tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Capsule Endoscopy Appearances of Small-Bowel Tuberculosis
Authors: D. Nageshwar Reddy, P. V. J. Sriram, G. V. Rao, D. Bhaskar Reddy
Journal: Endoscopy (2003)

The small bowel has always been a weak spot in endoscopy, as it is completely inaccessible to viewing with conventional endoscopes and can only be partly viewed with push enteroscopy and retrograde ileoscopy. Smaller lesions are often missed on barium studies, leading to a need for intraoperative or laparoscopy-assisted panenteroscopy [1]. The advent of capsule endoscopy added another dimension to small-bowel evaluation [2] [3]. We present here the first capsule endoscopy images of small-bowel tuberculosis, in a 23-year-old man with fever, weight loss (> 10 kg in 3 months), diarrhea persisting for 6 months, and an inconclusive work-up that included a complete blood picture, stool examination and culture, chest and abdominal radiography, ultrasonography, and barium studies. Upper endoscopy and push enteroscopy were normal. Colonoscopy showed a few scattered small ulcers in the sigmoid colon, while retrograde ileoscopy revealed deep mucosal ulcers typical of tuberculosis [4]. Multiple mucosal biopsies from the terminal ileum showed areas of necrosis, inflammatory cellular infiltrate with pale granulomas containing epithelioid cells and Langerhans giant cells against a background of caseating necrosis, diagnostic of tuberculosis. In view of the predominant symptom of diarrhea, capsule endoscopy was carried out to evaluate the extent of small-bowel involvement. There were multiple scattered short oblique or transverse mucosal ulcers with a necrotic base through out the jejunum and ileum (Figures [1 A - D]). Small-bowel involvement in tuberculosis and Crohn's disease are morphologically similar, and are often difficult to differentiate. The histological features, such as larger granulomas lined with epithelioid cells against a background of caseous necrosis, with or without acid-fast bacilli, are considered diagnostic of tuberculosis [5]. Diarrhea in small-bowel tuberculosis can be due to extensive mucosal involvement per se, or may be due to intestinal stasis related to strictures and associated bacterial overgrowth. Capsule endoscopy in the present case excluded any strictures and demonstrated extensive mucosal involvement with tuberculosis, confirmed on ileoscopic biopsies.
Malignant histiocytosis associated with autoimmune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Tatsuharu Ohno, Tateo Sugiyama, Hiroo Furukawa, Takafumi Ishibashi, Minoru Okuma
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (1994)

We describe a patient with malignant histiocytosis whose serum contained an autoantibody against platelet protein. The patient was admitted because of nasal bleeding and high-grade fever. The clinical course was fulminantly progressive and terminated with cerebral hemorrhage. Bone marrow aspirate showed the proliferation of large atypical cells, some of which exhibited phagocytic activity. At postmortem examination, there was diffuse infiltration of these atypical cells in the liver, spleen, kidney, and bone marrow. Morphological, cytochemical, immunohistochemical, and genotypic characteristics suggested that the proliferating cells were derived from the monocyte-macrophage system. Western blot analysis revealed the presence of autoantibody against an approximately 88 kd molecule of platelet proteins. Although the relationship of cause and effect remains to be clarified, this autoantibody appeared to have stimulated thrombophagocytosis of the neoplastic cells.
Lymph node trafficking and antigen presentation by endobronchial eosinophils
Authors: Huan-Zhong Shi, Alison Humbles, Craig Gerard, Zhuang Jin, Peter F. Weller
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (2000)

