tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Late Luminal Loss Response Pattern After Sirolimus-Eluting Stent Implantation or Conventional Stenting
Authors: Pedro A. Lemos, Nestor Mercado, Ron T. van Domburg, Richard E. Kuntz, William W. O’Neill, Patrick W. Serruys
Journal: Circulation (2004)

We investigated the pattern of late luminal loss after sirolimus-eluting or bare stent implantation.The study population comprised 238 patients treated with sirolimus-eluting stents and 526 patients treated with conventional stents. The distribution of late loss of sirolimus stents was largely skewed to the right and differed from the distribution for bare stents. When divided according to the presence of binary restenosis (diameter stenosis >50%), restenotic lesions in the bare stent group (26.0%) had a late loss of 1.40+/-0.64 mm and in the sirolimus group (7.9%) of 1.16+/-0.76 mm. Nonrestenotic lesions in the bare stent group had a late loss of 0.58+/-0.44 mm, whereas the late loss of nonrestenotic lesions in the sirolimus group remained close to zero (-0.05+/-0.33 mm). Differences between poststenting and follow-up measurements in the sirolimus group (late loss) resembled variations observed in repeated angiographic measurements, as assessed from a random sample of 30 segments measured repeatedly. After multivariate adjustment, stent type did not influence the degree of late loss in restenotic lesions. However, nonrestenotic bare stents had a significantly larger estimated luminal loss (0.58 mm; 95% CI, 0.52 to 0.65) than sirolimus-eluting stents, for which the predicted late loss was almost 0 (-0.04 mm; 95% CI, -0.10 to 0.02).The pattern of late loss after sirolimus-eluting stent implantation follows a peculiar behavior, different from lesions treated with conventional stents. Whether this is explained by an unusual statistical distribution or a biological all-or-none response of restenosis after sirolimus-eluting stenting remains to be investigated.
Linking Compensation to Quality — Medicare Payments to Physicians
Authors: John K. Iglehart
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2005)

Sometime after Congress reconvenes in September, it will consider legislation to eliminate a scheduled reduction of 4.3 percent in Medicare fee-for-service payments to physicians — but there is a trade-off. The reversal will be combined with policies linking payments to new efforts to improve the quality of care. As Representative Bill Thomas, a California Republican who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, wrote recently to Medicare's administrator, “We believe that the time is ripe to tie physician payments to quality performance — a position that we know you share.”Thomas is among three Republicans who chair committees with jurisdiction . . .
820. Development of Efficient Self-Inactive Retroviral Vectors
Authors: Jaehyung Yoon, VivianP. Yip, LillianG. Yun, J.Kelly Ganjei, Youngsuk Yi
Journal: Molecular Therapy (2006)

Retroviral vectors have been widely used in gene therapy due to their simple genomic structure and high transduction efficiency. We previously reported a construction of Moloney murine sarcoma virus (MoMSV) and Moloney murine leukemia virus (MoMLV) hybrid-based retroviral vectors with significantly improved efficiency of transgene expression after stable incorporation into the host genome. In these vectors, contain no coding sequence for the gag, pol, or env gene that can be used for homologous recombination with sequences introduced in the packaging system for a recombination competent retroviruses (RCR) generation.
[326] CHRONIC LIVER INJURY IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE UPREGULATION OF THE ACE2-ANGIOTENSIN-(1-7)-Mas AXIS IN THE RAT
Authors: C.B. Herath, J.S. Lubel, F.J. Warner, Z. Jia, R.G. Dean, R.A. Lew, I.A. Smith, L.M. Burrell, P.W. Angus
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2007)
Medical Mission to Greece and Italy
Authors: Chester M. Jones
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1949)

DURING the spring of 1948, medical missions were sent out under the auspices of the Unitarian Service Committee to various university centers, one to Greece and Italy, one to Poland and Finland, one to Germany, and one to Colombia. The present report deals briefly with experiences of the Greek-Italian Mission, which operated under the chairmanship of Dr. Paul D. White. Like that of previous missions organized and sponsored by the Unitarian Service Committee, its purpose was to meet important medical groups at a university level in centers that had been separated by the war from sources of new information over . . .
Peach allergy pattern: experience in 70 patients
Authors: J. Cuesta‐Herranz, M. Lázaro, M. de las Heras, M. Lluch, E. Figueredo, A. Umpierrez, J. Hernandez, C. Cuesta
Journal: Allergy (1998)

