tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Rates of stroke and kidney failure in diabetes patients are at record high
Authors: J. Wise
Journal: BMJ (2012)

Rates of stroke and kidney failure in people with diabetes have risen to record levels in England, warns Diabetes UK.

The charity has analysed the latest data from the National Diabetes Audit, which is run by the NHS Information Centre using information from primary care trusts, hospital trusts, and specialist paediatric units. The data show that the prevalence of stroke among people registered in the audit was 0.69% in 2009-10, up from 0.65% in the previous year and 0.44% in 2006-7. Using the …
Effect of human beta (s)-globin chains on cellular properties of red cells from beta-thalassemic mice.
Authors: E M Rubin, Y W Kan, N Mohandas
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1988)

The transgenic mouse system provides an in vivo setting in which to examine the effects on mouse red cells of hemoglobin genes that have been genetically introduced into the animals' genome. In this report, we have analyzed the cellular properties of red cells from homozygous beta-thalassemic mice (Hbbth-1/Hbbth-1), homozygous beta-thalassemic transgenic mice containing a human beta-sickle (beta(s)) gene (Hbb(th-1)/Hbb(th-1) + beta(s)), and normal animals. The presence of human beta(s)-globin chains in red cells from the Hbbth-1/Hbb(th-1) + beta(s) transgenic animals was noted to have a significant effect on cellular deformability and density distribution, as well as on the degree of anemia in these animals. We conclude from these studies that red cell deformability and density distribution is a sensitive means for assessing at the cellular level the effects of globin genes genetically introduced into whole organisms. In addition, these studies suggest that small decreases in the amount of excess alpha-globin chains can significantly ameliorate the severity of anemia in the beta-thalassemic mouse.
Medical and Surgical Management of Reflux Esophagitis
Authors: J. Behar, D. G. Sheahan, P. Biancani, H. M. Spiro, E. H. Storer
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1975)

We compared the surgical and medical managements of reflux esophagitis in a prospective clinical trial. Patients with severe reflux symptoms and evidence of objective reflux esophagitis were randomly assigned to surgical (15 patients) and medical (16 patients) groups. A non-randomized medical group (20 patients) was also studied. Seventy three per cent of the surgical and 19 per cent of the medical group had an excellent to good response. A fair to poor response was observed in 81 per cent of medical and 27 per cent of surgical patients. Symptomatic improvement was accompanied by normal findings on acid infusion test and esophagoscopy. The histologic appearance of the squamous mucosa, however, remained abnormal in all but one patient. In patients who did well after operation there was improvement in resting lower-esophageal-sphincter pressures and absence of gastroesophageal reflux. The relative increases in sphincter pressure to graded increases in gastric pressure, however, remained abnormal in all but one patient. (N Engl J Med 293:263–268, 1975)
A NEW FOUR-GROUP CLASSIFICATION OF LEFT VENTRICULAR HYPERTROPHY BASED ON LEFT VENTRICULAR GEOMETRY LOCATED A NEW HIGH-RISK GROUP WITHIN ECCENTRIC HYPERTROPHY IN A POPULATION-BASED STUDY: THE STRONG HEART STUDY
Authors: Casper N. Bang, Mary Roman, Lyle Best, Elisa Lee, Barbara Howard, Giovanni de Simone, Peter Okin, Lars Kober, Kristian Wachtell, Richard Devereux
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2013)
Happy New Year and a Lifetime of Journals
Authors: William H. Paige, F.J. Ingelfinger
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1976)

For many years — just how many is a bit uncertain — lifetime subscriptions to the Journal have been available. For many years also the price was $150, a buy for the most particular of bargain hunters. Yet, on the first day of 1973, there were only four lifetime subscribers on the Journal's mailing list. Obviously, few knew that such subscriptions could be entered; in fact, for several years even the editor was unaware of their existence.A year ago, however, lifetime subscriptions were taken out of the closet, dusted off, and publicized in a series of advertisements that are . . .
Screening Test for Cushing's Syndrome With Plasma 11-Hydroxycorticosteroids
Authors: John F. Seidensticker
Journal: JAMA (1967)

