tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Metallothionein: structure/antigenicity and detection/quantitation in normal physiological fluids.
Authors: J S Garvey
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (1984)

Recent experiments in the application of radioimmunoassay (RIA) in the detection and quantitation of metallothionein (MT) in human sera and urines demonstrate that it is possible to extend the lower limit of practical quantitation from the previous limit of 50-100 pg to 1 pg.RIA of normal sera indicates that the typical range of concentrations of MT is from less than 0.01 ng/mL to about 1 ng/mL, and that concentrations above 2 ng/mL should be considered abnormal. The typical range for normal urines is from less than 1 ng/mL to 10 ng/mL; concentrations above 10 ng/mL should be considered abnormal. A complementary assay, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), is under development. The ELISA is a competitive binding assay, detection and quantitation of MT being either by colorimetric or fluorimetric methods. The present useful range for MT quantitation in the ELISA is from about 50-50000 pg (fluorimetric) or 500-5000 pg (colorimetric). Recent experiments using the RIA have identified the principal antigenic determinants of vertebrate MTs as involving the immediate amino terminal residues (-MDPNC-) and the segment including residues 20-25 (-KCKECK- in human MT). Theoretical predictions of secondary structure based on hydrophilicity and sequence analysis indicate that the conformational profile is dominated by tetrapeptide candidates for beta turns (reverse turns) with 2-3 hexapeptide sequences being candidates for helical conformation and 4-5 short sequences (3-5 residues) being candidates for beta chain conformation. The helical candidates are predicted to be unstable and the analysis favors reverse turns for both determinants of vertebrate MT and a sequestered location for the joining region between clusters A and B.
Oilseed rape flour: another allergen causing occupational asthma among farmers
Authors: M.J. Alvarez, J.L. Estrada, F. Gozalo, F. Fernandez‐Rojo, D. Barber
Journal: Allergy (2001)

Farmers are exposed to a wide variety of sensitizers. Since occupational asthma (OA) can lead to permanent disability, exposure discontinuation is the preferred treatment. When this is not possible, the identification of the causative allergen may allow an alternative therapy.We present three farmers diagnosed with OA as a consequence of handling fodder. We carried out skin tests with common and occupational allergens and with oilseed rape (OSR) extract. Total and specific serum IgE levels were measured. The patients underwent the OSR-bronchial provocation test (OSR-BPT). The day before and 24 h after the OSR-BPT, the methacholine (M)-BPT and induced sputum were performed. Eosinophil percentages and ECP levels were measured in the sputum samples.OSR sensitization (skin tests and specific serum IgE) was detected in all the patients. The OSR-BPT elicited early responses in two subjects. Methacholine sensitivity, sputum eosinophils, and sputum ECP levels increased 24 h after the OSR-BPT in all the patients.We have demonstrated that inhalation of OSR flour causes bronchoconstriction, induces an eosinophilic inflammatory bronchial response, and increases bronchial hyperresponsiveness in sensitized asthmatics. OSR flour contained in animal fodder should be considered another potential cause of OA among farmers.
Beneficial effects of direct call to emergency medical services on time delays and management of patients with acute myocardial infarction: Real world data from RICO database
Authors: Jean-Claude Beer, Gilles Dentan, Luc Janin-Manificat, Marianne Zeller, Yves Laurent, Isabelle Lhuillier, Jacques Ravisy, Yves Cottin, Jean-Eric Wolff
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2003)
Bradykinin-mediated effects of ACE inhibition
Authors: Irene Gavras
Journal: Kidney International (1992)

