tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Mothers and children in hospital.
Authors: S. R. Meadow
Journal: BMJ (1968)

Herpes Simplex Cervicitis SIR, I was particularly interested in Dr. B. Naylor's comments on herpes simplex cervicitis (18 May, p. 428).It is true that an abundance of literature, mainly from North America, has been published on this subject.Since 1957 there have been eight publications, describing 65 cases, in which the virus has been isolated.'-5 However, it was the French physician Rollet who first recorded acute ulceration of the cervix asso- ciated with vaginal discharge, which was thought to be herpetic in origin.' " Dr. Naylor rightly draws attention to the presence of multinucleate giant cells (Tzank cells or virocytes) which may be found in cytological smears taken from cases of herpes simplex cervicitis.' Unless one is aware of their identity these cells may easily be con- fused with abnormal cells found in cancerous and precancerous conditions of the cervix, and their presence may lead to an erroneous diagnosis of malignant change."Recently in Manchester, with the collaboration of my colleague Dr. M. Longson, of the virology department, we have isolated a large pock- forming genital strain of Herpesvirus horninis from a cervix, which has also pro- duced large numbers of syncytia and multi- nucleate giant cells in tissue culture.It would seem to be the strain of virus which mimics carcinoma cell changes and for which cytologists and gynaecologists alike must remain vigilant.This is the first occasion on which an atypical strain of Herpesvirus hominis with such unusual characteristics has been isolated from a cervix, and a full report of the case will shortly be appearing."-I
Steroid side effects also seen in asthmatics ... but aerosol steroids reduce systemic risk
Authors: W. A. Check
Journal: JAMA (1982)

Physicians using high doses of oral corticosteroids to treat asthmatic patients should be aware that two of the known side effects of these agents may occur in this group of patients as well: weakening of bones and development of posterior subcapsular cataracts. In two recent separate studies of asthmatics taking 10 to 20 mg/day of prednisone, significant loss of trabecular bone and fractures were found in at least 10% of adults and initial cataractous changes in 30% of children. One investigative group reported preliminary findings that cataracts regressed when the children began using inhaled steroids. <h3>Loss of Bone. —</h3> At the Montreal meeting of the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, Allen D. Adinoff, MD, described work that he undertook with Dwandolyn Reese and J. Roger Hollister, MD, at the National Jewish Hospital in Denver. From a retrospective examination of the records of 126 adult patients with asthma who were
Evidence for X-Linkage in the Transmission of Manic-Depressive Illness
Authors: Julien Mendlewicz
Journal: JAMA (1972)

Seven families were found in which manic-depressive illness and either protan or deutan color blindness (X-linked recessive traits) occurred in successive generations. In these seven families, as well as in two others previously reported in the literature, detailed analysis suggests that the genetic loci for manic-depressive illness and the two kinds of colorblindness may be located on the same chromosome. A dominant X-linked gene may thus be involved in the pathogenesis of manic-depressive illness.
The effect of agents interfering with soft tissue calcification and cell proliferation on calcific fibrous-fatty plaques in rabbits.
Authors: D M Kramsch, C T Chan
Journal: Circulation Research (1978)

We tested agents that might suppress the formation of fibrous plaques which are the significant lesions in human atherosclerosis.Six groups of rabbits were studied for 8 weeks: one group was fed a control diet and five groups received an atherogenic diet known to produce accumulations of connective tissue in arterial lesions.One group received only the atherogenic diet and the remaining four groups were treated simultaneously with the calcification inhibitor, ethane hydroxy diphosphonate (EHDP), at two dosage levels, as well as the antimitotic agent, /V-desacetyl-A'-methylcolchicine (Colcemid), or a combination of EHDP and Colcemid, respectively.None of the drugs reduced to normal the high serum cholesterol levels induced by the diet, but all reduced the elevated serum calcium concentrations occurring in untreated rabbits on the atherqgenic diet.The lesions in the untreated group included marked accumulations of intra-and extracellular lipids (chiefly cholesterol) and calcium, as well as of glycosaminoglycans, collagen, and elastin.Aortic "elastin" from these atherosclerotic rabbits had an increased content of polar amino acids, calcium, and cholesterol.Treatment with EHDP or Colcemid alone markedly inhibited these atherosclerotic processes, whereas combination therapy with both drugs completely suppressed all aspects of atherogenesis except for a few superficial lipid deposits close to the vessel lumen.The prevention of excessive deposition of arterial calcium by EHDP and also by Colcemid may play an important role in the antiatherogenic effect of these drugs.
Effects of Dietary Fiber and Carbohydrate on Glucose and Lipoprotein Metabolism in Diabetic Patients
Authors: Gabriele Riccardi, Angela A Rivellese
Journal: Diabetes Care (1991)

