tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
JC polyoma virus interacts with APOL1 in African Americans with nondiabetic nephropathy
Authors: Jasmin Divers, Marina Núñez, Kevin P. High, Mariana Murea, Michael V. Rocco, Lijun Ma, Donald W. Bowden, Pamela J. Hicks, Mitzie Spainhour, David A. Ornelles, Steven B. Kleiboeker, Kara Duncan, Carl D. Langefeld, JoLyn Turner, Barry I. Freedman
Journal: Kidney International (2013)
Capitation and the Medicaid Elderly
Authors: Yizhak Twersky
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1994)

Letters15 September 1994Capitation and the Medicaid ElderlyYizhak Twersky, MD and Harold Lipsky, MDYizhak Twersky, MDSearch for more papers by this author and Harold Lipsky, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-121-6-199409150-00018 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Based on their study in which patients with prepaid care and patients with fee-for-service care received similar medical care, Lurie and colleagues [1] concluded that enrolling elderly Medicaid patients in prepaid health plans is not harmful. This conclusion is flawed. The primary coverage for most patients in this study was Medicare; Medicaid was only used for the copayment and deductible portion of the Medicare program and the services not covered by Medicare such as dental care, occupational therapy, and so forth. To capitate the copayment (which is already severely limited by statute) would not alter access to ...REFERENCE1. Lurie N, Christianson J, Finch M, Moscovice I. The effects of capitation on health and functional status of the Medicaid elderly. Ann Intern Med. 1994; 120:506-11. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Yizhak Twersky, MD; Harold Lipsky, MD PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 15 September 1994Volume 121, Issue 6Page: 469-470KeywordsElderlyHealth careMedicarePatients ePublished: 15 August 2000 Issue Published: 15 September 1994 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 1994 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...
Colonoscopic allergen provocation test with r<scp>B</scp>et v 1 in patients with pollen‐associated food allergy
Authors: C. N. Pickert, A. Lorentz, M. P. Manns, S. C. Bischoff
Journal: Allergy (2012)

Abstract Background After consumption of fruits, nuts, and vegetables, several patients with pollen allergy experience gastrointestinal ( GI ) tract symptoms that are possibly caused by pollen‐associated food allergy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the colonoscopic allergen provocation ( COLAP ) test using the recombinant birch pollen allergen B et v 1 (r B et v 1) for in vivo diagnosis of pollen‐associated food allergy manifesting in the GI tract. Methods Thirty‐four patients with a history of adverse reactions to food, GI tract symptoms, and birch pollen pollinosis and five healthy controls underwent COLAP test. Twenty minutes after endoscopic challenge of the cecal mucosa with r B et v 1, the mucosal wheal and flare reaction was registered semiquantitatively, and tissue biopsy specimens were examined for eosinophil mucosal activation. Results The mucosal reaction to r B et v 1 was correlated with the presence of pollinosis ( P = 0.004), history of adverse reaction to B et v 1‐associated food allergens ( P = 0.001), and tissue eosinophils' activation ( P &lt; 0.001). A wheal and flare reaction in the COLAP test was observed in 13 of 16 patients (81%) with a history of GI tract symptoms associated with the ingestion of B et v 1‐related foods and in four of 18 (22%) patients with a negative history ( P &lt; 0.001). The control group did not develop visible mucosal reactions to rBet v 1. Systemic anaphylactic reactions did not occur. Conclusions The mucosal administration of r B et v 1 by COLAP test provides a new diagnostic tool that might support the diagnosis of B et v 1‐associated food allergy manifesting in the GI tract.
Curcumin Decreases Specificity Protein Expression in Bladder Cancer Cells
Authors: Gayathri Chadalapaka, Indira Jutooru, Sudhakar Chintharlapalli, Sabitha Papineni, Roger Smith, Xiangrong Li, Stephen Safe
Journal: Cancer Research (2008)