A 42-year-old black man with a history of essential hypertension was admitted to the Clinical Research Center at the Boston University School of Medicine for participation in a research protocol designed to assess the blood-pressure-lowering effect of the renin inhibitor A-64662 (Abbott Laboratories). He had not taken his previous antihypertensive medication for 3 weeks, and he was in good general health. On admission, the blood pressure was 174/108 mm Hg; the physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. Routine laboratory studies, including renal function tests and urinalysis, were normal. On the second day of hospitalization, and following an overnight fast, the patient received as per protocol an intravenous injection of 0.7 mg/kg of the renin inhibitor while blood pressure was monitored continuously. Baseline blood pressure was 166/104 mm Hg and remained virtually unchanged throughout the 3-hour duration of the study, except for a slight decrease between 95 and 135 minutes. The observed maximal decrease in mean blood pressure was 4 mm Hg and occurred at 105 minutes. At the end of the 3-hour period, he received a 50 mg tablet of the angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor captopril. After 30 minutes, his blood pressure was 146/96 mm Hg; it reached its nadir of 138/94 mm Hg at 60 minutes, gradually increasing towards baseline thereafter. The maximal drop in the mean blood pressure after captopril admininistration was 17 mm Hg (Table 1). Blood pressure was 164/104 mm Hg at 24 hours. Plasma renin activity (PRA) was 0.7 ng/ml/hr at baseline and fell to undetectable levels (less than 0.05 ng/ml/hr) 30 minutes after injection of the renin inhibitor; PRA returned to 0.15 ng/ml/hr at 24 hours. Baseline plasma angiotensin II was 3.6 pg/mI, declining to 0.9 pg/mI 30 minutes after injection of the renin inhibitor and returning to 2.4 pglml at 24
Abstract 2995: MicroRNA expression and outcome of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with completely resected non-small cell lung cancer: International Adjuvant Lung Cancer Trial Biologic Program (IALT-Bio)
Authors: Johannes Voortman, Akiteru Goto, Jean Mendiboure, Jane J. Sohn, Aaron J. Schetter, Ariane Dunant, Mohamed Khan, Trung C. Pham, Iacopo Petrini, Alan Lee, Pierre Hainaut, Jean-Pierre Pignon, Elisabeth Brambilla, Helmut H. Popper, Martin Filipits, Curtis C. Harris, Giuseppe Giaccone
Journal: Cancer Research (2010)

Abstract The aim of our study was to assess whether expression levels of a panel of biologically relevant microRNAs can be used as prognostic and/or predictive biomarkers in patients who participated in the International Adjuvant Lung Cancer Trial (IALT), the largest randomized study conducted so far of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with radically resected NSCLC stage I-III. Expression of miR-21, miR-29b, miR-34a/b/c, miR-155 and Let-7a was determined by quantitative real-time PCR in paraffin embedded formalin fixed tumor specimens from 639 IALT patients, using small nuclear RNA U66 as the endogenous normalization control. From 79 patients sufficient tumor adjacent normal tissue was available as well. The prognostic and predictive value of microRNA expression and chemotherapy for survival were studied using a Cox model, which included every factor used in the stratified randomization plus clinical and histological prognostic factors as well as other factors statistically related to microRNA expression. Association of p53 mutation status and miR-34a/b/c expression was analyzed, as well as association of EGFR and K-Ras mutation status with miR-21 and Let-7a expression, respectively. Finally association of p16 and miR-29b expression was assessed. In situ hybridization was performed for validation and to determine histological expression patterns. Overall, we found that there was no significant association between the expression profile of any of the tested microRNAs and survival. However, for miR-21, miR-34b and miR-34c, there is a suggested deleterious prognostic effect of lower values on survival. No single microRNA expression profile or a combination of microRNA expression profiles, as determined by cluster analysis, predicted response to adjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Concluding, expression levels of the tested microRNAs were neither predictive nor prognostic in this patient cohort. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2995.
Photodynamic therapy of acne vulgaris with topical δ-aminolaevulinic acid and incoherent light in Japanese patients
Authors: Y. Itoh, Y. Ninomiya, S. Tajima, A. Ishibashi
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2001)

Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is useful for treatment of epidermal neoplasia but may also have a role in the treatment of inflammatory dermatoses. Objectives To study the effect of PDT in patients with acne. Methods Three men and 10 women who suffered from intractable acne vulgaris were treated using PDT with topical δ‐aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) and polychromatic visible light. Twenty per cent ALA in an oil‐in‐water emulsion was applied to the lesions for 4 h with a light‐shielding dressing. The lesions were then exposed to polychromatic visible light at 600–700 nm using a halogen light source of energy intensity 17 mW cm−2 and a total energy dose of 13 J cm−2. Results All patients had apparent improvement of facial appearance and reduction of new acne lesions at 1, 3 and 6 months following PDT treatment. The adverse effects were discomfort, burning and stinging during irradiation, oedematous erythema for 3 days after PDT, epidermal exfoliation from the fourth to the 10th day, irritation and hypersensitivity to physical stimulation for 10 days after PDT, and pigmentation or erythema after epidermal exfoliation; the treated lesions returned to normal skin conditions within 1 month. Conclusions PDT was beneficial in the treatment of acne. As a photoactivating light source, polychromatic visible light was thought to be better for use with acne patients than laser light because of its cost‐effectiveness, uniform illumination and time‐efficiency in treating large areas.
House officers must not be exploited, say deans
Authors: L Dillner
Journal: BMJ (1994)

