tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Weak link between power lines and leukaemia
Authors: Z. Kmietowicz
Journal: BMJ (2001)

The United Kingdom's national radiation watchdog has ruled out electricity power lines as a possible cause of cancer in adults but admits that a “weak association” exists with childhood leukaemia.

An advisory group of the National Radiological Protection Board has reviewed recent evidence that links exposure to magnetic fields and cancer risk in epidemiological studies from around the world.

Included in the analysis are findings from the UK childhood cancer study, the world's largest case-control study on the causes of childhood cancer, which could find …
The Poisoned Patient With Altered Consciousness
Authors: Robert S. Hoffman
Journal: JAMA (1995)

In the assessment and management of the potentially poisoned patient with altered consciousness, the most consequential and controversial interventions occur during the first 5 minutes of care. In this review article, the risks and benefits of standard diagnostic and therapeutic interventions are presented to guide clinicians through this critical period of decision making.Data for discussion were obtained from a search of English-language publications referenced on MEDLINE for the years 1966 to 1994. Older literature was included when pertinent. Search terms included poisoning, overdose, toxicity, naloxone, glucose, thiamine, and flumazenil.Only large trials were used for determinations of diagnostic utility and efficacy. Small trials, case series, and case reports were reviewed extensively for adverse effects.Trials were reviewed for overall methodology, inclusion and exclusion criteria, sources of bias, and outcome.Analysis favors empirical administration of hypertonic dextrose and thiamine hydrochloride to patients with altered consciousness. Although rapid reagent test strips can be used to guide this therapy, they are not infallible, and they fail to recognize clinical hypoglycemia that may occur without numerical hypoglycemia. Administration of naloxone hydrochloride should be reserved for patients with signs and symptoms of opioid intoxication. Flumazenil is best left for reversal of therapeutic conscious sedation and rare select cases of benzodiazepine overdose.
Blood-brain barrier dysfunction in acute lead encephalopathy: a reappraisal.
Authors: T W Bouldin, P Mushak, L A O'Tuama, M R Krigman
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (1975)

Acute lead encephalopathy was induced in adult guinea pigs by administering daily oral doses of lead carbonate. During the development of the encephalopathy, the structural and functional integrity of the blood-brain barrier was evaluated with electron microscopy and tracer probes. Blood, cerebral gray matter, liver, and kidney were analyzed for lead, calcium, and magnesium content. The animals regularly developed an encephalopathy after four doses of lead. There were no discernible pathomorphologic alterations in the cerebral capillaries or perivascular glial sheaths. Furthermore, no evidence of blood-brain barrier dysfunction was demonstrated with Evans blue-albumin complex or horseradish peroxidase. Blood-brain barrier permeability to radiolead was not increased in the intoxicated animals. During the development of the encephalopathy there was a progressive rise in the lead concentration in all tissues. Concurrently, there was a significant rise in brain calcium. These results suggest that the encephalopathic effects of lead may be mediated directly at the neuronal level.
Phospholipase A2 and arachidonate increase in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid after inhaled antigen challenge in asthmatics.
Authors: D L Bowton, M C Seeds, M B Fasano, B Goldsmith, D A Bass
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (1997)

Phospholipases A2 (PLA2) hydrolyze phospholipids resulting in the release of fatty acids including arachidonic acid (AA) and lysophospholipids. AA, in turn, serves as a substrate for the synthesis of leukotrienes which can cause bronchoconstriction and airways edema and appear to be important mediators of clinical asthma. Further, lysophospholipids may be cytotoxic and/or impair the function of surfactant. We examined the release of secretory PLA2 (sPLA2) and AA into the airways after antigen challenge in 16 subjects with allergic asthma. Asthmatic subjects underwent bronchoscopy with bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) before and after inhaled antigen challenge; in addition, a single BAL, without inhaled antigen, was performed in 10 control subjects. BAL was obtained at 4 h (n = 7), the time of the late asthmatic response (LAR) (n = 5), or 24 h (n = 4) after challenge. There was no difference between normal and asthmatic subjects in either BAL fluid (BALF) sPLA2 activity or AA concentration at baseline. Both sPLA2 and AA increased after antigen challenge (p < 0.01 and 0.05, respectively). These changes were most marked 4 h after challenge (p < 0.03 for both). sPLA2 may play an important role in the generation of AA in patients with asthma.
BILATERAL THROMBOSIS OF ANTERIOR CEREBRAL ARTERY FOLLOWING STIMULATION OF A HYPERACTIVE CAROTID SINUS
Authors: Judah Marmor
Journal: JAMA (1941)

