tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Biological monitoring for mercury within a community with soil and fish contamination.
Authors: M Harnly, S Seidel, P Rojas, R Fornes, P Flessel, D Smith, R Kreutzer, L Goldman
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (1997)

To assess the impact of elevated levels of inorganic mercury in soil and dust and organic mercury in fish, biological monitoring was conducted among Native Americans living next to an inactive mercury mine in Clear Lake, California. Of resident tribal members, 46% (n = 56) participated in biomonitoring. Urine mercury levels are equivalent to background, indicating that soil and dust exposures among study participants are not substantial. The average blood organic mercury level among study participants is 15.6 +/- 8.8 micrograms/l (n = 44), which is higher than levels reported by others among those who do not consume fish (2 micrograms/l). Consistent with results from other studies, a correlation between fish consumption and blood organic mercury is observed (p = 0.03). The margin between observed and established adverse effect levels for adults is examined for blood organic mercury and found to be less than 10-fold for 20% of the study population. Protective public health efforts for the study population and other similarly exposed populations, notably those who consume commercial fish products, are considered.
Health risks associated with bathing in sea water.
Authors: A. J. Hall, L. C. Rodrigues
Journal: BMJ (1992)

pesticides have yielded inconclusive results about the risks presented.'Effective safety margins, based on the best risk assessment models and full information, are necessary in making decisions regarding environmental health policy because of this uncertainty.Yet, remarkably, no published comprehensive British environmental health impact assessments or audits of pesticides seem to exist.The British process of registering pesticides does not entail effective audit or environmental health impact assessments.Potential environmental health effects of pesti- cides must be assessed from the start of the extraction process for basic chemicals to the end of the waste disposal process and residue chain.This does not happen.Information on the pollution effects and health effects of energy used in manu- facturing and transporting materials for pesticides is not readily available.Data on resistance of pests and damage to beneficial predators on pests resulting from use of pesticides are lacking.Knowledge of possible pollution effects of pesticides is still limited.Pesticides occur in rain6 and fog" and as pol- lutants of materials and atmospheres in various buildings.Researchers have found many pesticide residues in the air and house dust of homes.8A study recently showed that over nine months the potential exposure of a crawling infant to flea pesticides could exceed the World Health Organisation's no observable effect levels.' Full audits and environmental health impact assess- ments of pesticides would identify such potential sources of pollution, would ensure a better assess- ment ofany chemical's impact on the environment, and should be introduced into all relevant legislation in the United Kingdom.This requires active medical participation to monitor and predict the effects of environmental pollution on health and to ensure that Britain endorses the highest environ- mental standards.'
Response to Letter Regarding Article, “N-Terminal Pro–B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Testing Improves the Management of Patients With Suspected Acute Heart Failure: Primary Results of the Canadian Prospective Randomized Multicenter IMPROVE-CHF Study”
Authors: Gordon W. Moe, Jonathan Howlett, James L. Januzzi, Hanna Zowall
Journal: Circulation (2008)
Abstract 352: Murine model of chordoma: Sonic Hedgehog promoter-driven Cre activation of Brachyury (T) expression induces spinal disk abnormalities and perinatal lethal developmental defects.
Authors: David A. Alcorta, Jennifer A. Maier, Brian D. Harfe, Michael J. Kelley
Journal: Cancer Research (2013)