In a rapid screening test for Cushing's syndrome, plasma cortisol was measured by a simple fluorometric method. We have verified the value of the overnight suppression test as a screening test for hyperadrenocorticism. An 8 AM plasma cortisol level of less than 10μg/ 100 ml after a single dose of 1 mg of dexamethasone was given orally the previous night at 11 PM essentially rules out Cushing's syndrome. Emotional or psychiatric disorders and acute illnesses may result in incomplete suppression. Oral contraceptive agents do not ordinarily result in a false-positive test. Patients who do not respond normally to overnight suppression with dexamethasone warrant further study.
Silver Nitrate Ocular Damage in Newborns
Authors: Albert Hornblass
Journal: JAMA (1975)

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> Credé prophylaxis for ophthalmia neonatorum utilizing a 1% or 2% solution of silver nitrate is the most widely recognized and accepted method of prevention of eye infections in newborns. Few complications have been reported with this method. However, serious eye damage occurred in a newborn nursery in a modern hospital when a child received the application of a silver nitrate stick instead of a 1% solution to his eyes. A newborn baby delivered extramurally on May 8, 1973, was brought to the hospital nursery. A nurse attempting to give prophylactic eye treatment instead dropped two drops from a silver nitrate stick into the baby's eyes. One hour after the instillation there was a thick, sanguineous, yellowish, purulent secretion. The eyelids became red and edematous. The conjunctiva was markedly injected. The corneas had a blue-to-gray bedewed appearance. There were areas of corneal opacification. The conjunctiva was more friable
B7-H4 mediates inhibition of T cell responses by activated murine hepatic stellate cells
Authors: Raghavan Chinnadurai, Arash Grakoui
Journal: Hepatology (2010)

Liver fibrosis is mediated by the transformation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC) from a quiescent to an activated state. To understand the role of HSC in liver immunity, we investigated the effect of this transition on T cell stimulation in vitro. Unlike quiescent HSC, activated HSC did not induce proliferation of antigen-specific T cells. Phenotypic analysis of quiescent and activated HSC revealed that activated HSC expressed the coinhibitory molecule B7-H4. Silencing B7-H4 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) in activated HSC restored the ability of T cells to proliferate, differentiate, and regain effector recall responses. Furthermore, expression of B7-H4 on HSC inhibits early T cell activation and addition of exogenous interleukin (IL)-2 reversed the T cell anergy induced by activated HSC. Conclusion: These studies reveal a novel role for activated HSC in the attenuation of intrahepatic T cell responses by way of expression of the coinhibitory molecule B7-H4, and may provide fundamental insight into intrahepatic immunity during liver fibrogenesis. (HEPATOLOGY 2010)
Atherosclerotic Gangrene: Improved Results of Treatment
Authors: CHARLES W. PEARCE, ROBERT J. SCHRAMEL, ROBERT L. HEWITT, PRENTISS E. SMITH, OSCAR CREECH
Journal: Circulation (1966)

Advanced atherosclerosis of the lower limb often necessitates major amputation unless arterial flow can be restored. To improve results of treatment on the Tulane Surgical Unit at Charity Hospital, we decided in 1964 to extend indications for restoration of arterial flow to all patients who faced possible loss of a lower limb and who had a patent distal segment of artery to which anastomosis could be made. The general condition of the patient was not held to be a deterrent if operation could be done with use of a local anesthetic. From July 1, 1957 to July 1, 1964, an average of 21 operations was performed each year for restoration of arterial flow to the lower limb: two-thirds for femoropopliteal occlusive disease and one-third for aortoiliac occlusive disease. In contrast, 108 operations were performed from July 1, 1964 to July 1, 1965: three-fourths for femoropopliteal occlusive disease and one-fourth for aortoiliac occlusive disease. The fatality rate for operative restoration of arterial flow to the lower limb was 4.1% for the first seven years and 5.5% for the eighth year. An average of 79 major amputations of the lower limb was done for atherosclerosis each year from 1957 to 1964, whereas only 53 amputations were done during the 1964-1965 period. The annual number of major amputations was thus reduced by 33%. The increased number of digital and transmetatarsal amputations from an average of 22 each year during the period 1957-1964 to 42 during 1964-1965 reflects our increased effort to avoid major amputation. Our recent experience suggests that the criteria for restorative operations in patients faced with loss of limbs may safely be extended and that a positive attitude toward operation for advanced atherosclerosis will result in preservation of more limbs.
Four Blood Pressure Indexes and the Risk of Stroke and Myocardial Infarction in Japanese Men and Women
Authors: Katsuyuki Miura, Hideaki Nakagawa, Yasuo Ohashi, Akiko Harada, Masataka Taguri, Toshio Kushiro, Atsuhiko Takahashi, Masanori Nishinaga, Hirofumi Soejima, Hirotsugu Ueshima
Journal: Circulation (2009)

