tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Contempo '81. Pathology
Authors: G. D. Lundberg
Journal: JAMA (1981)

<h3>Quality Control in Medical Laboratories</h3> The most important recent publication in this modern field was another landmark supplement to the<i>American Journal of Clinical Pathology</i>entitled "Report on the Quality Assurance Programs of the College of American Pathologists." This is a cyclic product of the premier organization in the world that deals with human laboratory quality control. This report, however, only samples the colossal data base accumulated by the College of American Pathologists in these efforts. The supplement includes 18 articles and should be reviewed in toto by all medical laboratorians. Gilbert and Platt<sup>1</sup>reported on seven years of calcium and potassium analyses by thousands of laboratories. A remarkable improvement in both analyses was demonstrated between 1971 and 1977, with coefficients of variation decreasing from 6.5% to 4.3% and 4.1% to 2.3% for serum calcium and potassium, respectively. This improvement was attributed to widespread application of new and better
Ancestry and pharmacogenomics of relapse in acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Jun J Yang, Cheng Cheng, Meenakshi Devidas, Xueyuan Cao, Yiping Fan, Dario Campana, Wenjian Yang, Geoff Neale, Nancy J Cox, Paul Scheet, Michael J Borowitz, Naomi J Winick, Paul L Martin, Cheryl L Willman, W Paul Bowman, Bruce M Camitta, Andrew Carroll, Gregory H Reaman, William L Carroll, Mignon Loh, Stephen P Hunger, Ching-Hon Pui, William E Evans, Mary V Relling
Journal: Nature Genetics (2011)
The physician's progress
Authors: T. Dalrymple
Journal: BMJ (2011)

<b>Objectives</b> To describe neurodevelopmental outcomes at 2 years corrected age for children born alive at 22-26, 27-31, and 32-34 weeks’ gestation in 2011, and to evaluate changes since 1997. <b>Design</b> Population based cohort studies, EPIPAGE and EPIPAGE-2. <b>Setting</b> France. <b>Participants</b> 5567 neonates born alive in 2011 at 22-34 completed weeks’ gestation, with 4199 survivors at 2 years corrected age included in follow-up. Comparison of outcomes reported for 3334 (1997) and 2418 (2011) neonates born alive in the nine regions participating in both studies. <b>Main outcome measures</b> Survival; cerebral palsy (2000 European consensus definition); scores below threshold on the neurodevelopmental Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ; at least one of five domains below threshold) if completed between 22 and 26 months corrected age, in children without cerebral palsy, blindness, or deafness; and survival without severe or moderate neuromotor or sensory disabilities (cerebral palsy with Gross Motor Function Classification System levels 2-5, unilateral or bilateral blindness or deafness). Results are given as percentage of outcome measures with 95% confidence intervals. <b>Results</b> Among 5170 liveborn neonates with parental consent, survival at 2 years corrected age was 51.7% (95% confidence interval 48.6% to 54.7%) at 22-26 weeks’ gestation, 93.1% (92.1% to 94.0%) at 27-31 weeks’ gestation, and 98.6% (97.8% to 99.2%) at 32-34 weeks’ gestation. Only one infant born at 22-23 weeks survived. Data on cerebral palsy were available for 3599 infants (81.0% of the eligible population). The overall rate of cerebral palsy at 24-26, 27-31, and 32-34 weeks’ gestation was 6.9% (4.7% to 9.6%), 4.3% (3.5% to 5.2%), and 1.0% (0.5% to 1.9%), respectively. Responses to the ASQ were analysed for 2506 children (56.4% of the eligible population). The proportion of children with an ASQ result below threshold at 24-26, 27-31, and 32-34 weeks’ gestation were 50.2% (44.5% to 55.8%), 40.7% (38.3% to 43.2%), and 36.2% (32.4% to 40.1%), respectively. Survival without severe or moderate neuromotor or sensory disabilities among live births increased between 1997 and 2011, from 45.5% (39.2% to 51.8%) to 62.3% (57.1% to 67.5%) at 25-26 weeks’ gestation, but no change was observed at 22-24 weeks’ gestation. At 32-34 weeks’ gestation, there was a non-statistically significant increase in survival without severe or moderate neuromotor or sensory disabilities (P=0.61), but the proportion of survivors with cerebral palsy declined (P=0.01). <b>Conclusions</b> In this large cohort of preterm infants, rates of survival and survival without severe or moderate neuromotor or sensory disabilities have increased during the past two decades, but these children remain at high risk of developmental delay.
British public gets advice on healthy eating
Authors: C Court
Journal: BMJ (1994)

Government medical advisers have drawn up a new menu to keep the British public healthy - more fruit and fibre; less fat, sugar and salt; and more exercise. The advice comes in a new report from the cardiovascular review group of COMA, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy.

