tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Regulating herbal medicines in the UK
Authors: Robin E Ferner, Keith Beard
Journal: BMJ (2005)

The accessible Ia molecules on the surface of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells were quantitated in the cellular radioimmunoassay with saturating concentrations of monoclonal antibodies. Monoclonal antibody 21w4, like DA/2 antibody, recognizes monomorphic determinants of human Ia antigens. The amount of 21w4 or DA/2 bound to CLL cells derived from eight patients (varying from 2.6 to 13.9 x 10(5) molecules/cell) appears to be the maximum observed with the antibodies studied. Two other antibodies, 18d5 and 21r5, although also directed at nonpolymorphic Ia determinants, bind differentially to CLL cells, with the ratios of 21r5/21w4 and 18d5/21w4 varying from 0.08 to 0.90. Sequential immmunoprecipitation studies have established that the four epitopes 18d5, 21r5, 21w4, and DA/2 were present on the same molecules. All Ia molecules express 21w4 and DA/2 epitopes, whereas only certain subsets of Ia molecules carry accessible 21r5 or 18d5 epitopes. Competitive binding studies showed that the epitopes recognized by the four monoclonal antibodies were different. Monoclonal antibodies 21r5 and 21w4 did not inhibit each other9s binding. Furthermore, binding of 21w4 to CLL cells potentiated the binding of 125I-21r5 IgG to the same cells, suggesting that binding of 21w4 antibody induces a conformational change in the molecule that renders 21r5 epitopes more accessible.
Discriminant value of psychological distress, symptom profiles, and segmental colonic dysfunction in outpatients with severe idiopathic constipation.
Authors: R L Grotz, J H Pemberton, N J Talley, D M Rath, A R Zinsmeister
Journal: Gut (1994)

Severe idiopathic constipation can be categorised based on physiological testing into subgroups including slow transit constipation and pelvic floor dysfunction. This study aimed to determine if colonic and psychological symptoms, or rectosigmoid transit times, could discriminate among these subgroups. Patients, categorised according to total colonic transit times and pelvic floor function testing, completed a self report questionnaire that recorded symptoms and psychological distress. Patients with normal transit constipation (n = 60) had significantly increased depression scores compared with those who had slow transit constipation (n = 70) or pelvic floor dysfunction (n = 30). The general severity index (GSI, a measure of overall psychological distress) negatively but weakly correlated with total colonic transit (r = -0.26, p &lt; 0.01). A feeling of anal blockage was the only symptom that was associated with pelvic floor dysfunction (v normal transit constipation). Only a more regular defecation pattern, utilisation of different postures to defecate, and a feeling of incomplete evacuation were associated with slow v normal transit constipation. Psychological or colonic symptoms were not, however, significant discriminators in a multivariate analysis. Rectosigmoid transit times at 80% sensitivity had very poor specificity for discriminating pelvic floor dysfunction from other subgroups. It is concluded that clinical symptoms, psychological distress, and rectosigmoid transit times cannot be used to identify subgroups of patients with intractable constipation.
Abstract P1-02-05: Identification of HER-2/neu amplification using amplicon based benchtop next generation sequencing
Authors: BP Portier, K Patel, LJ Medeiros, R Singh, KJ Aldape, S Hamilton, R Luthra, M Routbort
Journal: Cancer Research (2013)