Because eosinophils recruited into the airways in allergic diseases are exposed to inhaled allergens, we evaluated whether eosinophils within the endobronchial lumen can function in vivo as antigen-presenting cells for inhaled antigens. We recovered eosinophils from the airways after aerosol antigen challenge in sensitized mice or from the peritoneal cavities of IL-5 transgenic mice and fluorescently labeled these cells ex vivo. These labeled cells, instilled intratracheally into normal mice, migrated into draining paratracheal lymph nodes and localized to T cell–rich paracortical areas. The homing of airway eosinophils to lymph nodes was not governed by eotaxin, because CCR3–/– and CCR3+/+ eosinophils migrated identically. Airway eosinophils, recovered after inhalational antigen challenge in sensitized mice, expressed MHC class II and costimulatory CD80 and CD86 proteins and functioned in vitro as CD80- and CD86-dependent, antigen-specific, antigen-presenting cells. Moreover, when instilled into the airways of antigen-sensitized recipient mice, airway eosinophils recovered after inhalational antigen challenge stimulated antigen-specific CD4+ T cell proliferation within paratracheal lymph nodes. Thus, eosinophils within the lumina of airways can process inhaled antigens, traffic to regional lymph nodes, and function in vivo as antigen-presenting cells to stimulate responses of CD4+ T cells.
Abstract 4057: Quantitative assessment of 3D nuclear architecture in colon epithelial cells by micro-optical computed tomography
Authors: Vivek Nandakumar, Kathryn F. Hernandez, Beatriz L. Rodolpho, Patti Senechal, Kimberly J. Bussey, Roger H. Johnson, Deirdre R. Meldrum
Journal: Cancer Research (2012)

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. About 50,000 people will die from this disease in 2011. CRCs develop through an accumulation of genetic and epigenetic aberrations and have been broadly classified into three molecular subtypes - chromosomal instability (CIN), microsatellite instability (MSI), and CpG Island Methylator Phenotype (CIMP). Research studies on CRC have predominantly focused on its molecular biological and genetic basis, but very little is known about the three-dimensional cell morphological variations between these subclasses. We investigated alterations in the three-dimensional (3D) nuclear architecture of the three molecular subtypes of CRC, comparing them to a benign adenoma, using representative epithelial cell line models: AAC1 (benign), AAC1-SB10 (CIN), HCT-116 (MSI) and RKO (CIMP). We applied micro-optical computed tomography (Cell-CT) to image one hundred individual hematoxylin-stained cells of each of the four types with submicron, isotropic spatial resolution. We performed automated 3D image analysis on the volumetric cell images, quantifying fifty descriptors (features) to characterize the nuclear morphology and coarse chromatin organization. We evaluated the statistical efficacy of our 3D features in distinguishing among the cell types. Our results demonstrated previously unreported morphological variations among the controls and three types of CRC. Relative to the benign adenoma cells, in contrast to CIN and MSI, the CIMP subtype exhibited markedly smaller cell and nuclear sizes, smaller nucleus-to-cytoplasm (NC) ratio and a predominantly smooth nuclear interior, lacking in clumpy chromatin. However, the CIMP cell nuclei exhibited the highest optical density among the four cell classes. MSI cells showed the clumpiest nuclear texture, followed by the benign adenoma cell nuclei. These results offer new perspectives on nuclear structure variations in benign colon adenoma and colorectal cancer cells, warranting further investigation. They suggest that the hypermethylation seen in the CIMP phenotype may result in demonstrable chromatin compaction with a concomitant reduction in nuclear size. The chromatin clumpiness observed in the MSI cells may reflect increased mutations at nuclear scaffold binding sites, which tend to be characterized by single and di-nucleotide repeats. We intend to pursue studies on human biopsy cells with ultimate goal of testing the efficacy of Cell-CT for CRC diagnosis, subtyping and staging. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4057. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4057
Suppressor thymus-derived lymphocytes in fungal infection.
Authors: J D Stobo, S Paul, R E Van Scoy, P E Hermans
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1976)