Abstract Curcumin is the active component of tumeric, and this polyphenolic compound has been extensively investigated as an anticancer drug that modulates multiple pathways and genes. In this study, 10 to 25 μmol/L curcumin inhibited 253JB-V and KU7 bladder cancer cell growth, and this was accompanied by induction of apoptosis and decreased expression of the proapoptotic protein survivin and the angiogenic proteins vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1). Because expression of survivin, VEGF, and VEGFR1 are dependent on specificity protein (Sp) transcription factors, we also investigated the effects of curcumin on Sp protein expression as an underlying mechanism for the apoptotic and antiangiogenic activity of this compound. The results show that curcumin induced proteasome-dependent down-regulation of Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 in 253JB-V and KU7 cells. Moreover, using RNA interference with small inhibitory RNAs for Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4, we observed that curcumin-dependent inhibition of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)–dependent genes, such as bcl-2, survivin, and cyclin D1, was also due, in part, to loss of Sp proteins. Curcumin also decreased bladder tumor growth in athymic nude mice bearing KU7 cells as xenografts and this was accompanied by decreased Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 protein levels in tumors. These results show for the first time that one of the underlying mechanisms of action of curcumin as a cancer chemotherapeutic agent is due, in part, to decreased expression of Sp transcription factors in bladder cancer cells. [Cancer Res 2008;68(13):5345–54]
Disappearance of Uremic Itching after Subtotal Parathyroidectomy
Authors: Constantine L. Hampers, Adrian I. Katz, Richard E. Wilson, John P. Merrill
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1968)

ALTHOUGH many uremic symptoms can be improved or prevented by adequate dialysis1 others, including anemia, peripheral neuropathy, secondary hyperparathyroidism and hypertension, to name only a few,2 frequently persist and may inexorably worsen. One such symptom that may not respond to intensive dialysis is pruritus, which on occasion, can be so severe as to be totally incapacitating. In the course of treating patients with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism by means of subtotal parathyroidectomy, we have found that the pruritus that had been an annoying symptom in some of these patients disappeared shortly after surgery. This brief report documents our experience with five . . .
Website of the week: Food allergy
Authors: A. Ellis
Journal: BMJ (2002)

In a 10-minute consultation, Aziz Sheikh and Samantha Walker outline how to approach a patient with a suspected food allergy (p 1337). They point out that 20% of the population believe that they have a food allergy, but, with only 1% responding to a controlled food challenge, the public has vast misconceptions about what food allergy is.

As ever, the internet is a great source of well meaning information, only some of which is useful. People tend not to understand the difference between a true allergy and intolerance; given the potential market for self testing kits, some commercial websites do nothing to dispel such misunderstanding.

Clear information aimed at both professionals and consumers can be found at the site of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (www.aaaai.org/default.stm). As well as offering a good explanation of the difference between allergy and intolerance, the site allows patients and consumers to search allergic conditions and directs them to relevant resources. For professionals there is information about disease management and careers in allergy and immunology.

Also from the United States comes the New York based Food Allergy Initiative (www.foodallergyinitiative.org), a non-profit making organisation aimed at helping improve the lives of those living with a life threatening allergy. As it soberingly highlights, one bite containing a minuscule amount of the wrong food can be fatal. It pushes for proper labelling of foods that people can trust and for restaurants to treat the problem with the seriousness it deserves. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (www.foodallergy.org) has a similar remit. Its website has extensive resources that go beyond education, such as recipes and a tip of the day.

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Alliance (www.foodallergyalliance.org/foo.html) outlines facts about food allergy and related issues from the perspectives of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It gives the top three concerns for each country (for example, food labelling is one of those listed for Australia) and practical advice such as the phone numbers for emergency services.
Myosin IXB variant increases the risk of celiac disease and points toward a primary intestinal barrier defect
Authors: Alienke J Monsuur, Paul I W de Bakker, Behrooz Z Alizadeh, Alexandra Zhernakova, Marianna R Bevova, Eric Strengman, Lude Franke, Ruben van't Slot, Martine J van Belzen, Ineke C M Lavrijsen, Begoña Diosdado, Mark J Daly, Chris J J Mulder, M Luisa Mearin, Jos W R Meijer, Gerrit A Meijer, Erica van Oort, Martin C Wapenaar, Bobby P C Koeleman, Cisca Wijmenga
Journal: Nature Genetics (2005)
A population-based study measuring the prevalence of chronic kidney disease among adults in West Malaysia
Authors: Lai Seong Hooi, Loke Meng Ong, Ghazali Ahmad, Sunita Bavanandan, Noor Ani Ahmad, Balkish M. Naidu, Wan Nazaimoon W Mohamud, Muhammad Fadhli M Yusoff
Journal: Kidney International (2013)
Effect of candesartan cilexetil (TCV-116) in rats with chronic renal failure
Authors: Masakuni Noda, Takanori Matsuo, Ryo Fukuda, Masayuki Ohta, Hiroko Nagano, Yumiko Shibouta, Takehiko Naka, Kohei Nishikawa, Yoshimi Imura
Journal: Kidney International (1999)
Effects of mechanical stimulation on the differentiation of hard tissues
Authors: Stuart Goodman, Per Aspenberg
Journal: Biomaterials (1993)