Abstract Introduction Aplicon based next generation sequencing (NGS) assays have the potential to incorporate simultaneous assessment of somatic mutations and copy number variation into a single platform. Although not specifically designed for this purpose, we noted numerous examples of apparent HER-2/neu gene amplification in analyzing results from our mutation profiling 46-gene cancer NGS panel (Life Technologies, South San Francisco, CA). Material and Methods Existing amplicon coverage data from the TorrentSuite 2.0 (Life Technologies) pipeline was accessed and used to generate a HER-2/neu coverage proportion (ratio between all HER-2/neu amplicon reads and all other amplicon reads). This ratio was calculated for 170 unique cases of breast carcinoma. A total of 4 cases were eliminated from analysis due to indeterminate IHC/FISH results. Using a total of 166 cases, we performed ROC curve analysis to determine the sensitivity and specificity of NGS based HER-2/neu amplification compared to that of traditional IHC and FISH testing (MedCalc v8.0). Results The NGS based HER-2/neu coverage proportions in the 166 cases showed a clearly non-normal distribution with an outlier cluster of cases with an elevated NGS HER-2/neu ratio (6 cases with ratios &amp;gt;0.045). The distribution of NGS based HER-2/neu ratios for the entire population ranged from 0.01 to a maximum of 0.34. ROC curve analysis of NGS HER-2/neu proportions compared to IHC/FISH data showed a maximal sensitivity of 75.0% and specificity of 100% at an NGS ratio cut off of ≥0.045. In the 166 cases, 6 showed a HER-2/neu coverage proportion of &amp;gt; 0.045 (range 0.045-0.34). Utilizing the 0.045 NGS ratio cut off value, the population frequency of cases positive for HER2 expression was 3.4%. Of the 160 samples with NGS coverage proportion &amp;lt; 0.045, only two cases were positive by IHC/FISH testing. The correlation between NGS HER-2/neu coverage proportion and IHC/FISH testing was highly significant (Spearman rank correlation r = 0.67, p &amp;lt; 0.0001 CI: 0.58-0.75). Conclusions Even utilizing a limited somatic cancer panel that includes less than 200 amplicons in 46 genes, clinically significant HER-2/neu amplification can be readily identified. This is the first study to describe the functional utility of HER-2/neu amplification detection using a NGS based amplicon assay. This study shows that in addition to mutation analysis, amplification data can be simultaneously obtained, which has striking implications for potential clinical utility and HER-2/neu amplification detection outside of traditional IHC and HER2 testing modalities. Furthermore, utilizing this assay as a primary screening modality could limit the additional expense of multiple single gene testing. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P1-02-05.
Epithelioma adenoides cysticum: genetic update
Authors: DAVID E. ANDERSON, JAMES B. HOWELL
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (1976)

Epithelioma adenoides cysticum (EAC) is a well-known genodermatosis which follows an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Questions still remain, however, concerning an apparent excess of females with EAC. An analysis of nineteen previously published pedigrees and one newly ascertained pedigree, which in the aggregate included over 175 cases of EAC, indicated no excess of affected females, but rather, a marked deficit of affected males. This deficiency was not the consequence of sex linkage or decreased viability, and was most evident in large pedigrees and sibships, sibships not including the probands, and late birth orders. In these situations, the penetrance of EAC in male gene carriers was only 50%, but was close to 100% in female gene carriers. Under maximum detection conditions, i.e. small pedigrees, small sibships, sibships containing the proband, and early birth orders, the penetrance in males increased to 85% and was again close to 100% in females. These findings suggested that the deficit of affected males was best explained by a combination of lessened expressivity and penetrance, effects which were magnified under situations of poor detection. A review of familial cases of EAC indicated no consistent associated anomalies such as those that characterize the naevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome.
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION WITH BUNDLE-BRANCH BLOCK COMPLICATED BY SEPTAL PERFORATION
Authors: John L. Bohan
Journal: JAMA (1960)

A physically active man began, at the age of 69 years, to have a series of episodes of severe chest pain. At the age of 71 years an attack of intense and persistent substernal pain, unaffected by medication, caused him to enter a hospital. On the third day the return of pain was accompanied by a decline in blood pressure until neither blood pressure nor radial pulse could be obtained and dyspnea and anuria supervened. At autopsy, eight days after the onset of pain, and three and one-half days after the decline had led to the diagnosis of septal perforation, an irregularly shaped opening, measuring 1.5 cm. in diameter, was found in the interventricular septum, permitting communication between the right and left ventricles.
Toxicant-associated steatohepatitis in vinyl chloride workers
Authors: Matt Cave, Keith Cameron Falkner, Mukunda Ray, Swati Joshi-Barve, Guy Brock, Rehan Khan, Marjorie Bon Homme, Craig J. McClain
Journal: Hepatology (2009)