Abstract Introduction: Chordoma is a rare malignancy arising in the axial skeleton from notochord remnants. The T-box transcription factor, Brachyury (T), is associated with familial chordoma, is expressed in over 90% of chordomas, and is a driver of cell growth in cultured chordoma cells. Suppression of T expression or function in vitro results in down-regulation of cell growth pathways and reduction in matrix formation. To further understand the mechanisms of T's oncogenic properties, we sought to generate a murine model of constitutive, notochord-directed T expression. Methods: To produce elevated expression of T in the notochord-derived (ND) cells, we generated a murine transgenic animal in which a cassette (T/GFP) containing the β-actin promoter, a transcriptional stop sequence flanked by LoxP sites (FS), the murine T cDNA, an intragenic ribosomal entry sequence and a GFP cDNA was homologously recombined into the ROSA26 locus. We termed these animals FS-T/GFP mice. FS-T/GFP mice were mated to mice with Cre expression regulated by the developmentally-timed and tissue-specific control of the Sonic Hedgehog promoter (Shh-Cre mice). Results: Excision of the FS sequence by Cre was confirmed to result in constitutive expression of T and GFP in 293 cells prior to transgenic creation, and subsequently in cultured fibroblasts from ear punches of the transgenic animals. Mice containing homozygous FS-T/GFP at ROSA26 were healthy with no apparent physiologic or developmental defects and with the expected Mendelian ratios of sex and genotype. A cross of FS-T/GFP with Shh-Cre mice resulted in T/Cre pups that died perinatally with grossly evident heart, lung and kidney defects. In addition, these animals showed incomplete fusion of the vertebral bodies, and dysmorphic spinal disks. Elevated T protein levels and GFP co-expression in disk cells was demonstrated by immunofluorescent detection in tissue sections. Summary: Constitutive expression of T in ND lineage cells results in alteration of the morphology of intervertebral disks possibly indicative of a proliferative effect of Brachyury on ND cells. Expression of T in “off-target” tissues that express Sonic Hedgehog likely results in perinatal death. Citation Format: David A. Alcorta, Jennifer A. Maier, Brian D. Harfe, Michael J. Kelley. Murine model of chordoma: Sonic Hedgehog promoter-driven Cre activation of Brachyury (T) expression induces spinal disk abnormalities and perinatal lethal developmental defects. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 352. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-352 Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 because the presenter was unable to attend.
Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Hywel C. Williams
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2005)

A 10-year-old girl with atopic dermatitis reports itching that has recently become relentless, resulting in sleep loss. Her mother has been reluctant to treat the girl with topical corticosteroids because she was told that they damage the skin, but she is exhausted and wants relief for her child. How should the problem be managed?
Extracellular cytolysis by activated macrophages and granulocytes. I. Pharmacologic triggering of effector cells and the release of hydrogen peroxide.
Authors: C F Nathan, L H Brukner, S C Silverstein, Z A Cohn
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1979)

Lymphoma cells were rapidly lysed by activated macrophages and granulocytes in the presence of PMA. Release of 51Cr from lymphoma cells correlated closely with their destruction as viewed by scanning electron microscopy, and with reduction in the number of trypan blue-excluding cells. The standard assay involved 51 Cr release measured at 4.5 h, but injury appeared to be complete in 1 h. Of eight different types of effector cells tested, only those releasing abundant H2O2 in response to PMA were effective, that, is BCG-, C. parvum-, or casein-activated macrophages, or thioglycollate-elicited granulocytes. Normal macrophages, J774 cells, or macrophages elicited with thioglycollate broth or proteose-peptone were ineffective. BCG-activated macrophages and granulocytes caused 50% specific release of 51Cr from P388 lymphoma cells at E:T ratios between 1.4 and 4.5, and from mouse erythrocytes at E:T ratios of 0.017 to 0.025. 10 types of target cells varied widely in their susceptibility to lysis by reagent H2O2, with one-half maximal lysis occurring at H2O2 concentrations ranging from 3.63 X 10(-6) M to 3.85 X 10(-5) M. Effector cells were expected to generate approximately that much H2O2 during the period of injury. Susceptibility of the target cells to lysis by PMA-triggered granulocytes correlated closely with their sensitivity to H2O2 (r = 0.98). The membrane-active agents LPS and digitonin, which did not trigger H2O2 release, did not trigger cytotoxicity. The dose-response curve for triggering of H2O2 release by PMA was identical to that for triggering cytotoxicity. These results provided strong circumstantial evidence for the importance of H2O2 in extracellular cytolysis by activated macrophages and granulocytes when pharmacologically triggered.
THE HEMATOLOGY OF SUBACUTE STREPTOCOCCUS VIRIDANS ENDOCARDITIS
Authors: O. H. PERRY PEPPER
Journal: JAMA (1927)

