tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Corticosteroids in Therapy of Advanced Mammary Cancer
Authors: B. A. Stoll
Journal: BMJ (1963)

It is remarkable that in spite of a rather frightening list of side-effects, therapy with corticosteroids is being advocated in a widening variety of diseases. In recent years the use of corticoids in advanced mammary cancer has been reported, and the term  medical adrenalectomy  is becoming increasingly fashionable. While the role of  as against hypophysectomy, in this disease is still being hotly debated, the role of corticosteroid therapy has not been clarified. The papers published to date on this subject are on small series, and do not agree on such vital points as the proportion of cases responding, the most effective compounds, the optimal dose level, and the relationship between benefit from corticosteroids and tjiat from sex-hormone manipulation or adrenalectomy. Of critical importance also, but so far unestablished, is the selection of cases likely to respond to such therapy, and the possible additive effect of other agents given concurrently. Since cortisone administration leads to atrophy of the adrenal cortex, its use in cancer of the breast has been loosely referred to as a  medical adrenalectomy, and varying degrees of benefit have been claimed in a number of reports (West et al., 1954; Pearson et al., 1955; Lemon and Reynolds, 1956; Read, 1957; Kolodziejska, 1959). At one extreme it has been suggested that cortisone is as effective as either adrenalectomy plus oophorectomy, or hypophysectomy, both in survival and objective remission rate (Lemon, 1961). At the other extreme it has been graphically stated that  corticosteroids merely allow the breast-cancer patient to walk to the necropsy room (G. Escher, personal communication, 1960). In recent years several trials of prednisolone in breast cancer have been reported (Kennedy,1957; Kofman et al., 1957; Lemon, 1959; Gardner et al., 1962). I have pre viously reported trials of prednisolone combined with  nitromin  (nitrogen mustard oxide) (Stoll, 1960a), and also of dexamethasone (9a-fluoro-166a-methyl-prednisolone) administration in breast cancer (Stoll, 1960b).
Genomic Technology Applied to Pharmacological Traits
Authors: Jun J. Yang, Robert M. Plenge
Journal: JAMA (2011)

Advances in genomic technologies have enabled a deeper understanding of a variety of phenotypes relevant to clinical medicine. The ability to test hundreds of thousands of inherited genetic markers for association with medical traits (genome-wide association studies, or GWAS) has led to exciting new discoveries. While GWAS of diseases focuses on disease onset and rate of progression, the term pharmacogenomics refers to the application of GWAS and related genomic technologies to understanding variability in treatment outcome of a disease (a drug's efficacy or toxicity).
Value of antenatal diagnosis of abnormalities of the urinary tract.
Authors: J. D. Greig, P. A. Raine, D. G. Young, A. F. Azmy, J. R. MacKenzie, F. Danskin, M. J. Whittle, M. B. McNay
Journal: BMJ (1989)

To assess the value of antenatal diagnosis of abnormalities of the urinary tract on ultrasonography.Retrospective study.Two obstetric units in Glasgow.62 Fetuses in which renal abnormalities were diagnosed on antenatal ultrasonography.Six fetuses had their bladders aspirated to determine renal function. Fifteen pregnancies were terminated on the basis of the findings on antenatal ultrasonography, and if possible necropsy was performed on the fetuses. In babies who were born alive the final diagnosis was made by postnatal ultrasonography, intravenous urography, radionuclide scanning, cystography, and, in those who died in the early neonatal period, necropsy. Neonates who were referred with a known obstructed kidney had nephrostomy or pyeloplasty.Assessment of the value of antenatal diagnosis of renal abnormalities on ultrasonography for babies who had no clinical evidence of disease postnatally.Eighteen fetuses did not survive birth; the antenatal diagnosis was accurate in all 18. Of the 44 babies born alive, five had normal urinary tracts, in two of whom antenatal ultrasonography had probably indicated a false positive diagnosis. Fourteen babies died during the early neonatal period. Twenty five babies with renal abnormalities were followed up; the antenatal diagnosis was inaccurate for 10 of them, the commonest misdiagnosis being hydronephrosis for multicystic kidney and vice versa, and there was one false positive diagnosis. The initial clinical findings in 14 babies would have led to the early detection of a urological abnormality. In the 30 babies with no clinical evidence of disease the antenatal diagnosis was of definite value in eight, probable value in 15, and marginal value in seven. Overall, an accurate antenatal diagnosis was made in 46 of the 62 cases (74%); in 12 cases renal disease was detected but its specific nature was not determined; and in four cases the diagnosis was misleading.The overall value of antenatal diagnosis is that it indicates early termination of fetuses with fatal renal disease, prepares parents and medical staff for the likelihood of serious neonatal problems, and shows abnormalities of the urinary tract that may not be detected postnatally.
Prediction of hip fracture in elderly women: a prospective study.
Authors: R W Porter, C G Miller, D Grainger, S B Palmer
Journal: BMJ (1990)