The press had a field day ridiculing the highly specific nature of the advice when many of the report's recommendations were leaked several …
Characterization and biological properties of a new staphylococcal exotoxin.
Authors: K Ren, J D Bannan, V Pancholi, A L Cheung, J C Robbins, V A Fischetti, J B Zabriskie
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1994)

Staphylococcus aureus strain D4508 is a toxic shock syndrome toxin 1-negative clinical isolate from a nonmenstrual case of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). In the present study, we have purified and characterized a new exotoxin from the extracellular products of this strain. This toxin was found to have a molecular mass of 25.14 kD by mass spectrometry and an isoelectric point of 5.65 by isoelectric focusing. We have also cloned and sequenced its corresponding genomic determinant. The DNA sequence encoding the mature protein was found to be 654 base pairs and is predicted to encode a polypeptide of 218 amino acids. The deduced protein contains an NH2-terminal sequence identical to that of the native protein. The calculated molecular weight (25.21 kD) of the recombinant mature protein is also consistent with that of the native molecules. When injected intravenously into rabbits, both the native and recombinant toxins induce an acute TSS-like illness characterized by high fever, hypotension, diarrhea, shock, and in some cases death, with classical histological findings of TSS. Furthermore, the activity of the toxin is specifically enhanced by low quantities of endotoxins. The toxicity can be blocked by rabbit immunoglobulin G antibody specific for the toxin. Western blotting and DNA sequencing data confirm that the protein is a unique staphylococcal exotoxin, yet shares significant sequence homology with known staphylococcal enterotoxins, especially the SEA, SED, and SEE toxins. We conclude therefore that this 25-kD protein belongs to the staphylococcal enterotoxin gene family that is capable of inducing a TSS-like illness in rabbits.
Provision of Pneumococcal Prophylaxis for Publicly Insured Children With Sickle Cell Disease
Authors: Colin M. Sox, William O. Cooper, Thomas D. Koepsell, David L. DiGiuseppe, Dimitri A. Christakis
Journal: JAMA (2003)

It is recommended that children younger than 5 years with sickle cell disease (SCD) take daily prophylactic antibiotics to prevent pneumococcal infections; however, how much prophylactic medication they actually are dispensed is unclear.To measure the amount of prophylactic antibiotics dispensed to young children with SCD and to investigate factors associated with increased delivery of medication.Retrospective longitudinal study conducted January 1995 through December 1999 using Tennessee and Washington State Medicaid administrative claims and encounter data. Children (N = 261) who had 1 inpatient or 2 outpatient claims or encounters listing an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code for SCD, were younger than 4 years at study entry (mean age, 1.4 years), and were continuously enrolled in Medicaid for a 1-year period.Number of days during a 365-day period covered by prescription fills for a penicillin or macrolide antibiotic, or for trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole.In a 365-day period, patients were dispensed a mean of 148.4 (SD, 121.3; median, 114; interquartile range [IQR], 39-247) days of prophylactic medication. The total amount of medication dispensed varied widely: 10.3% of patients received none and 21.5% received more than 270 days of medication. In a 365-day period, a mean of 12.7 (SD, 10.5; range, 0-40) prophylactic prescriptions were filled per patient. The median prescription duration was 10 days. In a multivariate linear regression model adjusting for state, sex, age at study entry, inclusion year, residence in urban community, outpatient inclusion encounter, required prescription co-payment, and number of outpatient visits for nonpreventive care, each preventive visit was associated with 12.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.3-21.7) additional days of prophylactic antibiotics, and each emergency department visit was associated with 10.0 (95% CI, 1.2-18.8) additional days.Publicly insured children with SCD may receive inadequate antibiotic prophylaxis against pneumococcal infections, placing them at increased risk of morbidity and mortality; however, increased numbers of outpatient visits for preventive care are associated with improved provision of prophylactic antibiotics.
Participation of adrenergic and noradrenergic neurones in central connections of arterial baroreceptor reflexes in the rat.
Authors: J P Chalmers, M A Petty, J L Reid
Journal: Circulation Research (1979)