Thymus-derived lymphocyte (T-cell) function, as determined in vivo by cutaneous reactivity to several antigens and in vitro by responsiveness to mitogens and antigens, was assessed in 14 patients infected with a variety of fungal organisms. While all patients manifested a normal frequency of peripheral blood T cells, only seven patients reacted to at least one of the antigens used for cutaneous testing and demonstrated normal in vitro T proliferative responses. Three patients exhibited cutaneous anergy but normal in vitro T-cell reactivity while four patients demonstrated persistent anergy and marked in vitro T-cell hyporeactivity which was independent of activity of infection, concurrent medication, or any associated disorders. The marked diminution of in vitro T-cell reactivity noted for these later four patients was not due to a deletion of antigen- or mitogen-reactive cells. Thus, patients' cells which had been initially cultured for 7 days without any mitogenic or antigenic stimulus and which were subsequently washed and recultured with phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, or histoplasmin demonstrated a marked increase in their responsiveness. Moreover, this reactivity noted for recultured cells could be suppressed by a nonphagocytic, nonadherent, nonimmunoglobulin-bearing, sheep red blood cell rosette-forming population of cells isolated from the fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the same patient. While these "regulator" T cells were capable of suppressing T-proliferative responses to antigens and mitogens, they did not diminish pokeweed mitogen-induced immunoglobulin synthesis by normal bone marrow-derived lymphocytes. Patients in whom suppressor "T" cells were found were at risk for relapsing, disseminated fungal infection.
Relapsing Polychondritis and Cardiac Valvular Involvement
Authors: William VanDecker
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1988)

ExcerptRelapsing polychondritis is an inflammatory disorder of cartilage in the spectrum of rheumatic vasculitides. The disease usually affects middle-aged men and is manifested by auricular and nasal chondritis, fever, seronegative arthritis, laryngeal and tracheal symptoms, audiovestibular complaints, ocular inflammation, and a saddle nose (1-3). There have been occasional reports of cardiovascular involvement (4-8). We report the case of a patient with relapsing polychondritis who developed severe aortic and mitral regurgitation requiring double-valve replacement.A 54-year-old black man with a history of intravenous drug abuse in the distant past had relapsing polychondritis determined by waxing and waning auricular and nasal septal...
Contractile Properties of the Cultured Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells
Authors: Dan Bi, Junji Nishimura, Naohisa Niiro, Katsuya Hirano, Hideo Kanaide
Journal: Circulation Research (2005)

Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) have a remarkable degree of plasticity and in response to vascular injury, they can change to a dedifferentiated state that can be typically seen in cell cultures. Recently, Y27632, a Rho kinase inhibitor, has been reported to preferentially correct hypertension in a hypertensive rat model. We thus tested the hypothesis that the contraction of the cultured VSMCs might be more dependent on the function of RhoA than the VSMCs in fresh tissue. For this purpose, a tissue-like ring preparation was made using the cultured porcine coronary artery SMCs (CASMCs) and collagen gel (reconstituted ring: R-ring). The R-ring developed an isometric tension on stimulation by high external K + or various receptor agonists. The phorbol ester (a protein kinase C (PKC) activator)-induced contraction of the intact R-ring was greatly inhibited, while the GTPγS (an activator of RhoA)-induced and Ca 2+ -independent contraction of permeabilized R-ring was greatly enhanced, in comparison to the fresh coronary artery ring. An immunoblot analysis showed the expression levels of RhoA and myosin phosphatase subunits (MYPT1 and PP1cδ) to be up-regulated, while the levels of CPI-17 (PKC-potentiated protein phosphatase-1 inhibitory protein), h1-calponin and PKC isoforms were downregulated in cultured CASMCs. The knock down of RhoA by RNA interference decreased the contractility of the cultured CASMCs. It is concluded that the contractility of the cultured VSMCs thus appears to be much more dependent on the function of RhoA than VSMCs in fresh tissue. The expression level of RhoA thus plays a crucial role in regulating the contractility of cultured VSMCs.
Treatment and Prognosis of Hemiballismus
Authors: Harold L. Klawans, Hamilton Moses, Paul A. Nausieda, Donna Bergen, William J. Weiner
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1976)