Postgraduate deans in the United Kingdom will not approve preregistration house officer (PRHO) posts that exploit and do not educate young doctors. A consensus statement produced this week by the Committee of Postgraduate Deans (COPMED) says that “In recent years the intensity of work of PRHOs has increased enormously…and the PRHO has less support than formerly as there are fewer doctors on call.”

Professor Richard West, medical postgraduate dean of Bristol University, said: “Postgraduate deans now hold 50% of the budget for junior doctors' posts, and this gives us a lot of clout if we have to …
The Influence of HLA-DRB1 Genes on Disease Severity in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Cornelia M. Weyand, Kevin C. Hicok, Doyt L. Conn, Jörg J. Goronzy
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1992)

To explore the role of HLA-DRB1 genes in determining disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis.Case series of patients with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.The outpatient clinic of the Division of Rheumatology, Mayo Clinic.One hundred and two patients with seropositive, erosive rheumatoid arthritis and a minimum disease duration of 3 years.Patients were genotyped for both HLA-DRB1 alleles and were categorized according to the expression of one or two disease-linked HLA-DRB1 alleles. Identification of HLA-DRB1 alleles was done by the polymerase chain reaction and subsequent oligonucleotide hybridization. Homozygosity for allelic variants was confirmed by sequence analysis. Immunogenetically defined patient subgroups were retrospectively evaluated for joint destruction and patterns of disease manifestation, including rheumatoid organ disease.Of 102 patients, 98 (96%) expressed the disease-linked sequence polymorphism. Forty-seven patients (46%) carried a double dose of the relevant sequence stretch: Twenty-eight patients expressed HLA-DRB1*04 variants on both alleles, and 19 combined an HLA-DRB*04 variant with HLA-DRB1*0101 or DRB1*1402. Nodular disease was present in 100% of patients typed as HLA-DRB1*04/04 and in 59% of patients typed as HLA-DRB1*04 and who had inherited only a single dose of the disease-linked sequence polymorphism (P < 0.0001). Major organ systems were involved in 61% and 11% of these two patient groups, respectively (P < 0.0001); and joint surgery was required in 61% and 25% (P < 0.002), respectively. Patients typed as HLA-DR*04/01 had intermediate clinical courses.Genotyping patients with rheumatoid arthritis for both HLA-DRB1 alleles identifies clinical subsets with distinct profiles of disease manifestations.
Implanted Heart Assist Device after Intracardiac Surgery
Authors: Robert S. Litwak, Robert M. Koffsky, Salvador B. Lukban, Roy A. Jurado, Samuel K. Elster, Fouad Lajam, Russell W. Brancato
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1974)

IN recent years there has been a steady decline in mortality after open intracardiac operations. However, persistent low cardiac output remains one of the prime causes of death, particularly in patients with far advanced myocardial dysfunction at the time of operation. These patients may manifest low output when attempts are made to discontinue cardiopulmonary bypass or 24 to 48 hours later, when cardiac performance is often at its lowest level. In such situations mechanical circulatory assistance may provide the only means of survival. Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation has been effective in improving the hemodynamic state of patients in low output after . . .
Experimental Alveolar Hydatid Disease
Authors: Charles B. Beal
Journal: JAMA (1966)