Stimulation of the carotid sinus, because of its importance in the differential diagnosis of neurologic diseases, has become routine in the complete neurologic examination. The syncope, convulsive seizure, asystole or fall in blood pressure which is produced may frequently be alarming, but there are no reports in the literature of any untoward results following stimulation of a hypersensitive carotid sinus. The present report deals with a case in which, immediately after induction of carotid sinus syncope, a progressive thrombosis of both anterior cerebral arteries developed, which ended fatally. <h3>REPORT OF CASE</h3> A railroad brakeman aged 53 was seen in neuropsychiatric consultation because of a complaint of emotional instability and mental depression for over two years. He had always been irritable. He had had typhoid in 1902, amebic dysentery, treated with emetine, in 1938 and a severe respiratory infection in September 1940 which had left him with a cough. The general
Abstract 5017: T-cell repertoire turnover induced by anti-CTLA-4 antibody treatment in cancer patients
Authors: Lawrence H. Fong, Edward Cha, Mark Klinger, Yafei Hou, Craig Cummings, Antoni Ribas, Malek Faham
Journal: Cancer Research (2014)

Abstract While treatment with anti-CTLA-4 antibody can induce clinical responses in advanced cancer patients, its effects on the breadth of the T cell response is unknown. We used a next-generation sequencing-based method to assess T cell repertoire diversity in 46 patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer or metastatic melanoma. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were obtained from patients prior to and during treatment with anti-CTLA-4 antibody. mRNA was amplified using locus-specific primer sets for T cell receptor (TCR) beta, and the amplified product was sequenced. Sequence reads were used to quantitate absolute TCR frequencies using standardized clonotype determination algorithms with normalization by spiked reference TCR sequences. Following clonotype quantitation, repertoire differences between serial samples were assessed by the Morisita index, a statistical measure of population dispersion. 97 paired samples were assessed, of which 46 (47%) had increases and 22 (23%) had decreases in TCR diversity by more than 2-fold. By comparison, none of 9 untreated sample pairs underwent more than a 2-fold change in diversity (P = 0.005, Fisher's exact test, two tailed). TCR repertoire differences between monthly samples were markedly higher than for time-matched controls. After the first treatment, median Morisita index between samples was 0.197 for treated samples versus 0.039 for untreated (P = 0.0005, Mann-Whitney U test). The median number of clones that significantly changed in abundance was 421 for treated versus 45 for controls. In patients with multiple time points, this rapid clonotype evolution continued through treatment. Whereas the number of clonotypes that increased with treatment was not associated with clinical outcome, improved overall survival was associated with maintenance of high frequency clones present at baseline. In contrast the highest frequency clonotypes fell with treatment in patients with shorter overall survival. Stably maintained clonotypes included T cells possessing high avidity TCR such as CMV-reactive T cells. Together, these results suggest that CTLA-4 blockade induces T-cell repertoire evolution and diversification. Moreover, improved clinical outcomes are associated with less clonotype loss, consistent with the maintenance of high frequency TCR clonotypes during treatment. These clones may represent the presence of pre-existing high avidity T cells that may be relevant in the anti-tumor response. Citation Format: Lawrence H. Fong, Edward Cha, Mark Klinger, Yafei Hou, Craig Cummings, Antoni Ribas, Malek Faham. T-cell repertoire turnover induced by anti-CTLA-4 antibody treatment in cancer patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 5017. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-5017
Adequate quality of HIV drugs must be ensured
Authors: S. C Arya
Journal: BMJ (2002)

EDITOR—A large global health and AIDS fund would have a lasting impact on morbidity and mortality only if the potency of antiretroviral drugs and the quality of diagnostic tools were adequately monitored in the field.

