tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Routine Childhood Varicella Vaccination
Authors: Martin Smukler
Journal: JAMA (1994)

<h3>To the Editor.</h3> —Considering the limited experience with the manufacturer's strain of varicella vaccine (only approximately 6000 doses given since 1981<sup>1</sup>) and the relatively benign character of the natural disease, I find many of the assumptions and the convenient denial of possible long-term consequences of such a program by Lieu et al<sup>2</sup>very disturbing. The risk to the 5% to 10% of vaccinees who don't respond or to those children who are not vaccinated in the catch-up program and enter adulthood unknowingly susceptible to varicella is ignored. Similarly, the definite possibility of waning immunity is summarily disregarded with the statement, "Considerable uncertainty exists about several of the key assumptions in this model."<sup>2</sup>Since this vaccine will not eradicate the varicellazoster virus,<sup>3</sup>this program may transform varicella from a mild disease of childhood to a severe disease of adulthood. No amount of reduction in work-loss costs is
Abstract 1409: Genetic ablation of lymphoma development inp53 knockout mice reveals a novel model of osteosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma.
Authors: Lorena Landuzzi, Giordano Nicoletti, Arianna Palladini, Marianna Ianzano, Valentina Grosso, Dario Ranieri, Carla De Giovanni, Pier-Luigi Lollini, Patrizia Nanni
Journal: Cancer Research (2013)

Abstract Homozygous knockout of p53 in mice leads to early mortality from lymphoma, with almost complete penetrance, thus hampering the study of other tumor histotypes related to p53. To ablate lymphoma development, we crossed p53 knockout mice with Rag2-/-;Il2rg-/- (RGKO) mice, which lack T, B and NK cells. We then compared the tumor spectrum of homozygous (p53-/-) and heterozygous (p53+/-) mice with those of mice lacking lymphocytes (RGKO-p53-/- and RGKO-p53+/-, respectively). All mice were of BALB/c genetic background. Lymphoma incidence in p53-/- mice exceeded 80%, whereas in RGKO-p53-/- it was near zero. The prevalent tumor of RGKO-p53-/- mice was hemangiosarcoma (incidence was about 60%in both sexes, median latency 19 weeks), other tumors included soft tissue sarcomas (incidence ∼10%), osteosarcomas and mammary carcinomas. Changes in tumor spectrum occurred also in p53 heterozygotes, in which lymphomas were relatively rare (&amp;lt;20%). Male RGKO-p53+/- had an increased incidence of hemangiosarcomas, reaching ∼25%, whereas females had an increased incidence of osteosarcomas, reaching ∼20%. The latter shared with human osteosarcoma the involvement of limbs and a high metastatic ability, in particular to the lungs. Molecular studies of tumors, in vitro cultured tumor cells and established cell lines showed specific alterations in the expression of p53-related genes (p16Ink4a, p19Arf, p15Ink4b, p21Cip1) and high expression levels of insulin-like growth factors and their receptors. In conclusion, genetic ablation of lymphoma in p53 knockout mice led to the development of new models of sarcoma development that can be now explored to study the development and metastatic spread of hemangiosarcoma and osteosarcoma. Citation Format: Lorena Landuzzi, Giordano Nicoletti, Arianna Palladini, Marianna Ianzano, Valentina Grosso, Dario Ranieri, Carla De Giovanni, Pier-Luigi Lollini, Patrizia Nanni. Genetic ablation of lymphoma development inp53 knockout mice reveals a novel model of osteosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma. [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 1409. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1409
US has highest dissatisfaction with health care
Authors: Bob Roehr
Journal: BMJ (2007)

The United States is the nation most dissatisfied with its healthcare system, while the Dutch are the most satisfied, an international survey has found. 

The study, of 12 000 adults in seven industrialised countries (Australia, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States), was conducted by the US health policy charity the Commonwealth Fund ( Health Affairs 2007;26:w717-34 doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.26.6.w717). The results were released last week at a news conference in Washington, DC, that involved a panel of health ministers and other representatives from several of the countries.

Just 16% of respondents in the US said that minor changes in health care are needed, while 34% said the system needed to be rebuilt completely. Among Dutch respondents 42% …
Ireland announces 30 primary care teams to provide "one stop services" to ease pressures on the hospital system
Authors: D. Payne
Journal: BMJ (2001)

The Irish government unveiled its long term strategy for the health service this week, saying it aims to provide thousands of new hospital beds, make major structural reforms, and take radical measures to deal with hospital waiting lists.

