tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Women who present with female pattern hair loss tend to underestimate the severity of their hair loss
Authors: S. Biondo, D. Goble, R. Sinclair
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2004)

Female pattern hair loss (FPHL) is the preferred term for androgenetic alopecia in women. FPHL can be a source of considerable distress for affected women. Our hypothesis was that women with FPHL who seek treatment would rate their condition as more severe than would their treating doctors.To identify discrepancies between the severity ratings of the women and their clinicians.Participants were 30 women receiving treatment for biopsy-proven FPHL and 44 women on a waiting list to receive treatment for FPHL. Each woman completed a self-report photographic measure of severity of hair loss, specifically developed for the current study.Although no difference was found between the severity ratings of women receiving treatment and their clinicians, it was found that women in the waiting list group underestimated the severity of their hair loss compared with their clinicians' ratings.The results indicate that FPHL-affected women who seek treatment for FPHL do not overestimate the severity of the hair loss; in fact, they tend to underestimate. The present findings have implications for the treatment of FPHL.
Learning is remembering
Authors: George Székely
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (1997)

The strong correlation between the geometry of the dendritic tree and the specific function of motoneurons suggests that their synaptic contacts are established on a selective stochastic basis with the characteristic form of dendrites being the source of selection in the frog. A compromise is suggested according to which specific structures may have evolved on a selective stochastic basis and “constructive learning” could be the source of selection in the cortex.
Variation in Antenatal Testing Over Time and Between Clinic Settings
Authors: J. Leighton Read
Journal: JAMA (1983)

Variation in the use of diagnostic procedures may be due to characteristics of patients, physicians, or their environment. Testing rates for 24-hour urinary estriol levels (EST), diagnostic ultrasound, and antepartum fetal heart rate testing (AFHRT) were examined in 8,527 deliveries from 1975 through 1978. Over the period, utilization of EST remained constant at about 7% of deliveries, while ultrasound increased from 20% to 35% and AFHRT, from 7% to 12%. This increase persisted after stratifying patients on a multivariate confounder score using 45 items of clinical information. Those receiving antenatal care in a hospital-based group practice or a resident-staffed community clinic were more likely to be tested than patients seen in private offices or a prepaid group practice.
Baby food giants accused of wooing mothers in India off breastfeeding
Authors: A. O'Dowd
Journal: BMJ (2013)

Large food manufacturers are breaking official rules by tempting mothers away from breastfeeding to give their babies produced food, claims a group of leading charities in India.

The Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI), which promotes breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding, and the International Baby Food Action Network—a network of groups promoting optimal infant and child nutrition—have accused baby food companies Heinz, Nestle, and Abbott of misleading mothers and undermining breastfeeding and natural family foods.

The charities said that the companies were breaching the country’s IMS Act (Infant Milk Substitutes, Feeding Bottles and Infant Foods Regulation of …
Inhaled loop diuretics as potential new anti-asthmatic drugs
Authors: S Bianco, MG Pieroni, RM Refini, M Robuschi, A Vaghi, P Sestini
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1993)

The observation that changes in bronchial osmolarity can induce bronchoconstriction in asthma inspired the experimental studies which, unexpectedly, revealed that frusemide is an effective bronchoprotective agent against a variety of osmotic and non osmotic stimuli. Although the mechanism of this protective effect is not fully understood, studies in vivo and in vitro suggest that frusemide may inhibit the activation of different cell types induced by bronchoconstrictor stimuli. Other loop diuretics also exert bronchoprotective activity, but frusemide appears to be the more effective bronchoprotective agent of this family, regardless of their diuretic potency and lipid solubility. Despite the relatively large amount of experimental evidence, there is currently little information on the clinical effectiveness of frusemide in asthma and a long-term controlled study is currently in progress. The observations that treatment with a combination of inhaled acetylsalicylate and frusemide results in a markedly increased bronchoprotective effect compared to either drug alone, opens a new perspective in the possible clinical use of these drugs. Preliminary studies suggest that the association of these drugs is well tolerated and may result in a remarkable steroid sparing effect in patients with steroid dependent asthma, for whom a convenient alternative to long-term steroid therapy is not currently available.
Assessment of the cutaneous immune response during<i>Arthroderma benhamiae</i>and<i>A. vanbreuseghemii</i>infection using an experimental mouse model
Authors: L. Cambier, A. Weatherspoon, V. Defaweux, E.T. Bagut, M.P. Heinen, N. Antoine, B. Mignon
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2013)