In 1892 J.L. Wolff believed that bone was a dynamic organ that responded to the biomechanical environment. Research has shown that mechanical stimulation can have a profound effect on the differentiation and development of mesenchymal tissues. It would appear that a 'window' of mechanical strain exists which may facilitate or discourage the accretion of bone. With respect to processes such as fracture healing and ingrowth of bone into porous coated prostheses, it may be possible to modulate the mechanical environment with the application of well-defined, exogenous loads in order to promote a more favourable outcome.
Book Review Quack, Quack, Quack: The Sellers of Nostrums in Prints, Posters, Ephemera and Books By William H. Helfand. 252 pp., illustrated. New York, The Grolier Club, 2002. (Distributed by University of Chicago Press, Chicago.) $40. 0-910672-40-7
Authors: Eric Juhnke
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2003)
On the Periods of Eruption of the Permanent Teeth as a Test of Age
Authors: J. Livy
Journal: BMJ (1885)

TPA BRITIsM ME2Pik J(mRkAL2 cold.Here we come to the question whether there is not a relattion between the effect of cold upon a spray of especially exposed leaves upon a plant, and this determinate lesion in animal structure.The cause of an untimely withering of a definite area, such as a branch of a single plant, may be very similar to that which has oc- curred here.It is, perhaps, most frequently seen as the result of watering in the sunshine of frosty weather.The plant-circulation is stimulated for the moment, to be checked to destruction in the night.The area affected will coincide with the least vigorous section of the plant, or, in the case of numbers, with the least vigorous specimens, equally exposed to the adverse influence.In much the same way, it is in accordance with clinical observation, that the several tracts of grey matter, or definite brain-centres, may be unequally vigoroius in a given individual.This may be due to hereditary conditions of con- figuration, or of intimate structure, as in cases of limited infantile paralysis involving speech-centres or motor-centres ; sometimes to incidental causes of circulation, as in abnormal distribution or varicose conditions, or the irregularities produced by abnormal use, and in epileptiform conditions of unstable equilibrium; and sometimes to disease, as in the completed results of scarlet fever and of specific disease.The lesson to be derived from the case now recorded is to sift to the bottom all obscure cases, involving disturbance of function.Upon
Coarctation of the Aorta and Pregnancy
Authors: J. D. Mortensen
Journal: JAMA (1965)

THE ALTERED cardiovascular hemodynamics associated with coarctation of the aorta are well understood. The changes in blood-flow pattern in the abdominal aorta and its pelvic branches produced by coarctation have considerable significance to the obstetrician who cares for the woman with coarctation who becomes pregnant. The essential physiologic alterations produced by coarctation (Figure) are as follows: (1) decreased pulse pressure (or "damping") of the pulse contour in the aorta and all arterial branches originating below the coarcted segment in the descending thoracic aorta; (2) increased arterial blood pressure in the aortic arch proximal to the coarctation and in the branches of the aortic arch; (3) increased left ventricular work because of hypertension in the proximal aorta; (4) extensive collateral arterial circulation, carrying blood from the hypertensive branches proximal to the coarctation to the abdominal aorta distally. Usually, these collaterals provide a fairly normal mean arterial pressure and a near normal
The Effectiveness of Emergency Obstetric Referral Interventions in Developing Country Settings: A Systematic Review
Authors: Julia Hussein, Lovney Kanguru, Margaret Astin, Stephen Munjanja
Journal: PLoS Medicine (2012)

