tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Incidence of and Treatment for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ of the Breast
Authors: Virginia L. Ernster
Journal: JAMA (1996)

To describe trends in incidence and treatment for ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast in the United States between 1973 and 1992 and to estimate total numbers of in situ cases diagnosed and numbers treated by mastectomy since 1983, when screening mammography for breast cancer began to become widespread.Analysis of population-based breast cancer incidence data collected by the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program since 1973 and treatment data collected by the SEER program since 1983.All women in the geographic areas af the United States included in the SEER program.Annual age-adjusted and age-specific incidence rates for DCIS; time trends in distribution of cases by type of treatment; percentage of cases treated by mastectomy by geographic area; and estimated numbers for the entire United States of DCIS cases, mastectomies for DCIS, and cases attributable to mammography.There was a marked increase in DCIS incidence beginning in the early 1980s. Average annual increases in rates between 1973 and 1983 and between 1983 and 1992 changed from 0.3% to 12.0% among women aged 30 to 39 years, from 0.4% to 17.4% among women aged 40 to 49, and from 5.2% to 18.1% among women aged 50 years or older. The total estimated number of DCIS cases in the United States in 1992 (23,368) was 200% higher than expected based on 1983 rates and trends between 1973 and 1983. Between 1983 and 1992, there was a marked decline in the proportion of DCIS cases treated by mastectomy (from 71% to 43.8%) and an increase in those treated by lumpectomy (from 25.6% to 53.3%). In 1992, 23.3% of cases were treated by lumpectomy and radiation, 30.2% by lumpectomy alone, and 2.6% with no surgery. Treatment patterns varied substantially by geographic area, with 57.7% of cases in New Mexico treated by mastectomy in 1992 compared with 28.8% in Connecticut. Despite the decline in the proportion of cases treated by mastectomy, the increased DCIS incidence rates resulted in an increase in the absolute number of cases treated by mastectomy until 1990 (n=10,657); in 1992, there were an estimated 10,242 DCIS cases treated by mastectomy.Incidence rates of DCIS of the breast have increased dramatically since 1983. This increase correlates with the widespread adoption of modern mammographic screening. While early detection of invasive breast cancer is beneficial, the value of DCIS detection is currently unknown. There is cause for concern about the large number of DCIS cases that are being diagnosed as a consequence of screening mammography, most of which are treated by some form of surgery. In addition, the proportion of cases treated by mastectomy may be inappropriately high, particularly in some areas of the United States.
Role of heat shock proteins in the pathogenesis of cystic fibrosis arthritis
Authors: M. R. al-Shamma, C. McSharry, K. McLeod, E. A. McCruden, B. H. Stack
Journal: Thorax (1997)

Arthritis is a well recognised complication of cystic fibrosis. The cause of this arthritis is not yet clear but it is likely to be an immunological reaction to one of the many bacterial antigens to which the lungs are exposed. One such group, the heat shock proteins, (hsp), was investigated. These are immunodominant antigens of a wide variety of infectious microorganisms and have varying amino acid chain sequences, some of which are similar to those found in human tissues.Antibodies to human hsp 27 and hsp 90 in the serum of patients with cystic fibrosis, with and without arthritis, and in normal age and sex matched healthy controls were measured. The severity of the cystic fibrosis was assessed by lung function tests and chest radiographs. The nature of the organisms colonising the lungs was determined by bacteriological examination of sputum.Higher mean titres of serum IgG anti-human hsp 27 and hsp 90 antibodies were found in 50 patients with cystic fibrosis than in healthy controls (hsp 27, 0.25 (95% CI 0.19 to 0.33) versus 0.05 (95% CI 0.04 to 0.07); hsp 90, 0.27 (95% CI 0.22 to 0.32) versus 0.11 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.14)). These antibodies were higher in patients in whom the lungs were colonised with Pseudomonas aeruginosa than in those without infection (hsp 27, 0.41 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.63) versus 0.18 (95% CI 0.10 to 0.27); hsp 90, 0.37 (95% CI 0.18 to 0.57) versus 0.22 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.29)). The eight patients with cystic fibrosis with arthritis had higher anti-hsp 27 antibodies (0.48 (95% CI 0.13 to 0.92)) than the 42 patients without arthritis (0.22 (95% CI 0.17 to 0.30)).These findings suggest that the arthritis associated with cystic fibrosis, despite being seronegative for rheumatoid factor, was associated with more severe lung disease and with a greater inflammatory response to heat shock proteins.
Ultrastructure of crista supraventricularis muscle in patients with congenital heart diseases associated with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction.
Authors: M Jones, V J Ferrans, A G Morrow, W C Roberts
Journal: Circulation (1975)