With the exception of ritonavir, antiretroviral drugs require constant storage in a controlled temperature not exceeding 25-30°C.1 Inadvertent exposures to …
Pru p 3 (LTP) content in peach extracts
Authors: J. Carnés, E. Fernández‐Caldas, M. T. Gallego, A. Ferrer, J. Cuesta‐Herranz
Journal: Allergy (2002)

Background: Lipid transfer proteins are molecules widely distributed in fruits. Sensitization to LTP is frequent in fruit sensitive patients. The aims of this study were to purify LTP and to assess the content of LTP in ripe peach peel and pulp extracts by ELISA inhibition using polyclonal antibodies. Methods: LTP was purified from ripe yellow peach peel by two different column chromatography methods. A polyclonal antibody was produced by injecting purified LTP into two New Zealand white rabbits. ELISA inhibition and rabbit monospecific polyclonal antibody were used to calculate the LTP content in Springcrest and Miraflores varieties of peach peel and pulp extracts. Purified LTP (2.5 mg/ml) was used to skin test 24 peach‐sensitive patients. Results: The purified LTP showed a single band at approximately 9 kDa. The polyclonal antibody raised anti LTP recognized only the LTP molecule in the peach extracts. LTP content, expressed in µg/mg of freeze‐dried extract in four extracts were: yellow peach peel, 15.48; yellow peach pulp 2.25; red peach peel 14.67 and red peach pulp 1.84. Twenty patients (83.3%) had a positive skin test with purified LTP. Conclusions: We have developed a system to determine the concentration of LTP in peach extracts. LTP in peel extracts is approximately seven times greater than in pulp.
Androgen associated hepatocellular carcinoma with an aggressive course.
Authors: D Gleeson, M J Newbould, P Taylor, R F McMahon, B C Leahy, T W Warnes
Journal: Gut (1991)

The hepatocellular carcinomas that develop in patients treated with androgens have previously been associated with a benign clinical outcome. We describe a man who developed a hepatocellular carcinoma after 24 years of androgen treatment, whose tumour initially showed partial regression after withdrawal of androgens but subsequently pursued an aggressive and fatal course.
377 ASSOCIATION OF COEXISTENCE OF HEPATITIS B SURFACE ANTIGEN (HBSAG) AND ANTI-HBS WITH HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA IN GENOTYPE C HBV INFECTION; A PROSPECTIVE CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY
Authors: H.S. Kim, J.S. Jang, H.J. Kim, W.G. Shin, K.H. Kim, J.H. Lee, H.Y. Kim, T.H. Hahn, S.H. Park, C.K. Park, M.S. Lee, J.B. Kim, D.J. Kim, M.K. Jang
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2008)
Vaccine Against Human Hepatitis B
Authors: Eugene B. Buynak
Journal: JAMA (1996)

• A highly purified and inactivated vaccine was made of hepatitis B virus surface antigen. The vaccine was tested exhaustively for safety by ordinary procedures and additionally in chimpanzees and marmosets. It was highly potent and induced antibody in guinea pigs, grivet monkeys, and chimpanzees after three doses of vaccine were given subcutaneously. Chimpanzees given three doses of vaccine were protected against challenge with 1,000 chimpanzee-infectious doses of live human hepatitis B virus given intravenously in controlled studies. Tests of the vaccine for control of hepatitis B in man are to be carried out.
Washington at the Delaware-Reply
Authors: Paul Quartararo
Journal: JAMA (1986)

<h3>In Reply.—</h3> Ms Troop correctly informs us that Edward Hicks freely borrowed from Thomas Sully. But just as I have never interviewed Hicks, yet have read about him and now take responsibility for my statements, so too should Hicks take responsibility for<i>Washington at the Delaware</i>. Hicks was free to change any of the painting's details, yet he chose to change few. I believe that it is correct to question why Hicks painted this painting as he did, rather than just to explain that it is a copy. I thank Ms Troop for correcting my error of chronology. Hicks's first occupations were, indeed, that of farmer and coachmaker, not Quaker minister. Also, although Hicks did belong to the militia as a young man, I understood that his later teachings were pacifist. I apologize for the error.
Alpha Cell Hyperplasia in Calcific Pancreatitis Associated With Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Edward Paloyan
Journal: JAMA (1967)

Experimental evidence suggests that the relationship between chronic pancreatitis and hyperparathyroidism results from the stimulation of the parathyroid glands by hypersecretion of glucagon. This hypothesis is supported by the observation of elevated circulating levels of glucagon in chronic pancreatitis and in hyperparathyroidism. Conspicuous islet and alpha cell hyperplasia is correlated with marked increases in circulating and pancreatic tissue glucagon. A significant incidence of islet hyperplasia was found in a retrospective review of autopsy material from a series of 15 cases of parathyroid adenoma or carcinoma.
Audit finds large variations in NHS staff sick days
Authors: J. Wise
Journal: BMJ (2011)

Savings of £290m could be made if all NHS organisations in England reduced their sickness absence rates to that of the lowest quartile, says the Audit Commission.