We report the clinical characteristics of peach allergy encountered in a population of peach-allergic patients. We evaluated 165 patients. The 70 peach-allergic patients were diagnosed through clinical history, the skin prick-prick test, and open oral challenge and rub tests to peach. As a pollinic control group, 95 pollen-allergic patients were also evaluated. Some 49% of the patients were male and 51% female. The mean age was 20 +/- 8 years. Oral allergy syndrome (86%) was the most common symptom, followed by contact urticaria (61%) and systemic symptoms (26%). Some 67% of the patients were allergic to peach pulp and 36% reported symptoms related to canned peach. Canned peach and pulp symptoms were statistically associated (P < 0.01), and symptoms to canned peach were more frequently reported by patients with systemic symptoms (P < 0.05). On evaluation of the peach-allergic patients' characteristics, three risk factors--allergy to peach pulp, allergy to canned peach, and peach allergy in non-pollen-allergic patients--were found, indicating development of systemic symptoms on eating peach. Most of the peach-allergic patients (81%) also had pollen allergy, which was linked to a higher prevalence of asthma (73%) than in the pollen-allergic patients of the control group (48%); this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). Finally, two groups were clearly defined by the seriousness of the peach allergy--the non-pollen-allergic patients were more predisposed to the occurrence of systemic symptoms (> 50%), and the pollen-allergic patients to asthma (> 70%).
Systemic lupus erythematosus induced by isoniazid.
Authors: M Salazar-Paramo, R L Rubin, I Garcia-De La Torre
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (1992)

The case is described of a 73 year old man who presented with a lupus-like syndrome related to treatment with isoniazid and had IgG antinuclear antibodies against the nucleo-histone complex (H2A-H2B)-DNA. After a short course of treatment with prednisone and discontinuation of isoniazid the patient9s lupus symptoms resolved and a gradual decrease in antibodies to (H2A-H2B)-DNA occurred. This case suggests that isoniazid is capable of inducing an autoantibody specificity associated with drug related lupus.
Critics attack DSM-5 for overmedicalising normal human behaviour
Authors: G. Watts
Journal: BMJ (2012)

Although not due to be published until May 2013, the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders ( DSM-5 ) is already provoking dissent among psychiatrists and psychologists in Britain. Critics claim it will make an already problematic diagnostic system worse and result in more people being labelled mentally ill.

Producing a new edition of the DSM is a major undertaking. This one, prompted by the accumulation of new information on neurology, genetics, and behavioural sciences, has been compiled by the 162 members of 13 separate work groups, helped by a further 300 advisors and informed by …
Effect of environmental factors on risk of injury of child pedestrians by motor vehicles: a case-control study
Authors: I Roberts, R Norton, R Jackson, R Dunn, I Hassall
Journal: BMJ (1995)

To identify and assess contribution of environmental risk factors for injury of child pedestrians by motor vehicles.Community based case-control study. Environmental characteristics of sites of child pedestrian injury were compared with the environmental characteristics of selected comparison sites. Each comparison site was the same distance and direction from home of control child as was the injury site from home or relevant case child. Two control sites were selected for each injury site.Auckland region of New Zealand.Cases were 190 child pedestrians aged < 15 who were killed or hospitalised after collision with a motor vehicle on a public road during two years and two months. Controls were 380 children randomly sampled from population and frequency matched for age and sex.Traffic volume and speed and level of parking on curbs at injury sites and comparison sites.Risk of injury of child pedestrians was strongly associated with traffic volume: risk of injury at sites with highest traffic volumes was 14 times greater than that at least busy sites (odds ratio 14.30; 95% confidence interval 6.98 to 29.20), and risk increased with increasing traffic volume. High density of curb parking was also associated with increased risk (odds ratio 8.12; 3.32 to 19.90). Risk was increased at sites with mean speeds over 40 km/h (odds ratio 2.68; 1.26 to 5.69), although risk did not increase further with increasing speed.Reducing traffic volume in urban areas could significantly reduce rates of child pedestrian injury. Restricting curb parking may also be effective.
Sequence variation in ZFX introns in human populations
Authors: W. Huang, Y. X. Fu, B. H. Chang, X. Gu, L. B. Jorde, W. H. Li
Journal: Molecular Biology and Evolution (1998)