The 208 page document, Quality and Fairness—A Health System for You , marks the beginning of a series of further announcements over a two week period. The main document is to be followed by others on primary health care, how to increase bed capacity, the results of a value for money audit, and a report on care for elderly people.

At the centre of the strategy is …
Elective total hip replacement: incidence, emergency readmission rate, and postoperative mortality.
Authors: V Seagroatt, H S Tan, M Goldacre, C Bulstrode, I Nugent, L Gill
Journal: BMJ (1991)

To report the incidence of elective total hip replacement and postoperative mortality, emergency readmission rates, and the demographic factors associated with these rates in a large defined population.Analysis of linked, routine abstracts of hospital inpatient records and death certificates.10 hospitals in six districts in Oxford Regional Health Authority covered by the Oxford record linkage study.Records for 11,607 total hip replacements performed electively in 1976-85.Incidence of operation, postoperative mortality, relative mortality ratios, and incidence of emergency readmission.NHS operation rates increased over time from 43 to 58 operations/100,000 population. Variation in operation rates between districts reduced over time. Operation rates were on average 25% higher in women than men. There were 93 deaths (11/1000 operations) within 90 days of the operation and 208 emergency readmissions (28/1000 operations) within 28 days of discharge. Postoperative mortality and emergency readmission rates increased with age. No significant trend with time was found. Mortality in the 90 days after the operation was 2.5-fold higher (1.9 to 3.0) than in the rest of the first postoperative year. This represented an estimated excess of 6.5 (4.2 to 8.8) early postoperative deaths/1000 operations. Most deaths were ascribed to cardiovascular events. Thromboembolic disease was the commonest reason for emergency readmission.The pronounced increase in operations in districts with initially low rates suggests a trend towards greater equity in the local provision of NHS hip arthroplasty. The early postoperative clusters of deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease and of readmissions for thromboembolic disease suggest that there is scope for investigating ways of reducing the incidence of major adverse postoperative events.
Bone tissue reactions to an electrophoretically applied calcium phosphate coating
Authors: Magnus Gottlander, Carina B. Johansson, Ann Wennerberg, Tomas Albrektsson, Shulamit Radin, Paul Ducheyne
Journal: Biomaterials (1997)

Oral implants of a threaded design, calcium phosphate (CaP)-coated using an electrophoretic deposition technique, were compared to uncoated commercially pure (c.p.) titanium control in an animal study with 4 weeks and 6 months of follow-up, respectively. The 3D surface roughness of a CaP-coated implant was about three times greater than that of an uncoated control. Histomorphometric analyses of the direct bone-implant contact demonstrated a short-term advantage to the CaP-coated implants, whereas no significant difference to the uncoated titanium was found after 6 months. Comparison of the amount of bone inside or outside the threads showed similar values for test and control after 4 weeks. Significantly higher amounts of bone outside the uncoated c.p. titanium implants were measured after the long-term follow-up.
Fabry's disease: normal α-galactosidase activity and urinary-sediment glycosphingolipid levels in two obligate heterozygotes
Authors: JOSÉ LUIS AVILA, JACINTO CONVIT, GLADYS VELAZQUEZ-AVILA
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2006)

A clinical and hiochemical study of twelve persons in the same family, including two hemizygous and one typical heterozygous patients, for Fabry's disease is reported. Two obligate heterozygous females—daughters of the index case—lacked any of the clinical manifestations found in typical heterozygous carriers, having also normal α‐galactosidase activity in peripheral leukocytes and normal urinary excretion of trihexosylceramide and digalactosylceramide. Blood group serology was determined to exclude illegitimacy. The validity of these findings and some possible explanations are discussed.
Better artificial arms under development
Authors: John Elliott
Journal: JAMA (1980)