Information has been sparse on the comparison of 4 blood pressure (BP) indexes (systolic BP [SBP], diastolic BP, pulse pressure, and mean BP [MBP]) in relation to long-term incidence of stroke and myocardial infarction, particularly in middle-aged and older Asians.The Japan Arteriosclerosis Longitudinal Study Group conducted a meta-analysis of 16 cohort studies in Japan. A total of 48,224 men and women 40 to 89 years of age participated at baseline, and 1231 stroke events and 220 myocardial infarction events occurred during an average 8.4-year follow-up. Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios with a 1-SD higher value for each BP index were determined by Poisson regression. Analyses were also done in 4 age-sex groups. All 4 BP indexes were significantly related to all stroke risk. Stroke risk was most strongly related to MBP and SBP in both sexes and most weakly related to pulse pressure. Both stroke subtypes, ischemic and hemorrhagic, were most strongly related to MBP and SBP in both sexes. In addition, in men and women 70 to 89 years of age, MBP or SBP showed the strongest relation to all stroke risk. Myocardial infarction risk was most strongly related to SBP or MBP in both sexes. For any end points in any age-sex groups, pulse pressure was not the strongest predictor.The long-term incident risk of stroke and myocardial infarction associated with high BP in East Asian populations should be assessed mainly on the basis of SBP. MBP also may be an important predictor, but pulse pressure is a less important predictor for cardiovascular disease risk.
Prediction of pulmonary complications after a lobectomy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer
Authors: H Uramoto
Journal: Thorax (2001)

Although the preoperative prediction of pulmonary complications after lung major surgery has been reported in various papers, it still remains unclear.Eighty nine patients with stage I-IIIA non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who underwent a complete resection at our institute from 1994-8 were evaluated for the feasibility of making a preoperative prediction of pulmonary complications. All had either a predicted postoperative forced vital capacity (FVC) of >800 ml/m(2) or forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV(1)) of >600 ml/m(2).Postoperative complications occurred in 37 patients (41.2%) but no patients died during the 30 day period after the operation. Pulmonary complications occurred in 20 patients (22.5%). Univariate analysis indicated that the factors significantly related to pulmonary complications were FVC <80%, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level > or =230 U/l, and arterial oxygen tension (PaO(2)) <10.6 kPa (80 mm Hg). In a multivariate analysis the three independent predictors of pulmonary complications were serum LDH > or =230 U/l (odds ratio (OR) 10.5, 95% CI 1.4 to 77.3), residual volume (RV)/total lung capacity (TLC) > or =30% (OR 6.0, 95% CI 1.1 to 33.7), and PaO(2) <10.6 kPa (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 22.2).The above findings indicate that three factors (serum LDH levels of > or =230 U/l, RV/TLC > or =30%, and PaO(2) <10.6 kPa) may be associated with pulmonary complications in patients undergoing a lobectomy for NSCLC, even though the patient group was relatively small for statistical analysis of such a diverse subject as pulmonary complications.
Thrombolysis in acute ischaemic stroke: example of a health divide?
Authors: H. Choi
Journal: BMJ (2010)

It is 3 am in the emergency department of a busy London teaching hospital. A red phone alerts the team that an ambulance is bringing in a man with a two hour history of slurred speech. A stroke registrar who is on call and based on site is fast bleeped to resuscitation. An emergency doctor, resuscitation nurse, and stroke registrar are present when the patient arrives. Primary and secondary surveys, along with basic bedside investigations, and then monitoring are rapidly executed in a beautifully choreographed manner, and urgent computed tomography of his head is performed after a discussion with a radiology registrar, who is also based on site. Less than 40 minutes elapse from the patient’s arrival to the head scan. A radiology report is available instantly, and a decision is made to thrombolyse.