Acute hemiballismus due to a cerebrovascular lesion may have a grave prognosis. In the past nine years, we have treated 11 patients who had an acute onset of hemiballismus believed to be the result of an acute vascular lesion with neuroleptic drugs (most frequently haloperidol). None of the 11 died, and the movement disorders were greatly reduced or eliminated. In eight patients the drugs were withdrawn within six months, without recurrence of the movement disorders. Spinal-fluid homovanillic acid levels were increased in three patients, suggesting that altered dopaminergic feedback mechanisms may be involved in the pathophysiology of hemiballismus. Our observations suggest that the prognosis of hemiballismus is not necessarily as grave as has been believed, and that neuroleptic therapy may alter the outcome of this disorder.
Characterization of Atherosclerotic Plaques by Laser Speckle Imaging
Authors: Seemantini K. Nadkarni, Brett E. Bouma, Tina Helg, Raymond Chan, Elkan Halpern, Alexandra Chau, Milan Singh Minsky, Jason T. Motz, Stuart L. Houser, Guillermo J. Tearney
Journal: Circulation (2005)

Background— A method capable of determining atherosclerotic plaque composition and measuring plaque viscoelasticity can provide valuable insight into intrinsic features associated with plaque rupture and can enable the identification of high-risk lesions. In this article, we describe a new optical technique, laser speckle imaging (LSI), that measures an index of plaque viscoelasticity. We evaluate the potential of LSI for characterizing atherosclerotic plaque. Methods and Results— Time-varying helium-neon laser speckle images were acquired from 118 aortic plaque specimens from 14 human cadavers under static and deforming conditions (0 to 200 μm/s). Temporal fluctuations in the speckle patterns were quantified by exponential fitting of the normalized cross-correlation of sequential frames in each image series of speckle patterns to obtain the exponential decay time constant, τ. The decorrelation time constants of thin-cap fibroatheromas (TCFA) (τ=47.5±19.2 ms) were significantly lower than those of other atherosclerotic lesions ( P &lt;0.001), and the sensitivity and specificity of the LSI technique for identifying TCFAs were &gt;90%. Speckle decorrelation time constants demonstrated strong correlation with histological measurements of plaque collagen ( R =0.73, P &lt;0.0001), fibrous cap thickness ( R =0.87, P &lt;0.0001), and necrotic core area ( R =−0.81, P &lt;0.0001). Under deforming conditions (10 to 200 μm/s), τ correlated well with cap thickness in necrotic core fibroatheromas ( P &gt;0.05). Conclusions— The measurement of speckle decorrelation time constant from laser speckle images provides an index of plaque viscoelasticity and facilitates the characterization of plaque type. Our results demonstrate that LSI is a highly sensitive technique for characterizing plaque and identifying thin-cap fibroatheromas.
Long-term follow-up of infants of mothers with type 1 diabetes: evidence for hereditary and nonhereditary transmission of diabetes and precursors.
Authors: P A Weiss, H S Scholz, J Haas, K F Tamussino, J Seissler, M H Borkenstein
Journal: Diabetes Care (2000)

To estimate the impact of type 1 diabetes during pregnancy on transgenerational genetically caused and/or fuel-mediated amplification of types 1 and 2 diabetes and to estimate the impact of elevated amniotic fluid insulin levels.A total of 75 white offspring of type 1 diabetic mothers and 49 control subjects of similar age and pubertal stage were examined at 5-15 years of age. All offspring had an oral glucose tolerance test. Glucose, insulin, and C-peptide were measured at 0, 30, 60, and 120 min after loading. Lipids and autoimmune antibodies were measured in fasting plasma.Of the 75 offspring, 4 (5.3%) had overt diabetes, and 16 of 71 (22.5%) had autoimmune antibodies. Offspring of diabetic mothers had significantly higher BMI; symmetry indexes; cholesterol, glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels; and insulin resistance than control subjects. With the exception of cholesterol, these values were significantly elevated in offspring who had elevated amniotic fluid insulin levels (>8 microU/ml, >48 pmol/l) during pregnancy compared with normoinsulinemic offspring and control subjects.Offspring of type 1 diabetic mothers have an increased risk for diabetes later in life. The relative risk for type 1 and type 2 diabetes is 71.6 and 3.2, respectively. Type 2 diabetes-associated risk factors, such as high BMI; elevated glucose, insulin, and C-peptide levels; and insulin resistance, are related to the fetal metabolic experience in utero, as reflected by amniotic fluid insulin concentration.
The Need for Non-Breakthroughs in the Study of Peptic Ulcer
Authors: Morton I. Grossman
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1969)