An expression of intense concentration on his face, a scientist at the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, sits before an artificial arm mounted on a table in his laboratory. Two electrodes attached to his own upper arm channel impulses into a microcomputer that in turn can activate tiny motors in the prosthesis. Without physically moving his limbs, the IIT engineer can flex the elbow of the experimental prosthesis, turn the wrist and, in an almost eerie manner, open and close the lifelike fist. The engineer's own body is whole, but his work with artificial limbs controlled by electrical impulses from the brain promises much-improved function for amputees, persons with congenital malformations, and even stroke victims and paralyzed patients. The investigator is Daniel Graupé, PhD, professor of engineering at IIT. Though muscle-activated artificial limbs have been in use and even sold commercially for more than ten years, the work of
RPA Inhibition Increases Replication Stress and Suppresses Tumor Growth
Authors: Jason G. Glanzer, Shengqin Liu, Ling Wang, Adam Mosel, Aimin Peng, Greg G. Oakley
Journal: Cancer Research (2014)

The ATR/Chk1 pathway is a critical surveillance network that maintains genomic integrity during DNA replication by stabilizing the replication forks during normal replication to avoid replication stress. One of the many differences between normal cells and cancer cells is the amount of replication stress that occurs during replication. Cancer cells with activated oncogenes generate increased levels of replication stress. This creates an increased dependency on the ATR/Chk1 pathway in cancer cells and opens up an opportunity to preferentially kill cancer cells by inhibiting this pathway. In support of this idea, we have identified a small molecule termed HAMNO ((1Z)-1-[(2-hydroxyanilino)methylidene]naphthalen-2-one), a novel protein interaction inhibitor of replication protein A (RPA), a protein involved in the ATR/Chk1 pathway. HAMNO selectively binds the N-terminal domain of RPA70, effectively inhibiting critical RPA protein interactions that rely on this domain. HAMNO inhibits both ATR autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of RPA32 Ser33 by ATR. By itself, HAMNO treatment creates DNA replication stress in cancer cells that are already experiencing replication stress, but not in normal cells, and it acts synergistically with etoposide to kill cancer cells in vitro and slow tumor growth in vivo. Thus, HAMNO illustrates how RPA inhibitors represent candidate therapeutics for cancer treatment, providing disease selectivity in cancer cells by targeting their differential response to replication stress. Cancer Res; 74(18); 5165-72. ©2014 AACR.
Intravenous vaccine shows promise against malaria
Authors: I. Torjesen
Journal: BMJ (2013)

A vaccine consisting of a live but attenuated form of the most deadly malaria parasite has shown promising protective effects against malaria when given to people intravenously in early trials.

US researchers have reported in Science that the vaccine, which contains live sporozoites (SPZ) of the species Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) weakened through irradiation, protected 12 out of 15 patients from the disease, when given several times intravenously in high doses.1

The vaccine (PfSPZ) developed by biotechnology company Sanaria is unusual because it is injected intravenously and is based on the whole parasite. Most malaria vaccine candidates are recombinant subunit vaccines containing just a handful of parasite …
Drug-induced postinfantile giant cell hepatitis
Authors: Ricardo Moreno-Otero, María Trapero-Marugán, Luisa García-Buey, Asunción García-Sancchez
Journal: Hepatology (2010)

We read with great interest the article by Cavazza et al., 1 who demonstrated that an advanced histological stage was the only risk factor associated with the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) from two European centers.Similar results were described in a Japanese multicenter study by Shibuya et al. 2 Although these studies suggest screening for HCC in patients with advanced-stage PBC, it is still uncertain whether there is a significantly increased risk of HCC development in patients with stage IV PBC cirrhosis versus patients with cirrhosis of other etiologies.We assessed in a single-center study the incidence of HCC in North American patients with stage IV PBC or autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) cirrhosis and compared it to the incidence of HCC in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis.Three hundred fifteen patients with HCV cirrhosis, 49 patients with AIH cirrhosis, and 52 patients with stage IV PBC were evaluated at the Cleveland Clinic between 2001 and 2007.Stage IV PBC cirrhosis was diagnosed when patients had positive serological and histological findings of cirrhosis or biochemical and radiological evidence of portal hypertension.Cirrhosis due to AIH was defined by positive serological and histological findings of cirrhosis or biochemical and radiological evidence of portal hypertension.HCC-free survival was analyzed from the moment of the diagnosis of cirrhosis in HCV, AIH, and PBC patients until death or transplantation.During a median follow-up of 3.6 years (with 25th and 75th percentiles of 1.8 and 6.3, respectively), 64 of 315 patients (20.3%) with HCV cirrhosis, 2 of 49 patients (4.1%) with AIH cirrhosis, and 4 of 52 patients (7.7%) with PBC cirrhosis developed HCC.The annual cumulative incidence of HCC was 1.1% in patients with AIH cirrhosis, 1.5% in patients with PBC cirrhosis, and 4.0% in patients with HCV cirrhosis (Fig. 1).This study has shown that although patients with stage IV PBC cirrhosis develop liver cancer, the risk is significantly lower in comparison with the risk for patients with HCV cirrhosis.The results of our study are discordant with a previously reported Spanish series in which the risks of HCC were similar in patients with late-stage PBC and in patients with HCV cirrhosis. 3 We agree with Cavazza et al. 1 that the low prevalence of PBC and the possible influence of geography on disease progression are confounding factors that may explain the divergent results in the literature.Future multicenter studies in North America with a longer follow-up period are necessary to validate these findings and better estimate the risk of HCC in PBC patients at an advanced histological stage.
Post-Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction among the Largely Hispanic Underinsured of Southern California: An Analysis of Factors Leading to Lower Referral and Reconstruction Rates over Two Decades.
Authors: J. Mussman, G. Modad, S. Kalina
Journal: Cancer Research (2009)