Ultrastructural studies were made of operatively resected crista supraventricularis muscle in 59 patients with congenital heart diseases, or whom 54 had obstruction to right ventricular outflow. Relationships of anatomic diagnosis, age, peripheral arterial oxygen saturation (PAO2), peak right ventricular systolic pressure gradient and right ventricular end-diastolic pressure (RVEDP) to hypertrophic changes, abnormalities of cellular and myofibrillar orientation, and degenerative alterations were determined. Changes directly related to hypertrophy were: cell diameters greater than 20 mu, irregular cell shape, lobulated nuclei, multiple intercalated discs, dilated T tubules, abnormal Z bands, and increased numbers of ribosomes. Abnormalities of cellular or myofibrillar orientation were focal in distribution and occurred in 12 patients, most of whom had elevated RVEDP, decreased PAO2, markedly enlarged cells, and interstitial fibrosis. Interstitial fibrosis was prominent in 19 patients and was associated with cellular hypertrophy, elevation of RVEDP, and increased age of the patients. Degenerative changes (myofibrillar lysis, abnormally small mitochondria, myelin figure formation, and proliferation of sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiac muscle cells ocurred in six patients and correlated with increased age, decreased PAO2, and elevated RVEDP. Mitochondria containing glycogen deposits were present in 17 patients, most of whom had decreased PAO2. The variability of morphologic manifestations of chronic cardiac hypertrophy and the relationships of hypertrophic changes to orientation abnormalities and degenerative alterations are discussed.
707. Real-Time Monitoring of Single-Stranded and Duplex Short Interfering RNA Integrity inside Living Cells
Authors: Koen Raemdonck, Katrien Remaut, Bart Lucas, Niek N. Sanders, Jo Demeester, Stefaan C. De Smedt
Journal: Molecular Therapy (2006)

Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are potent effectors of post- transcriptional gene silencing. To attain their full therapeutic promise it is believed that improvements, such as increased biostability, are critical. Regrettably, thus far insufficient data are on hand regarding the intracellular stability of siRNAs, mainly due to a lack of suitable non-invasive methods. Therefore, the major focus of this project is to investigate the intracellular turnover of fluorescently labeled siRNAs by monitoring the disappearance of Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). First, we evaluated the use of a dual-color Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy (FFS) setup to probe nucleolytic decay of single-stranded (ss) and double-stranded (ds) siRNAs. A rhodamine green (RhoGr) and Cy5 label, which display FRET, are coupled respectively to the 3′ and 5′ end of the sense strand. Duplex siRNA is prepared by annealing of the labeled ssRNA with non- labeled complementary RNA. The ratio of acceptor (Cy5) to donor (RhoGr) fluorescence upon donor excitation (488 nm), further referred to as the FA/FD ratio, reflects the FRET efficiency of the siRNAs and can be used as a measure for their integrity (data not shown). The feasibility of the FRET-FFS technique to monitor siRNA degradation was first tested with RNAse A and confirmed by PAGE gel electrophoresis (Fig. 1). Stability analysis could also be conducted in more complex media, such as cellular extracts (data not shown). In conclusion, this project shows that the delineated dual-color FRET-FFS analysis is a straightforward way to gain direct information on siRNA integrity inside living cells, providing a bright outlook to learn more about the intracellular fate of siRNA therapeutics.
Differences between allergic and nonallergic rhinitis in a large sample of adolescents and adults
Authors: E. Mølgaard, S. F. Thomsen, T. Lund, L. Pedersen, H. Nolte, V. Backer
Journal: Allergy (2007)

