tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Vascular biology and pathobiology of the liver: Report of a single-topic symposium
Authors: Yasuko Iwakiri, Matthew Grisham, Vijay Shah
Journal: Hepatology (2008)

Portal hypertension and its complications account for the majority of morbidity and mortality that occurs in patients with cirrhosis. In addition to portal hypertension, a number of other vascular syndromes are also of great importance, especially the ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. With the identification of major vascular defects that could account for many of the clinical sequelae of these syndromes, the liver vasculature field has now integrated very closely with the broader vascular biology discipline. In that spirit, the Henry and Lillian Stratton Basic Research Single Topic Conference was held on the topic of Vascular Biology and Pathobiology of the Liver. The course took place approximately 10 years after the first American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD)-sponsored conference on this topic that occurred in Reston, Virginia. The conference initiated with an introduction to basic vascular cell signaling and then explored vascular biology specifically as it relates to liver cells. Subsequently, specific disease syndromes were discussed in more detail including portal hypertension and IR injury. Finally, clinical and translational sessions focused on emerging therapies and technologies to treat vascular diseases of the liver.
Identification of immunostimulatory dendritic cells in the synovial effusions of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Authors: N J Zvaifler, R M Steinman, G Kaplan, L L Lau, M Rivelis
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1985)

Dendritic cells in the circulation are leukocytes that are rich in Ia antigens and that actively stimulate T cell replication. We have identified dendritic cells in the joint effusions of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. By phase-contrast and immunofluorescence microscopy, synovial mononuclear cells contained 1-5% dendritic profiles that were rich in HLA-DR and DQ, had small amounts of C3bi receptor, and lacked a battery of monocyte and lymphocyte markers. These dendritic cells could be enriched to 60-80% purity by cytolytic depletion of monocytes and lymphocytes with a group of monoclonal antibodies (MAb) and complement. By transmission electron microscopy, the dendritic cell processes were bulbous in shape and lacked organelles. The cytoplasm had few lysosomes or endocytic vacuoles but contained a well-developed smooth reticulum that was comparable to that previously described in the Ia-rich interdigitating cells of lymphoid tissues. The growth of sodium periodate-modified T lymphocytes was used as a rapid quantitative assay of accessory cell function. Synovial mononuclear cells were some ten times more active than normal blood cells. Treatment with alpha-Ia MAb and complement ablated stimulatory function. In contrast, removal of monocytes (MAb, 3C10) or monocytes and B (MAb, BA-1) plus T (MAb, OKT3, or T101) lymphocytes did not significantly alter total activity, and the function per viable cell increased four- to eightfold. We conclude that rheumatoid arthritis synovial fluids contain cells that are comparable in function, phenotype, and structure to blood dendritic cells, although the frequency (1-5%) is 10 times greater in joints. The reason for their accumulation in the articular cavity is not known, but dendritic cells may be important in perpetuating the joint inflammation characteristic of this disease.
Placental Barrier to Coagulation Factors: Its Relevance to the Coagulation Defect at Birth and to Haemorrhage in the Newborn
Authors: J. F. Cade, J. Hirsh, M. Martin
Journal: BMJ (1969)

The placental barrier to coagulation factors was assessed by measuring their levels in maternal venous and neonatal umbilical arterial and venous blood and was found to be largely complete. Detailed coagulation assessments in a large number of term and premature neonates showed that term neonates had a mild coagulation deficiency at birth. Premature neonates had a more definite deficiency, which became more severe with increasing prematurity. Mortality in low birth weight premature infants was associated with a severe coagulation deficiency, and was frequently due to cerebral haemorrhage. It is suggested that the coagulation system of low birth weight infants should be assessed to enable prophylactic treatment of those with a severe deficiency.
Calcitonin treatment for intersternocostoclavicular ossification: clinical experience in two cases.
Authors: T Misaki, S Dokoh, E Mori
Journal: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (1991)