DNA variation in human populations was studied by examining the last intron of the ZFX gene (about 1, 151 bp) with a worldwide sample of 29 individuals. Only one polymorphic site was found, which is located in an Alu sequence. This polymorphism is present at an intermediate frequency in all populations studied, and could be a shared polymorphism or due to migration among populations in Asia, Europe, and Africa. The nucleotide diversity is 0.04%, supporting the view that the level of nucleotide variation in nuclear DNA is very low in humans. From the sequence data, the age (T) of the most recent common ancestor of the sampled sequences is estimated: the mode of T is about 306,000 years, and the 95% confidence interval of T is 162,000-952,000 years. This mode estimate is considerably older than the estimates from Y-linked sequences.
German evaluation says new drug for alcohol dependence is no better than old one
Authors: N. Stafford
Journal: BMJ (2014)

Germany’s scientific institute for evaluating the effectiveness of medicines has concluded that studies of the alcohol dependence drug nalmefene offers no additional benefits to naltrexone, an older and less costly comparator therapy.

The assessment, by the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, widely known as IQWIG, is in contrast to an assessment issued in October by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which recommended nalmefene as a “possible treatment” for alcohol dependence.1 With 28 nalmefene tablets—one month’s worth—costing £84.84 (€108; $132), the NICE recommendation was criticised by some.2

The IQWIG assessment that an added benefit of nalmefene over naltrexone has not yet been proved will be …
The Early Clinical Manifestations of Lyme Disease
Authors: ALLEN C. STEERE
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1983)

Lyme disease, caused by a tick-transmitted spirochete, typically begins with a unique skin lesion, erythema chronicum migrans. Of 314 patients with this skin lesion, almost half developed multiple annular secondary lesions; some patients had evanescent red blotches or circles, malar or urticarial rash, conjunctivitis, periorbital edema, or diffuse erythema. Skin manifestations were often accompanied by malaise and fatigue, headache, fever and chills, generalized achiness, and regional lymphadenopathy. In addition, patients sometimes had evidence of meningeal irritation, mild encephalopathy, migratory musculoskeletal pain, hepatitis, generalized lymphadenopathy and splenomegaly, sore throat, nonproductive cough, or testicular swelling. These signs and symptoms were typically intermittent and changing during a period of several weeks. The commonest nonspecific laboratory abnormalities were a high sedimentation rate, an elevated serum IgM level, or an increased aspartate transaminase level. Early Lyme disease can be diagnosed by its dermatologic manifestations, rapidly changing system involvement, and if necessary, by serologic testing.
Cultured Podocytes Establish a Size-Selective Barrier Regulated by Specific Signaling Pathways and Demonstrate Synchronized Barrier Assembly in a Calcium Switch Model of Junction Formation
Authors: Jennifer L. Hunt, Martin R. Pollak, Bradley M. Denker
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (2005)

Podocytes form unique cell-cell junctions (slit diaphragms) that are central to glomerular selectivity, although regulation and mechanisms of slit diaphragm assembly are poorly understood. With the use of cultured podocytes, a paracellular permeability flux assay was established to characterize properties of the size-selective barrier. Paracellular flux of differentiated podocytes was measured using anionic fluorescent dextrans of 3, 10, 40, and 70 kD. Podocytes form a highly selective barrier with a 160-fold difference in flux from the 3-kD dextran (11 pmol/min) to the 70-kD dextran (0.06 pmol/min). Barrier development was dependent on podocyte differentiation and not affected by dextran charge. Puromycin, a known podocyte toxin, increased flux 250% in a dose-dependent manner without affecting cell viability. Screening with modulators of specific signaling pathways identified reversible increases in flux with Src tyrosine and Rho kinase inhibition. The calcium switch model of epithelial junction assembly was modified to determine whether podocytes regulate barrier assembly. When cultured in low calcium for 90 min, flux increased by 300% and consistently returned to baseline 24 to 48 h after switching to normal calcium. Similar to classical epithelial junctions, barrier recovery occurred in the presence of cyclohexamide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis. During the calcium switch, there were reversible changes in localization and detergent solubility of the slit diaphragm protein ZO-1 and alpha-actinin-4, whereas nephrin and podocin solubility were unchanged. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that cultured podocytes develop a selective size barrier that is regulated by specific signaling pathways, and similar to classical epithelial junctions, podocytes demonstrate synchronized assembly of the barrier.
PROHIBITED METHODES AND SUBSTANCES ABUSE IN IRANIAN FITNESS ATHLETES AND ITS RELATION TO COGNITIVE FACTORS
Authors: L Same-Siahkalroodi, A Golshanraz, L Poor-Kazemi
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2013)