Background: The aim of this study was to describe differences between allergic rhinitis (AR) and nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) in a large community‐based sample of Danish adolescents and adults. Methods: A total of 1186 subjects, 14–44 years of age, who in a screening questionnaire had reported a history of airway symptoms suggestive of asthma and/or allergy, or who were taking any medication for these conditions were clinically examined. All participants were interviewed about respiratory symptoms and furthermore skin test reactivity, lung function and airway responsiveness were measured using standard techniques. Results: A total of 77% of the subjects with rhinitis had AR, whereas 23% had NAR. Subjects with NAR were more likely to be females, OR = 2.05 (1.31–3.20), P = 0.002, to have persistent symptoms within the last 4 weeks, OR = 1.88 (1.23–2.89), P = 0.003, and to have recurring headaches, OR = 1.94, (1.12–3.37), P = 0.019. On the other hand, subjects with NAR were less likely to have airway hyperresponsiveness, OR = 0.40, (0.24–0.66), P &lt; 0.001, food allergy, OR = 0.40, (0.19–0.36), P = 0.009 and to have been treated with antihistamines in the last 4 weeks, OR = 0.22, (0.13–0.38), P &lt; 0.001 compared with subjects with AR. Subjects with AR were symptomatically worse within their season in terms of sneezing ( P &lt; 0.001) and itchy eyes ( P &lt; 0.001), compared to subjects with NAR, whereas nasal congestion and rhinorrhea were equally frequent in the two groups ( P = 0.901 and P = 0.278, respectively). Conclusions: The proportion of subjects with NAR in an adolescent and adult population with rhinitis is around one‐fourth. Women have NAR twice as often as men. In general, subjects with NAR have more persistent but equally severe symptoms compared to subjects with AR. However, subjects with AR have more sneezing and itchy eyes within their particular season of allergy compared to subjects with NAR.
Alcohol, not drugs, causes most problems at nightclubs
Authors: J. Wise
Journal: BMJ (1997)

Despite the huge publicity surrounding ecstasy and other “designer drugs,” alcohol is still the major cause of admissions to accident and emergency departments among nightclubbers.

Dr Chris Luke, consultant in accident and emergency medicine at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital, said that the increase in drug misuse among clubbers has not stopped people consuming alcohol. He told the club health conference, held at …
REDUCTION IN LEFT ATRIAL VOLUMES WITH CARDIAC RESYNCHRONIZATION THERAPY AND THE RISK OF ATRIAL TACHYARRHYTHMIAS IN MADIT-CRT
Authors: Andrew Brenyo, Alon Barsheshet, Arthur J. Moss, Wojciech Zareba, Paul J. Wang, David T. Huang, Scott D. Solomon, Mark Link, Ilan Goldenberg
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2011)
Hospitalisation increases partner's risk of death
Authors: Janice Tanne
Journal: BMJ (2006)

A nine year study of half a million elderly US couples shows that hospitalisation of one person increased the risk of death for the partner.

The study shows that the risk of death after a spouse was hospitalised was highest in the first month and remained high for up to two years after the spouse's hospitalisation. Mental impairment in the hospitalised spouse caused higher mortality in the partner than physical impairment of the hospitalised spouse ( New England Journal of Medicine 2006;354:719-30).

“We've known for 150 years that the death of a spouse increases the risk of death in the partner. What we have not known is that illness in a spouse increases …
ACUTE LARYNGEAL OBSTRUCTION
Authors: LYMAN G. RICHARDS
Journal: JAMA (1930)

In these days when so much uncertainty and disagreement exist with regard to many otolaryngologic conditions and their treatment, one might well feel that at least the subject of acute laryngeal obstruction was one about which there is relatively little controversy. It may be difficult to decide whether the lining of an antrum should or should not be removed, but the advisability of relieving an obstruction of the gateway to the upper air passages is not a question for lengthy debate. Such obstruction, associated so often with danger to the life of the patient, must be promptly and efficiently treated, not only to afford rescue from the hazard of the moment, but also in such a way as to prevent the subsequent development of a train of sequelae, which, once supervening, may result in a most protracted convalescence and require tedious and long drawn out treatment.  In spite of the
Student Suicides — Looking at the Ceiling — Five Psychiatrists
Authors: John Lister
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1959)

STUDENTS appear more likely to take their lives than other young folk, and this distinction seems more marked at Oxford and Cambridge than at other universities. Sir Alan Rook, from the department of human ecology at Cambridge, has recently studied the problem and has discussed the significance of his observations in an article in the British Medical Journal. Since the war student health services have been developed at almost every British university, and this has brought to light new information about the physical and mental troubles of students. One of the most striking features has been the high prevalence of . . .
USE OF CULTURED EPIDERMAL AUTOGRAFTS AND DERMAL ALLOGRAFTS AS SKIN REPLACEMENT AFTER BURN INJURY
Authors: Charles Cuono, Robert Langdon, Joseph McGuire
Journal: The Lancet (1986)