Pregnancy complications can be unpredictable and many women in developing countries cannot access health facilities where life-saving care is available. This study assesses the effects of referral interventions that enable pregnant women to reach health facilities during an emergency, after the decision to seek care is made.Selected bibliographic databases were searched with no date or language restrictions. Randomised controlled trials and quasi experimental study designs with a comparison group were included. Outcomes of interest included maternal and neonatal mortality and other intermediate measures such as service utilisation. Two reviewers independently selected, appraised, and extracted articles using predefined fields. Forest plots, tables, and qualitative summaries of study quality, size, and direction of effect were used for analysis. Nineteen studies were included. In South Asian settings, four studies of organisational interventions in communities that generated funds for transport reduced neonatal deaths, with the largest effect seen in India (odds ratio 0·48 95% CI 0·34-0·68). Three quasi experimental studies from sub-Saharan Africa reported reductions in stillbirths with maternity waiting home interventions, with one statistically significant result (OR 0.56 95% CI 0.32-0.96). Effects of interventions on maternal mortality were unclear. Referral interventions usually improved utilisation of health services but the opposite effect was also documented. The effects of multiple interventions in the studies could not be disentangled. Explanatory mechanisms through which the interventions worked could not be ascertained.Community mobilisation interventions may reduce neonatal mortality but the contribution of referral components cannot be ascertained. The reduction in stillbirth rates resulting from maternity waiting homes needs further study. Referral interventions can have unexpected adverse effects. To inform the implementation of effective referral interventions, improved monitoring and evaluation practices are necessary, along with studies that develop better understanding of how interventions work.
Photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolaevulinate for cervical and/or facial lesions of folliculotropic mycosis fungoides: interest and limits
Authors: A. Debu, D. Bessis, C. Girard, A. Du Thanh, B. Guillot, O. Dereure
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2012)

Funding sources: none. Conflicts of interest: none declared. Madam, Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF) is an unusual clinicopathological variant of mycosis fungoides (MF) and is often resistant to standard therapies.1 Accordingly, a pilot study was designed to assess the efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) on specific FMF lesions, with an emphasis on lesions, either refractory or not, located on the face and neck region, an area where therapeutic options are often limited. Three patients with FMF, who had facial and/or cervical lesions resistant to previous treatments, were thus treated by PDT using a 16·8% methyl aminolaevulinate (MAL) cream (Metvixia®; Galderma, Paris, France) applied under an occlusive, light‐shielding dressing for 3 h and followed by red light irradiation for 10 min delivered by a diode lamp (630 nm, 37 J cm−2; Aktilite® CL128; PhotoCure ASA, Oslo, Norway). The details of the three cases are as follows. A 54‐year‐old man with stage IIB FMF, receiving methotrexate 25 mg per week, was treated by PDT for three refractory cervicofacial lesions. A complete clinical response (CR) was obtained after a single irradiation on a noninfiltrated patch on the right cheek, with no recurrence at 28‐month follow‐up. Conversely, three initial monthly procedures followed 3 months later by four bimonthly sessions were necessary to achieve a CR on two moderately infiltrated plaques on the left side of the upper neck (Fig. 1a,b), with no clinical and histological relapse at 19‐month follow‐up.
Pilot study of a screening test for peripheral arterial disease in middle aged men: fibrinogen as a possible risk factor
Authors: K. BAXTER, S. WISEMAN, J. POWELL, R. GREENHALGH
Journal: Cardiovascular Research (1988)

A simple one minute exercise test was used as a screening test for asymptomatic peripheral arterial disease in a sample of 100 men in their sixth decade with no previous referrals for cardiovascular disease. Other investigations included resting ECG, non-invasive carotid artery assessment, and plasma biochemical analysis. Of these 100 men (mean age 56), 10 had evidence of peripheral disease on exercise testing, four had ischaemic changes on resting ECG, and one showed evidence of carotid artery stenosis. A total therefore of 15 out of 100 (15%) had asymptomatic arterial disease. These 15 men had increased concentrations of plasma fibrinogen (4.3(0.7) g·litre−1) compared with men with no evidence of arterial disease (3.5(0.7) g·litre−1; p <0.01). The one minute exercise test is a useful screening test for peripheral arterial disease, and this pilot study suggests that raised plasma fibrinogen concentrations may be an important risk factor.
Opportunities and Strategies for Breast Cancer Prevention Through Risk Reduction
Authors: M. C. Mahoney, T. Bevers, E. Linos, W. C. Willett
Journal: CA A Cancer Journal for Clinicians (2008)

