tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Hamster female protein. A divergent acute phase protein in male and female Syrian hamsters.
Authors: J E Coe, M J Ross
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1983)

Normal adult male hamsters have low levels (10-20 micrograms) of female protein (FP) in serum which increase approximately fivefold during an acute phase response. In contrast, normal females have 50- to 100-fold higher serum levels and the acute phase reaction consists of a transient decrease in FP (approximately 50%), followed by a return to normal levels even under adverse conditions such as cortisone treatment (which by itself has a depressing effect on FP levels in normal females). The acute phase response was not inherently associated with gender, as the pattern of response could be changed to that of the opposite sex by appropriate hormonal manipulation. That is, castrated or diethylstilbestrol-treated males with high FP levels showed a female-type response whereas testosterone-treated females with low FP levels showed a male-type response. Studies on catabolism of 125I-FP showed a similar rapid half-life (T1/2, 9-16 h) in normal males and females and indicated that the sex difference in serum concentration was due to greater synthesis of FP in females. The divergent acute phase reaction of serum FP was related directly to changes in the FP synthetic rate (increased in males, decreased in females). As an indicator of serious pathology, a decrease of FP to very low levels in females was associated frequently with impending death.
Human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 Tax oncoprotein regulates G-protein signaling
Authors: Jean-Claude Twizere, Jean-Yves Springael, Mathieu Boxus, Arsène Burny, Franck Dequiedt, Jean-François Dewulf, Julie Duchateau, Daniel Portetelle, Patrice Urbain, Carine Van Lint, Patrick L. Green, Renaud Mahieux, Marc Parmentier, Luc Willems, Richard Kettmann
Journal: Blood (2006)
A Quality-Based Review of Randomized Controlled Trials of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Depression: An Assessment and Metaregression
Authors: Nathan C. Thoma, Dean McKay, Andrew J. Gerber, Barbara L. Milrod, Anna R. Edwards, James H. Kocsis
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (2011)

Objective: The authors assessed the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression using the Randomized Controlled Trial Psychotherapy Quality Rating Scale (RCT-PQRS). They then compared the quality of CBT trials with that of psychodynamic therapy trials, predicting that CBT trials would have higher quality. The authors also sought to examine the relationship between quality and outcome in the CBT trials. Method: An independent-samples t test was used to compare CBT and psychodynamic therapy trials for average total quality score. Metaregression was used to examine the relationship between quality score and effect size in the CBT trials. Results: A total of 120 trials of CBT for depression met inclusion criteria. Their mean total quality score on the RCT-PQRS was 25.7 (SD=8.90), which falls into the lower range of adequate quality. In contrast to our prediction, no significant difference was observed in overall quality between CBT and psychodynamic therapy trials. Lower quality was related to both larger effect sizes and greater variability of effect sizes when analyzed across all available comparisons to CBT. Conclusions: On average, randomized controlled trials of CBT and of psychodynamic therapy did not differ significantly in quality. In CBT trials, low quality appeared to reduce the reliability and validity of trial results. These findings highlight the importance of discerning quality in individual psychotherapy trials and also point toward specific methodological standards for the future.
Switching statins: NICE tool overestimates benefits of statins
Authors: D Graham Mackenzie
Journal: BMJ (2006)