Dietary recommendations for the treatment of diabetic patients issued by national and international diabetes associations consistently emphasize the need to increase carbohydrate consumption. However, these recommendations have been questioned on the basis of growing evidence that, in both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients, a high-carbohydrate diet does not offer any advantage in terms of blood glucose and plasma lipid concentrations compared with a high-fat (mainly unsaturated) diet. It has been shown repeatedly that a high-carbohydrate diet increases plasma insulin and triglyceride levels and can deteriorate blood glucose control in the postprandial period. However, much of the controversy between advocates and detractors of dietary carbohydrate can be settled by taking into account dietary fiber. Several studies have shown that the adverse metabolic effects of high-carbohydrate diets are neutralized when fiber and carbohydrate are increased simultaneously in the diet for diabetic patients. In particular, these studies demonstrated that a high-carbohydrate/high-fiber diet significantly improves blood glucose control and reduces plasma cholesterol levels in diabetic patients compared with a low-carbohydrate/low-fiber diet. In addition, a high-carbohydrate/high-fiber diet does not increase plasma insulin and triglyceride concentrations, despite the higher consumption of carbohydrates. Unfortunately, dietary fiber represents a heterogenous category, and there is still much to understand as to which foods should be preferred to maximize the metabolic effects of fiber. There are indications that only water-soluble fiber is active on plasma glucose and lipoprotein metabolism in humans. Therefore, in practice, the consumption of legumes, vegetables, and fruits–rich in water-soluble fiber–should be particularly encouraged. The mechanisms by which dietary fiber exerts its hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activities are unknown. However, the ability of dietary fiber to retard food digestion and nutrient absorption certainly has an important influence on lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. The beneficial effects of high-fiber foods are also exerted by some foods not particularly rich in fiber. The fiber content and physical form of the food can influence the accessibility of nutrients by digestive enzymes, thus delaying digestion and absorption. The identification of these foods with a low-glycemic response would help enlarge the list of foods particularly suitable for diabetic patients. In conclusion, a diet low in cholesterol and saturated fat should be recommended to all diabetic patients to prevent cardiovascular disease. A balanced increase in consumption of fiber-rich foods and unsaturated fat is the most rational way to replace foods rich in saturated fat and cholesterol in the diabetic diet.
Molecular Determinants of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Diversity
Authors: Tadashi Yoshida, Gary K. Owens
Journal: Circulation Research (2005)

Although the primary role of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is contraction, they exhibit extensive phenotypic diversity and plasticity during normal development, during repair of vascular injury, and in disease states. Results of recent studies indicate that there are unique as well as common transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that control expression of various SMC marker genes in distinct SMC subtypes, and that these mechanisms are complex and dynamic even at the single cell level. This article will review recent progress in our understanding of the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms involved in controlling expression of SMC marker genes with a particular focus on examination of processes that contribute to the phenotypic diversity of SMCs. In addition, because of considerable controversy in the literature regarding the relationship between phenotypically modulated SMCs and myofibroblasts, we will briefly consider both similarities and differences in regulation of gene expression between these cell types.
Letter: Management of babies with diarrhoea.
Authors: W A Cutting
Journal: BMJ (1976)

lives and visits are often infrequent.To this extent, therefore, I see the community hospital in populations in excess of 40 000 being of primary significance to the community in respect of acute diagnostic and surgical services at an appropriate level, and the geriatric and long-stay element as a part of the overall picture rather than the pre- dominant feature.In populations less than this figure, however, then I would agree entirely with Dr Evans's comments about the role of community hospitals.This assumes that they can be viable in small communities, and this again is an area that, I would suggest, needs careful study in relation to the overall costs of these establishments set against the benefits to the community. KENNETH CLIFFWinchester Immunisation against whooping cough SIR,-In showing that 7500' of infants below 3 months of age with whooping cough were
Clinical Electrophysiology of Ventricular Tachycardia
Authors: John A. Kastor, Leonard N. Horowitz, Alden H. Harken, Mark E. Josephson
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1981)

DURING the past decade, the study of cardiac arrhythmias has been greatly assisted by the development and refinement of two techniques: intra-cardiac recording, whereby electrical activity can be measured at different sites within the heart, and programmed stimulation, which provides the means to study conduction and refractoriness and to initiate and terminate reentrant circuits — the substrate for most atrial and ventricular tachycardias. For the first five years of the decade, these methods were applied particularly to the study of atrioventricular block. A review of this subject published in the Journal in 1975 was prepared just as clinical electrophysiologists were . . .
Hepatitis B and C virus coinfection: A novel model system reveals the absence of direct viral interference
Authors: Pantxika Bellecave, Jérôme Gouttenoire, Markus Gajer, Volker Brass, George Koutsoudakis, Hubert E. Blum, Ralf Bartenschlager, Michael Nassal, Darius Moradpour
Journal: Hepatology (2009)