Abstract Background: This study investigates improvements in the rate of reconstruction over the last decade for the, predominantly Hispanic, county hospital population of Riverside County, California. This is accomplished be comparison to a similar study within the same institution by Kalina et al for the preceding decade. In addition, comparisons to national trends are also made as a global measure of the success of the reconstructive process in the study population. While previous national studies have focused solely on reconstructive rates, the present study also examines post-mastectomy referral rates. Additional investigation was carried out into the factors affecting both referral and reconstructive rates within this population.Methods: A retrospective review of all female patients' charts who underwent mastectomy from Aug 1998- June 2007 was performed. Factors investigated in relation to referral and reconstruction rates were stage of the cancer, smoking status, race, surgeon performing mastectomy, and age. Ten studies were selected for comparison that represented reconstruction rates from various national database and single institution studies from 1984-2003. Logistic regression was used to analyze the data.Results: n=163. Mean Age 52. Hispanics comprised 42% followed by whites at 26%. Eighty seven (53%) patients were referred to plastics for reconstruction and 24 (15%) underwent reconstruction. There was a 273% and 333% increase compared to the previous decade in referral and reconstruction rates respectively within the study population. Rate of reconstruction (15%) within the study population was 58% lower than what was projected by national trends (36%). The surgeon performing the mastectomy was the most significant factor affecting referral (odds ratio 3.35). Younger age (&amp;lt;45) also led to significantly more referrals to plastic surgery (odds ratio 2.68). Prognosis, radiation therapy, and race had no significant impact on referral or reconstruction rates.Conclusions: Significant gains have been made in the rates of postmastectomy referral and reconstruction over the last decade within the county hospital population of Riverside County, California. However, comparisons with national trends indicate that the rate of reconstruction has fallen to less than half of what has been reported throughout the nation. A low referral rate to plastic surgery has been the reason for the low the reconstruction rate. The main contributing factor to whether a patient was referred was surgeon bias among the primary surgeons performing the mastectomy. The authors urge protocol driven referral patterns surrounding breast cancer diagnosis be adopted in every hospital to circumvent any bias that may exist. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 3081.
Gynaecologist banned in Canada appears before GMC
Authors: C. Dyer
Journal: BMJ (2000)

A British gynaecologist who was banned from working in two Canadian provinces in 1979 and 1985 but was able to go on practising in Britain until 1999 faced accusations of serious professional misconduct at the General Medical Council this week.

Richard Neale, aged 52, faces 35 charges over his treatment of women patients and two charges of falsifying his curriculum vitae to win an appointment assessing other doctors under the GMC's performance procedures.