Alveolar or malignant hydatid disease, caused by Echinococcus multilocularis , is endemic in Alaska, central and eastern Europe, and northern Asia. Effective treatment of its common hepatic form has been limited to a few cases in which hemihepatectomy has been successfully performed. 1 Any drug which might be effective against this dangerous parasite therefore deserves consideration. Thiabendazole (2-(4′thiazolyl)-benzimidazole), useful in treatment of various adult and larval nematode infections, 2-5 has also been reported to eliminate the rat tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta , although only when administered in large doses. 2 This agent might be expected to have some activity against Echinococcus .   Sigmodon hispidus , the cotton rat, is highly susceptible to infection with eggs of E multilocularis . The larval hydatid cysts develop in the liver, mature in about six weeks, and produce many protoscoleces (the multiple small scoleces that bud from the germinal epithelium). If these protoscoleces are injected into other cotton rats, new
Prognostic Value of Plasma Renin Activity in Renovascular Hypertension
Authors: PHILIPPE MEYER, JEAN ECOIFFIER, JEAN M. ALEXANDRE, CLAUDINE DEVAUX, LOUIS GUIZE, JOËL MENARD, PIERRE BIRON, PAUL MILLIEZ
Journal: Circulation (1967)

Renin activity was measured in 248 plasma samples from 78 hypertensive patients with unilateral angiographic renovascular lesions. The humeral (brachial), the two renal, and the suprarenal or the infrarenal caval, or both, veins were sampled. Peripheral vein renin was poorly correlated with surgical success. Venous renin from the involved kidney was better but still failed consistently to predict postoperative benefit. Only in blood from the suprarenal portion of the vena cava were renin levels of considerable prognostic value (87% accuracy) in operated patients. Increases at this level seem to reflect more closely absolute increments in renin secretion rates, whereas increases limited to the venous blood from a stenosed kidney seem to stem mostly from reduced renal blood flow. It is concluded that determination of suprarenal renin deserves a larger scale investigation to define its place among the preoperative tests used for predicting renosurgical benefit in unilateral renovascular hypertension.
Subcutaneous sarcoidosis-clinicopathological study of 10 cases
Authors: J. Marcoval, J. Mana, A. Moreno, J. Peyri
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2005)

Subcutaneous sarcoidosis is a specific cutaneous lesion of sarcoidosis that is rarely reported.Our purpose was to analyse the clinicopathological features of 10 patients with subcutaneous sarcoidosis and its relationship with the systemic features of the disease.The patients with systemic sarcoidosis, diagnosed from 1974 to 2002 at a university hospital in Barcelona, Spain, who developed subcutaneous involvement, were included in the study. The diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis was made according to conventional criteria. All the patients were monitored prospectively at the sarcoidosis clinic of the hospital. Skin biopsies were performed when granulomatous cutaneous involvement was suspected clinically.Granulomatous cutaneous involvement was demonstrated in 85 of 480 patients with systemic sarcoidosis. In 10 of these 85 patients subcutaneous sarcoidosis was diagnosed (11.8%). The lesions were most frequently located in the extremities, involving the forearms in nine patients. Indurated linear bands from the elbow to the hand were observed in five patients. In all of our patients the subcutaneous nodules appeared at the beginning of the disease. In six patients, the nodules remitted spontaneously in less than 2 years. In two cases foreign particles were detected under polarized light.Subcutaneous sarcoidosis is a quite uniform clinicopathological entity usually appearing at the beginning of the disease. It usually heralds forms of sarcoidosis with nonsevere systemic involvement and is not associated with chronic fibrotic disease.
Metastatic Germ-Cell Cancer
Authors: Jan Menke, Eckhardt Grabbe
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2007)

A 60-year-old man presented with progressive swelling of the right side of the scrotum. He reported no history of trauma to this area and no sexually transmitted infections. The alpha-fetoprotein level was elevated at 3100 μg per liter (normal value, <8), and the serum level of the beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin was less than 1 IU per liter. Multidetector computed tomography with multiplanar reformation (Panel A) showed a large testicular tumor with lymphangitic spread along the testicular vessels to the associated draining lymph nodes below the renal hilus. Right-sided hydronephrosis is present because of compression of the ureter . . .
Simple Test for Pancreatic Enzymes
Authors: Wallace C. Bedell
Journal: JAMA (1964)