We examined activities of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase (PNMT) and concentrations of norepinephrine (NE) in seven brain regions and the spinal cord of Wistar rats with elevated blood pressures 1 week and 4 weeks after denervation of carotid and aortic baroreceptors, and compared them to values in sham-operated control rats. TH activity was increased in the solitary tract nucleus (to 188% of control), parahypoglossal nucleus (to 254%), locus ceruleus (to 191%), and posterior hypothalamus (to 225%) at 1 week but not at 4 weeks after denervation. Similarly, NE concentrations were significantly altered in a number of brain regions at 1 week but not at 4 weeks after denervation. The only change in NE concentration at 4 weeks was in spinal cord where the level was reduced to 80% of control in the denervated rats. In contrast, the only change in PNMT activity 1 week after denervation was in posterior hypothalamus (to 59% of control), whereas at 4 weeks there was in increase in the spinal cord (to 159%) and a decrease in both the anterior and posterior hypothalamus (to 59% and 64% of control, respectively). The experiments suggest that increased activity of noradrenergic neurones in the brain may play a significant role in initiating the increase in pressure produced by baroreceptor denervation, whereas decreased activity of hypothalamic adrenergic neurones may be more important in maintaining the raised pressure. An increase in the activity of both adrenergic and noradrenergic nerves in the spinal cord, however, could contribute to maintaining the increase in blood pressure 4 weeks after denervation.
Minilaparoscopy for Early Diagnosis of Cirrhosis: Is the Endoscopist’s Eye Better than the Histopathologist’s?
Authors: M. P. Manns, A. Schneider, P. N. Meier
Journal: Endoscopy (2003)

In this issue of Endoscopy, Helmreich-Becker and colleagues present a study analyzing the sensitivity of minilaparoscopy for diagnosing the early stages of liver cirrhosis. Minilaparoscopy examinations were conducted prospectively in 226 consecutive patients with chronic liver disease [1]. Cirrhosis was assessed macroscopically on the basis of nodularity in nontumorous liver. At the same time, liver biopsy material was obtained, and staging was carried out by an experienced pathologist using the Ishak-Knodell scoring system [2]. The biopsy material was inadequate in 22 of the 226 patients. In 16 of these 22 patients, the diagnosis of cirrhosis was made by the endoscopist. In 44 % (94 of the remaining 204 patients), the diagnosis of cirrhosis was established macroscopically based on the visual impression observed by the endoscopist. However, stage 5 or 6 fibrosis (incomplete or complete cirrhosis) was only found in 68 of the 204 liver biopsies (33 %). By contrast, a histological diagnosis of cirrhosis was reached in the absence of macroscopically evident cirrhosis in only four of the 204 patients (2 %).
Short-term regulation of Na+/K+ adenosine triphosphatase by recombinant human serotonin 5-HT1A receptor expressed in HeLa cells.
Authors: J P Middleton, J R Raymond, A R Whorton, V W Dennis
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1990)

Agonist occupancy of the cloned human serotonin (5-HT)1A receptor expressed in HeLa cells stimulates Na+/K+ ATPase activity as assessed by rubidium uptake. The purpose of the study was to determine which of the receptor-associated signaling mechanisms was responsible for this effect. 5-HT stimulated Na+/K+ ATPase 38% at 2 mM extracellular potassium, an effect characterized by a decrease in apparent K0.5 from 2.8 +/- 0.3 to 1.8 +/- 0.3 mM potassium without a significant change in apparent Vmax. The EC50 for the transport effect was approximately 3 microM 5-HT. The response was pertussis toxin-sensitive but did not involve inhibition of adenylate cyclase, as stimulation of Na+/K+ ATPase by 5-HT was observed in the presence of excess dibutyryl cAMP. Protein kinase C was not required for the response since short-term incubation with the phorbol esters phorbol 12 myristate, 13 acetate (PMA) and phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) did not mimic the 5-HT effect. Moreover, 5-HT increased Na+/K+ ATPase activity after inactivation of protein kinase C by overnight incubation with PMA. 5-HT and the sesquiterpene lactone thapsigargin increased cytosolic calcium in this cell model, and the EC50 for 5-HT corresponded with that for stimulation of Na+/K+ ATPase. Both thapsigargin and A23187, a calcium ionophore, also increased Na+/K+ ATPase activity in a dose-responsive fashion. The response to 5-HT, thapsigargin, and A23187 was blocked by conditions that removed the cytosolic calcium response. By two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, we established evidence for a calcium-sensitive but protein kinase C-independent signaling pathway. We conclude that the 5-HT1A receptor, which we have previously shown to stimulate phosphate uptake via protein kinase C, stimulates Na+/K+ ATPase via a calcium-dependent mechanism. This provides evidence for regulation of two separate transport processes by a single receptor subtype via different signaling mechanisms.
INCIDENCE OF TACHYARRHYTHMIA AND ITS IMPACT ON TWO-YEAR CLINICAL OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH ST ELEVATION MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION UNDERGOING PERCUTANEOUS CORONARY INTERVENTION WITH DRUG-ELUTING STENTS
Authors: Seung Woon Rha, Kanhaiya L. Poddar, Meera Kumari, Ji Young Park, Byoung Geol Choi, Yun Kyung Kim, Jin Oh Na, Cheol Ung Choi, Hong Euy Lim, Jin Won Kim, Eung Ju Kim, Chang Gyu Park, Hong Seog Seo, Dong Joo Oh
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2011)
Pulmonary pseudotumour due to Corynebacterium equi in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
Authors: G A Bishopric, M F d'Agay, B Schlemmer, E Sarfati, C Brocheriou
Journal: Thorax (1988)

