tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Anti-inflammatory actions of enprofylline, a modified xanthine, in the canine forelimb.
Authors: D E Dobbins, C Y Soika, M J Buehn, J M Dabney
Journal: Circulation Research (1989)

It has been previously reported that enprofylline (3-propyl xanthine) prevents histamine-mediated edema formation in the guinea pig lung. To further assess the potential anti-inflammatory effects of enprofylline, we infused it intra-arterially into the canine forelimb before and during a local intra-arterial infusion of histamine (4 micrograms/min) while monitoring forelimb skin lymph parameters. Infusion of enprofylline at 2 mg/min significantly decreased forelimb arterial pressures and increased heart rate and pulse pressure. Subsequent infusion of histamine caused a further reduction in forelimb arterial pressures and an increase in lymph flow, protein concentration, and protein transport similar to that seen with the infusion of histamine alone. Infusion of enprofylline at 5 mg/min decreased forelimb arterial pressures and systemic pressure. Subsequent histamine infusion further reduced forelimb arterial pressures, but the increase in lymph parameters was markedly attenuated. Enprofylline infused at 10 mg/min also decreased forelimb arterial and systemic pressures, but subsequent histamine infusion was essentially without effect on lymph parameters. To assess the role of catecholamines in enprofylline-mediated attenuation of histamine edema formation, we infused enprofylline at 5 mg/min in the presence of a beta 2-receptor blockade produced by the intra-arterial infusion of ICI 118551. The effects of enprofylline and histamine on vascular pressures were similar to those seen in the absence of beta 2-receptor blockade, but lymph flow, protein concentration, and protein transport increased similar to that seen with histamine alone. These data indicate that enprofylline is capable of attenuating histamine-induced increases in microvascular permeability, but this action of enprofylline is of an indirect nature, mediated through the release of catecholamines.
Mrinal Kanti Ghosh
Authors: Titus Fernando
Journal: BMJ (2005)

Rheumatologist who bridged the gaps between cardiology, rheumatology, and herbal medicine John Cosh had many interests in clinical medicine but his main contributions were his long term studies of the effects of rheumatoid arthritis, co-discovery of the genes associated with rheumatoid arthritis, and his work on the benefits of herbal medicines.In 1973, with R K Jacoby and M I Jayson, he published an 11 year follow-up of 100 patients newly diagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis (BMJ 1973;2(5858): 96-100) and followed them for a further 30 years, showing that rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive disease impairing function for decades after onset.By 2004 eight of the sample were severely disabled with rheumatoid arthritis, three were less disabled, and only five had normal functioning.Of the 84 who died, median survival was reduced by 10 to 11 years, and the leading cause of death was heart disease.In 1986 he published, with other rheumatologists, a study that showed the association of rheumatoid arthritis with several human lymphocyte antigens; the associations were stronger in patients with more advanced disease.John Cosh had originally wanted to be a heart surgeon, but his interests shifted towards cardiology and then to the cardiological aspects of rheumatology.He was born in Bristol, the son of a pharmacist.From Bristol Grammar School he won a
Cannabidiol Attenuates Cardiac Dysfunction, Oxidative Stress, Fibrosis, and Inflammatory and Cell Death Signaling Pathways in Diabetic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Mohanraj Rajesh, Partha Mukhopadhyay, Sándor Bátkai, Vivek Patel, Keita Saito, Shingo Matsumoto, Yoshihiro Kashiwaya, Béla Horváth, Bani Mukhopadhyay, Lauren Becker, György Haskó, Lucas Liaudet, David A. Wink, Aristidis Veves, Raphael Mechoulam, Pál Pacher
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2010)
Acute Polyneuropathy after Poisoning by a New Organophosphate Insecticide
Authors: Nimal Senanayake, Martin K. Johnson
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1982)

Polyneuropathy is a recognized complication of poisoning by some organophosphate plasticizers and insecticides.1 , 2 The hazards of organophosphate pesticides for human beings have been limited by screening of candidate compounds and exclusion of those that cause neuropathy in hens given median lethal doses. However, there have been a few reported patients with neuropathy due to various organophosphate pesticides — Mipafox,3 Leptophos,4 Trichlorphon (Chlorophos or Dipterex),5 and Trichloronate (Phytosol).6 We report here 10 isolated cases of acute polyneuropathy seen over three years in Sri Lanka. All 10 developed after poisoning by formulations of technical-grade Tamaron, whose main ingredient is methamidophos (0,S . . .
Mechanism of autocatalytic oxidation of oxyhemoglobin by nitrite.
Authors: H Kosaka, I Tyuma
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (1987)