Contraction and convergence: myth and realityEditor-The review of climate change issues in the BMJ of 10 June was comprehensive.On grounds of morality, the principle of contraction and convergence is unassailable. 1 In the real world, it is a pipe dream.It would work only by being enforcible, which implies an international policing authority with real teeth.Can we seriously believe that the United States, China, or Russia would submit to such an authority?Sadly there is no mileage in morality when affluent lifestyles are threatened.It is right to plead for changes in individual behaviour, but only the de-carbonising of energy at source will make a predictable and sustained impact on carbon dioxide emissions.The only long term route to this goal will be through the adoption of renewable energy technologies on two levels.Firstly, small scale to micro-generation systems are rapidly approaching market viability.Within five to 10 years, millions of homes could become cost effective mini-power stations linked to a local mini-grid under the umbrella of distributed generation.The Energy Saving Trust estimates that this sector could meet 40% of UK electricity demand. 2 Secondly, base load electricity could be provided by gigawatt scale technologies mostly drawing energy from wind, rivers, and seas.Tidal stream, tidal estuary, tidal impoundment, wave power, and offshore wind could more than match the output of today's nuclear power. 3 In the short term, "balancing power" to compensate for intermittency would be provided by combined cycle gas power plants.In the longer term, surplus electricity, which is an intrinsic problem with renewables, will be directed to producing hydrogen for grid connected gigawatt scale fuel cells in a symbiotic coupling with high energy density renewables installations.All this will, of course, depend on massive government investment, but so would nuclear energy.On the demand side, buildings are the biggest carbon culprits.The only effective answer, embracing both new and existing buildings, is the concept of the carbon budget, enforcible by law.This could also be adapted for transport.These have complex implications, perhaps for another time.
Epicutaneous sensitization with protein antigen induces localized allergic dermatitis and hyperresponsiveness to methacholine after single exposure to aerosolized antigen in mice.
Authors: J M Spergel, E Mizoguchi, J P Brewer, T R Martin, A K Bhan, R S Geha
Journal: Journal of Clinical Investigation (1998)

Our understanding of the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) and its relationship to asthma remains incomplete. Herein, we describe a murine model of epicutaneous (EC) sensitization to the protein allergen, chicken egg albumin, ovalbumin (OVA), which results in a rise in total and OVA-specific serum IgE and leads to the development of a dermatitis characterized by infiltration of CD3(+) T cells, eosinophils, and neutrophils and by local expression of mRNA for the cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and interferon-gamma. A single exposure of the EC sensitized mice to aerosolized OVA induced eosinophilia in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and airway hyperresponsiveness to intravenous methacholine as assessed by measurement of pulmonary dynamic compliance (Cdyn). These results suggest a possible role for EC exposure to antigen in atopic dermatitis and in the development of allergic asthma.
Long-Term Course of Schizophrenic Illness: Bleuler’s Study Reconsidered
Authors: Jiri Modestin, Andreas Huber, Engin Satirli, Tina Malti, Daniel Hell
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (2003)

The influential 1972 study by Manfred Bleuler on the long-term course of schizophrenic illness has been reconsidered. The authors tested the diagnosis of schizophrenia in all patients and investigated how the distribution of the types of illness course and outcome would change after exclusion of patients whose diagnosis of schizophrenia could not be confirmed by modern diagnostic standards.Clinical charts and Bleuler's research notes on the original sample were assessed, and all patients were rediagnosed with the help of DSM-IV, DSM-III-R, ICD-10, the Research Diagnostic Criteria (RDC), Schneider's criteria, and an operationalized version of the criteria of Eugen Bleuler.The diagnosis of schizophrenia was not confirmed in about 30% of the sample; the majority of these patients were rediagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. High diagnostic agreement was found between DSM-IV, DSM-III-R, ICD-10, and RDC; there was much less agreement with Bleuler's and Schneider's criteria. After exclusion of patients whose schizophrenia diagnosis was not confirmed, the proportion of patients with undulating course and recovery slightly decreased, and the proportion of patients with severe end state slightly increased. Nevertheless, the distribution of the types of long-term course did not significantly change, and even among patients with strictly defined schizophrenia, half had an undulating course with remissions and 12%-15% recovered.Schizophrenic illness remains heterogeneous with regard to illness course and outcome even when narrowly diagnosed with the help of modern operationalized diagnostic criteria. Contemporary differentiation between schizophrenic and schizoaffective disorders is prognostically valid.
Epigenetic Profiles Distinguish Pleural Mesothelioma from Normal Pleura and Predict Lung Asbestos Burden and Clinical Outcome
Authors: Brock C. Christensen, E.A. Houseman, John J. Godleski, Carmen J. Marsit, Jennifer L. Longacker, Cora R. Roelofs, Margaret R. Karagas, Margaret R. Wrensch, Ru-Fang Yeh, Heather H. Nelson, Joe L. Wiemels, Shichun Zheng, John K. Wiencke, Raphael Bueno, David J. Sugarbaker, Karl T. Kelsey
Journal: Cancer Research (2008)