An adult with burns over 55% of body surface area (80% of which were third degree) was treated with cadaver skin allografts. The allografts were later abraded to remove allogeneic epidermis and resurfaced with autogenous) keratinocyte cultures. Complete reconstitution of skin, consisting of epidermal autograft and dermal allograft, was achieved.
Polymorphisms in Arsenic(+III Oxidation State) Methyltransferase ( <i>AS3MT</i> ) Predict Gene Expression of <i>AS3MT</i> as Well as Arsenic Metabolism
Authors: Karin Engström, Marie Vahter, Simona Jurkovic Mlakar, Gabriela Concha, Barbro Nermell, Rubhana Raqib, Alejandro Cardozo, Karin Broberg
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2010)

BackgroundArsenic (As) occurs as monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in humans, and the methylation pattern demonstrates large interindividual differences. The fraction of urinary MMA is a marker for susceptibility to As-related diseases.ObjectivesWe evaluated the impact of polymorphisms in five methyltransferase genes on As metabolism in two populations, one in South America and one in Southeast Asia. The methyltransferase genes were arsenic(+III oxidation state) methyltransferase (AS3MT), DNA-methyltransferase 1a and 3b (DNMT1a and DNMT3b, respectively), phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PEMT), and betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT). AS3MT expression was analyzed in peripheral blood.MethodsSubjects were women exposed to As in drinking water in the Argentinean Andes [n = 172; median total urinary As (U-As), 200 μg/L] and in rural Bangladesh (n = 361; U-As, 100 μg/L; all in early pregnancy). Urinary As metabolites were measured by high-pressure liquid chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Polymorphisms (n = 22) were genotyped with Sequenom, and AS3MT expression was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction using TaqMan expression assays.ResultsSix AS3MT polymorphisms were significantly associated with As metabolite patterns in both populations (p ≤ 0.01). The most frequent AS3MT haplotype in Bangladesh was associated with a higher percentage of MMA (%MMA), and the most frequent haplotype in Argentina was associated with a lower %MMA and a higher percentage of DMA. Four polymorphisms in the DNMT genes were associated with metabolite patterns in Bangladesh. Noncoding AS3MT polymorphisms affected gene expression of AS3MT in peripheral blood, demonstrating that one functional impact of AS3MT polymorphisms may be altered levels of gene expression.ConclusionsPolymorphisms in AS3MT significantly predicted As metabolism across these two very different populations, suggesting that AS3MT may have an impact on As metabolite patterns in populations worldwide.
Effect of corticosteroids on the human monocyte IgG and complement receptors.
Authors: A D Schreiber, J Parsons, P McDermott, R A Cooper
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1975)

A quantitative in vitro assay was employed to directly assess the effect of corticosteroids on the IgG and complement receptor function of human mononuclear phagocytic cells. In this system corticosteroids were solubilized with cholesterol-phospholipid sonicated dispersions before exposure to mononuclear cells. Solubilized corticosteroids at concentrations between 10(-4) and 10(-3) M inhibited both IgG and complement receptor activity in a dose-response fashion. Inhibition was dependent upon the time of interaction of the mononuclear cells with corticosteroids and was half-maximal by 15 min. The inhibitory effect at all concentrations of hydrocortisone was partially overcome by increasing the number of IgG molecules per erythrocyte. Hydrocortisone also inhibited the binding of erythrocytes coated with both IgG and C3, despite the fact that when both were on the erythrocyte surface a synergistic effect on binding to mononuclear cells was observed. At the steroid concentrations employed, the capacity of mononuclear cells to exclude trypan blue and to take up latex particles and neutral red was unaffected. Mineralocorticoids also inhibited receptor activity, but the sex hormones were less effective. These studies demonstrate an effect of steroid hormones on cell membrane receptor function, and they suggest that an inhibition of the recognition system for IgG and C3 in vivo may explain, in part, the effect of corticosteroids in man.
P2-15-01: Surgical Patterns of Care after Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Academic Setting in Patients with Operable Breast Cancer Treated with Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy: A Secondary Analysis of TBCRC 017.
Authors: Los Santos J De, A Cantor, K Mcguire, M Golshan, F Meric-Bernstam, J Horton, R Nanda, K Amos, A Forero, C Hudis, I Meszoely, S Hwang
Journal: Cancer Research (2011)