Coinfection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been associated with severe liver disease and frequent progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinical evidence suggests reciprocal replicative suppression of the two viruses, or viral interference. However, interactions between HBV and HCV have been difficult to study due to the lack of appropriate model systems. We have established a novel model system to investigate interactions between HBV and HCV. Stable Huh-7 cell lines inducibly replicating HBV were transfected with selectable HCV replicons or infected with cell culture–derived HCV. In this system, both viruses were found to replicate in the same cell without overt interference. Specific inhibition of one virus did not affect the replication and gene expression of the other. Furthermore, cells harboring replicating HBV could be infected with cell culture–derived HCV, arguing against superinfection exclusion. Finally, cells harboring replicating HBV supported efficient production of infectious HCV. Conclusion: HBV and HCV can replicate in the same cell without evidence for direct interference in vitro. Therefore, the viral interference observed in coinfected patients is probably due to indirect mechanisms mediated by innate and/or adaptive host immune responses. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenesis of HBV–HCV coinfection and may contribute to its clinical management in the future. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.)
IgG4 cholangiopathy – Current concept, diagnosis, and pathogenesis
Authors: Kazuichi Okazaki, Kazushige Uchida, Masanori Koyabu, Hideaki Miyoshi, Tsukasa Ikeura, Makoto Takaoka
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2014)

IgG4 related cholangiopathy, a distinctive type of cholangitis of unknown origin, is characterized by increased serum levels of IgG4, massive infiltration of IgG4-positive plasma cells with storiform fibrosis and/or obliterative phlebitis in the thickened bile duct wall, and good response to steroids. Patients with IgG4-cholangiopathy are frequently associated with autoimmune pancreatitis; IgG4-cholangiopathy is recognized as a biliary manifestation of IgG4-related disease. This condition can be diagnosed by a combination of imaging, serology, histopathology, and steroid responsiveness; however, cholangiographic features are often difficult to differentiate from primary sclerosing cholangitis, pancreatic cancer, or cholangiocarcinoma. The Japanese clinical diagnostic criteria for IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis established in 2012 are useful in the diagnosis of IgG4-cholangiopathy. Although the precise pathogenic mechanism remains unclear, the development of IgG4-cholangiopathy may involve: susceptible genetic factors, abnormal innate and acquired immunity, decreased naïve regulatory T cells, and specific B cell responses. Further studies on genetic backgrounds, disease specific antigens, and the role of IgG4 are necessary to clarify the pathogenesis.
367. Safety and Immunological Responses Following Intrapleural Administration of an AAV5 Vector Encoding Human α1-Antitrypsin to Non-Human Primates
Authors: Ben-Gary Harvey, Bishnu P. De, John P. Ayala, Neil R. Hackett, Adriana Heguy, Ronald Crystal
Journal: Molecular Therapy (2005)

|[alpha]| 1-antitrypsin (|[alpha]|1AT), a 52 kDa serine proteinase inhibitor secreted by the liver, provides >95% of the functional anti-protease protection of the lower respiratory tract. |[alpha]|1AT deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder associated with early-onset emphysema if serum |[alpha]|1AT levels are  1.6-fold the accepted therapeutic dose in humans. Importantly, the |[alpha]|1AT level in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (normalized to total protein) resulting from delivery of the AAV5CUh|[alpha]|1AT to the pleura was comparable to that found in the serum. In preparation for a clinical trial, the present study addresses the safety of administration of AAV5CUh|[alpha]|1AT to the pleural space of non-human primates at doses scalable to humans (evaluation of human |[alpha]|1AT levels in these animals is not technically feasible due to the 94% homology between African green monkey and human |[alpha]|1AT). The AAV5CUh|[alpha]|1AT vector (1013 gc/animal, n=3) and control (AAV5-luciferase, 1013 gc, n=1) were administered under fluoroscopy guidance in 5 ml of PBS into the right pleural space of juvenile African green monkeys, using an 22 gauge angiocatheter in the 5th or 6th intercostal space. Chest X-rays carried out immediately after vector administration, and at days 3,14 and 56 post-vector administration demonstrated the absence of pneumothorax, pleural effusion, pneumonia or any other pulmonary complications. Serum was collected at 3 time points (days-30,-15 and 0) prior to vector administration, to obtain baseline blood count and chemistry values, and at days 3, 14, 28, 56 and 91 post-vector administration. There were no significant differences (p>0.05 all parameters) between baseline (pre-vector administration) blood counts at any time point, except for transient increases in white blood cell count at days 3 and 14 post-vector administration (p=0.007), likely reflecting a physiological response to the procedure and/or vector administration. There were no significant differences in blood chemistry values at any time point, with the exception of serum Ca+ levels that decreased from initially high values into the range for adult African green monkeys. The anti-AAV5 neutralizing antibody titers post-vector administration ranged from 250 to 640 above background. Together with the long term gene expression following gene transfer to mice, these findings support the concept of a clinical trials to assess the safety of intrapleural administration of AAV5CUh|[alpha]|1AT to individuals with |[alpha]|1AT deficiency.
The basophil activation test in the diagnosis of allergy: technical issues and critical factors
Authors: G. J. Sturm, B. Kranzelbinder, E. M. Sturm, A. Heinemann, A. Groselj‐Strele, W. Aberer
Journal: Allergy (2009)