Abstract Mechanisms of action of nonmutagenic carcinogens such as asbestos remain poorly characterized. As pleural mesothelioma is known to have limited numbers of genetic mutations, we aimed to characterize the relationships among gene-locus–specific methylation alterations, disease status, asbestos burden, and survival in this rapidly fatal asbestos-associated tumor. Methylation of 1505 CpG loci associated with 803 cancer-related genes were studied in 158 pleural mesotheliomas and 18 normal pleura. After false-discovery rate correction, 969 CpG loci were independently associated with disease status (Q &amp;lt; 0.05). Classifying samples based on CpG methylation profile with a mixture model approach, methylation classes discriminated tumor from normal pleura (permutation P &amp;lt; 0.0001). In a random forests classification, the overall misclassification error rate was 3.4%, with &amp;lt;1% (n = 1) of tumors misclassified as normal (P &amp;lt; 0.0001). Among tumors, methylation class membership was significantly associated with lung tissue asbestos body burden (P &amp;lt; 0.03), and significantly predicted survival (likelihood ratio P &amp;lt; 0.01). Consistent with prior work, asbestos burden was associated with an increased risk of death (hazard ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–1.8). Our results have shown that methylation profiles powerfully differentiate diseased pleura from nontumor pleura and that asbestos burden and methylation profiles are independent predictors of mesothelioma patient survival. We have added to the growing body of evidence that cellular epigenetic dysregulation is a critical mode of action for asbestos in the induction of pleural mesothelioma. Importantly, these findings hold great promise for using epigenetic profiling in the diagnosis and prognosis of human cancers. [Cancer Res 2009;69(1):227–34]
Chemotherapy treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic soft tissue sarcoma. The SArcoma treatment and Burden of Illness in North America and Europe (SABINE) study
Authors: M. Leahy, X. Garcia del Muro, P. Reichardt, I. Judson, A. Staddon, J. Verweij, A. Baffoe-Bonnie, L. Jönsson, A. Musayev, N. Justo, T. Burke, J.Y. Blay
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2012)

BackgroundTo describe chemotherapy treatment patterns and clinical outcomes in metastatic soft tissue sarcoma (mSTS) patients with favorable response to chemotherapy.Patients and methodsMulticenter (25) multi-country (9) retrospective chart review of mSTS patients with favorable response to chemotherapy, defined as stable disease or better following four cycles.ResultsTwo hundred and thirteen patients (58% female; mean age 54.7 years) received a mean of 2.7 lines of chemotherapy and 5.2 cycles per line. The most common first-line regimens were doxorubicin (34%) and anthracycline plus ifosfamide (30%). Favorable response was achieved by 83% to first-line and 42% and 38% in second- and third-line chemotherapy. The most common reason for chemotherapy discontinuation in lines with a favorable response was reaching a predefined number of cycles in first line (64% of 213) and disease progression in second or later lines (41% of 138). The mean time off chemotherapy was 38.0 weeks after first line, falling to 2.7–6.4 weeks in second or later lines. Median overall and progression-free survival were 23.5 (95% confidence interval 20.5–28.1) and 8.3 (7.4–9.9) months from first favorable response to chemotherapy.ConclusionsmSTS patients achieving favorable response to chemotherapy have poor outcomes. Additional treatment options are needed.
Long Periods in Space Flight May Take Physiological, Psychological Toll Among Crew
Authors: Jeanette Smith
Journal: JAMA (1990)

GOING INTO SPACE in search of answers to medical and other questions is, of course, not without risk. In the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey," dogged by the deranged computer "HAL," astronauts had little time to worry about derangements in body physiology. In reality, however, long-term space travel sequelae such as bone demineralization and muscle atrophy merit the intense study being given to them by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Four major challenges impose limits on the duration of human space journeys: physiological deconditioning, ionizing radiation, psychological difficulties, and life support. Deconditioning is a serious concern, says a senior NASA astronaut, William Thornton, MD, adding: "If you go into space for 6 months without exercise, you may expect to be carried off when you get back." Thornton points up a basic fact: "The heart is nothing more than muscle. It will atrophy without the demands made on it
COPD as risk factor for mortality in CAP. Results from the German Competence Network, CAPNETZ
Authors: Dionne Braeken, Frits Franssen, Hartwig Schütte, Mathias Pletz, Robert Bals, Gernot Rohde
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2013)

Background: The mortality of CAP remains high despite significant research efforts. Better knowledge about co-morbidities might help to improve management and ultimately survival. COPD is a common co-morbidity of patients with CAP. Conflicting results regarding impact of COPD on CAP severity and mortality rates have been reported.

