tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
PWE-033 Comparison Of Patient Experience Of Colonoscopy And Ct Colonography In The English Bowel Cancer Screening Programme
Authors: AA Plumb, A Ghanouni, CJ Rees, P Hewitson, H Miller, R Bevan, SA Taylor, S Halligan, C von Wagner
Journal: Gut (2014)

<h3>Introduction</h3> The English Bowel Cancer Screening Programme (BCSP) uses colonoscopy to investigate positive faecal occult blood test results. CT colonography (CTC) is employed if colonoscopy is infeasible. Patient experience is monitored with a questionnaire, posted 30 days after colonic testing. We used these to compare patient experience of CTC and colonoscopy. <h3>Methods</h3> The study was approved by the BCSP Research Committee. Screenees tested between 1/1/11 and 31/12/12 and responding to at least one questionnaire item were included. Multiple imputation of missing data was conducted under the missing-at-random assumption. Likert scale data ("strongly agree" to "strongly disagree") were analysed via ordered logistic regression using test category (CTC or colonoscopy) as the predictor variable and age, gender, deprivation score, screening centre and screening result as covariates (results presented as odds ratios). <h3>Results</h3> 79,493 questionnaires were analysed; 61,899 contained at least one response. 2,119 CTC and 60,581 colonoscopy questionnaires were included (some individuals completed both tests). There was no difference in results between complete-case analysis and multiply-imputed analysis. Understanding of test risks was greater for colonoscopy than CTC: 95.7% understood risks of colonoscopy vs 86.9% for CTC (odds ratio=1.88 95% CI: 1.71–2.07, p &lt; 0.0001). Test benefits were also better understood for colonoscopy than for CTC: 98.2% understood colonoscopy benefits vs. 93.6% for CTC (OR=1.67 95% CI: 1.52–1.84 p &lt; 0.0001). Just over one-quarter found CTC more uncomfortable than expected (25.7%), more than for colonoscopy (20.8%; OR = 1.34 95% CI: 1.24–1.46, p &lt; 0.0001, Figure 1). Post-procedural pain showed no significant difference between tests (CTC = 14.6%, colonoscopy=14.3%; OR = 1.07 95% CI: 0.93–1.22, p = 0.35). More patients understood their colonoscopy result (97.0%) than CTC (90.5%, OR=2.19 95% CI: 1.99–2.41, p &lt; 0.0001). Direct CTC-related complications were rare (n = 16; 0.5%) although a further 20 (0.6%) suffered complications from subsequent procedures provoked by CTC. Colonoscopy complication rates were similar (n = 779; 1.0%). <h3>Conclusion</h3> Although CTC is generally well-tolerated, it is more frequently judged unexpectedly uncomfortable than colonoscopy. Similarly, while overall understanding of test risks, benefits and results is high, rates are lower than for colonoscopy. Post-procedural discomfort and complication rates are similar between both tests. Clear communication of the risks, benefits, procedural experience and results of CTC is required in the BCSP. <h3>Disclosure of Interest</h3> None Declared.
Dominant-activating germline mutations in the gene encoding the PI(3)K catalytic subunit p110δ result in T cell senescence and human immunodeficiency
Authors: Carrie L Lucas, Hye Sun Kuehn, Fang Zhao, Julie E Niemela, Elissa K Deenick, Umaimainthan Palendira, Danielle T Avery, Leen Moens, Jennifer L Cannons, Matthew Biancalana, Jennifer Stoddard, Weiming Ouyang, David M Frucht, V Koneti Rao, T Prescott Atkinson, Anahita Agharahimi, Ashleigh A Hussey, Les R Folio, Kenneth N Olivier, Thomas A Fleisher, Stefania Pittaluga, Steven M Holland, Jeffrey I Cohen, Joao B Oliveira, Stuart G Tangye, Pamela L Schwartzberg, Michael J Lenardo, Gulbu Uzel
Journal: Nature Immunology (2013)
Mechanisms of toxicity/carcinogenicity and Superfund decisions.
Authors: J M LaVelle
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (1991)

