tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Electroacupuncture in fibromyalgia: Authors' reply
Authors: C Deluze, T L Vischer
Journal: BMJ (1993)

Electroacupuncture in fibromyalgiaED1TOR,-Several important issues arise from Christophe Deluze and colleagues' paper on electroacupuncture in fibromyalgia.'The use of electroacupuncture rather than ordinary acupuncture in this study is questionable.To treat musculoskeletal pain, manual manipulation of the needles is all that many experienced physicians consider to be necessary.2Indeed, excessive stimulation of the needles may exacerbate the symptoms.This and the unpleasantness of needle insertion (suggesting poor needling technique) led to an unusually high drop out rate in both the group given electroacu- puncture (17%) and the controls (15%) in the study.The authors also seem uncertain about the rationale for selecting acupuncture points; they say that they used "four common acupuncture points," but it is unclear exactly which points these were.The authors claim that "traditional acupuncture points" were used, and the hand point does seem to correspond to the Chinese acupuncture point Hegu (L14).The leg point, however, corresponds only approximately to the Chinese acupuncture point Zusanli (ST36), the location given being inaccurate.This point should be located by using a system of proportional measurement, which allows for differences in the size of patients.The correct distance below the inferior border of the patella is not 5 cm but 3 cun, which corresponds to the width of the patient's four fingers.Needle insertion into the tender points was avoided in this study.In treating myofascial pain, however, the best results are generally considered to be obtained by inserting the needles into the points of maximum tenderness, though electrical stimulation is usually unnecessary.Lastly, the points used in the control group cannot be regarded as suitable: electrical stimula- tion of needles only 2 cm from the real points is unlikely to be without some effect.The true efficacy of acupuncture may have been under- estimated, and further studies of higher quality are needed.
NHS "cannot cope," says Tory
Authors: J. Warden
Journal: BMJ (1999)

A greater role for private health care as an alternative to the NHS in the United Kingdom is to form the foundation of future Conservative party policy on health. Mr Alan Duncan, opposition shadow health minister, mapped out the new Tory plan earlier this month in an address to the Social Market Foundation in London.

Mr Duncan's starting point was to accept that “the NHS cannot do everything” and that people should be encouraged to make their own provision for health care as part of a wider private-public partnership to improve universal provision. His speech was intended to initiate wider debate, and it coincided with a call by independent healthcare providers to be brought withinthe same clinical governance regime as …
Retroviral gene transfer into cord blood stem/progenitor cells using purified vector stocks
Authors: Julie Asch, Rona S. Weinberg, Lisa Mueller, Yelena Galperin, Lily Kiang, Douglas Jolly, Luis M. Isola
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (1998)

Cord blood (CB) progenitor/stem cells (P/SC) are ideal targets for early gene therapy in individuals prenatally diagnosed with genetic disorders. Most retroviral transduction protocols were developed using adult peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC) and bone marrow (BM). Less is known about retroviral transduction of CB P/SC. We examined how timing, multiplicity of infection (MOI), and polycations in the transduction media affect transduction efficiency. Rates of transduction were determined in recently isolated CD34+ enriched CB cells and in colonies derived after various times in liquid cultures (LC). CB mononuclear cells (MNC) were separated by ficoll-hypaque centrifugation and enriched for CD34+ cells. Purity was assessed by flow cytometry. Transduction were performed with clinical-grade retroviral stocks at MOIs of 1–20. Transduction was performed with fetal bovine serum (FBS) or autologous plasma, IL-3, GM-CSF, IL-6, and SCF. The retroviral vector contained LacZ and neomycin resistance (neo) reporter genes. Transduction was determined by X-gal stain and by PCR amplification of the reporter genes. No drug selection was used. Twenty-five experiments were done. CB volumes ranged from 35–150 ml. MNC and CD34+ cell counts ranges were: 0.14–840 × 106 and 0.1–4.2 × 106, respectively. Transduction efficiency in liquid cultures ranged from 4–63%. Higher rates were seen using MOI ≥ 10, 2 μg/ml polybrene, and 10% autologous CB plasma. In colonies, transduction rates were 63 to 72% by PCR and 32% by X-gal staining. In LTC-IC derived colonies, transduction was 7% by PCR. Short incubations of CD34+ CB cells with purified retroviral stocks, polybrene, and autologous sera result in high transduction rates of committed progenitors and moderately low efficiencies of transduction of LTC-IC in the absence of drug selection. Am. J. Hematol. 57:16–23, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A1.9 Pilot work towards discovery of novel diagnostic biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis using combinations of chemokine receptor expression on peripheral blood cell-subsets
Authors: Stephanie Harrison, Agata Burksa, Rekah Parmar, Paul Emery, Frederique Ponchel
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (2014)