Abstract Background: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is increasingly used to downstage locally advanced tumors, test new regimens, and improve chances of breast conservation. In parallel, use of breast MRI for surgical planning and as a potential response biomarker has also increased along with an observed increase in mastectomy rates. This secondary analysis reports surgical patterns of care across 8 NCI comprehensive cancer centers in women receiving both neoadjuvant therapy and breast MRIs. Methods: 770 women from 8 institutions were retrospectively identified as having received neoadjuvant systemic therapy with MRI done before and after systemic treatment. Univariate and multivariate analyses of covariates associated with surgical management were performed. Within MRI complete response or not, the Jonckheere-Terpstra Test (JTT) was used to test for a trend in mastectomy rate by T stage. Results: Surgical data was available on 763/770 patients. Table 1 lists MRI response by pretreatment imaging size and final breast surgery. Distribution of pretreatment imaging-defined T stage was as follows: T1 66 (8%), T2 436 (57%), T3 230 (30%), and T4 36 (5%). 347/763 (45%) patients received breast conserving surgery and 416/763 (55%) had a mastectomy. 58% vs 43% (p=0.0003) of those with an incomplete vs complete MRI response had a mastectomy, respectively. Univariate logistic regression analysis of covariates significantly associated with use of mastectomy included ER- status (p=0.01), incomplete MRI response (p=0.0003), higher T stage (p&amp;lt;0.0001), chemotherapy regimen (p=0.006), younger age (p&amp;lt;0.0001), and institution (p=0.002); all except chemotherapy regimen and institution remained independent predictors of mastectomy on multivariate analysis. Patients with larger baseline T stage and an incomplete response on MRI (P&amp;lt;0.001) were more likely to undergo mastectomy. Overall, breast conservation was low (262/495, 53%) of all T1-T2 patients, especially in the T1 subset (26/65, 40%). Conclusions: In a contemporary group of women treated with preoperative chemotherapy at NCI designated cancer centers and with available pre/post MRI, we observed a lower frequency of breast conservation as compared to historical data from prospective randomized trials. Larger tumor size at baseline was associated with higher mastectomy rates. However, even among those with a complete MRI response, 43% had a mastectomy. In addition to clinical response and MRI findings, factors not examined here (e.g., BRCA status, education level, and patient/provider preference) may influence the decision-making process and deserve further evaluation. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-15-01.
Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment of the Complex Regional Pain Syndrome
Authors: Andreas Goebel, Andrew Baranowski, Konrad Maurer, Artemis Ghiai, Candy McCabe, Gareth Ambler
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2010)

Background: Treatment of long-standing complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is empirical and often of limited efficacy. Preliminary data suggest that the immune system is involved in sustaining this condition and that treatment with low-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) may substantially reduce pain in some patients. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of IVIG in patients with longstanding CRPS under randomized, controlled conditions. Design: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial. (National Research Registry number: N0263177713; International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Registry: 63918259) Setting: University College London Hospitals Pain Management Centre. Patients: Persons who had pain intensity greater than 4 on an 11-point (0 to 10) numerical rating scale and had CRPS for 6 to 30 months that was refractory to standard treatment. Intervention: IVIG, 0.5 g/kg, and normal saline in separate treatments, divided by a washout period of at least 28 days. Measurements: The primary outcome was pain intensity 6 to 19 days after the initial treatment and the crossover treatment. Results: 13 eligible participants were randomly assigned between November 2005 and May 2008; 12 completed the trial. The average pain intensity was 1.55 units lower after IVIG treatment than after saline (95% CI, 1.29 to 1.82; P < 0.001). In 3 patients, pain intensity after IVIG was less than after saline by 50% or more. No serious adverse reactions were reported. Limitation: The trial was small, and recruitment bias and chance variation could have influenced results and their interpretation. Conclusion: IVIG, 0.5 g/kg, can reduce pain in refractory CRPS. Studies are required to determine the best immunoglobulin dose, the duration of effect, and when repeated treatments are needed. Primary Funding Source: Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, University College London Hospitals Charity, and CSL-Behring.