Objectives: Purpose was to identify the prevalence of COPD in an optimally characterized cohort of CAP patients, represented in the German competence network CAPNETZ and to assess clinical characteristics, CAP severity and mortality.

Methods: We analysed 988 consecutively enrolled patients with CAP. Patients were analysed separately as CAP-only (N=787; 79.7%) and CAP-COPD (N=201; 20.3%) patients. Associations between CAP, COPD and mortality were evaluated by univariate analyses and Kaplan-Meier survival curves. Patients were followed up for 180 days.

Results: CAP-COPD patients were significantly older, more often males, current and former smokers, with more pack years and higher CURB-65 scores. Length of stay, ureum, glucose and leucocytes were higher in CAP-COPD patients, as well as the number of patients with hypercapnia and acidosis. In addition, COPD patients had a higher 180 day mortality rate ( p =0.058; OR = 1.91; 95% CI 0.97-3.75), compared with CAP-only patients. 180-mortality was associated with age and CURB-65 score in CAP-COPD. No differences were observed in 30 day mortality and cause of death.

Conclusion: CAP in COPD patients is significantly more severe and long term mortality is twice as high as in non-COPD patients. COPD is a very important co-morbidity in CAP which warrants further research in order to improve the management of these patients.
Response to Letter Regarding Article, “Early Diagnosis and Treatment of Atrioventricular Block in the Fetus Exposed to Maternal Anti-SSA/ Ro-SSB/La Antibodies: A Prospective, Observational, Fetal Kinetocardiogram-Based Study”
Authors: Azaria J.J.T. Rein, Ze'ev Perles, Sagui Gavri, Amiram Nir, Dror Mevorach, Michael Nadjari, Uriel Elchalal
Journal: Circulation (2009)
FETAL DOPAMINE-RICH MESENCEPHALIC GRAFTS IN PARKINSON'S DISEASE
Authors: O. Lindvall, B. Gustavii, B. Åstedt, T. Lindholm, S. Rehncrona, P. Brundin, H. Widner, A. Björklund, K.L. Leenders, R. Frackowiak, J.C. Rothwell, C.D. Marsden, B. Johnels, G. Steg, R. Freedman, B.J. Hopper, Å. Seiger, I. Strömberg, M.BygdemanL. Olson
Journal: The Lancet (1988)
Ethical issues in the geriatric patient with advanced cancer ‘living to the end’
Authors: M. Daher
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2013)

Cancer incidence will increase as the population ages; there will be a 50% increase in new cancer cases over the next 20 years, and the biggest rates of increase will occur in the developing world. Owing to technical advances in the care of critical illness, as it is the case in elderly people with advanced cancer, physicians, patients and families are often confronted with ambiguous circumstances in which medical advances may inadvertently prolong suffering and the dying process rather than bring healing and recovery.In this review of the ethical issues confronting physicians who care for patients with advanced life-limiting illnesses like cancer, a philosophical debate continues in the medical community regarding the rightness or wrongness of certain actions (e.g. physician-assisted death, euthanasia), while at the same time there is a strong desire to find a common ground for moral discourse that could guide medical decision-making in this difficult period in the lives of our patients. We will discuss how a good palliative care can be an alternative to these ethical dilemmas.Although some issues (e.g. the role of physician-assisted death in addressing suffering) remain very controversial, there is much common ground based on the application of the four major principles of medical ethics, no malfeasance, beneficence, autonomy and justice.Thus, the physician's primary commitment must always be the patient's welfare and best interests, whether the physician is treating illness or helping patients to cope with illness, disability and death. A key skill here is the communication of bad news and to negotiate a treatment plan that is acceptable to the patient, the family and the healthcare team.Attention to psychosocial issues demands involvement of the patients and their families as partners. Physicians should be sensitive to the range of psychosocial distress and social disruption common to dying patients and their families. Spiritual issues often come to the fore. An interdisciplinary healthcare team can help in these areas.The goals of this review are to raise the awareness of doctors, nurses and other members of the healthcare team to the important ethical issues that must be addressed in providing medical care to elderly patients with advanced cancer; and also to encourage members of the healthcare team to take the ethical issues seriously so that we can improve the circumstances of a vulnerable group of patients—the elderly patients with cancer.
Exposure to Breast Milk in Infancy and Adult Breast Cancer Risk
Authors: L. Titus-Ernstoff, K. M. Egan, P. A. Newcomb, J. A. Baron, M. Stampfer, E. R. Greenberg, B. F. Cole, J. Ding, W. Willett, D. Trichopoulos
Journal: JNCI Journal of the National Cancer Institute (1998)