<h3>Background and Objectives</h3> Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory joint disease resulting in joint damage and functional loss. Management is centred on early intervention, proven to prevent disabling joint damage and improve quality of life; however early intervention requires early and accurate diagnosis<sup>(1,2)</sup>. Currently anti-citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) is the most clinically relevant diagnostic biomarker for RA however the sensitivity of ACPA in early RA is only ~40% despite high specificity (98%)<sup>(</sup><sup>3</sup><sup>)</sup>. Immune dysregulation early in RA pathogenesis has previously been described<sup>(</sup><sup>4-8</sup><sup>)</sup>. Our objective was to analyse chemokine receptor expression in early RA to identify novel diagnostic biomarkers. <h3>Material and Methods</h3> Fresh peripheral blood samples from patients attending the Leeds early arthritis clinic were used. 21 were diagnosed with early RA and 25 with Non-RA including early undifferentiated arthritis and other inflammatory arthritis or non-inflammatory joint disease. All bloods were analysed using advanced 6-8 colour flow-cytometry for percentage of positive cells (%) and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) expression of chemokine receptors CCR2, CXCR4, CCR5, CCR6 and IL6R on monocytes and lymphocyte subsets (natural killer (NK) cells, B cells, NKT-cells, CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup>T-cells). Mann-Whitney-U and Chi-square tests were used to determine significant differences in single/combination receptor expression and cluster analysis was used to determine relevant receptors/cell subsets combination patterns. <h3>Results</h3> When comparing early, treatment naïve RA (n = 21) with Non-RA early disease (n = 25) there were significant differences (p&lt;0.050) in expression of CXCR4,CCR6 and IL6R notably on B, NK and NKT cells. Cluster analysis was then used to search for expression pattern. RA and non-RA grouped differently (p = 0.043) and CXCR4/IL-6R or CXCR4/CCR6 receptors combinations on NKT-cells were significant. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Significant differences in receptor expression were identified between RA and non-RA diagnostic groups for both single and combinations of chemokine receptors in early disease patients. Importantly, differences were independent of and therefore of additional diagnostic value to ACPA testing. <h3>References</h3> Quinn MA, <i>Clin Exp Rheum</i> 2003;21:S154-S7. Nell VPK, <i>Rheumatology</i> 2004;43:906-14. Goëb V, <i>Joint Bone Spine</i> 2009;76:343-9. Ponchel F, <i>Blood</i> 2002;100:4550-6. Ponchel F, <i>ART</i> 2005;7:R80-R92. Burgoyne CH, <i>ARD</i> 2008;67:750-7. Saleem B, <i>ARD</i> 2010;69:1636-42. Ponchel F, <i>ARD</i> 2013. Epub 2013, Aug 29.
PAH–DNA Adducts in Cord Blood and Fetal and Child Development ina Chinese Cohort
Authors: Deliang Tang, Tin-yu Li, Jason J. Liu, Yu-hui Chen, Lirong Qu, Frederica Perera
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2006)