Heavy metals that contaminate soils and water usually exist in various oxidation states and form a number of compounds with different physical and chemical characteristics. These differences are often reflected in dramatic variation in toxicokinetic and biologic properties. Such variation in properties, critical in determining intrinsic toxicity, often causes a great deal of uncertainty in analyses of public health risks at sites where metal exposure is evaluated. In the Superfund program, such uncertainties may substantially undermine attempts to characterize potential impacts to populations exposed to metals from improperly disposed waste. In the case of chromium, risk assessment uncertainties can be considerable and fall generally into two categories. First, there is almost no information on potential health effects due to chronic oral exposure to chromium-containing compounds, and a nonquantifiable and probably large uncertainty exists in establishing no-effect levels. In fact, reference doses (RfDs) for CrIII and CrVI are based on chronic studies in which no adverse effects were seen even at the highest dose. Considerations of bioavailability, deduced from site characterization data, and acute toxicity indicate that general application of these RfDs may lead to highly inaccurate estimations of risk. Second, because of the ready reduction of CrVI in biological systems, it has not been possible to separate effects of CrVI from those of CrIII. Thus, data on the relative toxicity and carcinogenicity of these two species is sparse and difficult to interpret. Moreover, kinetic considerations make it difficult to determine the site and rates of reduction of CrVI. This makes prediction of target site concentrations of the two species difficult.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Aids for disabled drivers.
Authors: C Murray-Leslie
Journal: BMJ (1990)

for seeking more donors among patients who now die after ventilation has been stopped. More willingness to make use of donors who had become asystolic is likely to be practical only when the transplant team is located near the intensive care unit. The potential for increasing the supply of donors by ventilating more of the hopelessly brain damaged patients is considerable. Major constraints are the willingness of doctors and nurses to ventilate patients solely to enable them to become donors and the adequacy of resources in donor intensive care units. Resources should also be reviewed in transplant units to ensure that as many of the offered organs as possible are used. Ongoing audit could show how hospitals ranked in their donation rates and how various trans? plant units rated in results of transplantation and in responding to offers by successfully retrieving organs.
Recent achievements and research initiated in the Swedish plastics and rubber industry.
Authors: A Englund, B Holmberg
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (1976)

The improvement in exposure conditions in the Swedish vinyl chloride producing industry is reported. The article comments on the technology and control methods by which the vinyl chloride concentration has been lowered to less than 1 ppm vinyl chloride. Two epidemiological retrospective cohort studies are presently under way on workers in PVC-utilizing industries and in the rubber industry.
Hunting the 1918 Flu: One Scientist's Search for a Killer Virus
Authors: F. Charatan
Journal: BMJ (2003)

Kirsty Duncan, a professor of medical geography at the University of Toronto, has written about a 1998 expedition to retrieve tissues from people buried in Spitzbergen, Norway, who were killed by the 1918 flu pandemic. Kirsty Duncan University of Toronto Press, £22.50/US$35, pp 297 ISBN 0 8020 8748 5 Rating: ![Graphic][1]</img>![Graphic][2]</img> In three waves, the pandemic raged in every continent except Antarctica. It is estimated to have killed 20 to 40 million people and it is well described here in a 22 page introductory review. Fifteen years after the pandemic, Christopher Andrews and Wilson Smith, at the National Institute for Medical … [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif [2]: /embed/inline-graphic-2.gif
DIABETES MELLITUS IN CHILDREN.
Authors: HENRY DWIGHT CHAPIN
Journal: JAMA (1900)

One who proceeds to investigate this subject will be at once surprised at the little that has been written on it. A large portion of the works on diseases of children say nothing at all about this disease, while others treat of it in a few lines. It is undoubtedly a rare affection in children, yet it does occur, and certain phenomena in connection with the disease should lead us to be on the lookout for it. Gerhardt has recorded 111 cases at various ages from 11 months to 16 years. In the last volume of Keating, 1895, a case was reported in which grape sugar was found in the liquor amnii of a diabetic pregnant woman. Unfortunately the infant was dead-born; but Roosa meet with a similar case in which the infant lived long enough to have the urine analyzed. In this case the examination of the urine of
Effects of Anti-Human Neutrophil Antibodies In Vitro. QUANTITATIVE STUDIES
Authors: Laurence A. Boxer, Thomas P. Stossel
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1974)