Background: The basophil activation test (BAT) is a widely validated and reliable tool especially for the diagnosis of hymenoptera venom allergy. Nevertheless, several pitfalls have to be considered and outcomes may differ because of diverse in‐house protocols and commercially available kits. We aimed to identify the factors that may influence results of the CD63‐based BAT. Methods: Basophil responses to monoclonal anti‐IgE (clone E124.2.8) and bee and wasp venom were determined by BAT based on CD63. The effect of stimulating factors such as, IL‐3, cytochalasin B and prewarming of the samples was investigated. Furthermore, we compared two different flow cytometer systems and evaluated the influence of storage time, different staining protocols and anti‐allergic drugs on the test results. Results: Interleukin‐3 enhanced the reactivity of basophils at 300 pM, but not at 75 and 150 pM. Prewarming of samples and reagents did not affect basophil reactivity. CD63 expression assayed after storage time of up to 48 h showed that basophil reactivity already started to decline after 4 h. Basophils stained with HLA‐DR‐PC5 and CD123‐PE antibodies gated as HLA‐DR neg /CD123 pos cells showed the highest reactivity. No effect on test outcomes was observed at therapeutic doses of dimetindene and desloratadine. Finally, slight differences in the percentage of activated basophils, depending on the cytometer system used, were found. Conclusion: Basophil activation test should be performed as early as possible after taking the blood sample, preferably within 4 h. In contrast to the skin test, BAT can be performed in patients undergoing treatment with antihistamines. For reasons of multiple influencing factors, BAT should be performed only at validated laboratories.
Influence of Age on Medicare Expenditures and Medical Care in the Last Year of Life
Authors: Norman G. Levinsky
Journal: JAMA (2001)

Expenditures for Medicare beneficiaries in the last year of life decrease with increasing age. The cause of this phenomenon is uncertain.To examine this pattern in detail and evaluate whether decreases in aggressiveness of medical care explain the phenomenon.Analysis of sample Medicare data for beneficiaries aged 65 years or older from Massachusetts (n = 34 131) and California (n = 19 064) who died in 1996.Medical expenditures during the last year of life, analyzed by age group, sex, race, place and cause of death, comorbidity, and use of hospital services.For Massachusetts and California, respectively, Medicare expenditures per beneficiary were $35 300 and $27 800 among those aged 65 through 74 years vs $22 000 and $21 600 for those aged 85 years or older. The pattern of decreasing Medicare expenditures with age is pervasive, persisting throughout the last year of life in both states for both sexes, for black and white beneficiaries, for persons with varying levels of comorbidity, and for those receiving hospice vs conventional care, regardless of cause and site of death. The aggressiveness of medical care in both Massachusetts and California also decreased with age, as judged by less frequent hospital and intensive care unit admissions and by markedly decreasing use of cardiac catheterization, dialysis, ventilators, and pulmonary artery monitors, regardless of cause of death. Decrease in the cost of hospital services accounts for approximately 80% of the decrease in Medicare expenditures with age in both states.Medicare expenditures in the last year of life decrease with age, especially for those aged 85 years or older. This is in large part because the aggressiveness of medical care in the last year of life decreases with increasing age.
Pleasing both authors and readers
Authors: T. Delamothe, M. Mullner, R. Smith
Journal: BMJ (1999)

Papers pp 897-914 

To succeed, journals need to please both authors and readers. There is, however, a tension between the needs of the two, particularly when the authors are mostly researchers and the readers mostly practitioners. Practitioners like research articles to be short and sweet, whereas researchers want—rightly—to include enough material for critical readers (often other researchers) to be able to appraise the study and if necessary repeat it and also, increasingly, to be able to include it in a systematic review. Journals have struggled with this tension for years, and often the result is that we please nobody. Research among readers consistently shows that research articles are not well read, while many studies have shown that essential data are often missing from research reports. Now the electronic revolution offers us a chance to please both readers and authors simultaneously.

Today's BMJ includes four papers where a short version is published in the paper journal and a …