Introduction We have studied prohibited methods and substances in athletes of fitness at 2011–2012. This study aimed to determine the relations between cognitive variables (self-efficacy, locus of Control, and dysfunctional attitudes) and psychological factors towards prohibited methods and substances in fitness. Methods 300 subjects investigated that comprised a case group of drug abuser and a control group. Each group contained male between 15 to 25 years. Participants were matched, based on salient demographics including age, sex, educational level and social class. The sampling method was simple random from various fitness clubs of Tehran, Iran. They were then studied by self-efficacy questionnaire, locus of control scale, dysfunctional attitude scale, and general health questionnaire. Hypotheses tested by variance analysis and Tukey's test. A structural equation model was developed based on the strength of relationships between these outcome measures. Results Our findings showed that athletes abusing prohibited methods and substances had a lower self-efficacy, more dysfunctional attitudes, and exhibited external locus of control rather than control groups. They were also more sensitive to psychological morbidity. Most of relations were statistically significant. Discussion In general, the possible reasons toward doping including: Increased energy levels. 1 Increase the visual beauty. 2 Develop a positive self-concept. 3 Building self-confidence. 4 Develop a psychological balance. 5 The role of coach 6 . In this situation, abusing prohibited methods and substances may offer to the athlete a quick solution for coping with the extant pressure. Our findings were in accordance with the theoretical basis of cognitive psychology. More than 85% of all the athletes of fitness included in our study do rely on increased physical energy.
Long-term vasodilator therapy of chronic aortic insufficiency. A randomized double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Authors: B Greenberg, B Massie, J D Bristow, M Cheitlin, D Siemienczuk, N Topic, R A Wilson, J Szlachcic, D Thomas
Journal: Circulation (1988)

Although vasodilator drugs acutely reduce regurgitation and improve cardiac performance in aortic insufficiency, their long-term effects on left ventricular size and function are uncertain. Consequently, we performed a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial using hydralazine in 80 minimally symptomatic patients who had clinically stable, moderate-to-severe aortic insufficiency. Patients randomized to hydralazine displayed a progressive reduction in left ventricular end-diastolic volume index (LVEDVI) measured by radionuclide angiography, the predetermined end point of the study. At 24 months, mean LVEDVI had been reduced by 30 +/- 38 ml/m2, an 18% reduction from baseline. In contrast, LVEDVI changed minimally in patients randomized to placebo, and the intergroup differences over time were statistically significant (p less than 0.03). The hydralazine group also experienced reductions in left ventricular end-systolic volume index and increases in ejection fraction that were significantly different (both p less than 0.01) from changes in placebo-treated patients. These findings show that long-term treatment with hydralazine reduces the volume overload in aortic insufficiency and suggest that such therapy may have a beneficial effect on the natural history of the disease.
A SUTURE HOLDER.
Authors: A. E. BENJAMIN
Journal: JAMA (1902)