OBJECTIVE--To assess the relative importance of osteoporosis of the os calcis, cognisance, and mobility in the risk of subsequent fracture of the hip in elderly women. DESIGN--Prospective study of elderly women in residential care over two years. SETTING--21 Private or 38 local authority residential homes for the elderly and 4 geriatric hospitals in Doncaster and Hull. SUBJECTS--1414 Ambulant women aged over 69, in private or local authority residential care or geriatric care. Those who had had bilateral hip surgery were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Broad band ultrasonic attenuation (BUA) index, Clifton assessment procedures for the elderly test (for cognisance), and mobility on a six point scale, and fracture of the hip in the subsequent two year period. RESULTS--73 Women fractured their hip during the two years. Their mean age was not significantly different from that of the women who did not have a fracture (85.3 (SD 5.6) v 83.9 (6.3); p = 0.07), but their mean BUA index (40.3 (19.3) v 50.9 (22.2) db/MH2), and score for cognisance (median 19 (interquartile range 10.5-27.0) v 24 (17-30)) were significantly lower (both p less than 0.001). These variables had independent associations with fracture of the hip. Women with fractures had a significantly lower score for the psychomotor component of the cognisance test (4.5 (1-8) v 7 (2-10); p less than 0.0025 and were significantly more mobile (1(1-3) v 3 (1-6); p less than 0.02). Subdividing women according to high, medium, and low scores for BUA index and cognisance testing disclosed a high risk group (118 women) with low BUA index and cognisance score, whose incidence of fracture was 12.8%; in the group at lowest risk (136 women) with high BUA index and cognisance score, the incidence of fracture was only 1.5% (relative risk 8.4 (95% confidence interval -2.0 to 35.5]. Further analysis showed that those most at risk were, additionally, most mobile but that less mobile women with good cognisance had a low incidence of fractures, regardless of the BUA index, (1.2%, high index, v 0.9%, low index). CONCLUSIONS--Elderly women most at risk of sustaining hip fractures were those with low BUA index, low cognisance test score, and high mobility. Improving bone strength and cognisance in elderly women may reduce their incidence of hip fracture.
PTU-116 Expression of NLRP3 inflammasome proteins in normal and Crohn's disease colon: Abstract PTU-116 Table 1
Authors: M B Sprakes, M McDermott, J Hamlin
Journal: Gut (2012)