Oxidation of oxyhemoglobin by nitrite is characterized by the presence of a lag phase followed by autocatalysis. The stoichiometry of the overall reaction is described by the following equation: 4HbO2 + 4NO2- + 4H+ = 4Hb+ + 4NO3- + O2 + 2H2O (Hb denotes hemoglobin monomer). During the oxidation, we detected a free radical at g = 2.005, which is very similar to the methemoglobin free radical generated by the reaction with hydrogen peroxide. Nitrosylhemoglobin was not detected. The oxidation was delayed by the addition of KCN or catalase, but was not modified by superoxide dismutase in phosphate buffer. In bistris buffer, however, superoxide dimutase markedly prolonged the lag phase. The results suggest that during the oxidation, the methemoglobin peroxide compound is generated and converts nitrite into nitrogen dioxide by its peroxidatic activity. Nitrogen dioxide oxidizes oxyhemoglobin to methemoglobin and nitrite, yielding the autocatalytic phase.
The MARS feasibility trial: conclusions not supported by data
Authors: Walter Weder, Rolf A Stahel, Paul Baas, Urania Dafni, Marc de Perrot, Brian C McCaughan, Takashi Nakano, Harvey I Pass, Bruce WS Robinson, Valerie W Rusch, David J Sugarbaker, Nico van Zandwijk
Journal: The Lancet Oncology (2011)
From the Medical Board of the National Psoriasis Foundation: Recommendations for screening for hepatitis B infection prior to initiating anti–tumor necrosis factor-alfa inhibitors or other immunosuppressive agents in patients with psoriasis
Authors: Kiran Motaparthi, Vladimir Stanisic, Abby S. Van Voorhees, Mark G. Lebwohl, Sylvia Hsu
Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (2013)
HIV groups have much to teach hepatitis doctors about better diagnosis and treatment
Authors: J. Parry
Journal: BMJ (2012)

Hepatitis specialists have identified advocacy and surveillance as the most urgent priorities to tackle the global burden of viral hepatitis. Patients, doctors, and advocates should take a leaf out of the HIV community’s book in generating a political response to the disease, says Charles Gore, president of the World Hepatitis Alliance, a patients’ advocacy group.

“The HIV and AIDS advocacy community blazed a trail for all those living with the disease. They have pushed and pushed, and they haven’t shut up,” he said in a statement. “Their efforts over …
The Hyperoxic Test in Infants Reinvestigated
Authors: BELKACEM BOUFERRACHE, SLAVI FILTCHEV, ANDRÉ LEKE, QING MARBAIX-LI, MICHEL FREVILLE, CLAUDE GAULTIER
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2000)

The hyperoxic test (HT) examines peripheral chemoreceptor function (PCF) by measuring the decrease in ventilation (V E) after 100% O(2) inhalation. A 30-s HT has been previously used in infants with calculation of the ventilatory response (VR) as the mean percentage change in V E during HT as compared with normoxia. However, it has been shown that during hyperoxia V E rises secondarily after the initial drop because of loss of PCF. We hypothesized that the mean V E change over a 30-s HT may underestimate the strength of PCF and may be poorly reproducible. We performed breath-by-breath analysis during 30-s HTs, calculating VR at the response time (RT) defined as the time from HT onset to the first significant HT-related change in V E. Eighteen infants (postnatal age, 21 +/- 4 d) underwent two HTs (quiet sleep, face mask attached to a pneumotachograph, and inspired and expired O(2) and CO(2) fractions measured using mass spectrometry). V E, VT, and VT/TI decreases at the RT were significantly greater than the corresponding means (-21 +/- 7 versus -15 +/- 7%, -21 +/- 8 versus -13 +/- 8%, and -22 +/- 11 versus -17 +/- 11%, respectively). Intra-individual coefficients of variation of V E, VT and VT/TI were significantly smaller when RT values were considered rather than means. We conclude that calculation of the VR to HT at RT improves assessment of PCF and enhances HT reproducibility in infants.
Tissue Inhibition of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Activity Stimulates Angiogenesis In Vivo
Authors: Jean-Etienne Fabre, Alain Rivard, Meredith Magner, Marcy Silver, Jeffrey M. Isner
Journal: Circulation (1999)