Intersternocostoclavicular ossification is a benign arthro-osteitis of the upper anterior chest of unknown cause. Two patients with acute exacerbation of this disorder were successfully treated with intramuscular injections of an eel calcitonin analogue (40 units three times a week). Besides symptomatic relief of local pain and swelling, serial scintigrams showed quantitative improvement in radiophosphonate uptake. The rapid alleviation of pain implies that the hormone has a central analgesic effect, in addition to its direct influence on bone cells and antiinflammatory action. In one patient the disease was associated with palmoplantar pustulosis, which was cured with oral colchicine, whereas the other patient did not have such skin lesions. Despite a hypothetical link between palmoplantar pustulosis and intersternocostoclavicular ossification, colchicine had no beneficial impact on the bone pain. Salmon calcitonin delivered by nasal spray was tried for the second patient but failed, probably because of insufficient drug delivery. The initial favourable results described here warrant future use of calcitonin injection on a larger number of patients with intersternocostoclavicular ossification.
On the Relation of Headache to the Condition of the Eyes
Authors: C. Higgens
Journal: BMJ (1887)

Wecker, he believed, was the inventor.He had so far seen no disadvantages from the use of irrigation.Mr. GRANGER (Chester) objected to the form of instrument used by Mr. Lee, as being more difficult to keep clean than a simple bottle, the contents of which can so satisfactorily be removed by syphon action.Mr. LEE, in replying, said he was careful to pass an antiseptic solution through the tube before using.
A Sibling Rivalry on Personhood, Procreation, and Evil
Authors: Tihamer Toth-Fejel, Christopher Dodsworth
Journal: The American Journal of Bioethics (2009)

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Notes 1. Christian Era. Siblings tease each other too. 2. In 1869 the Church stopped distinguishing between the unensouled and “ensouled” fetus and modified canonical penalties regarding abortion to be the same no matter what the fetus' stage of development. See Catholics United for the Faith (1997).
Immunoglobulin Levels in the Cerebrospinal Fluid
Authors: D. Riddoch, R. A. Thompson
Journal: BMJ (1970)

The immunoglobulins G, A, M, and D have been measured in the cerebrospinal fluid of 207 patients with neurological disease. Raised levels of IgG, expressed as a percentage of total cerebrospinal fluid (C.S.F.) protein, were found in 62% of 45 cases of multiple sclerosis compared with 14% of 160 cases with various other neurological disorders. Thus measurement of the IgG level is probably a useful confirmatory investigation in multiple sclerosis. IgA and IgM were found only in the C.S.F. of patients with a raised protein level, and IgD was not detected.
Epstein Barr virus–specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes expressing the anti-CD30ζ artificial chimeric T-cell receptor for immunotherapy of Hodgkin disease
Authors: Barbara Savoldo, Cliona M. Rooney, Antonio Di Stasi, Hinrich Abken, Andreas Hombach, Aaron E. Foster, Lan Zhang, Helen E. Heslop, Malcolm K. Brenner, Gianpietro Dotti
Journal: Blood (2007)
CEA for Monitoring Colon Cancer
Authors: David Z. J. Chu
Journal: JAMA (1994)

<h3>To the Editor.</h3> —In their recently published article, Moertel et al<sup>1</sup>concluded that carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) monitoring has questionable value in the postoperative management of colorectal cancer patients, and that routine determination of postoperative CEA levels is associated with significant expense, without benefit to the patient. While it is important to question the utility of costly testing, we do not feel that the conclusions reached in the article are supported by the data presented. There was no standardized regimen of CEA testing or follow-up of results; the number of CEA levels measured per patient ranged from one to 39; it is unclear whether levels were measured prior to or only after clinical suspicion of metastatic disease; there was no standardized method of interpreting the CEA results or acting on those results, and no standardized protocol was established for evaluating elevated CEA results. In addition, it is probably inappropriate to
P4-20-03: T-Cell Cytokine Production Related to Progression of Breast Cancer Patients.
Authors: EN Cohen, H Gao, B-N Lee, A Giordano, S Tin, S Anfossi, CA Parker, M Cristofanilli, V Valero, RH Alvarez, GN Hortobagyi, WA Woodward, NT Ueno, JM Reuben
Journal: Cancer Research (2011)