The clinical picture of subacute bacterial endocarditis has become familiar, but help is still needed in distinguishing the subacute from the acute forms, and the diagnosis of the bacterial type is still dependent on blood culture. To these ends it would seem that the interesting blood changes which occur in this disease should be of help; unfortunately, there are but few satisfactory data available. In the older literature, including the standard works on hematology,<sup>1</sup>no distinctions between the various bacterial types of endocarditis were drawn. After subacute bacterial endocarditis became firmly established as a clinical entity, many references to the blood were made but no grouping according to the bacteriology. The figures given by Simon<sup>2</sup>and by Gulland and Goodall<sup>3</sup>are of this type, while the two leading continental hematologists, Jolly<sup>4</sup>and Naegeli,<sup>5</sup>scarcely mention the matter in their most recent editions. In the current
Arsenic Exposure and Hypertension: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lalita N. Abhyankar, Miranda R. Jones, Eliseo Guallar, Ana Navas-Acien
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2011)

Background: Environmental exposure to arsenic has been linked to hypertension in persons living in arsenic-endemic areas.Objective: We summarized published epidemiologic studies concerning arsenic exposure and hypertension or blood pressure (BP) measurements to evaluate the potential relationship.Data sources and extraction: We searched PubMed, Embase, and TOXLINE and applied predetermined exclusion criteria. We identified 11 cross-sectional studies from which we abstracted or derived measures of association and calculated pooled odds ratios (ORs) using inverse-variance weighted random-effects models.Data synthesis: The pooled OR for hypertension comparing the highest and lowest arsenic exposure categories was 1.27 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09, 1.47; p-value for heterogeneity = 0.001; I2 = 70.2%]. In populations with moderate to high arsenic concentrations in drinking water, the pooled OR was 1.15 (95% CI: 0.96, 1.37; p-value for heterogeneity = 0.002; I2 = 76.6%) and 2.57 (95% CI: 1.56, 4.24; p-value for heterogeneity = 0.13; I2 = 46.6%) before and after excluding an influential study, respectively. The corresponding pooled OR in populations with low arsenic concentrations in drinking water was 1.56 (95% CI: 1.21, 2.01; p-value for heterogeneity = 0.27; I2 = 24.6%). A dose–response assessment including six studies with available data showed an increasing trend in the odds of hypertension with increasing arsenic exposure. Few studies have evaluated changes in systolic and diastolic BP (SBP and DBP, respectively) measurements by arsenic exposure levels, and those studies reported inconclusive findings.Conclusion: In this systematic review we identified an association between arsenic and the prevalence of hypertension. Interpreting a causal effect of environmental arsenic on hypertension is limited by the small number of studies, the presence of influential studies, and the absence of prospective evidence. Additional evidence is needed to evaluate the dose–response relationship between environmental arsenic exposure and hypertension.
The Absorption of Radioiron Labeled Foods and Iron Salts in Normal and Iron-Deficient Subjects and in Idiopathic Hemochromatosis
Authors: Robert B. Chodos, Joseph F. Ross, Leonard Apt, Myron Pollycove, James A. E. Halkett
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1957)

It is generally accepted that, in the absence of bleeding or pregnancy, approximately 1 mg. of iron is lost per day from the body (1-11).As a corollary, the quantity of iron in the body is largely determined by the amount of iron absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.Fundamental knowl- edge of iron absorption has been obtained by bal- ance studies (2,4,(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18), by determination of the increase in the serum iron level (19) or circu- lating hemoglobin (20-21) after oral iron adminis- tration, and by evaluation of the percentage of orally administered radioiron incorporated into hemoglobin (22)(23)(24)(25)(26) or accounted for in both he- moglobin and feces (7, 27).The present investigation was undertaken to compare the absorption of egg and vegetable iron with that of iron salts fed to normal subjects, to patients with iron-deficiency, and to patients with idiopathic hemochromatosis.The method of study used was similar to that introduced by Dubach, Callender, and Moore (27).These investigators showed that the quantity of iron used in hemo- globin formation may not always be a true index of iron absorption (27,28).Since a negligible quantity of iron is excreted into the intestinal tract (1-3, 7-8, 11) and since stool iron is almost en- tirely unabsorbed dietary iron (2), additional in- formation concerning iron absorption may be ob- tained by determining both the percentage of orally administered radioiron incorporated into hemo-
Surfactant protein D interacts with Pneumocystis carinii and mediates organism adherence to alveolar macrophages.
Authors: D M O'Riordan, J E Standing, K Y Kwon, D Chang, E C Crouch, A H Limper
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1995)