Opsonic, antiphagocytic, cytotoxic, and metabolic effects of homologous and heterologous antibodies against human neutrophils were analyzed by means of quantitative assays to facilitate detection of antibody activity, and to probe membrane function of these cells. Normal human neutrophils were purified by gradient centrifugation, sensitized with heat-inactivated antineutrophil antisera, and incubated with rabbit alveolar macrophages in balanced salt solution containing nitroblue tetrazolium. The macrophages engulfed sensitized neutrophils and reduced nitroblue tetrazolium to formazan in phagocytic vacuoles. The initial rate of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by macrophages ingesting the neutrophils was measured spectrophotometrically. Neutrophils treated with rabbit anti-human leukocyte antiserum or IgG, with sera from mothers of infants with neonatal isoimmune neutropenia, and with 27% of sera from frequently transfused patients promoted rapid rates of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction by alveolar macrophages. This indicates that antineutrophil antibodies without added complement opsonized neutrophils for ingestion by the macrophages. Some sera from frequently transfused patients with opsonic activity for certain donors' neutrophils did not agglutinate these neutrophils (44%), did not lyse them in the presence of fresh plasma (47%), and did not inhibit phagocytosis of particles by the neutrophils (26%). The reverse was not observed. The opsonic activity of antineutrophil antiserum appears to be the most sensitive and a quantitative means of detecting antibody activity in vitro.Low concentrations of rabbit anti-human leukocyte antisera or IgG stimulated the ingestion rate of unopsonized or opsonized particles by human neutrophils, and, as previously reported by others, enhanced rates of oxidation of [1-(14)C]glucose by the cells. High concentrations of the antisera or IgG inhibited ingestion. All concentrations of homologous antineutrophil antisera tested only inhibited ingestion of particles by neutrophils and none altered rates of resting glucose oxidation by the cells. The findings suggest that heterologous antibodies disturb membrane antigens that trigger oxidative metabolism and enhance as well as inhibit ingestion, and that these antigens are common to all human neutrophils. In contrast to other studies with antimacrophage antibodies, antineutrophil antibodies altered phagocytic rates of both unopsonized and opsonized particles although there were differences in dose-response curves depending on the type of particle tested. Thus, antineutrophil antibodies do not merely cover selected receptor sites.
Tumor Immunology: New Perspectives
Authors: Stephanie E. McArdle, Robert C. Rees
Journal: Cancer Research (2009)

This second meeting, organized by the Cancer Immunology Working Group of AACR, concentrated mainly on three areas of importance; these included (a) ways to increase the success rate of vaccination by improving the peptides themselves, improving tumor recognition by using costimulatory molecules or the use of antibodies; (b) how the tumor microenvironment influences T-cell activity and how it can be manipulated to favor survival and action of activated T cells; and (c) a better understanding of myeloid-derived suppressor cells, which represent an ever-growing and diverse group of cells with activities leading to the inhibition of immune responses. It has been accepted that many of these improved therapies may only benefit relatively few patients and recent but rapidly developing research is currently focusing on methods that would allow clinicians to stratify patients receiving immunotherapy into responders and nonresponders, thereby predicting those who are likely to benefit from a specific vaccine therapy; this approach may benefit future clinical trials.
Old study sheds new light on the fatty acids and cardiovascular health debate
Authors: P. C. Calder
Journal: BMJ (2013)

American Heart Association advice on omega 6 PUFAs cast into doubt 

In a linked research paper (doi:10.1136/bmj.e8707), Ramsden and colleagues report “new” data from an old trial that shed light on the long running debate on whether increasing dietary linoleic acid intake reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) or death.1 Research conducted in the 1960s and 1970s suggested that some of the commonly occurring dietary saturated fatty acids raise total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, whereas the omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) linoleic acid lowers total and low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations.2 

Linoleic acid is present in high amounts in vegetable oils such as corn, sunflower, safflower, and soybean oils and in margarines made from these oils. It is the most prevalent PUFA and omega 6 PUFA in most Western diets. As a result of the effects of linoleic acid on cholesterol concentrations, lowering intake of saturated fat and increasing that of PUFAs has been a cornerstone of dietary advice, with the aim of decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).3 

The American Heart Association recently repeated advice to maintain, …
Cryptococcal Antigen Test
Authors: Morris A. Gordon
Journal: JAMA (1981)