Dermatophytoses are common but poorly understood skin infections. Most in vivo studies have been performed using the guinea pig as the experimental animal model, which has several limitations.To develop a mouse model of dermatophytosis suitable for multiple purposes, including the investigation of immunity against dermatophytes.Two peculiar fungal species, Arthroderma benhamiae and A. vanbreuseghemii, isolated from tinea in humans having contact with rodents were used for epicutaneous inoculation. During the infection, clinical and histopathological follow-up were performed. The recruitment of immune cells was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining and the levels of cytokine mRNA were quantified by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction in the skin of infected mice.The skin symptoms and microscopic lesions, including the colonization of keratinized epidermal and follicular structures by both dermatophytes, were highly similar to those observed in guinea pig infection models and in natural infections, mimicking acute superficial tinea in humans. The dermal inflammatory cellular infiltrate consisted of macrophages, dendritic cells and especially polymorphonuclear neutrophils, which are one of the histological 'clues' to the diagnosis of dermatophytosis. The in situ cytokine profile was characterized by the overexpression of transforming growth factor-β, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 mRNA during infection, suggesting a role of the T-helper 17 pathway in the establishment of immunity.Our new reproducible and validated mouse model of dermatophytosis is a modern in vivo tool that allows a more in-depth understanding of the pathogenesis of human dermatophyte infections.
Polymorphonuclear leukocyte oxidative burst is enhanced in patients with chronic renal insufficiency.
Authors: R A Ward, K R McLeish
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (1995)

Previous reports that polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function is impaired in hemodialysis patients do not differentiate between effects of dialysis and of uremia. The hypothesis that chronic renal insufficiency impairs PMN function was tested. Phagocytosis and oxidative burst were measured in PMN from patients with varying degrees of chronic renal insufficiency impairs PMN function was tested. Phagocytosis and oxidative burst were measured in PMN from patients with varying degrees of chronic renal insufficiency (creatinine clearance, 6 to 35 mL/min per 1.73 m2) and normal subjects. The ability of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) to prime the oxidative burst was also assessed. Phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus and basal H2O2 and O2- release by PMN did not differ between normal subjects and patients with chronic renal insufficiency. However, the oxidative burst stimulated by S. aureus and formyl-Met-Leu-Phe, but not phorbol myristate acetate, was significantly enhanced in PMN from patients with chronic renal insufficiency. The increase in formyl-Met-Leu-Phe-stimulated oxidative burst correlated significantly with the level of renal function. TNF-alpha significantly increased S. aureus-induced H2O2 production in normal PMN, but not in PMN from patients with chronic renal insufficiency. These data indicate that chronic renal insufficiency does not impair PMN phagocytosis and oxidative burst. To the contrary, it enhances receptor-mediated oxidative burst. The inability of TNF-alpha to further enhance the oxidative burst suggests that PMN exist in a primed state in patients with chronic renal insufficiency.
Genotypic analysis of hepatitis C virus in American patients
Authors: Kevin Mahaney, Valeria Tedeschi, Geert Maertens, Adrian M. Di Bisceglie, John Vergalla, Jay H. Hoofnagle, Richard Sallie
Journal: Hepatology (1994)