Background —Endothelial cells (ECs) represent the critical cellular element responsible for postnatal angiogenesis. Because ACE inhibitors may favorably affect endothelial function, we investigated the hypothesis that administration of the ACE inhibitor quinaprilat could enhance angiogenesis in vivo. Methods and Results —Ten days after resection of 1 femoral artery, New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were randomly assigned to receive recombinant human vascular endothelial growth factor (rhVEGF) administered as a single intra-arterial injection (n=6), quinaprilat (n=8) or captopril (n=7) administered as a daily subcutaneous injection, or no treatment (controls, n=6). Angiogenesis was monitored in vivo by measurement of blood pressure, vasoreactivity, and resistance in ischemic versus normal limbs at day 10 (D10) and D40; angiographic studies to identify sites of neovascularization were performed at D10 and D40, and morphometric analysis of capillary density in the ischemic limb was performed at necropsy (D40). Both functional and morphological outcomes documented augmented angiogenesis in quinaprilat-treated rabbits similar to that observed for rhVEGF and superior to that observed with either captopril or no drug (controls). Residual ACE activity was equivalent for the captopril and quinaprilat groups in plasma (42.54±0.03% versus 41.53±0.02%, P =NS) but not in tissue, where quinaprilat lowered ACE activity significantly ( P &lt;0.01) compared with captopril (13% versus 61%). Conclusions —ACE inhibition with quinaprilat promotes angiogenesis in a rabbit model of hindlimb ischemia. Thus, nonsulfhydryl ACE inhibitors with high tissue affinity may be potentially useful for therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic tissues. Moreover, previous evidence that ACE inhibition benefits patients with myocardial ischemia may be due in part to augmented collateral development.
Thyroid Hormone Regulates Hyperpolarization-Activated Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Channel (HCN2) mRNA in the Rat Heart
Authors: Janusz Pachucki, Lynn A. Burmeister, P. Reed Larsen
Journal: Circulation Research (1999)

Abstract —Thyroid hormone regulation of the cardiac pacemaker gene, the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel gene (HCN2), was studied in rats by Northern analysis. Thyroid hormone administration to hypothyroid rats resulted in a doubling of the HCN2/β-actin mRNA ratio. A smaller, not statistically significant, increase in HCN2 mRNA occurred when euthyroid animals were made hyperthyroid. A single large dose of l -triiodothyronine given to hypothyroid rats caused a 4.7-fold increase in myocardial HCN2 mRNA expression level and only a 2.3-fold increase in the β-actin mRNA level. Although the rat HCN2 promoter has not been cloned, we identified a consensus thyroid hormone response element in the promoter sequence of the human HCN2 gene. Therefore, the increase in rat HCN2 mRNA is likely due to l -triiodothyronine stimulation of HCN2 gene transcription. The results suggest that the regulation of heart rate by thyroid hormone may be explained, at least in part, by the positive effect of this hormone on HCN2 gene expression.
Changes in Antimicrobial Resistance of Salmonella Isolated From Humans in the United States
Authors: Kristine L. MacDonald
Journal: JAMA (1987)

Changes were examined that occurred in the antimicrobial susceptibility between 1979-1980 and 1984-1985 of<i>Salmonella</i>organisms isolated from humans who resided in a random sample of counties in the United States. Resistance to one or more antimicrobials rose significantly from 16% (82 of 511 isolates) in 1979-1980 to 24% (117 of 485 isolates) in 1984-1985. In addition, statistically significant increases occurred in the proportion of organisms resistant to only one antimicrobial (from 4% to 9%), the rate of resistance of<i>Salmonella typhimurium</i>(from 14% to 26%), and the rate of resistance to tetracycline. For one commonly occurring serotype,<i>Salmonella heidelberg</i>, the proportion of resistant strains fell significantly from 67% in 1979-1980 to 35% in 1984-1985. When epidemiologic characteristics of patients were examined, previous use of antimicrobials for treatment of other illnesses was a significant risk factor for acquiring clinically important infections with antimicrobial-resistant<i>Salmonella</i>. Changes detected in the antimicrobial resistance of<i>Salmonella</i>during this time will ultimately affect the efficacy of antimicrobial therapy in treating human disease. (<i>JAMA</i>1987;258:1496-1499)
Antifungal combination therapy: where we stand
Authors: Alan M. Sugar
Journal: Drug Resistance Updates (1998)

