26rft.stitle%253DBMJ%26rft.issn%253D0007-1447%26rft.aulast%253DLeibovici%26rft.auinit1%253DL.%26rft.volume%253D323%26rft.issue%253D7327%26rft.spage%253D1450%26rft.epage%253D1451%26rft.atitle%253DEffects%2Bof%2Bremote%252C%2Bretroactive%2Bintercessory%2Bprayer%2Bon%2Boutcomes%2Bin%2Bpatients%2Bwith%2Bbloodstream%2Binfection%253A%2Brandomised%2Bcontrolled%2Btrial%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F11751349%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=bmj&resid=323/7327/1450&atom=%2Fbmj%2F324%2F7344%2F1037.atom
Rapid draft sequencing and real-time nanopore sequencing in a hospital outbreak of Salmonella
Authors: Joshua Quick, Philip Ashton, Szymon Calus, Carole Chatt, Savita Gossain, Jeremy Hawker, Satheesh Nair, Keith Neal, Kathy Nye, Tansy Peters, Elizabeth De Pinna, Esther Robinson, Keith Struthers, Mark Webber, Andrew Catto, Timothy J. Dallman, Peter Hawkey, Nicholas J. Loman
Journal: Genome biology (2015)

Foodborne outbreaks of Salmonella remain a pressing public health concern. We recently detected a large outbreak of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis phage type 14b affecting more than 30 patients in our hospital. This outbreak was linked to community, national and European-wide cases. Hospital patients with Salmonella are at high risk, and require a rapid response. We initially investigated this outbreak by whole-genome sequencing using a novel rapid protocol on the Illumina MiSeq; we then integrated these data with whole-genome data from surveillance sequencing, thereby placing the outbreak in a national context. Additionally, we investigated the potential of a newly released sequencing technology, the MinION from Oxford Nanopore Technologies, in the management of a hospital outbreak of Salmonella. We demonstrate that rapid MiSeq sequencing can reduce the time to answer compared to the standard sequencing protocol with no impact on the results. We show, for the first time, that the MinION can acquire clinically relevant information in real time and within minutes of a DNA library being loaded. MinION sequencing permits confident assignment to species level within 20 min. Using a novel streaming phylogenetic placement method samples can be assigned to a serotype in 40 min and determined to be part of the outbreak in less than 2 h. Both approaches yielded reliable and actionable clinical information on the Salmonella outbreak in less than half a day. The rapid availability of such information may facilitate more informed epidemiological investigations and influence infection control practices.
Mental Disorders and Mental Health Treatment Among U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Outpatients: The Veterans Health Study
Authors: Cheryl S. Hankin, Avron Spiro, Donald R. Miller, Lewis Kazis
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1999)

The authors examined the self-reported presence and treatment of current depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and alcohol-related disorder in a group of outpatient veterans.Data were obtained from the Veterans Health Study, a longitudinal investigation of male veterans' health. A representative sample of 2,160 outpatients (mean age = 62 years) was drawn from Boston-area U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient facilities. The participants completed screening measures for depression, PTSD, and alcohol-related disorder. Mental health treatment was assessed by interviews.The screening criteria for at least one current mental disorder were satisfied by 40% (N = 856) of the patients. Screening rates were 31% (N = 676) for depression, 20% (N = 426) for PTSD, and 12% (N = 264) for alcohol-related disorder. Patients who screened positively for current mental disorders were younger, less likely to be married or employed, and more likely to report traumatic exposure than were those without mental disorders. Of those who met the screening criteria for any of the targeted mental disorders, 68% (N = 579) reported receiving mental health treatment. Younger, Caucasian men and those who reported more traumatic exposure were more likely to report receiving mental health treatment than were others who screened positively for mental disorders.Screening rates of depression and PTSD and rates of mental health treatment were considerably higher among these VA outpatients than among similar patients in primary care in the private sector. Although the VA is currently meeting the mental health care needs of its patients, future fiscal constraints could affect most adversely the treatment of non-Caucasian and older patients and those with a history of traumatic exposure.
Comparison of two standard chemotherapy regimens for good-prognosis germ-cell tumors: Updated analysis of a randomized trial with 8 years follow-up
Authors: P. S. Grimison, M. R. Stockler, D. B. Thomson, I. N. Olver, V. J. Harvey, H. Gurney, C. R. Lewis, V. J. Gebski, A. L. Boland, G. C. Toner
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2009)

5016 Background: We performed a multicentre randomised trial for good-prognosis germ-cell tumours of two standard chemotherapy regimens containing bleomycin (B), etoposide (E) and cisplatin (P). Accrual was stopped early, after interim analysis with a median follow-up of 33 months found a survival benefit for the regimen similar to Indiana University BEP, compared with the less dose-intense regimen (Toner, Lancet 2001). Here we report on long-term outcomes and patterns of relapse. Methods: Patients with a good prognosis defined by modified Memorial Sloan-Kettering criteria were randomised to 3B 90 E 500 P (3 cycles every 21 days of B 30 kU on days 1, 8 and 15, E 100 mg/m 2 on days 1–5, and P 20 mg/m 2 on days 1–5); or 4B 30 E 360 P (4 cycles every 21 days of B 30 kU on day 1, E 120 mg/m 2 on days 1–3, and P 100 mg/m 2 on day 1). Overall survival was the primary endpoint. Progression-free survival (PFS) was a secondary endpoint. All analyses were by intention-to-treat and with 2-sided p-values. Results: 166 patients were randomised, 83 to each regimen. Median follow-up is now 8.5 years and all but 5 have been followed ≥ 5 years. Overall survival remains substantially better with 3B 90 E 500 P than 4B 30 E 360 P (8YS 92% vs 83%, hazard ratio 0.38, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.97, p=0.037), and remains significant when analyses were restricted to 138 patients with good prognosis by IGCCCG criteria (p=0.035). Trends for PFS favour 3B 90 E 500 P but are not statistically significant (8YPFS 86% vs 79%, hazard ratio 0.6, 95% CI 0.3 to 1.1, p=0.15). 7 of 15 relapses occurring within 2 years after randomisation were fatal, but all 4 relapses occurring &gt; 2 years after randomisation were fatal. Conclusions: The survival benefit of 3B 90 E 500 P compared to 4B 30 E 360 P was maintained with long-term follow-up. The occurrence of relapses beyond 2 years affirms the importance of long-term follow-up. Late relapses in this study were associated with uniformly poor outcomes. [Table: see text] No significant financial relationships to disclose.