A report, Managing sickness absence in the NHS , found that sickness absence varies considerably around the country from 1.6% to 6.8%. It is highest for primary care trusts and trusts in the North East Strategic Health Authority and lowest in the London Strategic Health Authority area.

Ambulance staff, healthcare assistants, and other support staff had the highest rate of sickness absence closely followed by nursing, midwifery, and health visiting staff. The average rates of sickness absence for medical and dental staff was found to be low at 2.1% in hospital trusts and just over 1% in primary care trusts. Generally junior staff were more likely to take time off than their more senior colleagues.

The Audit Commission examined data collected from all local …
Roy Frank Goulston
Authors: Alan Ruben, Richard Savage
Journal: BMJ (2004)

was a renowned nuclear physicist.But what resonates for me, and for the BMJ-at a time when 3000 deaths every day on the world's roads is accepted as the necessary albeit regrettable cost of motorised transportation-is Marcel's contribution as a road safety activist and advocate for justice for those injured and killed.In 1988 Marcel's eldest daughter, Vlasta, died when her car was struck by a speeding driver, who survived, was prosecuted, and was required to pay compensation.Marcel and his family were expected to suffer in silence just like the thousands of other parents who have lost children to road traffic crashes.The state's response to road death is unlike any other form of violent death.There is rarely a proper police investigation, the judicial response is characteristically lackadaisical, and little effort is made to prevent a recurrence.Given the numbers killed and injured each year-over 50 000 deaths and 150 000 permanent disabilities in Europe alone-road death might be thought of as state sanctioned genocide.In many countries, Britain included, road deaths are called "accidents."No one is really responsible and no one is really to blame.Marcel, however, could not accept this.In their fight for justice, those injured on the roads had recruited a formidable ally.Marcel was a scientist, a statesman, and extraordinarily tenacious.He obtained a doctorate in physics at the University of Geneva in 1968.He worked for several years as a
Low Doses of Bisphenol A Promote Human Seminoma Cell Proliferation by Activating PKA and PKG via a Membrane G-Protein–Coupled Estrogen Receptor
Authors: Adil Bouskine, Marielle Nebout, Françoise Brücker-Davis, Mohamed Benahmed, Patrick Fenichel
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2009)

Fetal exposure to environmental estrogens may contribute to hypofertility and/or to testicular germ cell cancer. However, many of these xenoestrogens have only a weak affinity for the classical estrogen receptors (ERs,) which is 1,000-fold less potent than the affinity of 17beta-estradiol (E(2)). Thus, several mechanisms have been suggested to explain how they could affect male germ cell proliferation at low environmental relevant concentrations.In this study we aimed to explore the possible promoting effect of bisphenol A (BPA) on human testicular seminoma cells. BPA is a well-recognized estrogenic endocrine disruptor used as a monomer to manufacture poly carbonate plastic and released from resin-lined food or beverage cans or from dental sealants.BPA at very low concentrations (10(-9) to 10(-12) M) similar to those found in human fluids stimulated JKT-1 cell proliferation in vitro. BPA activated both cAMP-dependent protein kinase and cGMP-dependent protein kinase pathways and triggered a rapid (15 min) phosphorylation of the transcription factor cAMP response-element-binding protein (CREB) and the cell cycle regulator retinoblastoma protein (Rb). This nongenomic activation did not involve classical ERs because it could not be reversed by ICI 182780 (an ER antagonist) or reproduced either by E(2) or by diethylstilbestrol (a potent synthetic estrogen), which instead triggered a suppressive effect. This activation was reproduced only by E(2) coupled to bovine serum albumin (BSA), which is unable to enter the cell. As with E(2)-BSA, BPA promoted JKT-1 cell proliferation through a G-protein-coupled nonclassical membrane ER (GPCR) involving a Galpha(s) and a Galpha(i)/Galpha(q) subunit, as shown by the reversible effect observed by the corresponding inhibitors NF449 and pertussis toxin.This GPCR-mediated nongenomic action represents--in addition to the classical ER-mediated effect--a new basis for evaluating xenoestrogens such as BPA that, at low doses and with a high affinity for this GPCR, could interfere with the developmental programming of fetal germ cell proliferation and/or differentiation when they cross the placenta.
Comparison of Intravenous Somatostatin and Vasopressin Infusions in Treatment of Acute Variceal Hemorrhage†
Authors: David Kravetz, Jaime Bosch, Josep Terés, Jordi Bruix, Antoni Rimola, Juan Rodés
Journal: Hepatology (1984)