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are an important class of toxic pollutants released by fossil fuel combustion. Other pollutants include metals and particulate matter. PAH–DNA adducts, or benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) adducts as their proxy, provide a chemical-specific measure of individual biologically effective doses that have been associated with increased risk of cancer and adverse birth outcomes. In the present study we examined the relationship between prenatal PAH exposure and fetal and child growth and development in Tongliang, China, where a seasonally operated coal-fired power plant was the major pollution source. In a cohort of 150 nonsmoking women and their newborns enrolled between 4 March 2002 and 19 June 2002, BaP–DNA adducts were measured in maternal and umbilical cord blood obtained at delivery. The number of gestational months occurring during the period of power plant operation provided a second, more general measure of exposure to plant emissions, in terms of duration. High PAH–DNA adduct levels (above the median of detectable adduct level) were associated with decreased birth head circumference (p = 0.057) and reduced children's weight at 18 months, 24 months, and 30 months of age (p < 0.05), after controlling for potential confounders. In addition, in separate models, longer duration of prenatal exposure was associated with reduced birth length (p = 0.033) and reduced children's height at 18 (p = 0.001), 24 (p < 0.001), and 30 months of age (p < 0.001). The findings suggest that exposure to elevated levels of PAHs, with the Tongliang power plant being a significant source, is associated with reduced fetal and child growth in this population.
A case of colonic mantle cell lymphoma: new insights in a rare disease
Authors: H. Pullens, A. van Rhenen, R. Fijnheer, J. Vermeijden
Journal: Endoscopy (2009)

An 82-year-old man was referred to our outpatient clinic because of a change in bowel habits and involuntary weight loss. His medical history consisted of atrial fibrillation. A few weeks before presentation he had suffered a varicella zoster infection of his face. A colonoscopy was performed to rule out colorectal carcinoma. Dozens of small sessile polyps, varying in size, were found in the entire colon ([Fig. 1]). The mucosa in the rectosigmoid region was diffusely swollen and polypous with multiple superficial ulcerations ([Fig. 2]). Biopsies of proximal and distal lesions revealed a mononuclear infiltration between muscularis mucosae and otherwise normal-appearing crypts. Lymphocytes showed nuclear irregularity. Immunohistochemistry showed positivity for CD5, CD20, CD43, CD79a, Bcl-2, and cyclin-D1 ([Fig. 3]). Stainings for CD10, CD15, CD30, CD138, IgA, IgG, and IgM were negative. This profile supports the diagnosis of a mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Unfortunately, the patient suffered an ischemic cerebrovascular accident (CVA) the day after colonoscopy, 6 days after stopping anticoagulants temporarily, leaving him hemiplegic and bedridden. For this reason, it was decided to refrain from starting systemic chemotherapy. His recent varicella zoster infection was considered a paraneoplastic phenomenon. The patient died 6 weeks after diagnosis of complications of his CVA.
Social deprivation and poor prognosis after cardiac surgery
Authors: M. A Denvir, V. Zamvar
Journal: BMJ (2009)

Targeting cardiac rehabilitation after surgery at deprived groups is key

Observational studies have shown that health, quality of life, and outcomes of medical interventions are worse in patients from socially deprived areas.1 2 3 These inequities seem to apply in private and nationalised healthcare systems for a range of surgical procedures.4 5 The founding tenets of the NHS are fundamentally linked to redressing imbalances in health between people from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Our inability to achieve equity in health since the inception of the NHS more than 60 years ago weighs heavily on policy makers and the healthcare community.6 The emergence of large disease registers and procedure registers is likely to continue to highlight these inequities.

The linked study by Pagano and colleagues (doi:10.1136/bmj.b902) identifies significant differences in mortality between different socioeconomic groups in 44 902 patients during the index admission and five years after a range of cardiac surgical procedures.7 The authors used the census based Carstairs scores as a marker of social deprivation. This …
Exposure, Postexposure, and Density-Mediated Effects of Atrazine on Amphibians: Breaking Down Net Effects into Their Parts
Authors: Jason R. Rohr, Tyler Sager, Timothy M. Sesterhenn, Brent D. Palmer
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2005)