It’s 4 pm in a busy district general hospital in the north of England. An emergency doctor refers a middle aged man with a three hour history of right sided hemiplegia. Although the patient …
Binge Eating as a Major Phenotype of Melanocortin 4 Receptor Gene Mutations
Authors: Ruth Branson, Natascha Potoczna, John G. Kral, Klaus-Ulrich Lentes, Margret R. Hoehe, Fritz F. Horber
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2003)

Obesity, a multifactorial disease caused by the interaction of genetic factors with the environment, is largely polygenic. A few mutations in these genes, such as in the leptin receptor (LEPR) gene and melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) gene, have been identified as causes of monogenic obesity.We sequenced the complete MC4R coding region, the region of the proopiomelanocortin gene (POMC) encoding the alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone, and the leptin-binding domain of LEPR in 469 severely obese white subjects (370 women and 99 men; mean [+/-SE] age, 41.0+/-0.5 years; body-mass index [the weight in kilograms divided by the square of the height in meters], 44.1+/-2.0). Fifteen women and 10 men without a history of dieting or a family history of obesity served as normal-weight controls (age, 47.7+/-2.0 years; body-mass index, 21.6+/-0.4). Detailed phenotypic data, including information on body fat, resting energy expenditure, diet-induced thermogenesis, serum concentrations of leptin, and eating behavior, were collected.Twenty-four obese subjects (5.1 percent) and one control subject (4 percent) had MC4R mutations, including five novel variants. Twenty of the 24 obese subjects with an MC4R mutation were matched for age, sex, and body-mass index with 120 of the 445 obese subjects without an MC4R mutation. All mutation carriers reported binge eating, as compared with 14.2 percent of obese subjects without mutations (P<0.001) and 0 percent of the normal-weight subjects without mutations. The prevalence of binge eating was similar among carriers of mutations in the leptin-binding domain of LEPR and noncarriers. No mutations were found in the region of POMC encoding alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone.Binge eating is a major phenotypic characteristic of subjects with a mutation in MC4R, a candidate gene for the control of eating behavior.
A Novel Human Her-2/neu Chimeric Molecule Expressed by<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>Can Elicit Potent HLA-A2 Restricted CD8-positive T cell Responses and Impact the Growth and Spread of Her-2/neu-positive Breast Tumors
Authors: Matthew M. Seavey, Zhen-Kun Pan, Paulo C. Maciag, Anu Wallecha, Sandra Rivera, Yvonne Paterson, Vafa Shahabi
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2009)

Abstract Purpose: The aim of this study was to efficiently design a novel vaccine for human Her-2/neu-positive (hHer-2/neu) breast cancer using the live, attenuated bacterial vector Listeria monocytogenes. Experimental Design: Three recombinant L. monocytogenes–based vaccines were generated that could express and secrete extracellular and intracellular fragments of the hHer-2/neu protein. In addition, we generated a fourth construct fusing selected portions of each individual fragment that contained most of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) epitopes as a combination vaccine (L. monocytogenes–hHer-2/neu chimera). Results: Each individual vaccine was able to either fully regress or slow tumor growth in a mouse model for Her-2/neu-positive tumors. All three vaccines could elicit immune responses directed toward human leukocyte antigen-A2 epitopes of hHer-2/neu. The L. monocytogenes–hHer-2/neu chimera was able to mimic responses generated by the three separate vaccines and prevent spontaneous outgrowth of tumors in an autochthonous model for Her-2/neu-positive breast cancer, induce tumor regression in transplantable models, and prevent seeding of experimental lung metastases in a murine model for metastatic breast cancer. Conclusion: This novel L. monocytogenes–hHer-2/neu chimera vaccine proves to be just as effective as the individual vaccines but combines the strength of all three in a single vaccination. These encouraging results support future clinical trials using this chimera vaccine and may be applicable to other cancer types expressing the Her-2/neu molecule such as colorectal and pancreatic cancer.
The Intracavitary Administration of Radioactive Colloidal Gold
Authors: Raymond G. Rose, Melvin P. Osborne, William B. Stevens
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1952)