We examined hepatitis C virus genotypes in 98 American patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection by means of two methods; restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and line probe assay, which is based on type-specific sequence variations in the 5′ untranslated region. Type 1 was present in 73 patients (74%), type 2 in 15 (15%), type 3 in 6 (6%) and type 4 in 1 (1%). Line probe assay further subdivided type 1 into 1a (n = 35) and type 1b (n = 37) and type 2 into type 2a (n = 6) and 2b (n = 9). Two patients (2%) had both restriction fragment length polymorphism and line probe assay evidence of dual infection (with types 1 and type 2) while another case had both type 1a and 1b by line probe assay. One patient was untypable by either technique. There was no correlation between infecting genotype and presumed cause, serum indexes of necroinflammatory activity, or age or sex of the patients studied or known duration of infection. Patients with type 2 hepatitis C virus had more severe liver disease histologically (p = 0.0027) compared with other genotypes but, paradoxically, had significantly lower levels of circulating hepatitis C virus RNA (12.1 ± 12.8 × 105 genome equivalents/ml) than other types (36.4 ± 44.8 × 105 genome equivalents/ml, p < 0.001). Response to interferon was less likely to be sustained in patients infected with type 1 than in those infected with other types (7% vs. 40%, p < 0.05). Thus hepatitis C virus genotype may have some influence on the clinical pattern of hepatitis, particularly with regard to the disease severity and response to interferon. The restriction fragment length polymorphism and line probe assays produced concordant results in 97 of 98 cases; however, whereas restriction fragment length polymorphism provides a relatively easy and reliable method for genotyping hepatitis C virus, the line probe assay is more rapid, uses standardized reagents, does not require radioisotopes and has the advantage of distinguishing the subtypes of genotype 1 and 2.
A METHOD OF SELECTING FOR AUXOTROPHIC MUTANTS OF H<scp>E</scp>L<scp>A</scp> CELLS
Authors: Robert De Mars, J. Leonard Hooper
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1960)

1. Aminopterin prevents the multiplication of HeLa cells in Eagle's medium. The joint addition of adenine and thymidine removes the inhibition. 2. The aminopterin-induced thymine deficiency specifically results in a cessation of cell division and a doubling in the average protein content of the cells. Continued starvation for thymine results in the inability of cells to proliferate after aminopterin is removed. After 6 days only 10(-6) to 10(-5) of the original population proliferates. 3. The omission of a single essential amino acid, such as arginine or glutamine, from the medium during deprivation of thymine prevents a net increase in protein and results in about a 10(5)-fold greater cell survival after 6 days, when aminopterin is removed and the missing amino acid is supplied. 4. Glutamine-requiring, auxotrophic mutants of HeLa exhibit a high survival after exposure to aminopterin in a glutamine-free medium. Glutamine-independent HeLa cells show a much lower survival in the same medium. Low frequencies of the auxotrophs can be specifically and efficiently selected for in artificial mixtures of the two cell types by treatment with the glutamine-free medium containing aminopterin.
Burn Unit Treatment of Acute, Severe Exfoliating Disorders
Authors: P H Halebian, G T Shires
Journal: Annual Review of Medicine (1989)

In this chapter, we review the experience gained in the burn unit treatment of two of the severe exfoliating disorders, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) and the Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS). Septic mortality was higher if high doses of corticosteroids were given versus the current protocol, which avoids these drugs. Current controversies include the role of topical therapy, leukopenia, and invasive catheters in septic complications as well as nutritional requirements. Concomitant viral infection and the macrophage may each play a role in the etiology of TEN and SJS.
Ion transport in cultured pig tracheal submucosal gland acinar cells studied by X-ray microanalysis
Authors: AL Zhang, GM Roomans
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (1997)