Introduction The pathogen recognition receptor, NLRP3, and its inflammasome are implicated in the innate immunity.1 Both intracellular and extracellular stressors induce its activation including the bacterial protein muramyl dipeptide,2 also recognised by NLRC2 (NOD2) which is known to be associated with Crohn's disease (CD). Little is known about expression of the NLRP3 inflammasome in normal gastrointestinal tract (GIT) or in CD, therefore the expression profile of four inflammasome proteins in the GIT has been investigated in this study. Methods Paraffin embedded colonic tissue from healthy controls (HC) and CD patients were cut and fixed on slides. Protein antigens were exposed by pressure cooker heating in 0.01% antigen retrieval solution and water. Following application of a primary antibody (anti-NLRP3, anti-ASC, anti-pyrin, anti-caspase-1) the proteins were observed by washing in DAB/chromogen solution, following incubation with a Horseradish peroxidase-labelled secondary antibody. Degree of staining was assessed using a validated Quick score model3 where intensity of staining is scored 0–3, and proportion of cells stained is scored 0–5, a maximum Quick score per sample of 8. Differences in expression between HC and CD samples were analysed using Mann–Whitney U test. Results Colonic biopsies from 20 HC and 20 CD patients were stained for NLRP3, ASC, Pyrin and Caspase-1 protein expression. All four proteins were expressed in HC and CD tissue. There were significant differences in expression of all 4 proteins when HC and colonic CD samples were compared ([Abstract PTU-116 table 1][1]). View this table: Abstract PTU-116 Table 1 Difference in expression of inflammasome proteins Conclusion The NLRP3 inflammasome is expressed in normal, healthy GIT mucosa and is upregulated in colonic tissue from CD patients with active disease. This suggests the NLRP3 inflammasome may play a role in mucosal immunity in CD patients. Competing interests None declared. References 1. Petrilli V , Dostert C, Muruve DA, et al. The inflammasome: a danger complex triggering innate immunity. Curr Opin Immunol 2007; 19 :615–22. 2. Martinon F , Agostini L, Meylan E. Identification of bacterial muramyl dipeptide as activator of the NALP3/cryopyrin inflammasome. Curr Biol 2004; 14 :1929–34. 3. Detre S , Saclani Jotti G, Dowsett M. A “quickscore” method for immunohistochemical semiquantification: validation for oestrogen receptor in breast carcinomas. J Clin Path 1995; 48 :876–8. [1]: #T1
Ingestion of Toxic Substances by Children
Authors: M Shannon
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2000)

Ingestion of a harmful substance is among the most common causes of injury to children less than six years of age. Fortunately, in most cases, the ingested agent has minimal or no clinically important toxic effect. Occasionally, however, such ingestion can be life-threatening or can even result in death. Although preventive measures have been remarkably successful in reducing the frequency and severity of poisoning in children, poisoning continues to occur and requires strategies for treatment and prevention that are safe and effective. In this review, I discuss the management of poisoning in children, with an emphasis on current guidelines for . . .
Hand radiography: an indicator of upper cervical disease in rheumatoid arthritis.
Authors: M N Akman, G Dincer
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (1992)

Letters to the editor antigen was detected as long as three and 17 years after yersinia infection,7 suggesting that the microbial structures can persist in the tissues.The antigens are found in mesenteric and cervical lymph nodes and in the skin," and, during the acute phase of infection, in peripheral blood cells of almost every patient, including patients who will not develop reactive arthritis.'2Thus the presence of antigens in the blood provides an explanation for extensive antigen dissemination, but not for the development of reactive arthritis and other clinically significant extraintestinal manifestations.Possibly, extraintestinal symptoms derive from inflammatory hyperreactivity of the patient to the antigenic stimulus.It has been reported that neutrophils of HLA-B27 positive subjects without a history of yersinia infection and of patients with previous yersinia reactive arthritis show enhanced neutrophil migration in response to a chemotactic stimulus in vitro3 and in vivo,3 as do patients with ankylosing spondylitis, at least in vitro."'Furthermore, neutrophils from patients who have a history of severe actue yersinia triggered reactive arthritis,'5 or with sequelae,4 show increased generation of oxygen radicals in vitro.NAP-l/ IL-8 stimulates neutrophil chemotaxis and oxygen radical production5 and might thereby contribute to the neutrophil hyperactivity.In conclusion, the results show that both control and lipopolysaccharide induced NAP- 1/IL-8 production by monocytes was similar in subjects with past yersinia arthritis or enteritis and unaffected subjects, and did not differ between HLA-B27 positive and negative subjects.This seems to rule out an aberrant function ofmonocytes, at least for the synthesis and release of NAP-1/IL-8, one of their major products, in the triggering of reactive arthritis.
Affective brain-computer interfaces: Special Issue editorial
Authors: Christian Mühl, Brendan Allison, Anton Nijholt, Guillaume Chanel
Journal: Brain-Computer Interfaces (2014)