IN THE comparatively short time since its introduction by Sheppard and Hahn1 in 1947, radioactive colloidal gold (Au 198) has come to be used frequently in the palliation and treatment of neoplastic disease.2 The increasing importance of this radioactive isotope is due to the clinical usefulness imparted to the material by its particular physical and chemical properties.3 , 4 The isotope is prepared by the irradiation of gold foil in the nuclear reactor pile at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The foil is converted by aqua regia to gold chloride, which is reduced to metallic gold by ascorbic acid in the presence of excess . . .
The meaning of representation in animal memory
Authors: H. L. Roitblat
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (1982)

Abstract A representation is a remnant of previous experience that allows that experience to affect later behavior. This paper develops a metatheoretical view of representation and applies it to issues concerning representation in animals. To describe a representational system one must specify the following: the domain or range of situations in the represented world to which the system applies; the content or set of features encoded and preserved by the system; the code or transformational rules relating features of the representation to the corresponding features of the represented world; the medium , or the representation's physical instantiation; and the dynamics , or how the system changes with time. In part because of the behaviorist assumption that the hypothetical, covert changes occurring in an organism during learning correspond to the overt physical changes that are observed, issues of representation in animal behavior have been largely ignored as irrelevant or misleading. However, it can be inferred that representations, acting as models of environmental regularities, operate at many levels of behavioral functioning, both cognitive and noncognitive. Objections to the use of this concept in explanations of animal behavior, based on the claim that it is indeterminate and on behaviorist considerations of parsimony, can be answered. Animal representations may be specialized in terms of tasks and species. Data from tasks involving spatial memory, delayed matching-to-sample, and sequence learning suggest some foundations for a general theory of animal representations.
Patients are failing to get new drugs even when approved by NICE, industry chief says
Authors: N. Hawkes
Journal: BMJ (2012)

The “social contract” between the NHS and the drug industry was breaking down, the director general of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, Stephen Whitehead, warned on Thursday 8 November.

Traditionally, he claimed, the risks taken by the industry in developing new drugs were rewarded by sales to the NHS, which generated the funds for further investment in drug development. But today, he said, NHS patients were not getting new drugs, even those approved as cost effective by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

“I have a strong and increasingly frustrated view that the model of healthcare is broken,” he said. “I am concerned and I am frightened that our deal—we discover medicines and get them to patients—is broken. This matters.

“We discover, we develop, we partner, and we launch great medicines: a recent prix Galien winner for constipation that was approved by NICE and saves thousands in referrals yet is reaching pathetic levels of uptake; the new superb breakthroughs in hepatitis C that transform lives but are dwindling, awaiting orders, whilst agonising interferon continues to be used; new anticoagulants to replace toxic …
Echocardiographic and Phonocardiographic Characteristics of the Lillehei-Kaster Mitral Valve Prosthesis
Authors: THOMAS C. GIBSON, PETER J. K. STAREK, SALLY MOOS, ERNEST CRAIGE
Journal: Circulation (1974)

The Lillehei-Kaster (L-K) valve is a tilting disc prosthesis currently in use for heart valve replacement. We report data from phonocardiography (PHONO) and echocardiography (ECHO) in 20 patients with a normally functioning mitral valve prosthesis (MVP). The MVP is well recorded by ECHO, resembling a mitral stenosis pattern with a disc excursion of 7 to 12 mm and a mean opening and closing velocity of 37.7 and 59.8 cm/sec, respectively. Combined PHONO and ECHO show that the opening sound of the MVP is small, related to onset of valve opening and not peak opening. It follows the aortic component of the second sound (A 2 ) by 0.05 to 0.09 sec in normals; it may be absent (12/20). Peak opening follows A 2 by 0.08 to 0.12 sec. The closing sound of the MVP, best heard in the mitral area, is always two-fold with a small initial high frequency (HF) component and a second large HF sound separated by no more than 0.03 sec. The first component (A) is related to onset of closure and the second (B) to completion of closure. Systolic and diastolic murmurs were commonly present. These data establish the normal ECHO and PHONO findings for patients with L-K MVP. Two other patients are also reported in whom such data were helpful for the noninvasive evaluation of valve function, indicating in one instance acute mitral regurgitation and in the other an increase in degree of aortic regurgitation.