The submucosal glands of the airway may contribute more to the airway fluid than the surface epithelium. The cellular mechanisms underlying the regulation of electrolyte and water transport in airway submucosal glands are, however, still poorly understood. Therefore, we attempted to establish a cell culture system to facilitate study of this regulation. Acinar cells were isolated by enzymatic disaggregation from pig tracheal submucosal tissue and cultured on a plastic substrate coated with human placental collagen. The fine structure of the cells in confluent culture was studied by conventional transmission electron microscopy. The elemental content in resting cells and stimulated cells grown on a permeable substrate was studied by X-ray microanalysis. The cultured cells retained structural characteristics (microvilli, secretory granules and desmosomes) of in situ epithelia. The total intracellular Cl and K concentrations significantly decreased after stimulation with the cholinergic agonist acetylcholine, the predominantly alpha-adrenergic agonist norepinephrine, or the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol. Both ionomycin and 8-bromoadenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-bromo-cAMP) caused a marked decrease of the intracellular Cl, K and Na concentrations. Cl- secretion induced by acetylcholine was inhibited by Cl- channel blockers anthracene-9-carboxylic acid and 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropyl-amino)-benzoic acid (NPPB), but Cl- efflux induced by 8-bromo-cAMP was blocked only by NPPB. The intracellular Cl and Na content significantly increased and the cellular K content markedly decreased after treatment with ouabain. These results indicate that the cultured acinar cells maintained the structural and functional characteristics of in situ tissue and that this system is suitable for studying aspects of ion and water transport by the airway submucosal gland cells.
High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T and Risk of Hypertension
Authors: John W. McEvoy, Yuan Chen, Vijay Nambi, Christie M. Ballantyne, A. Richey Sharrett, Lawrence J. Appel, Wendy S. Post, Roger S. Blumenthal, Kunihiro Matsushita, Elizabeth Selvin
Journal: Circulation (2015)

The diagnosis of hypertension is often preceded by cardiac structural abnormalities. Thus, we assessed whether high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT), a marker of subclinical myocardial damage, can identify individuals at risk for hypertension or left ventricular hypertrophy.We studied 6516 Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study participants who were free of prevalent hypertension and cardiovascular disease at baseline (1990-1992). We examined the association of baseline hs-cTnT categories with incident diagnosed hypertension (defined by self-report of a diagnosis or medication use during a maximum of 19.9 years of follow-up) and with incident visit-based hypertension (defined by self-report, medication use, or measured blood pressure >140/90 mm Hg over 6 years). Relative to hs-cTnT <5 ng/L, adjusted hazard ratios for incident diagnosed hypertension were 1.16 (95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.25) for individuals with hs-cTnT of 5 to 8 ng/L, 1.29 (95% confidence interval, 1.14-1.47) for hs-cTnT of 9 to 13 ng/L, and 1.31 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.61) for hs-cTnT ≥14 ng/L (P for trend <0.001). Associations were stronger for incident visit-based hypertension. These associations were driven by higher relative hazard in normotensive people (compared with those with prehypertension; P for interaction=0.001). Baseline hs-cTnT was also strongly associated with incident left ventricular hypertrophy by electrocardiography over 6 years (eg, adjusted hazard ratio, 5.19 [95% confidence interval, 1.49-18.08] for hs-cTnT ≥14 versus <5 ng/L). Findings were not appreciably changed after accounting for competing deaths or adjusting for baseline blood pressure levels or N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide.In an ambulatory population with no history of cardiovascular disease, hs-cTnT was associated with incident hypertension and risk of left ventricular hypertrophy. Further research is needed to determine whether hs-cTnT can identify people who may benefit from ambulatory blood pressure monitoring or hypertension prevention lifestyle strategies.
An epiphyseal stress fracture of the foot and shin splints in an anomalous calf muscle in a runner.
Authors: E. C. Percy, F. O. Gamble
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (1980)

The following case is presented as one of unusual foot and leg lesions encountered in an adolescent long-distance runner. The associated problems of a first metatarsal Salter Harris type II epiphyseal stress fracture, and an accessory calf muscle with "shin splints" in the contralateral leg are discussed. Treatment of these conditions is outlined with eventual return to full function by the athlete.
Estimation of the Residual Volume of the Ventricle of the Dog's Heart by Two Indicator Dilution Technics
Authors: J. P. HOLT
Journal: Circulation Research (1956)

A dye dilution and an electric conductivity method for measuring end-diastolic volume and stroke volume of the left ventricle are described, and equations for the calculation of stroke volume are given. When dye is injected "instantaneously" into the left ventricle during diastole, the aortic dye concentration-time curve obtained is a step-like curve and not a smooth curve. The ventricle empties itself in a "fractional" manner, approximately 46 per cent of its end-diastolic volume being ejected with each stroke and 54 per cent remaining in the ventricle at the end of systole.
Experimental tests of three-dimensional model of urinary concentrating mechanism.
Authors: J S Han, K A Thompson, C L Chou, M A Knepper
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (1992)