Most toxicology studies focus on effects of contaminants during exposure. This is disconcerting because subsequent survival may be affected. For instance, contaminant-induced mortality can be later ameliorated by reduced competition among the survivors, a concept we refer to as "density-mediated compensation." Alternatively, it can be exacerbated by toxicant effects that persist or appear after exposure, a phenomenon we term "carryover effects." We developed a laboratory framework for testing the contribution of exposure, density-mediated, and carryover effects to net survival, by exposing embryos and larvae of the streamside salamander (Ambystoma barbouri) to atrazine (0, 4, 40, 400 ppb; 3 ppb is the U.S. drinking water maximum) and quantifying survival during and 14 months after exposure. Atrazine is the most commonly used herbicide in the United States and a documented endocrine disruptor. We show that atrazine-induced mortality during exposure was ameliorated by density-dependent survival after exposure, but complete density-mediated compensation was precluded by significant carryover effects of atrazine. Consequently, salamanders exposed to >or=4 ppb of atrazine had significantly lower survival than did control animals 14 months postexposure. The greatest change in survival occurred at low exposure concentrations. These nonlinear, long-term, postexposure effects of atrazine have similarities to effects of early development exposure to other endocrine disruptors. Together with evidence of low levels of atrazine impairing amphibian gonadal development, the results here raise concerns about the role of atrazine in amphibian declines and highlight the importance of considering persistent, postexposure effects when evaluating the impact of xenobiotics on environmental health.
Nitration of cardiac proteins is associated with abnormal cardiac chronotropic responses in rats with biliary cirrhosis
Authors: Ali R. Mani, Silvia Ippolito, Richard Ollosson, Kevin P. Moore
Journal: Hepatology (2006)

Acceleration of the heart rate in response to catecholamines is impaired in cirrhosis. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that increased formation of reactive nitrogen species in biliary cirrhosis causes nitration of cardiac proteins and leads to impaired chronotropic function. Bile duct-ligated (rats with cirrhosis) or sham-operated rats were injected daily with either saline, N(G)-L-nitro-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), or N-acetylcysteine for 7 days from week 3 to week 4 after surgery. Cardiac chronotropic responsiveness to beta-adrenergic stimulation was assessed in vitro using spontaneous beating isolated atria. Nitration of cardiac proteins was measured by mass spectrometry and located by immunogold electron microscopy. Marked impairment of chronotropic responses of isolated atria to isoproterenol was seen in rats with cirrhosis, which normalized after the administration of N-acetylcysteine or L-NAME. The levels of protein-bound nitrotyrosine in atrial tissue increased from 16 +/- 1 to 23 +/- 3 pg/microg tyrosine in rats with cirrhosis, and decreased to 15 +/- 1 and 17 +/- 1 pg/microg after treatment with L-NAME and N-acetylcysteine, respectively (P < .05). Immunogold electron microscopy demonstrated increased nitration of mitochondrial proteins in the atria of rats with cirrhosis. The plasma nitrite/nitrate levels were elevated in rats with biliary cirrhosis, and decreased after administration of L-NAME but were unchanged by N-acetylcysteine. In conclusion, abnormal cardiac chronotropic function in cirrhosis is associated with increased nitration of cardiac proteins. Two independent treatments (N-acetylcysteine and L-NAME) that decrease nitration of cardiac proteins led to normalization of cardiac responses. Nitration of critical proteins in cardiac tissue may lead to abnormal cardiac function.
Hb Baden: Structural and functional characterization
Authors: Osheiza Abdulmalik, Martin K. Safo, Steven H. Seeholzer, Toshio Asakura, Nicole C. Hasbrouck, J. Eric Russell
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (2010)

Hb Baden (β18Val→Met) is a rare variant hemoglobin that has never been functionally or clinically characterized. We describe a Hb Baden heterozygote who exhibits normal growth and development, as well as age- and gender-appropriate hematological values. Surprisingly, in vitro analyses demonstrate that Hb Baden is relatively unstable and exhibits an abnormally high affinity for O₂. These properties are likely to affect the physiologies of individuals who inherit the β(Baden) mutation in trans to a determinant for either a functionally relevant hemoglobinopathy or a mild thalassemia. The data also provide insights into the function of the A-helix/AB-segment of β globin, supporting a structural model in which this poorly understood region serves as a scaffold that fixes the positions of other helices that directly impact β-globin function.
Assessing exposure in epidemiologic studies to disinfection by-products in drinking water: report from an international workshop.
Authors: Tye E Arbuckle, Steve E Hrudey, Stuart W Krasner, Jay R Nuckols, Susan D Richardson, Philip Singer, Pauline Mendola, Linda Dodds, Clifford Weisel, David L Ashley, Kenneth L Froese, Rex A Pegram, Irvin R Schultz, John Reif, Annette M Bachand, Frank M Benoit, Michele Lynberg, Charles Poole, Kirsten Waller
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2002)