Abstract Background: Impaired immunosurveillance and immune dysregulation contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer (BC). Upon activation, T cells synthesize inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α that can promote or inhibit tumor growth. We therefore investigated T-cell cytokine syntheses as a predictor of disease progression. Methods: We recruited 115 BC patients [25 with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC), 21 with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), 25 with non-metastatic inflammatory breast cancer (IBC), and 44 with metastatic IBC (mIBC)] and 31 healthy donors (HD) for this ongoing study. The tumor phenotype consisted of 69 hormone receptor (HR) positive (including 26 patients with HER2 positive disease), 16 HR negative but HER2+, 30 triple negative BC (TNBC). To evaluate T cell function, peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients and HD were stimulated overnight with immobilized anti-CD3 and soluble anti-CD28 antibodies and assessed for the percentage of T cells that synthesized cytokines by multi-parameter flow cytometry. The associations of T cell cytokine production profile with patient progression free survival (PFS) were analyzed by Kaplan Meier Test. Results: The median follow-up (FU) of 113 evaluable patients was 14.1 months with a median time to relapse of 10.5 months; 54 patients had stable disease (SD) and 59 patients had progression of disease (PD). In the entire cohort, on univariate analysis, metastasis, IBC, stage, and previous treatment predicted for worse PFS (p&amp;lt; 0.05). In non-metastatic patients (LABC+IBC), absolute count of anti-CD3 activated CD8+ T cells producing IL-17 was significantly higher in the SD patients compared with patient with PD (p=0.038), but it did not predict PFS (p=0.073). Similarly in metastatic patients, anti-CD3 activated CD4+ T cells producing TNF-α were significantly higher in patients with SD (p=0.025) and was predictive of longer PFS (p=0.033). Considering all patients with IBC (IBC + mIBC), although patients with PD had significantly fewer (percent and absolute number) anti-CD3 activated T cells capable of producing cytokines, this immune impairment was mostly related to metastasis and previous treatment. However, the percentage of anti-CD3 activated CD8+ T cells producing TNF-α was an independent positive prognostic indicator of PFS (p=0.002). Conclusion: Higher than average cytokine syntheses by anti-CD3 activated T cells are significantly associated with longer PFS. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that an adaptive immune response can control disease progression. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2011;71(24 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-20-03.
Artifacts and cognition: Evolution or cultural progress?
Authors: Bruce Bridgeman
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2002)

Lack of symmetry of stone tools does not require that hominids making asymmetric tools are incapable of doing better. By analogy, differences between stone tools of early humans and modern technology arose without genetic change. A conservative assumption is that symmetry of stone artifacts may have arisen simply because symmetrical tools work better when used for striking and chopping rather than scraping.
IMMUNOCHEMICAL STUDIES ON BLOOD GROUPS
Authors: Elvin A. Kabat, Aaron Bendich, Ada E. Bezer, Vesta Knaub
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1948)

Purified blood group A, B, and O substances from hog and human sources precipitate with Type XIV antipneumococcal horse serum and provide an explanation for the observation that Type XIV antibody agglutinates human erythrocytes of all four major blood groups. Individual preparations of A substance or O substance from either species vary in their capacity to precipitate Type XIV antibody although the hog A substances did not differ in potency toward anti-A. Similarly, no correlation between A activity and reactivity with Type XIV antibody could be found among the human A substances.
Bisphenol A and Peripheral Arterial Disease: Results from the NHANES
Authors: Anoop Shankar, Srinivas Teppala, Charumathi Sabanayagam
Journal: Environmental Health Perspectives (2012)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a common chemical used in the manufacture of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, and > 93% of U.S. adults have detectable levels of urinary BPA. Recent animal studies have suggested that BPA exposure may have a role in several mechanisms involved in the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including weight gain, insulin resistance, thyroid dysfunction, endothelial dysfunction, and oxidative stress. However, few human studies have examined the association between markers of BPA exposure and CVD. Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a subclinical measure of atherosclerotic vascular disease and a strong independent risk factor for CVD and mortality.We examined the association between urinary BPA levels and PAD in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.We analyzed data from 745 participants in the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2003-2004. We estimated associations between urinary BPA levels (in tertiles) and PAD (ankle-brachial index < 0.9, n = 63) using logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, body mass index, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, urinary creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and serum cholesterol levels).We observed a significant, positive association between increasing levels of urinary BPA and PAD before and after adjusting for confounders. The multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for PAD associated with the highest versus lowest tertile of urinary BPA was 2.69 (95% confidence interval: 1.02, 7.09; p-trend = 0.01).Urinary BPA levels were significantly associated with PAD, independent of traditional CVD risk factors.
Relationship between sarcopenia and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: The Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study
Authors: Ho Cheol Hong, Soon Young Hwang, Hae Yoon Choi, Hye Jin Yoo, Ji A Seo, Sin Gon Kim, Nan Hee Kim, Sei Hyun Baik, Dong Seop Choi, Kyung Mook Choi
Journal: Hepatology (2013)