A SIMPLE, RELIABLE TEST is needed to identify the presence of pancreatic enzymes in duodenal drainage, wound discharges, and stools. Excellent methods are available for the measurement of amylase, lipase, and trypsin in the serum, but these are not readily applied to body discharges. A variety of indirect measurements of pancreatic function are neither simple nor cheap. It is not surprising, therefore, that the gelatin film test, which eminently meets the requirements of simplicity, remains the standard test in many hospitals for the presence of pancreatic enzymes in stools and duodenal drainage. While there have been entertaining arguments in the literature as to the advantages of one brand of film over another for this, there remains solid evidence<sup>1</sup>that the digestion of a gelatin film, whatever the brand, is dependent primarily on the presence of<i>Escherichia coli</i>and its enzymes. Even in the very young, this is a test
Olfm4 deletion enhances defense against Staphylococcus aureus in chronic granulomatous disease
Authors: Wenli Liu, Ming Yan, Janyce A. Sugui, Hongzhen Li, Chengfu Xu, Jungsoo Joo, Kyung J. Kwon-Chung, William G. Coleman, Griffin P. Rodgers
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2013)

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) patients have recurrent life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections. Olfactomedin 4 (OLFM4) is a neutrophil granule protein that negatively regulates host defense against bacterial infection. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of Olfm4 deletion on host defense against Staphylococcus aureus and Aspergillus fumigatus in a murine X-linked gp91phox-deficiency CGD model. We found that intracellular killing and in vivo clearance of S. aureus, as well as resistance to S. aureus sepsis, were significantly increased in gp91phox and Olfm4 double-deficient mice compared with CGD mice. The activities of cathepsin C and its downstream proteases (neutrophil elastase and cathepsin G) and serum levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12p40, CXCL2, G-CSF, and GM-CSF in Olfm4-deficient as well as gp91phox and Olfm4 double-deficient mice were significantly higher than those in WT and CGD mice after challenge with S. aureus. We did not observe enhanced defense against A. fumigatus in Olfm4-deficient mice using a lung infection model. These results show that Olfm4 deletion can successfully enhance immune defense against S. aureus, but not A. fumigatus, in CGD mice. These data suggest that OLFM4 may be an important target in CGD patients for the augmentation of host defense against bacterial infection.
Economic sanctions towards North Korea
Authors: S. S Shin, R. Y Choi, T. E Novotny
Journal: BMJ (2009)

A violation of the right to health and a call to action

On 12 June 2009, the United Nations Security Council approved its strictest economic sanctions to date against North Korea in response to a series of provocative acts, including the detonation of a nuclear device.1 The United States is also considering expanding sanctions and has appointed a high level task force to coordinate military, political, and financial strategies against North Korea. However, economic sanctions are being considered with virtually no public discussion of their potential effects on the North Korean people. Notably, even the health community has been silent.

In contrast, during the lead up to the Iraq war, health professionals contributed invaluable insights to public discourse regarding the effects of economic sanctions on health.2 3 Prominent health associations published position papers and issued statements opposing their use.2 4 In fact, economic sanctions have been shown to violate the fundamental right to health.2 5 Furthermore, they do not achieve political change—60 years of US sanctions against North Korea have failed to do so. The health …
Behaviour disorders and pattern of crime among XYY males identified at a maximum security hospital.
Authors: W. H. Price, P. B. Whatmore
Journal: BMJ (1967)

<h3>Objectives</h3> To ascertain the antenatal detection rate for cardiac anomalies at Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull Hospitals after the implementation of the FASP guidelines on obtaining outflow tract views. <h3>Methods</h3> Data was collected retrospectively from multiple sources including foetal medicine, maternity information system and neonatal databases. Cases were identified via local foetal medicine referral criteria and cross-referenced against The West Midlands anomaly register. Perinatal data was retrieved locally and from the tertiary referral centre, Birmingham Children’s Hospital. <h3>Results</h3> Fifty seven patients were identified between July 2011 and December 2012 with cardiac abnormalities diagnosed both antenatally and postnatally. The incidence of cardiac anomalies including minor anomalies in this time period was 5.4/1000 births. The antenatal detection rate was 71% which is higher than the national predicted detection rate of 50%. The percentage of live births was 69%, termination of pregnancy and still birth were 26% and neonatal death was 4%. In the postnatal group, 20% babies were managed conservatively and the remaining underwent surgical repair. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Following the implementation of FASP guidelines, our detection rates are higher than the national average. This audit further emphasises the need for routine examination of outflow tract view to achieve better detection rates antenatally. Though the use of Colour Flow Doppler is not a mandatory requirement for screening, its use may provide additional information which could lead to improved detection of Congenital Heart Diseases.