Although nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is typically associated with obesity, it has also been reported to occur in lean individuals exposed to industrial chemicals. Occupational exposure to vinyl chloride (VC) is a well-documented risk factor for hemangiosarcoma, but has not previously been associated with steatohepatitis. Here we evaluate liver biopsies from 25 nonobese, highly exposed VC workers for steatohepatitis. Next, we evaluate associated metabolic and cytokine abnormalities in affected workers controlled by 26 chemical workers with no to minimal VC exposures, and 11 unexposed, healthy volunteers. Among highly exposed VC workers the prevalence of steatohepatitis was 80%. Of these, 55% had fibrosis and four had hemangiosarcoma. We have coined the term toxicant-associated steatohepatitis (TASH) to describe this condition, which was not explained by obesity or alcohol. Although mean serum transaminases were normal in TASH, total cytokeratin 18, but not the caspase-cleaved fragment, was elevated. Despite the absence of obesity, workers with TASH had insulin resistance with reduced adiponectin levels. TASH was also associated with markedly elevated serum tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukins 1beta, 6, and 8. Serum antioxidant activity was reduced in TASH.TASH occurred frequently in these nonobese VC workers with high cumulative exposures and normal liver enzymes. Elevated total cytokeratin 18 suggested the presence of necrotic cell death in TASH and may be a useful serologic biomarker. TASH was further characterized by insulin resistance, elevated proinflammatory cytokines, and impaired antioxidant defenses. The threshold VC exposure and the role of other chemical agents in TASH are as yet unknown.
Perkeo, the Dwarf-Jester of Heidelberg
Authors: Gerald P. Hodge
Journal: JAMA (1969)

Whether it was curiosity, respect, or monetary avariciousness, there has rarely been a segment of time known to man when a great deal of interest was not shown in dwarfs. Today our interest is medical. In the span of Perkeo's life during the 18th century, dwarfs provided amusement in the royal circles, and he did not disappoint them. Portraits of dwarfs can be found in almost all periods of art and abundant representations may be seen in early Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Mayan, and pre-Columbian cultures. In antiquity, hunchback dwarfs were considered ill omens, and even in the early Christian era were thought to be discriminated against by the gods. Much later, to their good fortune, they became symbols of good luck and in time, instead of being relegated to the group of sick and deformed beings despised by society, the clever ones led good existences if they played their hands
FOOD POISONING PROBABLY CAUSED BY BACILLUS PROTEUS
Authors: Morrill L. Ilsley
Journal: JAMA (1928)

On Tuesday, Oct. 4, 1927, there occurred thirty-six cases of intestinal poisoning among the personnel of the Sigma Nu fraternity house at Colgate University, Hamilton, N. Y. On Saturday, October 1, chickens were purchased for the Sunday noon meal and were only partially consumed on Sunday. Those that remained were not used until Tuesday. As a result of local conditions and not the fault of the fraternity, the house was without ice from about Sunday noon until Monday night. On the morning of the 4th, the matron ate some of this left-over chicken and about one and a half hours later was taken with severe intestinal cramps and vomiting. The noonday meal on Tuesday was prepared by two of the members of the fraternity in her absence. They noticed a peculiar odor in the kitchen and one of them noticed that the chicken smelled as though it contained onion. This chicken
Viral gastroenteritis sickens hundreds on cruise ships
Authors: F. Charatan
Journal: BMJ (2002)

Cruise ship companies are advising passengers to wash their hands after several outbreaks of gastroenteritis among travellers. But they deny that the problem is caused by anything on the ships.

Since last May, passengers on at least 10 US cruise ships sailing from ports as far apart as Seattle, Vancouver, Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Barcelona, and the United Kingdom have been infected with the virus, which is similar to the Norwalk virus (also known as winter vomiting virus). It has infected at least 1400 passengers and crew on the 10 ships.

US cruise lines are required …
The Hypertensive Patient
Authors: Robert F. Maronde
Journal: JAMA (1975)

THE GOAL of the physician in the treatment of the hypertensive patient should be to achieve a blood pressure as near normal as possible with minimal adverse drug effects. Therapeutic compliance by the patient is inversely related to the severity of reactions attributed to medication. Patients frequently will not volunteer such information. Questioning in some detail by the physician may be required to assess correctly the degree of patient compliance. <h3>Indications for Hospitalization</h3><h3>Diastolic Pressure of 135 mm Hg.—</h3> Patients with a diastolic pressure of 135 mm Hg or higher, or patients with retinal hemorrhages or papilledema, should be hospitalized and treated promptly. If papilledema is present or if the diastolic pressure is sustained at levels of 150 mm Hg or higher, parenteral therapy with diazoxide or hydralazine hydrochloride or sodium nitroprusside should be instituted. Diazoxide should be given in a bolus intravenously. Hydralazine and sodium nitroprusside are given by
The 50th Anniversary of the Discovery of Immunologic Tolerance
Authors: Leslie Brent
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2003)