Amphotericin B has been used in combination, simultaneously or sequentially, with fluconazole and itraconazole. However, there are no data from clinical trials to suggest the most appropriate use of these drug combinations. In vitro work has consistently described antagonism of polyenes and azoles, but new work suggests that hydrophilic azoles (e.g. fluconazole) with amphotericin B may not result in antagonistic effects, whereas lipophilic azoles (e.g. ketoconazole, itraconazole) antagonize the antifungal effects of amphotericin B. Experimental studies in animals with invasive candidiasis show that fluconazole and amphotericin B are not antagonistic and may be additive in their effects. In contrast, itraconazole and amphotericin B are antagonistic in this same murine candidiasis model. In animals infected with Aspergillus, itraconazole plus amphotericin B seem to be antagonistic when used simultaneously and possibly when used sequentially. Nevertheless, initial therapy with amphotericin B followed by itraconazole in patients with aspergillosis is a common clinical strategy. Recent data and concepts concerning the combined use of available antifungal drugs are discussed in this paper.
Altruism and selfishness
Authors: Howard Rachlin
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2002)

Many situations in human life present choices between (a) narrowly preferred particular alternatives and (b) narrowly less preferred (or aversive) particular alternatives that nevertheless form part of highly preferred abstract behavioral patterns. Such alternatives characterize problems of self-control. For example, at any given moment, a person may accept alcoholic drinks yet also prefer being sober to being drunk over the next few days. Other situations present choices between (a) alternatives beneficial to an individual and (b) alternatives that are less beneficial (or harmful) to the individual that would nevertheless be beneficial if chosen by many individuals. Such alternatives characterize problems of social cooperation; choices of the latter alternative are generally considered to be altruistic. Altruism, like self-control, is a valuable temporally-extended pattern of behavior. Like self-control, altruism may be learned and maintained over an individual's lifetime. It needs no special inherited mechanism. Individual acts of altruism, each of which may be of no benefit (or of possible harm) to the actor, may nevertheless be beneficial when repeated over time. However, because each selfish decision is individually preferred to each altruistic decision, people can benefit from altruistic behavior only when they are committed to an altruistic pattern of acts and refuse to make decisions on a case-by-case basis.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Andrew McIvor, Paul Little
Journal: BMJ (2007)

A 58 year old female smoker presents with a complaint of dyspnoea associated with chronic cough and sputum production during the winter months. Her general health is good. She recently took early retirement to spend more time with her grandchildren but found that she is too breathless to lift and carry them or to look after them safely in the park.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is largely caused by smoking and is characterised by progressive, partially reversible airflow obstruction, systemic manifestations (skeletal muscle dysfunction, depression, and secondary polycythaemia), and increasing frequency and severity of exacerbations. The main symptoms—usually insidious in onset and progressive—are shortness of breath and inability to tolerate physical activity.

History —Take a careful history to determine whether she has COPD, focusing on the main symptoms. Does she smoke or have significant exposure to secondhand smoke or occupational dust? Ask about history of …
Maternal mortality fell by a third over 18 years, says UN
Authors: J. Zarocostas
Journal: BMJ (2010)

The number of women worldwide dying from complications during pregnancy and childbirth each year fell by 34% between 1990 and 2008, from 546 000 to 358 000, show new data from the World Health Organization, Unicef, the United Nations Population Fund, and the World Bank.

“The global reduction in maternal death rates is encouraging news,” said Margaret Chan, WHO’s director general. “Countries where women are facing a high risk of death during pregnancy or childbirth are taking measures that are proving effective; they are training more midwives and strengthening hospitals and health centres to assist pregnant women.” 

In the world’s developing regions the largest fall in maternal mortality was posted by Eastern Asia (with a decrease of 63%), followed by South Eastern Asia (57%), and South Asia (53%). It fell by …
The Complexity That Killed Health Care Reform (Again)
Authors: John Kastor
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2010)

Even if the Democrats had kept their supermajority by retaining the Senate seat in Massachusetts, final passage of a health care reform bill would have seemed far from certain, given the major differences between the Senate and House bills. Congressional leaders and the administration seem to have acknowledged this reality. So what went wrong? A major cause for the failure of health care reform this time around — as with the Clintons' attempt in the 1990s — is the complexity of the bills. President Barack Obama and the drafting committees in Congress reached too far, tried to accomplish too much . . .
Vasoactive intestinal peptide in human nasal mucosa.
Authors: J N Baraniuk, J D Lundgren, M Okayama, J Mullol, M Merida, J H Shelhamer, M A Kaliner
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1990)