Previous studies have shown that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and sarcopenia may share pathophysiological mechanisms, such as insulin resistance, inflammation, vitamin D deficiency, and decreased physical activity. However, their direct relationship has not been investigated. The association between NAFLD and sarcopenia was examined in 452 apparently healthy adults enrolled in the Korean Sarcopenic Obesity Study (KSOS), an ongoing prospective observational cohort study. The liver attenuation index (LAI), which was measured using abdominal computed tomography (CT), was used as a parameter for the diagnosis of NAFLD. Sarcopenia was defined using a skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) [SMI (%) = total skeletal muscle mass (kg) / weight (kg) × 100] that was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). After adjusting for age and sex, both SMI and LAI were negatively correlated with the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (P < 0.001) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) (P < 0.001) as well as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), an indicator of arterial stiffness. Furthermore, SMI and LAI had positive relationships with high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, but both had a negative relationship with triglyceride, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and total body fat. In a multiple logistic regression analysis, the odds ratio for NAFLD risk was 5.16 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.63-16.33) in the lowest quartile of SMI compared to the highest after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Individuals with lower muscle mass exhibited increased risk of NAFLD. This result may provide a novel insight into the mechanism linking between sarcopenia and NAFLD. (Clinical trial no. NCT01594710.)
Activation of the STING pathway enhances immunity and improves survival in a murine myeloid leukemia model
Authors: Emily Curran, Xiufen Chen, Leticia Corrales, Justin Kline
Journal: Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer (2014)

Meeting abstracts Type I interferon (IFN) production by innate immune cells is critical to prime spontaneous T cell responses against solid tumors. Emerging pre-clinical data suggests that tumor-derived DNA induces potent IFN-β production by activating a cytosolic DNA sensing receptor called STING
Bronchiolectasis-a complication of artificial ventilation.
Authors: G Slavin, J F Nunn, J Crow, C J Dore
Journal: BMJ (1982)

Pulmonary barotrauma associated with artificial ventilation is recognised clinically as pneumothorax, pneumo-mediastinum, or subcutaneous emphysema. Eleven patients who died in the intensive therapy unit after artificial ventilation were found at necropsy to have pronounced bronchiolectasis, which was associated with a greatly increased physiological dead space during life. The condition was best predicted by the maximum level of positive end expiratory pressure and the duration of application of positive end expiratory pressure. The clinical course of the lesion in survivors is not known. Further detailed studies are needed, but it is suggested that high levels of positive end expiratory pressure should be used with caution.
Enemies of Patients: How Doctors Are Losing Their Power and Patients Are Losing Their Rights
Authors: John C. Kruse
Journal: JAMA (1994)

Enemies of Patients , by Ruth Macklin, is a well-constructed four-wheel— drive vehicle for a journey through the briar patch of ethics and medicine. Macklin uses the case study method  illustrate each of her main points, and the result is a well-thought-out and very thought-provoking exploration of a difficult subject.  The medical curriculum of my era (class of 1963) had no teaching on the ethics of medicine. Nor did we have the technology or expertise  create Quinlan-type dilemmas, nor the myriad second guesses of bioethicists, plaintiffs attorneys, quality assurance committees, risk managers, and the like. Then, physicians did what they felt was best for the patient. Now, in the words of the late Jimmy Durante, everybody wants inta da act! The author calls the prior method paternalism in her book, but she also clearly points out the two ancient and honorable obligations of physicians, to promote their patients' best
Arteriovenous Fistula of the Kidney
Authors: CHARLES H. SCHEIFLEY, GUY W. DAUGHERTY, LAURENCE F. GREENE, JAMES T. PRIESTLEY
Journal: Circulation (1959)