All operators have found some inconvenience in the use of the forceps to hold sutures as they are introduced in abdominal wounds. A great many forceps are necessary if each suture is to be held at each end by a separate forceps. Much time is consumed in clamping and reclamping the forceps, on the part of the operator and his assistant. I have devised an instrument which may be used for all linear incisions when the sutures are introduced before they are tied. The above illustration represents the two suture holders, A and B, in operation. C and D represent the angles of incision, and the sutures are shown as they pass out of the skin to the loops on the plates. Each instrument consists of a plate of steel about four inches long, three-fourths of an inch wide, and one-eighth of an inch thick. Upon this plate are soldered
P192 Short-term outcome of attempted curative resection for lung cancer in elderly patients
Authors: A. Nazir, S. M. Kazmi, D. Nazareth, J. Greenwood, M. Ledson, M. Walshaw
Journal: Thorax (2011)

<h3>Background</h3> Although resection offers the best chance of cure for most solid tumours, including the lung, &lt;2% of elderly patients (&gt;80 age years) undergo this treatment often because of their perceived frailty and complication rates. Since lung cancer is a disease of the elderly, with up to 30% occurring in this age group, we were interested to review the results of attempted curative resection in older patients referred to our tertiary thoracic surgical unit. <h3>Methods</h3> We reviewed the medical records of all 1481 patients aged 60 or older who had undergone single or bi-lobectomy with curative intent from 2001 to 2008, and divided them into age groups 60–79 (1360 cases, 663 female) and 80+ (121, 41). We looked at their clinical parameters, and then compared the results of surgery in terms of short-term mortality, complication rates, and length of stay. <h3>Results</h3> The older patients had smoked less (median 30 pack years [IQR 20–50] vs 40 [20–54], p&lt;0.5), and had better lung function (FEV<sub>1</sub> 88% [73–103] vs 81% [66–93], p&lt;0.001), but had more heart disease (41% vs 29%, p&lt;0.001). Postoperative results are given in the Abstract P192 table 1. <h3>Conclusion</h3> Although the older patients had more postoperative complications, 94% survived the procedure, indicating that surgical resection with curative intent is a viable proposition in selected cases of lung cancer in the elderly. Thus, age should not be a bar to surgical treatment in the older age group, and this study reiterates the need to consider potentially curative surgery for all age groups with this life threatening disease.
Dietary Carotenoids, Vitamins A, C, and E, and Macular Degeneration
Authors: William G. Christen
Journal: JAMA (1995)

<h3>To the Editor.</h3> —Observational studies and randomized trials both provide important, relevant, and complementary information to the totality of evidence. For antioxidant nutrients and disease, randomized trials, by minimizing the effects of known as well as unknown confounders, provide the most reliable evidence.<sup>1</sup>In addition to the National Eye Institute-sponsored age-related eye disease study mentioned by the authors of a recent article<sup>2</sup>and Editorial,<sup>3</sup>two additional trials of antioxidant vitamins and disease will help to clarify the potentially important public health benefits of vitamin supplementation. The Physicians' Health Study<sup>4</sup>and the Women's Health Study<sup>5</sup>are ongoing trials of cancer and cardiovascular disease in men and women, respectively, that have also been funded by the National Eye Institute to extend investigation to include age-related macular degeneration and cataract. The Physicians' Health Study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of aspirin and beta carotene in cardiovascular disease
Development of pemphigus vulgaris-like lesions in severe combined immunodeficiency disease mice reconstituted with lymphocytes from patients.
Authors: I Juhasz, G S Lazarus, G F Murphy, I M Shih, M Herlyn
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1993)

Pemphigus vulgaris is an autoimmune blistering disease that is induced by binding of antibodies to a 130/85-kD protein complex on epidermal keratinocytes. An in vivo experimental model of this disease was developed by reconstituting severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice with 1-10 x 10(7) PBL from patients with naturally occurring pemphigus vulgaris. Of 49 reconstituted mice, 34 (69%) produced human IgG levels of > 0.1 mg/ml. Circulating anti-pemphigus antibodies were found in 20 of the 34 successfully reconstituted mice; 44% of these animals had deposits of human IgG in their own skin after it was traumatized by either heat or cold. Spontaneous pemphigus vulgaris-like blisters associated with human IgG deposits were rarely found in mouse skin. By contrast, allogeneic human skin grafted to 10 to 12 mice before reconstitution with patients' PBL developed pemphigus vulgaris-like lesions containing human IgG deposits. These results demonstrate that SCID mice can serve as a model of an antibody-mediated human autoimmune skin disease.