On October 3, 1953 — almost exactly half a century ago — Rupert E. Billingham, Peter B. Medawar, and I published a paper in Nature titled "'Actively Acquired Tolerance' of Foreign Cells."1 Medawar was the senior author, Billingham was his research fellow, and I was Medawar's postgraduate student. I was about to begin the third and final year of my Ph.D. studies. Immunologic tolerance formed an important, but not the only, part of my thesis. The eight-page preliminary paper in Nature firmly established the basis of immunologic tolerance and, in part, its mechanism. Seven years later, it led to the . . .
A clinician's guide to setting up audit.
Authors: B W Ellis, T Sensky
Journal: BMJ (1991)

7 potentially missed because of normal auditory brain stem responses.Acoustic reflexes have the advantages of being cheap, easy to perform, and usually immediately available.Despite their poor specificity their routine use would mean that about a third of patients could be reassured at their initial clinic visit and not require further investigation.However, the criteria used by us for normality are much stricter than those usually quoted, and they have not been widely used for this purpose.Further evaluation of sensitivity is necessary in a large group of patients with tumours.This study shows that there are economic and clinical justifications for including tests of auditory brain stem responses and acoustic reflex thresholds in serial protocols for investigating suspected lesions of the cerebellopontine angle.With escalating health care costs many areas of clinical practice justify the close inspection that can generate such conclusions.Clinical audit should always take precedence over financial audit; when there are various options which are equally acceptable clinically, however, economic considera- tions may show some procedures to be more efficient than others, and these should be preferred.We thank Professor M P Haggard for his helpful comments during the preparation of this paper.* A strategy and timetable for developing audit * Organisation of audit and a description of types of audit to be used
OMEGA-3 POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACID SUPPLEMENTS DOSE AND CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS
Authors: Charalambos Vlachopoulos, Dimitrios Terentes-Printzios, Dimitri Richter, Konstantinos Aznaouridis, Nikolaos Ioakeimidis, Christodoulos I Stefanadis
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2013)
Use of a murine monoclonal antibody for detection of circulating plasma DF3 antigen levels in breast cancer patients.
Authors: D F Hayes, H Sekine, T Ohno, M Abe, K Keefe, D W Kufe
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1985)

The murine monoclonal antibody (MAb), designated DF3, reacts with a 300,000-mol wt mammary epithelial antigen. A sequential double-determinant radioimmunoassay (RIA) has been developed to monitor circulating DF3 antigen. Using this assay, we have demonstrated that 33 of 36 normal women had plasma RIA antigen levels less than 150 U/ml. In contrast, 33 of 43 patients (76%) with metastatic breast cancer had RIA DF3 antigen levels greater than or equal to 150 U/ml. The difference between these two groups was statistically significant (P less than 0.001). Similar results have been obtained with a double-determinant enzyme-linked immunoassay (EIA). Only 6 of 111 age-matched normal subjects had EIA DF3 antigens levels greater than or equal to 30 U/ml, while 42 of 58 patients (72%) with breast cancer had levels equal to or above this value. Thus, similar patterns of specificity are obtained with the EIA or RIA. The elevation of circulating DF3 antigen levels in breast cancer patients has been confirmed by transfer blot assays. MAb DF3 reactivity occurred predominantly with circulating antigens of three different molecular weights ranging from 300,000 to approximately 400,000 mol wt. We also demonstrate that patients with both primary and metastatic breast cancer who were free of detectable disease at the time of sampling have DF3 antigen levels that are similar to those obtained from normal subjects. While patients with hepatoma (27%) and ovarian carcinoma (47%) also had elevated circulating DF3 antigen levels, the results suggest that DF3 antigen levels may be useful in distinguishing breast cancer patients from those with esophageal, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, and lung carcinomas. Furthermore, the results of the RIA, EIA, and transblot analyses demonstrate that the measurement of circulating DF3 antigen levels provides a new and potentially useful marker to follow the clinical course of patients with metastatic breast cancer.
DOBUTAMINE-MEDIATED SEPTAL REVERSIBILITY IN GATED DOBUTAMINE THALLIUM IMAGING
Authors: S. M. Devers, J. J. Pippin, T. D. Payne, C. M. Carr, C. J. Branstetter, A. D. Ross, S. J. Durham
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (1996)