Abstract A case of inflammatory pseudotumour of the lung in a patient with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome due to infection by Corynebacterium equi is described.
Comparison between intravenous/oral ciprofloxacin versus intravenous ceftazidime in the treatment of bacterial infections in cirrhotic patients with ascites
Authors: Raffaella Craighero, Paolo Angeli, Carlo Antona, Carlo Donada, Brollo Luigi, Paola Roner, Silvano Fasolato, Antonietta Sticca, Angelo Gatta
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2002)
Handling of death in special care nurseries and parental grief.
Authors: M P White, B Reynolds, T J Evans
Journal: BMJ (1984)

The handling of death in a special care nursery and the needs of bereaved parents were studied in 12 families. Communication was good before death but less satisfactory thereafter, particularly with regard to postmortem results and advice concerning recurrence risk. Parents needed a lasting memory of their child and attached great importance to a tangible memento. Half had an abnormally high grief and Leeds scale score six months after the death, which seemed to be associated with poor marital support. All in the high scoring group favoured bereavement counselling. Communication with general practitioners needed improvement. As a result of this study a protocol for the handling of death was designed.
Airway mast‐cell activation in asthmatics is associated with selective sputum eosinophilia
Authors: J. Bettiol, M. Radermecker, J. Sele, M. Henquet, D. Cataldo, R. Louis
Journal: Allergy (1999)

Background : Tryptase is a serine endoprotease selectively released from mast cells. Although mast cells are known to be activated after experimental allergic provocation, their role in naturally occurring asthma is still debated. Methods : We have investigated the levels of tryptase in the whole induced sputum collected from 51 asthmatics (31 atopic and 20 intrinsic) seen in our outpatient clinic and 22 normal nonatopic healthy volunteers. Tryptase was measured by a new immunoassay based on B12 monoclonal antibody recognition of total tryptase (UniCAP System, Pharmacia) with a sensitivity of 1 ng/ml. Results : While being below the threshold of detection in all normal volunteers, tryptase was detectable in the sputum from 9/51 asthmatics (18%) including five atopic and four intrinsic asthma cases. In these patients, among whom three were asymptomatic asthmatics, the values ranged between 1 and 6.1 ng/ml. The asthmatics with detectable sputum tryptase had greater sputum eosinophil counts ( P &lt;0.05) but lower neutrophil counts ( P &lt;0.05) than those in whom tryptase was undetectable. When compared to control subjects, asthmatics without tryptase had still greater eosinophil counts ( P &lt;0.0001) but also raised neutrophil counts ( P &lt;0.05). No significant difference could be found between asthmatics with tryptase and those without tryptase with respect to the age, the baseline lung function, the methacholine bronchial responsiveness, and the frequency of treatment with inhaled steroids. Conclusions : With the UniCAP System, tryptase was detectable in the sputum from 18% of asthmatics irrespective of atopy and current symptoms. Asthmatics with tryptase appeared to have a selective increase in sputum eosinophil counts while those without tryptase displayed a mixed sputum granulocyte infiltration with raised eosinophil and neutrophil counts.
558 Prevalence estimates and risk factors for hepatitis C virus RNA positivity in a large population-based cohort
Authors: D BRUDEN, T HENNESSY, C CHRISTENSEN, D SULLIVAN, C HOMAN, H DUBNER, M BRUCE, S LIVINGSTON, J WILLIAMS, D GRETCH
Journal: Hepatology (2003)