Only 5 reports of cases of renal arteriovenous fistula appeared before or in 1953. Subsequently, 7 isolated reports brought the total to 12, and the 3 that we are reporting make 15. In reviewing the subject, the classification, incidence, causation, clinical features, diagnostic procedures, and pathophysiologic features were considered. Good evidence supports the thesis that in cases of congenital arteriovenous fistula an eroding renal arterial aneurysm is etiologic. Outstanding clinical features were hypertension (to group 4) and myocardial insufficiency; these contrast markedly with features of the usual peripheral arteriovenous fistula. Dramatic relief of heart failure and lowered reserve followed corrective operation in every case in which these features were recorded; relief of hypertension followed corrective operation in 11 of 12 cases in which this feature was mentioned. A loud, diffuse, continuous bruit invariably was present. Preoperative and postoperative catheterization and indicator-dilution studies, angiograms and aortograms are diagnostic measures emphasized in our 3 cases. Arterialization of blood in the vena cava, greatly increased cardiac output, and markedly shortened recirculation times of the dye were found. Excretory urograms were abnormal in 11 of the 12 cases in which they were made. The mechanism producing hypertension appears related to loss of pressure, decrease in flow, and loss of pulsatile character in the renal artery distal to the fistula, giving a Goldblatt-kidney type of end result. A vicious cycle of increasing hypertension followed by increasing flow through the shunt makes heart failure inevitable. Since 10 of the 15 cases were reported in the last 4 years, indicating that the lesion is commoner than previously supposed, we advise auscultation over the renal regions in patients with cardiac enlargement or failure of unknown causation, unexplained deformities in urograms, and renal tumors.
MicroRNA-155 influences B-cell receptor signaling and associates with aggressive disease in chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Authors: Bing Cui, Liguang Chen, Suping Zhang, Marek Mraz, Jessie-F. Fecteau, Jian Yu, Emanuela M. Ghia, Ling Zhang, Lei Bao, Laura Z. Rassenti, Karen Messer, George A. Calin, Carlo M. Croce, Thomas J. Kipps
Journal: Blood (2014)
TCT-679 Underestimation of effective aortic orifice area after TAVR due to LVOT ellipticity and Impact on patient-prosthesis mismatch classification: What are we measuring?
Authors: Philipp Blanke, Robert Moss, Danny Dvir, Rekha Raju, Nicolaj Hansson, Philippe Pibarot, David A. Wood, Bjarne Nørgaard, John Webb, Jonathon A. Leipsic, Kris Nowakowski
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2014)
A Piece of Her Heart
Authors: Audrey Shafer
Journal: JAMA (1988)

<h3>To the Editor.</h3> —I write in response to the essay "A Piece of Her Heart" by Dr Sontag,<sup>1</sup>which appeared in the Feb 19 issue of<i>JAMA</i>. Dr Sontag's patient suffered immeasurably, and clearly Dr Sontag felt great compassion for him and wanted to help him. The essay was disturbing to me not only because of the atrocities described, but also because of the apparent absence of support offered to the man. Certainly, the intern was sympathetic to him and listened to him. But there are counselors, psychiatrists, and entire agencies that specialize in helping the tormented victims of physical and mental torture. There are also organizations of survivors and children of survivors that offer support to one another. Perhaps these alternatives were used for this man and they failed to help him. The essay, however, describes a distorted and limited view of any help or hope offered to
Multidisciplinary community based approach needed
Authors: S. L. Hartley, S. Royant-Parola
Journal: BMJ (2010)

Gotzsche and Berg describe the challenges faced by patients undergoing continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for sleep apnoea.1 Patients have to accept not only that they have a chronic disease but that treatment is, in most cases, lifelong. They need considerable support in the early stages to overcome difficulties with the mask and machine. …