Pneumocystis carinii interacts with glycoproteins present in the lower respiratory tract through its mannose-rich surface antigen complex termed gpA. Surfactant protein D (SP-D) is a recently described component of the airspace lining material that possesses a calcium-dependent lectin domain capable of interacting with glycoconjugates present on microorganisms and leukocytes. Accordingly, we evaluated the extent and localization of SP-D in the lower respiratory tract during Pneumocystis pneumonia in an immunosuppressed rat model and examined its role in modulating interaction of P. carinii with macrophages. We report that SP-D is a major component of the alveolar exudates that typify P. carinii pneumonia and is present bound to the surface of P. carinii organisms in vivo. We further demonstrate that SP-D binds to P. carinii through saccharide-mediated interactions with gpA present on the surface of the organism. Lastly, we show that SP-D augments binding of P. carinii to alveolar macrophages, but does not significantly enhance macrophage phagocytosis of the organism. The interaction of SP-D with gpA represents an additional important component of the host-parasite relationship during P. carinii pneumonia.
DELIVERY OF BABIES AFTER FIFTY-FIVE
Authors: Arthur T. Hertig
Journal: JAMA (1952)

<h3>To the Editor:—</h3> I am appealing for help to learn the identity of a few of the women over the age of 55 who have given birth to babies. According to the National Office of Vital Statistics, such births number from 50 to 60 per year in this country. I have contacted this office, but they have no record by individual identity of these patients. I have contacted the Massachusetts Department of Vital Statistics and have found that birth certificates are filed chronologically but are not indexed by age. I am planning to write to registrars of vital statistics in other states along the Atlantic seaboard. Would it be feasible to insert inThe Journalan appeal to medical practitioners of the country at large as to whether any of them knows of bona fide cases of women over the age of 55 giving birth to children? It would be
THE EARLY TREATMENT AND INDICATIONS FOR OPERATION IN APPENDICITIS.
Authors: WILLIAM M. HARSHA
Journal: JAMA (1898)

Although appendicitis is more than ever regarded as a surgical disease, a majority of cases are first treated by medical men. To one trying to follow the drift of opinion on its various phases as expressed by those best informed, it is clear that there is yet a great lack of agreement on many important points. In view of the importance of the history of any given attack a precise diagnosis is indispensable at the earliest possible time. Physicians should therefore carefully examine every case, beginning with or attended by abdominal pain. The diagnosis established, the next step will be either medical treatment or surgical operation. The number of those who favor immediate operation, except in fulminant cases, is small, as compared with the advocates of an observation period of from twenty-four to thirty-six hours. It is the general belief, in which the writer shares, that a considerable
Coronary Sinus Pacing Prevents Induction of Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Panos Papageorgiou, Frédéric Anselme, Charles J. H. J. Kirchhof, Kevin Monahan, Carl A. F. Rasmussen, Laurence M. Epstein, Mark E. Josephson
Journal: Circulation (1997)

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is due to reentry, and its incidence has been shown to decrease after dual-site atrial or biatrial pacing. We investigated whether a simpler pacing approach via the distal coronary sinus (CSd) could eliminate AF inducibility by high right atrial (HRA) extrastimuli (APDs). We based our hypothesis on our previous observation that AF inducibility by HRA APDs was associated with conduction delays to the posterior triangle of Koch, whereas AF was never induced with CSd APDs, which were associated with minimal intra-atrial conduction delays.Programmed electrical stimulation was performed from the high right atrium and CSd, and bipolar recordings were obtained from the high right atrium, His bundle, posterior triangle of Koch, and coronary sinus. In 13 patients (age, 44+/-18 years), AF was reproducibly induced with a critically timed HRA APD (220+/-22 ms) delivered during HRA pacing. AF was not induced in any of the patients when HRA APDs were delivered during CSd pacing at the same critical coupling intervals. Coronary sinus APDs delivered during HRA pacing also were not associated with AF induction. The APD coupling interval measured at the posterior triangle of Koch during CSd pacing was significantly prolonged compared with the one measured during HRA pacing and AF induction (381+/-58 versus 263+/-37 ms; P<.0001).We propose that CSd pacing suppresses the propensity of HRA APDs to induce AF by limiting their prematurity at the posterior triangle of Koch and not allowing local conduction delay and local reentry to occur.
High Expression of Neuropeptide Y Receptors in Tumors of the Human Adrenal Gland and Extra-Adrenal Paraganglia
Authors: Meike Körner, Beatrice Waser, Jean Claude Reubi
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2004)