Background. There is considerable interest in the possibility of an infectious etiology for human breast cancer. Although studies have shown that certain strains of mice transmit mammary tumor virus via breast milk, few epidemiologic studies have addressed this topic in humans. Methods: We evaluated the relationship between having been breast-fed as an infant and breast cancer risk among 8299 women who participated in a population-based, case-control study of breast cancer in women aged 50 years or more. Case women were identified through cancer registries in three states (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin); control women were identified through statewide driver's license lists (age <65 years) or Medicare lists (ages 65–79 years). Information on epideminlogic risk factors was obtained through telephone interview. We used multiple logistic regression to assess having been breast-fed and maternal history of breast cancer in relation to breast cancer occurrence both in premenopausal women (205 case women; 220 control women) and in postmenopausal women (3803 case women; 4071 control women). Results: We found no evidence that having been breast-fed increased breast cancer risk in either premenopausal women (odds ratio [OR] = 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.411.04) or postmenopausal women (OR = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.85-1.07). In addition, breast cancer risk was not increased by having been breast-fed by a mother who later developed breast cancer. Conclusion: Our results do not support the hypothesis that a transmissible agent in breast milk increases breast cancer risk. Because premenopausal women were not well represented in our study population, our findings with regard to this group may not be generalizable and should be viewed with caution. [J Nall Cancer Inst 1998;90: 921-4]
Congenitally athymic nude (nu/nu) mice have Thy-1-bearing immunocompetent helper T cells in their peritoneal cavity.
Authors: H Ishikawa, K Saito
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1980)

Heavily irradiated peritoneal cells (PC) from congenitally athymic nude (nu/nu) mice markedly restored the impaired in vitro antibody response of nu/nu spleen cells to sheep erythrocyte antigens (T-dependent antigen), whereas irradiated spleen or lymph node cells from nu/nu mice had no effect on the response. This activity of the irradiated PC of nu/nu mice was completely abolished by treatment with anti-Thy-1.2 antiserum plus normal guinea pig serum (C') and is, therefore, attributable to a function of matured T cells.
A multicenter, randomized trial of flat dosing versus intrapatient dose escalation of single-agent carboplatin as first-line chemotherapy for advanced ovarian cancer: an SGCTG (SCOTROC 4) and ANZGOG study on behalf of GCIG
Authors: S. Banerjee, G. Rustin, J. Paul, C. Williams, S. Pledge, H. Gabra, G. Skailes, A. Lamont, A. Hindley, G. Goss, E. Gilby, M. Hogg, P. Harper, E. Kipps, L-A Lewsley, M. Hall, P. Vasey, S.B. Kaye
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2012)
Prognostic importance of DNA ploidy and DNA index in stage I and II endometrioid adenocarcinoma of the endometrium
Authors: M. Pradhan, V.M. Abeler, H.E. Danielsen, B. Sandstad, C.G. Tropé, G.B. Kristensen, B.Å. Risberg
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2011)

We evaluated the prognostic importance of DNA ploidy in stage I and II endometrioid adenocarcinoma (EAC) of the endometrium with a focus on DNA index.