The consultant, who worked at Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, North Yorkshire, between 1985 and 1995, is accused of leaving patients bleeding, scarred, and incontinent. The allegations include incompetent surgery, treating patients without consent, and failing to act when complications arose. His licence to …
Strategies Proposed So Cars Won't Harm Kids
Authors: Jody W. Zylke
Journal: JAMA (1995)

WARMER WEATHER brings with it ball games and picnics. And an increased risk of pedestrian injuries, as children dart out into the street after that ball or ice cream truck. The effort toward prevention of unintentional injuries in children has seen some successes. Childhood injuries in motor vehicle crashes have declined with the use of car seats and seat belts. Protective helmets decrease the risk of head injury in pediatric bicyclists. But, until recently, little attention has been paid to injuries to children being hit by cars. Epidemiologic information is accumulating that should allow prevention strategies to be developed. <h3>'Huge Pediatric Problem'</h3> Mark Widome, MD, MPH, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, calls pedestrian injuries "a huge pediatric problem." At a recent American Academy of Pediatrics meeting, he provided the statistics to defend that assertion. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, pedestrian injuries are the third leading
Nicotine is addictive, rules FDA
Authors: J. Roberts
Journal: BMJ (1995)

Nicotine was ruled in the US last week to be an addictive substance and could therefore be brought under the control of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It is usually regulated by the more liberal Federal Trade Commission. David Kessler, the FDA's commissioner, has already asked President Bill Clinton to decide whether the FDA can regulate tobacco products; if he agrees, Kessler will push for a ban on cigarette vending machines and for the strengthening of government health warnings.

The reaction from Republicans has been swift and condemning. House Speaker Newt Gingrich, from Georgia, said: …
Improvement of the Tumor-Suppressive Effect of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy for Amelanotic Melanoma by Intratumoral Injection of the <i>Tyrosinase</i> Gene
Authors: Norimasa Morita, Junichi Hiratsuka, Hirohumi Kondoh, Masako Uno, Tomoyuki Asano, Yoko Niki, Yoshinori Sakurai, Koji Ono, Tamotsu Harada, Yoshinari Imajo
Journal: Cancer Research (2006)

Abstract Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is successful when there is a sufficient 10B concentration in tumor cells. In melanoma, 10B-para-boronophenylalanine (BPA) accumulation is proportional to melanin-producing activity. This study was done to confirm enhancement of the tumor-suppressive effect of BNCT on amelanotic melanoma by intratumoral injection of the tyrosinase gene. D178 or FF amelanotic melanomas were implanted s.c. in Syrian hamsters. One group of D178- or FF-bearing hamsters (TD178 or TFF group) received intratumoral injections of pcDNA-Tyrs constructed as a tyrosinase expression plasmid. The other hamsters (pD178 and pFF groups) were injected with pUC119, and control hamsters (D178 and FF groups) only with transfection reagents. All the groups underwent immunofluorescence analysis of tyrosinase expression and BPA biodistribution studies. BNCT experiments were done at the Kyoto University Research Reactor. Tyrosinase expression increased in the tumors of the TD178 and TFF groups but remained the same in the pD178 and pFF groups. Tumor boron concentrations in the TD178 and TFF groups increased significantly (TD178: 49.7 ± 12.6 versus D178: 27.2 ± 4.9 μg/g, P &amp;lt; 0.0001; TFF: 30.7 ± 6.6 versus FF: 13.0 ± 4.7 μg/g, P &amp;lt; 0.0001). The BNCT tumor-suppressive effect was marked in the TD178 and TFF groups. In vivo transfection with the tyrosinase gene increased BPA accumulation in the tumors, the BNCT tumor-suppressive effect on amelanotic melanoma being significantly enhanced. These findings suggest a potential new clinical strategy for the treatment of amelanotic melanoma with BNCT. (Cancer Res 2006; 66(7): 3747-53)
Storm rages over revisions to Helsinki Declaration
Authors: R. Woodman
Journal: BMJ (1999)

Hopes of reaching consensus on how to revise the Declaration of Helsinki without compromising the interests of people taking part in clinical trials in developing countries seem as far off as ever and may even be unrealistic, an international workshop heard last weekend.

The declaration, which has served as the ethical cornerstone of biomedical research for the past 35 years, has been the subject of fierce debate since 1997, when the …
Use of an anti-IgE humanized monoclonal antibody in ragweed-induced allergic rhinitis☆☆☆★★★
Authors: Thomas B. Casale, I.Leonard Bernstein, William W. Busse, Craig F. LaForce, David G. Tinkelman, Randall R. Stoltz, Robert J. Dockhorn, James Reimann, John Q. Su, Robert B. Fick Jr.
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (1997)