Over the last several years, brain-computer interface (BCI) research has grown well beyond initial efforts to provide basic communication for people with severe disabilities that prevent them from communicating otherwise. Since BCIs rely on direct measures of brain activity, users do not have to move in any way to convey information. During the early years of BCI research, BCI systems had little to offer healthy users. Since most users can communicate quickly and easily by speaking or typing, why would healthy people use a BCI?
Several different answers to this question have been presented. For example, when healthy users’ hands and/or voice are not available in certain situations, they may experience ‘situational disability’. In that situation, healthy users may need a low-bandwidth interface. Healthy people may use a BCI just for fun; the idea of communicating just through brainwaves is new and exciting to many people. BCIs may also detect emotion, arousal, or other characteristics that would otherwise be burdensome, irritating, or impossible to convey through other means. 
The last category of BCIs presented includes ‘affective BCIs’ or ‘aBCIs’, which are BCIs that detect affect. Information about users’ affect could be used to modify the user’s interaction with software and people in real time. For example, the alpha WoW system can change a user’s World of Warcraft avatar if the user’s EEG indicates an increased level of stress. Users could always press a button to send this information, but doing so creates some distraction and burden just when the user exhibits stress, and may need hands free to deal with ingame challenges. Similarly, games or other software applications might automatically adapt to states when users seem overburdened or bored. Again, users could choose to press a button when they want to increase or decrease their workload, but might prefer to keep focused on their work while the environment adapts automatically.
Valuing Quality of Life and Improvements in Glycemic Control in People With Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Marcia A Testa, Donald C Simonson, Ralph R Turner
Journal: Diabetes Care (1998)

Outcomes research is used increasingly for assessing the health economic benefits of new therapeutic programs and interventions. The measurement properties of the outcomes assessment tools are important. If overlooked, they can mislead health care administrators and caregivers regarding the importance and value of these programs and interventions. We reviewed the literature and conducted two analyses to determine the absolute, relative, and operative quality-of-life ranges for people with type 2 diabetes. Quality of life and fasting blood glucose and HbA1c concentrations were measured at baseline and at 4,8, and 12 weeks of treatment in 569 men and women randomized to either glipizide gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS) or placebo in a double-blind, multicenter clinical trial. A subgroup of 290 patients completed a diabetes-specific health states questionnaire at endpoint (week 12 or early termination) rating 10 health-state descriptions on a health thermometer scale ranging from 0 (death) to 100 (full health). Health losses at the higher end of the scale had a greater negative utility than did comparable losses at lower health states, indicating patients' strong preferences for maintaining asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic conditions. Patients rated their current health state at 83.4 ± 0.8% of full health and indicated that a loss of 27 points below this value would prevent them from living and working as they currently do. The calibration analysis applied to the quality-of-life scales suggested that the targeted range for clinical investigation and quality-of-care evaluation must be more narrowly focused. Effect sizes as seemingly small as 2% (0.25 responsiveness units) on the absolute scale can correspond to quality-of-life losses of 15–20% on the personal operative scale. Differences in glycemic control clearly affected quality of life. Those patients with the best HbA1c responses (decreasing 1.5% or more from baseline) versus those with the worst responses (increasing 1.5% or more from baseline) were separated by 0.6 responsiveness units for the overall quality-of-life summary measure. The calibration analysis suggested that this degree of better glycemic control provides a nearly 50% gain in quality of life according to personal expectations within the operative range. In conclusion, general measures of quality of life may be too crude and insensitive to capture the important gains in health outcomes due to new therapeutic interventions and programs in diabetes. Quality-of-care evaluations for diabetes are at risk of favoring inferior programs with lower costs simply because gains or losses in health outcomes go undetected.
Mortality Effects of a Copper Smelter Strike and Reduced Ambient Sulfate Particulate Matter Air Pollution
Authors: C. Arden Pope, Douglas L. Rodermund, Matthew M. Gee
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2007)