To the Editor.—  In their CLINICAL NOTE False-Negative Cryptococcal Antigen Test, Stamm and Polt (1980; 244:1359) point out correctly that prozones may occur in the slide latex agglutination (SLA) test for cryptococcal antigen in both serum and CSF specimens. Bloomfield et al, 1 in describing the test, did not advise against diluting CSF before testing, and in our subsequent 17 years of experience with SLA testing, we have observed  very occasional prozone reaction in CSF. Our current practice is to dilute all specimens through 1:16 in screening for cryptococcal antigen. Of course, if cryptococci are seen in India ink preparations, the diagnosis is made regardless of serologic results, although we certainly agree that a CSF specimen with positive findings in India ink examination but negative results for the LA test should be diluted and retested for both confirmation and prognosis. We admit to some concern about the discontinuation of
Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Cardiac Reporter Gene Expression in Living Rats
Authors: Joseph C. Wu, Masayuki Inubushi, Gobalakrishnan Sundaresan, Heinrich R. Schelbert, Sanjiv S. Gambhir
Journal: Circulation (2002)

Background — Imaging reporter gene expression is useful for noninvasive monitoring of gene therapy. In this study, we imaged cardiac reporter gene expression in living rats using micro positron emission tomography (microPET). Methods and Results — Rats (n=10) underwent intramyocardial injection with 1×10 9 pfu of adenovirus carrying cytomegalovirus promoter-driving herpes simplex virus type 1 mutant thymidine kinase (Ad-CMV-HSV1-sr39tk) as PET reporter gene. Control rats (n=4) received 1×10 9 pfu of adenovirus carrying cytomegalovirus promoter-driving firefly luciferase (Ad-CMV-Fluc). On days 2 to 4, microPET images were obtained after a tail vein injection of nitrogen-13 ammonia ([ 13 N]-NH 3 ) as myocardial perfusion tracer, followed by 9-(4-[ 18 F]-fluoro-3 hydroxymethylbutyl) guanine ([ 18 F]-FHBG) to assess HSV1-sr39tk expression. After imaging, hearts were removed for ex vivo [ 18 F] gamma counting and thymidine kinase enzyme assay. Results show homogenous myocardial distribution of [ 13 N]-NH 3 on all microPET images. Rats injected with Ad-CMV-HSV1-sr39tk have significant [ 18 F]-FHBG uptake in the anterolateral wall compared with background signal in controls. Gamma counting shows 20.0±4.4-fold increase of radioactivity, whereas enzyme assay shows 22.1±6.1-fold increase of thymidine kinase activity in Ad-CMV-HSV1-sr39tk injected rats ( P &lt;0.05). Conclusions — Successful imaging of cardiac HSV1-sr39tk expression was performed in living rats with microPET. The presence of [ 18 F]-FHBG uptake is confirmed by gamma counting and the presence of HSV1-sr39TK protein by thymidine kinase enzyme assay. Cardiac reporter gene imaging by PET may eventually be applied toward human gene therapy studies.
Update in Asthma 2008
Authors: Wendy C. Moore
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2009)

Last year this update focused on the latest National Asthma Education Program Panel (NAEPP) Guidelines on Diagnosis and Management of Asthma (1, 2). In contrast, the safety of our asthma medications was in the headlines this year rather than how to use those drugs according to the guidelines. The focus of clinical asthma manuscripts shifted away from large clinical trials and toward some of the ‘‘problem’’ clinical areas or the ‘‘different phenotypes’’ of asthma, such as severe disease (3), pediatric asthma with articles from the COAST, CARE and CAMP networks, (4–6) and the role of viruses in children with wheeze (4, 7) and the relationship between obesity and asthma (8–10). Articles published in 2008 have advanced our understanding of the influence of genetics (11–18), factors in early life (19–21), and the environment (19, 22–24) on the development of asthma or the modification of disease severity. Basic pathobiologic studies in humans (25–35) and mice (36–46) have added to our understanding of specific mechanisms in different phenotypes of asthma. Clinical trials have explored novel monoclonal antibodies (47) and new uses for old medications (macrolides) (48) as potential treatment options for patients with the most severe asthma.
Natural leukocyte interferon-α therapy in patients with chronic granulocytic leukemia who have antibody-mediated resistance to treatment with recombinant interferon-α
Authors: Ayalew Tefferi, Darryl C. Grendahl
Journal: American Journal of Hematology (1996)