Devers, S.; Pippin, J. J.; Payne, T. D.; Carr, C. M.; Branstetter, C. J.; Ross, A. D.; Durham, S. J. Author Information
OCCUPATIONAL DERMATITIS DUE TO PARACHLORMETACRESOL
Authors: W. H. Guy
Journal: JAMA (1941)

We have observed 12 cases of vesicular dermatitis involving mostly the palm of the left hand of girls employed in labeling and capping whisky bottles. Two kinds of glue, lacquered labels and viscos caps were handled. Patch tests with glue, lacquered labels and washed viscos caps gave negative results. However, the fluid in which the viscos caps were shipped to the distillery produced positive reactions in all cases. The girls held several of the viscos caps wet with the preservative shipping fluid in the palm of the left hand preparatory to capping bottles. The dermatitis ensued in varying lengths of time in different persons and involved to a less extent the right hand and the dorsal surfaces of both hands. The shipping fluid was reported to contain 1 to 1.5 per cent of parachlormetacresol. After repeated attempts to obtain the chemical from the logical sources without avail we obtained parachlormetacresol
My Life and Medicine: An Autobiographical Memoir
Authors: Henry T. Ricketts
Journal: JAMA (1971)

Dr. White, dean of cardiology in this country if not the world, has written a delightful book. From its pages he emerges as a hard-working, dedicated physician and humanist; a missionary zealot for the preventive aspects of cardiology; a foe of sloth, obesity, and tobacco; and a devotee in the cause of international peace. His literary style, like himself, is straightforward. He tells of his many honors and achievements, and of his acquaintance with numerous celebrities, as matters of fact, with neither false modesty nor unseemly pride. The same tone prevails in the very detailed account of his care of President Eisenhower during his several illnesses; here, however, a hint of proud satisfaction creeps in, but only because his enhanced prestige allowed him to speak more effectively to the populace on the subject of heart disease and its prevention. Like Elliott P. Joslin, another almost indestructible New England physician who
Possible harms in sharing patients' clinical notes
Authors: J. Woodman, A. Hardip-Sohal, G. Feder, R. Gilbert
Journal: BMJ (2015)

As Walker and colleagues say,1 the move to providing patients with online access to records is accelerating, here and in the US. UK general practices are currently obliged to provide patient online access to the summary care record. Under the 2015-16 contract, practices will be required to offer patients online access to all coded information in their record. …
294 Eosinophils, T-lymphocytes, mast cells, neutrophils and macrophages in bronchial biopsies from atopic asthmatics: Comparison with atopic non-asthma and relationship to bronchial hyperresponsiveness
Authors: B BRADLEY, M AZZAWI, M JACOBSON, B ASSOUFI, J COLLINS, A IRANI, L SCHWARTZ, S DURHAM, P JEFFERY, A KAY
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (1991)
Emergency service is closer to four hour target but still lacks consultants
Authors: Lynn Eaton
Journal: BMJ (2004)

NHS emergency departments are much closer to meeting the government's target of patients spending no more than four hours in the departments than they were two years ago, according to a report by the National Audit Office, the spending watchdog that reports to parliament. But there is still room for improvement, says the head of the audit office, John Bourn.

“There is scope in those trusts which are behind the best for further reductions in the time patients spend in A&E [accident and emergency],” he said.

The continuing shortage of appropriately trained …
UNUSUAL ARTICULATION OF THE ASTRAGALUS AND THE OS CALCIS
Authors: Charles E. Farr
Journal: JAMA (1926)

Many cases of lipping of the posterior edge of the astragalus are seen, and a few cases of an extratarsal bone are observed; but these are rare. The case here reported is unique in that it shows an extreme projection from the posterior surface of the astragalus, with a separate joint for this projection on a corresponding projection of the os calcis. Consultation with the anatomic department at Cornell University revealed no similar finding in their records. The surgical significance of this unusual finding is obvious in that a slight trauma might easily fracture this projection and cause considerable temporary disability. I saw one such case in consultation, but the extra articulation was not present. The posterior projection of the astragalus was almost as marked as in the case presented. This patient was a laboring man who had received a fairly severe contusion of the foot, and the roentgenogram was