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), which is present with acetylcholine in parasympathetic nerve fibers, may have important regulatory functions in mucous membranes. The potential roles for VIP in human nasal mucosa were studied using an integrated approach. The VIP content of human nasal mucosa was determined to be 2.84 +/- 0.47 pmol/g wet weight (n = 8) by RIA. VIP-immunoreactive nerve fibers were found to be most concentrated in submucosal glands adjacent to serous and mucous cells. 125I-VIP binding sites were located on submucosal glands, epithelial cells, and arterioles. In short-term explant culture, VIP stimulated lactoferrin release from serous cells but did not stimulate [3H]glucosamine-labeled respiratory glycoconjugate secretion. Methacholine was more potent than VIP, and methacholine stimulated both lactoferrin and respiratory glycoconjugate release. The addition of VIP plus methacholine to explants resulted in additive increases in lactoferrin release. Based upon the autoradiographic distribution of 125I-VIP binding sites and the effects on explants, VIP derived from parasympathetic nerve fibers may function in the regulation of serous cell secretion in human nasal mucosa. VIP may also participate in the regulation of vasomotor tone.
African ancestry and lung function in Puerto Rican children
Authors: John M. Brehm, Edna Acosta-Pérez, Lambertus Klei, Kathryn Roeder, Michael M. Barmada, Nadia Boutaoui, Erick Forno, Michelle M. Cloutier, Soma Datta, Roxanne Kelly, Kathryn Paul, Jody Sylvia, Deanna Calvert, Sherell Thornton-Thompson, Dorothy Wakefield, Augusto A. Litonjua, María Alvarez, Angel Colón-Semidey, Glorisa Canino, Juan C. Celedón
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2012)
Psychological Evaluation of Children's Human Figure Drawings
Authors: Marjorie C. Meehan
Journal: JAMA (1968)

Often a physician would like a measure for a child's intelligence and emotional state but does not wish either to refer the child to a psychologist or to carry out lengthy tests himself. If he asks the child to "draw a whole person" and then evaluates the drawing by the methods described in this book, he can get a quick estimate of the mental ability, the probability of serious emotional disturbance, and the possibility of organic brain disorder. For a long time many psychologists have used the Goodenough Draw-A-Man test as a measure of intelligence, but the scoring is somewhat complicated and probably few physicians have used the test. Other psychologists have used human figure drawings as projective tests to investigate personality but have not developed definite scoring methods. Now Koppitz presents a relatively simple method of scoring a single drawing, first for approximate intelligence, then for evidence of emotional
Impaction of an Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscope in the Distal Esophagus: Alternative Method of Removal by Double Endoscopy without Fluoroscopic Assistance
Authors: P.-M. Huang, H.-P. Wang, C.-N. Chen, L.-H. Chen, Y.-C. Lee
Journal: Endoscopy (2006)

A 24-year-old man had suffered from epigastralgia and acid regurgitation for many years. After local anesthesia, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed without difficulty. Some hematin-coated spots were noted at the gastric body, and loosening of the gastroesophageal junction. During the retroflexion procedure, the endoscope became impacted in the distal esophagus when the patient gave a large belch. Although the lumen was clearly visible, attempts at external traction were unsuccessful because resistance was encountered. In addition, it was not possible to release the impacted loop by advancing the scope.
FDG PET CT Assessment of Treatment Response After Yttrium-90 Ibritumomab Tiuxetan Radioimmunotherapy
Authors: Judith M. Joyce, Berna Degirmenci, Samuel Jacobs, Barry McCook, Norbert Avril
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (2005)

Yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin; IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corp., San Diego, CA) is the first radioimmunotherapy agent approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In a randomized clinical trial comparing Zevalin with rituximab, the overall response rate was 80% and 56%, respectively. Response was determined by assessing the size of lymph nodes on CT scans. FDG PET has been well accepted as an accurate imaging study for staging non-Hodgkin lymphoma and evaluating response to treatment. Simultaneous FDG PET and CT imaging (PET CT) provides coregistered functional PET images with anatomic CT images. We describe 2 cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma treated in which response was followed using PET CT.