The inability to accurately assess exposure has been one of the major shortcomings of epidemiologic studies of disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water. A number of contributing factors include a) limited information on the identity, occurrence, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics of the many DBPs that can be formed from chlorine, chloramine, ozone, and chlorine dioxide disinfection; b) the complex chemical interrelationships between DBPs and other parameters within a municipal water distribution system; and c) difficulties obtaining accurate and reliable information on personal activity and water consumption patterns. In May 2000, an international workshop was held to bring together various disciplines to develop better approaches for measuring DBP exposure for epidemiologic studies. The workshop reached consensus about the clear need to involve relevant disciplines (e.g., chemists, engineers, toxicologists, biostatisticians and epidemiologists) as partners in developing epidemiologic studies of DBPs in drinking water. The workshop concluded that greater collaboration of epidemiologists with water utilities and regulators should be encouraged in order to make regulatory monitoring data more useful for epidemiologic studies. Similarly, exposure classification categories in epidemiologic studies should be chosen to make results useful for regulatory or policy decision making.
A single nucleotide polymorphism at chromosome 2q21.3 (LCT −13910C&gt;T) associates with clinical outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Hanns Hauser, Otto Zach, Otto Krieger, Hedwig Kasparu, Josef Koenig, Michael Girschikofsky, Rainer Oberbauer, Dieter Lutz
Journal: Blood (2008)
Targeting to C-Terminal Myosin Heavy Chain May Explain Mechanotransduction Involving Focal Adhesion Kinase in Cardiac Myocytes
Authors: Priscila M. Fonseca, Rosana Y. Inoue, Claudia B. Kobarg, Daniella P. Crosara-Alberto, Jörg Kobarg, Kleber G. Franchini
Journal: Circulation Research (2004)

Focal adhesion kinase (Fak) has been implicated as a signaling molecule involved in the early response of cardiac myocytes to mechanical stress. The mechanism of Fak activation by mechanical stimuli is not clear. In this study, we report the load-induced Fak activation and its association with myosin heavy chain in cardiac myocytes. Pressure overload lasting from 3 to 60 minutes was shown to induce Fak phosphorylation at Tyr-397, -576/7, -861, and -925 as detected by phosphospecific antibodies. This was paralleled by increases of Fak/Src association and Src activity (Tyr-418 phosphorylation). Yeast two-hybrid screening of an adult rat cDNA library revealed an interaction between Fak and C-terminal coiled-coil region of alpha-myosin heavy chain. This was confirmed by pulldown assay with GST-C-terminal myosin fragment and native Fak from rat left ventricle. Such interaction was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation assay with anti-Fak and anti-heavy chain cardiac myosin antibodies, confocal microscopy of double-labeled isolated cardiac myocytes and immunoelectron microscopy with anti-Fak antibody. Fak activation by mechanical stress was accompanied by a reduction of Fak/myosin heavy chain association and its relocation at subcellular sites such as costameres, Z-discs, and nuclei. Thus, our present data identify Fak interaction with C-terminal region of myosin heavy chain adding comprehensive data on Fak activation by mechanical stress and mechanotransduction in cardiac myocytes.
Role of UK chief medical officer has been eroded
Authors: J. Warden
Journal: BMJ (1998)

An inside view on how the post of chief medical officer for England has been diminished in recent years has come from a former incumbent, Sir Donald Acheson, chief medical officer from 1983 to 1991. He stated last week–while presenting evidence to the official inquiry into bovine spongiform encephalopathy–that his successors have been penalised and their independence compromised by staff cuts and restructuring in the …
Points from Letters: "True" Reflux Oesophagitis
Authors: J. Spencer
Journal: BMJ (1975)

Ketoprofen, one of the many propionic acid derivatives flooding the market, is the subject of another substantial promotional programme only 12 months after the first. . ..Pharmaceutical companies, it seems, are playing into the hands of "Bennery" witlh such blatant "burning" of profits.. The public can hardly be expected to support the call for more money for the N.H.S. when it seems the medical profession is doing little to discourage such wasteful practices....
Group IVA cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2α) and integrin αIIbβ3 reinforce each other's functions during αIIbβ3 signaling in platelets
Authors: Nicolas Prévost, John V. Mitsios, Hisashi Kato, John E. Burke, Edward A. Dennis, Takao Shimizu, Sanford J. Shattil
Journal: Blood (2008)