Numerous studies have reported associations between fine particulate and sulfur oxide air pollution and human mortality. Yet there continues to be concern that public policy efforts to improve air quality may not produce actual improvement in human health.This study retrospectively explored a natural experiment associated with a copper smelter strike from 15 July 1967 through the beginning of April 1968.In the 1960s, copper smelters accounted for approximately 90% of all sulfate emissions in the four Southwest states of New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada. Over the 8.5-month strike period, a regional improvement in visibility accompanied an approximately 60% decrease in concentrations of suspended sulfate particles. We collected monthly mortality counts for 1960-1975 and analyzed them using Poisson regression models.The strike-related estimated percent decrease in mortality was 2.5% (95% confidence interval, 1.1-4.0%), based on a Poisson regression model that controlled for time trends, mortality counts in bordering states, and nationwide mortality counts for influenza/pneumonia, cardiovascular, and other respiratory deaths.These results contribute to the growing body of evidence that ambient sulfate particulate matter and related air pollutants are adversely associated with human health and that the reduction in this pollution can result in reduced mortality.
Granuloma faciale entirely in an extrafacial location
Authors: E. Castano, A. Segurado, L. Igiesias, F. Lopez-Rios, J.L Rouriguez-Peralto
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (1997)

Journal Article Granuloma faciale entirely in an extrafacial location Get access E. Castano, E. Castano Departments of Dermatology Hospital 12 de Octubre. Madrid, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar A. Segurado, A. Segurado Departments of Dermatology Hospital 12 de Octubre. Madrid, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar L. Igiesias, L. Igiesias Departments of Dermatology Hospital 12 de Octubre. Madrid, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar F. Lopez‐Rios, F. Lopez‐Rios Departments of Pathology. Hospital 12 de Octubre. Madrid, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar J.L Rouriguez‐Peralto J.L Rouriguez‐Peralto Departments of Pathology. Hospital 12 de Octubre. Madrid, Spain Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar British Journal of Dermatology, Volume 136, Issue 6, 1 June 1997, Pages 978–979, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2133.1997.tb03956.x Published: 01 June 1997
Abstract 2551: A genome-wide association study of HCV induced liver cirrhosis in the Japanese population identifies novel susceptibility loci at MHC region.
Authors: Matsuda Koichi, Chizu Tanikawa, Yusuke Nakamura
Journal: Cancer Research (2013)

Abstract To identify a prognostic factor(s) for patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC), we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 682 hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced liver cirrhosis (LC) cases and 1,045 CHC patients in Japan. Eight SNPs which showed possible associations (P &amp;lt; 1.0 x 10-5) in the GWAS stage were further genotyped using 936 LC cases and 3,809 CHC patients. We found that two SNPs within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region on chromosome 6p21, rs910049 and rs3135363, were significantly associated with the progression from CHC to LC (Pcombined = 9.15 x 10-11 and 1.45 x 10-10, odds ratio (OR) = 1.46 and 1.37, respectively). We also found that HLA-DQA1*0601 and HLA-DRB1*0405 were associated with progression from CHC to LC (P = 4.53 x 10-4 and 1.54 x 10-4 with OR = 2.80 and 1.45, respectively). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that rs3135363, rs910049, and HLA-DQA1*0601 were independently associated with the risk of HCV-induced LC. In addition, individuals with four or more risk alleles for these three loci have a 2.83-fold higher risk for LC than those with no risk allele, indicating the cumulative effects of these variations. Our findings elucidated the crucial roles of multiple genetic variations within the MHC region as prognostic/predictive biomarkers for CHC patients. Citation Format: Matsuda Koichi, Chizu Tanikawa, Yusuke Nakamura. A genome-wide association study of HCV induced liver cirrhosis in the Japanese population identifies novel susceptibility loci at MHC region. [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 2551. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2551
252 TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR-ALPHA ACUTELY UP-REGULATES UREA SYNTHESIS IN VIVO IN RATS – A HEPATIC ELEMENT OF INFLAMMATORY CATABOLISM
Authors: K.L. Thomsen, S.S. Nielsen, N.K. Aagaard, H. Grønbæk, A. Flyvbjerg, H. Vilstrup
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2009)