Due to the high incidence of breast cancer among US females, risk-reduction strategies are essential. Before considering approaches to breast cancer risk reduction, it is important for clinicians to complete individualized qualitative and quantitative assessments of risk for their patients in order to inform physicians' clinical decision making and management and to engage patients collaboratively in a thorough discussion of risks and benefits. This review will summarize information on potential pharmacologic, nutritional, surgical, and behavioral approaches to reducing breast cancer risk. While there is no clear evidence that specific dietary components can effectively reduce breast cancer risk, weight gain and obesity in adulthood are risk factors for the development of postmenopausal breast cancer. Alcohol consumption, even at moderate levels, increases breast cancer risk, although some of the detrimental effects may be reduced by sufficient folate intake. Women at increased risk of breast cancer can opt to reduce their breast cancer risk through the use of tamoxifen or raloxifene; other chemopreventive agents remain under investigation. Surgical approaches to risk reductions are restricted to those patients with a substantially increased risk of developing breast cancer. Patients should be encouraged to maintain a healthy lifestyle for their overall well-being and to remain up to date with recommendations for screening and surveillance. To earn free CME credit or nursing contact hours for successfully completing the online quiz based on this article, go to http://CME.AmCancerSoc.org.
Congenital Absence of Left Pulmonary Artery With Patent Ductus Arteriosi
Authors: Israel Steinberg, Laurence Miscall, Henry P. Goldberg
Journal: JAMA (1964)

ANGIOCARDIOGRAPHY permits the diagnosis of congenital absence of a main branch of the pulmonary artery during life. The first patient with congenital absence of a right pulmonary artery had angiocardiography at Cornell Medical Center in 1948, and was reported in 1953.<sup>1</sup>The first publication on this subject after using angiocardiography, however, was made by Madoff and associates<sup>2</sup>in 1952. Recent reviews indicate that there are now well over 100 cases of congenital absence of a pulmonary artery in the literature.<sup>3-10</sup>Whereas, congenital absence of the right pulmonary artery is often isolated and uncomplicated, congenital absence of the left pulmonary artery is frequently accompanied by other congenital cardiovascular anomalies.<sup>3</sup>In this report, congenital absence of the left pulmonary artery associated with a right aortic arch and patent right- and left-sided ductus arteriosus is described. Treatment consisted of ligation and division of the ductus, and left pneumonectomy. <h3>Report</h3>
Role of Tissue Factor in Cancer
Authors: Raj S. Kasthuri, Mark B. Taubman, Nigel Mackman
Journal: Journal of Clinical Oncology (2009)

Tissue factor (TF) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that localizes the coagulation serine protease factor VII/VIIa (FVII/VIIa) to the cell surface. The primary function of TF is to activate the clotting cascade. The TF:FVIIa complex also activates cells by cleavage of a G-protein coupled receptor called protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2). TF is expressed by tumor cells and contributes to a variety of pathologic processes, such as thrombosis, metastasis, tumor growth, and tumor angiogenesis. For instance, tumor cells release TF-positive procoagulant microparticles into the circulation and these may trigger venous thromboembolism in patients with cancer. TF on circulating tumor cells also leads to the coating of the cells with fibrin that traps them within the microvasculature and facilitates hematogenous metastasis. In addition, TF:FVIIa-dependent activation of PAR2 on tumor cells increases tumor growth via an undefined mechanism. One possibility is that PAR2-dependent signaling increases the expression of proangiogenic proteins. Other studies have reported that endothelial cells in the tumor vasculature express TF and this may enhance angiogenesis. These results suggest that inhibition of TF should reduce several pathologic pathways that increase tumor growth and metastasis. This would represent a novel approach to anticancer therapy. Initial studies using inhibitors of the TF:FVIIa complex in mouse tumor models have produced encouraging results. Nevertheless, additional studies are needed to determine if this strategy can be successfully translated to the treatment of cancer patients.