We propose the use of a mean quadratic variation criteria to determine an optimal trading strategy in the presence of price impact. We derive the Hamilton Jacobi Bellman (HJB) Partial Differential Equation (PDE) for the optimal strategy, assuming the underlying asset follows Geometric Brownian Motion (GBM) or Arithmetic Brownian Motion (ABM). The exact solution of the ABM formulation is in fact identical to the static (price-independent) approximate solution for the mean–variance objective function in Almgren and Chriss (2000). The optimal trading strategy in the GBM case is in general a function of the asset price. The static strategy determined in the ABM formulation turns out to be an excellent approximation for the GBM case, even when volatility is large.
Cell-mediated Immunity in Herpesvirus hominis Infections
Authors: J. M. A. Wilton, L. Ivanyi, T. Lehner
Journal: BMJ (1972)

The cell-mediated and antibody responses to Herpesvirus hominis type 1 were investigated in patients with primary and recurrent herpetic infections. Stimulation of lymphocyte transformation with the virus and the complement fixing antibody titre did not differ significantly between patients and controls. However, macrophage migration inhibition and lymphocyte cytotoxicity were impaired in patients. The defects were specific to H. hominis, as Candida oblicans, which was used as an unrelated antigen, failed to show a similar abnormality. These results and preliminary sequential studies suggest that the susceptibility to recurrent herpesvirus infection may be due to an impaired production of macrophage migration inhibition factor and lymphocyte cytotoxicity in the presence of intact lymphocyte sensitization and antibody formation.
Redacted policy on sharing drug trial data in Europe
Authors: T. Groves, W. Weber
Journal: BMJ (2014)

The European Medicines Agency gets cold feet at the last minute

In early April, the drug company AbbVie dropped its lawsuit against the European Medicines Agency (EMA). This lawsuit, along with another case mounted by InterMune, delayed the agency’s plans to release previously hidden clinical trial data about drugs considered for marketing authorisation.1 It also posed such a threat to public health that The BMJ and BMA were jointly granted permission to intervene at the General Court of the European Union.2 3 AbbVie withdrew its case after the agency agreed to allow redaction of some clinical trial information deemed to be commercially sensitive.4 Now, shortly before the EMA’s policy is to be set in stone, we know the extent of that compromise.

Documents shared with participants at a recent EMA workshop suggest that the agency is backtracking both on its principle of public access to clinical trial data “in an analysable format” and its assertion that “in general, clinical trial data cannot be …
Explanation for the Decline in Coronary Heart Disease Mortality Rates in Auckland, New Zealand, Between 1982 and 1993
Authors: Simon Capewell, Robert Beaglehole, Mary Seddon, John McMurray
Journal: Circulation (2000)

We sought to determine how much of the recent, substantial fall in coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality rates in New Zealand can be attributed to "evidence-based" medical and surgical treatments and how much can be attributed to cardiovascular risk factor reductions.A cell-based mortality model was developed and refined. This model combined (1) the published effectiveness of cardiological treatments and risk factor reductions with (2) data on all medical and surgical treatments administered to all CHD patients and (3) trends in population cardiovascular risk factors (principally smoking, cholesterol, and hypertension) from 1982 to 1993 in Auckland, New Zealand (population 996 000). Between 1982 and 1993, CHD mortality rates fell by 23.6%, with 671 fewer CHD deaths than expected from baseline mortality rates in 1982. Forty-six percent of this fall was attributed to treatments (acute myocardial infarction 12%, secondary prevention 12%, hypertension 7%, heart failure 6%, and angina 9%), and 54% was attributed to risk factor reductions (smoking 30%, cholesterol 12%, population blood pressure 8%, and other, unidentified factors 4%). These proportions remained relatively consistent after a robust sensitivity analysis.Approximately half the CHD mortality rate fall in Auckland, New Zealand, was attributed to medical therapies, and approximately half was attributed to reductions in major risk factors. These findings emphasize the importance of a comprehensive strategy that maximizes the population coverage of effective treatments and actively promotes a prevention program, particularly for smoking, diet, and blood pressure reduction.