The present trial compared the effectiveness and complications of intravenous somatostatin and vasopressin in treatment of variceal bleeding. Sixty-one cirrhotic patients with endoscopically proven active variceal bleeding were included. Both drugs were given as continuous intravenous infusions for 48 hr. Thirty patients received somatostatin (250 micrograms per hr after a bolus of 50 micrograms) and 31 vasopressin (0.4 units per min). Initial control of bleeding was achieved in 26 (87%) patients receiving somatostatin and in 23 (74%) of those treated with vasopressin. However, 10 patients [not significant statistically] in the somatostatin group and 5 in the vasopressin group rebled during treatment, after a mean of 15 and 20 hr, respectively. Therefore, complete control of bleeding during the 48 hr of therapy was achieved in 16 (53%) patients treated with somatostatin and in 18 (58%) of those receiving vasopressin. Mortality during hospitalization was similar in both groups (somatostatin 47%, vasopressin 45%). Differences were observed in complications associated with each therapy. Vasopressin produced major complications in 8 patients (left ventricular failure in 4 and severe abdominal pain requiring drug withdrawal in 4), and minor complications in 14; somatostatin infusion produced minor complications in 3 patients (p less than 0.01). In addition, the serum sodium concentration was significantly reduced by vasopressin (from 134.3 +/- 1.6 to 128.3 +/- 1.4 mEq per liter, p less than 0.001) but not by somatostatin (134.6 +/- 1.1 vs. 133.2 +/- 1.1 mEq per liter). This study shows that somatostatin is as effective as vasopressin in controlling variceal hemorrhage, but has a much lower rate of complications.
Points from Letters: George III and the Mad-business
Authors: M. M. Salzmann
Journal: BMJ (1970)

further "dram" before entering the ambulance.On admission he was confused and in pain with noticeably cold extremities.Oral temperature was 97' F. (36' C.).Blood pressure 140/80, pulse 72 and small volume.The abdomen was distended and diffusely tender.There was some guarding, and bowel sounds were faint and infrequent.The pupils were unequal, moderately dilated, and did not react to light.Tendon jerks were brisk and the plantar responses flexor.Urine: some albumin and trace of acetone, but no sugar.Blood pH 7-08, Pco2
New Method for Detection of Heart Allograft Rejection
Authors: David C. Morgan, Janet E. Wilson, Calum E. MacAulay, Nicholas B. MacKinnon, Jennifer A. Kenyon, Paul S. Gerla, Chunming Dong, Haishan Zeng, Peter D. Whitehead, Christopher R. Thompson, Bruce M. McManus
Journal: Circulation (1999)

Background —Patients with inflammatory heart muscle diseases would benefit from a safe, convenient, rapidly performed diagnostic technique with real-time results not involving tissue removal. We have performed a detailed evaluation of detection of heart allograft rejection by autofluorescence in a heterotopic abdominal rat heart allograft model ex vivo. Methods and Results —Recipient rats with allograft (Lewis to Fisher 344; n=71) and isograft (Lewis to Lewis; n=33) hearts, treated with cyclosporine or untreated, were killed at days 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 56 after transplant. Nontransplant controls with (n=24) or without (n=24) immunosuppressive therapy were also studied. When the rats were killed, autofluorescence spectra were acquired under blue-light excitation from midtransverse ventricular sections of native and transplanted hearts. Corresponding sections were then evaluated pathologically by a modified International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation (ISHLT) grading schema. The spectral differences between rejecting and nonrejecting hearts were quantified by linear discriminant functions, producing scores that decreased progressively with increasing severity of tissue rejection. Mean±SD discriminant function scores were 2.9±1.6, 1.8±2.2, −0.1±2.8, −1.2±2.3, and −2.3±3.0 for isografts and allograft ISHLT grades 0, I, II, and III, respectively (Spearman rank-order correlation −0.6; P &lt;0.001, test for trend). Cyclosporine had no detectable effect on the spectra. Conclusions —The correlation between changes in autofluorescence spectra and ISHLT rejection grade strongly supports the possibility of catheter-based, fluorescence-guided surveillance of rejection.