Recently, a new model of the urinary concentrating process has been proposed that takes into account the three-dimensional architecture of the renal medulla. Under the assumptions of the model, computer simulations predicted significant axial osmolality gradients in the inner medulla without active transport by the inner medullary loop of Henle. Two of the model assumptions (which constitute hypotheses for this study) were: (1) the osmotic water permeability of the initial part of the inner medullary collecting duct (initial IMCD) is very low even in the presence of vasopressin; and (2) there is significant lateral separation of structures such that thin descending limbs are far from the collecting ducts at the same inner medullary level. The first hypothesis was addressed by perfusing rat initial IMCD segments in vitro and measuring osmotic water permeability. With the osmotic gradient oriented as predicted by the model (lumen greater than bath), vasopressin increased the osmotic water permeability from 286 to 852 microns/s. Three additional series of experiments confirmed the high water permeability in the presence of vasopressin. The second hypothesis was addressed by morphometric analysis of histologic cross-sections of the rat renal medulla. Mean distances of descending limbs to the nearest adjacent collecting duct were very small throughout the inner medulla (less than 6 microns) and substantially less than in the outer medulla (28 microns). It was concluded that the data are inconsistent with both hypotheses and therefore do not support the feasibility of the "three-dimensional" model of the renal inner medulla. The axial distributions of loops of Henle and collecting ducts in the rat renal medulla are also reported.
A Placebo-Controlled Trial of Interferon Gamma-1b in Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Ganesh Raghu, Kevin K. Brown, Williamson Z. Bradford, Karen Starko, Paul W. Noble, David A. Schwartz, Talmadge E. King
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (2004)

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive, fatal disease with no known efficacious therapy.In a double-blind, multinational trial, we randomly assigned 330 patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis that was unresponsive to corticosteroid therapy to receive subcutaneous interferon gamma-1b or placebo.Over a median of 58 weeks, interferon gamma-1b therapy did not significantly affect the primary end point of progression-free survival, defined as the time to disease progression or death, and no significant treatment effect was observed on measures of lung function, gas exchange, or the quality of life. Ten percent of patients in the interferon gamma-1b group died, as compared with 17 percent of patients in the placebo group (P=0.08). Treatment with interferon gamma-1b was associated with more frequent constitutional symptoms. However, the rates of treatment adherence and premature discontinuation of treatment were similar in the two groups. More pneumonias were reported among patients in the interferon gamma-1b group, but the incidence of severe or life-threatening respiratory tract infections was similar in the two groups.In a well-defined population of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, interferon gamma-1b did not affect progression-free survival, pulmonary function, or the quality of life. Owing to the size and duration of the trial, a clinically significant survival benefit could not be ruled out.
Radioimmunoassay of gastrin: studies in pernicious anaemia
Authors: J. Hansky, M. G. Korman, C. Soveny, D. J. B. S. John
Journal: Gut (1971)

Serum gastrin levels in patients with pernicious anaemia were measured by immunoassay in the fasting state, following gastric perfusion with 0·9% saline, 0·1N hydrochloric acid, and solutions of increasing acidity, and after the intravenous injection or infusion of secretin. The fasting serum gastrin level was measured in 21 patients with pernicious anaemia and found to be elevated at 1,036 ± 215 pg per ml. Gastric perfusion with saline (<i>p</i>H 4·7) caused a mean fall in serum gastrin of 30% in four patients; perfusion with hydrochloric acid caused a further slight fall. Perfusion with solutions of increasing acidity resulted in a sharp fall in serum gastrin levels when the acidity was changed from <i>p</i>H 6 to <i>p</i>H 4. A single intravenous injection of secretin produced a mean maximal fall of 44% in the serum gastrin level in four patients, whereas continuous infusion of secretin produced a fall of 35% in four other patients. These studies suggest that the gastrin-secreting cells of the stomach are not affected by the atrophic process in pernicious anaemia and remain subject to the regulating control of acid and secretin.