Two patients with chronic-phase chronic granulocytic leukemia initially responded to recombinant interferon α-2a (rIFN-α-2a) but relapsed as a result of development of high-titer neutralizing antibodies to rIFN-α-2a. Both patients were subsequently treated with natural leukocyte IFN-α (IFN-α-n3), and one of the two patients achieved a durable second hematologic and cytogenetic remission. IFN-α-n3 may be considered for patients in whom antibody-mediated resistance to rIFN-α-2a develops. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Desert Dust Exposure Is Associated with Increased Risk of Asthma Hospitalization in Children
Authors: Kumiko T. Kanatani, Isao Ito, Wael K. Al-Delaimy, Yuichi Adachi, William C. Mathews, Joe W. Ramsdell
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (2010)

Rationale: Desert dust particles, including quartz, which causes inflammatory responses in the airway in animal studies, are transported to widespread regions around the globe. Epidemiologically, areas impacted by desert dust storms, such as communities in the Middle East and the Caribbean, seem to have higher incidences of asthma than might be expected.Objectives: We investigated the magnitude of association between airborne mineral dust concentration and hospitalization of children for asthma exacerbation by using Light Detection And Ranging (LIDAR) with a polarization analyzer for an exposure measurement, which can distinguish mineral dust particles from other particles.Methods: A case-crossover design was used. The exposure measurement was LIDAR's nonspherical extinction coefficient. The outcome measurement was hospitalization of children aged 1 to 15 years for asthma exacerbation in eight principal hospitals in Toyama, a local area in Japan bordering the Japan Sea, during February to April, 2005 to 2009.Measurements and Main Results: During the study period, there were 620 admissions for asthma exacerbation, and 6 days with a heavy dust event (daily mineral dust concentration > 0.1 mg/m3). Conditional logistic regression showed a statistically significant association between asthma hospitalization and a heavy dust event. The crude odds ratio (OR) of the heavy dust event for hospitalization on the day was 1.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–3.41; P = 0.037), and the OR of heavy dust event during the previous week was 1.83 (95% CI, 1.31–2.56; P = 0.00043). The OR adjusted by other air pollutant levels, pollen, and meteorological factors was 1.71 (95% CI, 1.18–2.48; P = 0.0050).Conclusions: Heavy dust events are associated with an increased risk of hospitalizations for asthma.
Prognostic factors, prognostic indices and staging in mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome: where are we now?
Authors: J.J. Scarisbrick, Y.H. Kim, S.J. Whittaker, G.S. Wood, M.H. Vermeer, H.M. Prince, P. Quaglino
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2014)

Mycosis fungoides is the most prevalent form of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Patients frequently present with early-stage disease typically associated with a favourable prognosis and survival of 10-35 years, but over 25% may progress to advanced disease with a median survival < 4 years, and just 13 months in those with nodal involvement. Sézary syndrome presents in advanced disease with erythroderma, blood involvement and lymphadenopathy. The Bunn and Lamberg staging system (1979) includes stages IA-IIA (early-stage disease) and IIB-IVB (advanced-stage disease) and provides prognostic information, but some patients with tumour-stage disease (IIB) have a worse prognosis than those with erythrodermic-stage (III). Conversely, patients with plaque-stage (IB) folliculotropic mycosis fungoides may have a worse outcome than those with tumour-stage (IIB). The more recent staging system of the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer/International Society for Cutaneous Lymphoma has been designed to reflect tumour burden at different sites. However, this staging system has not been validated prospectively for prognosis. Furthermore, this staging system does not include a detailed measurement of skin tumour burden, as indicated by the modified skin weighted severity assessment tool. This assessment measures body surface area of disease and is weighted to record patch, plaque and tumour to produce a numerical value from 0·5 to 400 and is an established endpoint for clinical studies. Nor does this staging include clinicopathological features associated with a poor prognosis such as folliculotropism. Here we review the clinical, haematological, pathological and genotypic parameters outside the staging system, which may affect survival in mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. Most studies are retrospective and single centre. The identification of poor prognostic factors may be used to develop a prognostic index to use alongside staging, which may be of benefit in mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome to identify patients with a potentially poor prognosis.