Abstract Purpose: Recently, a role of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in tumor biology was suggested based on the high density of NPY receptors in breast and ovarian cancers. The high frequency of NPY receptors in steroid hormone-producing ovarian sex cord-stromal tumors, together with the known influence of NPY on steroid hormone and catecholamine secretion in the rodent adrenal gland, led to the investigation of NPY receptor expression in the human adrenal gland and related tumors. Experimental Design: Fifteen adrenal cortical tumors, 20 paragangliomas, 23 pheochromocytomas, 20 neuroblastomas, and 8 normal adrenal glands were investigated by in vitro NPY receptor autoradiography using 125I-labeled peptide YY in competition experiments with receptor subtype selective analogs. Results: Ninety three percent of cortical tumors express Y1, 35% of pheochromocytomas and 61% of paragangliomas express Y1 and Y2, and 90% of neuroblastomas express Y2 receptors. The NPY receptors in pheochromocytomas, paragangliomas, and neuroblastomas are often expressed concomitantly with the NPY hormone detected immunohistochemically. The adrenal cortex strongly expresses Y1, whereas no NPY receptors are found in the adrenal medulla. Conclusions: These receptor data suggest a role of NPY in adrenal cortical tumors and, together with the strong NPY innervation of the cortex, a physiologic role in the adrenal gland, mediated by Y1 receptors. These NPY receptors are a potential new molecular target for the therapy of malignant tumors.
Outpatients with irritable bowel syndrome: a comparison of first time and chronic attenders.
Authors: E A Guthrie, F H Creed, P J Whorwell, B Tomenson
Journal: Gut (1992)

Fifty two chronic clinic attenders with irritable bowel syndrome were compared with 97 newly referred patients in respect of physical symptoms and psychiatric status. Profound differences between the two groups emerged. Many abdominal and non-colonic symptoms were perceived as much more severe in chronic attenders compared with first time attenders (p less than 0.0001 for abdominal pain and abdominal distension). Chronic attenders were much more likely to complain of constant symptoms (p less than 0.05), and the social consequences of their illness were much more striking (p less than 0.0001). There was, however, no difference in the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in the two groups. Clinical trials and other investigations of the irritable bowel syndrome are usually conducted on hospital outpatient populations. The results of this study indicate that the patient populations used for these purposes need to be carefully defined.
Acute Monocytic Leukemia Presenting as Acute Respiratory Failure
Authors: Élie Azoulay, Fabienne Fieux, Delphine Moreau, Guillaume Thiery, Philippe Rousselot, Antoine Parrot, Jean-Roger Le Gall, Hervé Dombret, Benoît Schlemmer
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2003)

Acute respiratory failure revealing acute monocytic leukemia is rare. We report 20 patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) with three remarkable features: (1) rapidly progressive respiratory distress revealing acute leukemia, (2) monocytic leukemia, and (3) respiratory status deterioration after chemotherapy initiation. The median age was 50 years (17-72 years), and respiratory symptoms started 2 days (0-15 days) before ICU admission. The median leukocyte count was 98,250/mm3 (800-529,000), with circulating monocytic cells in all of the patients but one. Bone marrow examination was diagnostic of monocytic leukemia in all patients. At presentation, respiratory rate was 33 (18-50) per minute, and PaO2 on room air was 44.5 mm Hg (30-60). Chest radiographs revealed unilateral alveolar infiltrates (n = 1), bilateral alveolar infiltrates with (n = 3) or without (n = 11) pleural effusion, or diffuse interstitial infiltrates (n = 5). Alveolar hemorrhage was the main bronchoalveolar lavage finding, with monocytic cells retrieved from four patients. Respiratory function deteriorated after cancer chemotherapy initiation in all patients. Of the 15 patients who required mechanical ventilation, 10 died. Leukemic pulmonary infiltration as the first manifestation of acute monocytic leukemia should be recognized, and intensive management should be provided in anticipation of the respiratory function deterioration seen consistently after chemotherapy initiation.