Bringing a disease under control usually results from a breakthrough; occasionally control is achieved by gradual accretion of small forward steps; sometimes diseases decline or disappear for unknown reasons. In looking for new ways to combat disease, we devote most of our dollars and manpower to the search for breakthroughs. Meanwhile, while breakthroughs are awaited, patients must be treated with the modalities and information at hand. I believe the emphasis on breakthrough research has drawn attention and support away from two less glamorous but nevertheless important sources of new information about control of disease — namely, controlled clinical trials and . . .
Rapid diagnosis of acute meningococcal infections by needle aspiration or biopsy of skin lesions.
Authors: M van Deuren, B J van Dijke, R J Koopman, A M Horrevorts, J F Meis, F W Santman, J W van der Meer
Journal: BMJ (1993)

To evaluate the usefulness of Gram staining and culture of skin lesions in patients with acute meningococcal infections.Retrospective study.Community hospital and intensive care unit of a teaching hospital.51 patients admitted from 1989 to 1993 with proved meningococcal infections and microbiological examination of specimens from skin lesions.Needle aspiration of a skin lesion before start of antibiotic treatment in 26 patients in the community hospital; punch biopsy of skin lesion after start of antibiotic treatment in 25 patients in the teaching hospital.Detection of meningococci by Gram staining of specimens from skin lesions according to category of infection (meningococcaemia, meningitis, meningitis with shock, or septic shock without meningitis).Bacteria were detected in the specimen from haemorrhagic skin lesions by culture or Gram staining, or both in 32 (63%) patients. The sensitivity of the Gram stain was 51% and did not differ significantly from its sensitivity in detecting bacteria in cerebrospinal fluid. In meningococcal sepsis, however, a Gram stained skin lesion was significantly more sensitive (72%) than Gram stained cerebrospinal fluid (22%). In patients with meningitis skin lesions gave positive results on staining more often if shock was present. The results for punch biopsy specimens were not affected by antibiotics as Gram staining gave positive results up to 45 hours after the start of treatment and culture gave positive results up to 13 hours.Microbiological examination of skin lesions is informative, especially in patients with sepsis and inconclusive results from cerebrospinal fluid, and may provide a diagnosis in such patients within 45 minutes. It differentiates well between meningitis with and without haemodynamic complications, and the result is not affected by previous antibiotic treatment.
Meta-analysis and Epidemiologic Studies in Drug Development and Postmarketing Surveillance
Authors: Robert Temple
Journal: JAMA (1999)

THE UNMATCHED ABILITY OF PROSPECTIVELY DESIGNED randomized trials to provide unbiased, definitive evidence about the benefits and risks of treatments in the population studied is not in doubt, certain critical aspects of drug therapy, however, cannot be addressed by this method or addressed as rapidly as physicians, patients, and the public would like. In this issue of THE JOURNAL, 2 related articles consider the potential value of other methods of discovery of adverse consequences of drug use as well as the beneficial effects of drugs, specifically through epidemiologic methods and meta-analyses (systematic overviews) of data. These methods unquestionably have a place in the assessment of drug treatments but, as has been often pointed out, they must be used with care and recognition of their limitations.