tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Using dermoscopy to detect tinea of vellus hair
Authors: E. Gómez-Moyano, V. Crespo Erchiga, L. Martínez Pilar, S. Martínez García, T. Martín González, D.J. Godoy Diaz, A. Vera Casaño
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2015)

Funding sources: none. Conflicts of interest: none declared. Dear Editor, Classically, systemic antifungal treatment is usually mandatory in ringworm affecting cutaneous appendages: the hair or nails. In contrast, in the hairless skin only topical treatment can be used, except in cases of extensive, multiple or recurrent lesions, or in immunocompromised patients. Recently, we described in this journal a new criterion to start systemic antifungal therapy in tinea of vellus hair skin: the observation of parasitized vellus hairs on direct examination.1 To date, 20 isolated cases of ringworm of the vellus hair have been described,1–6 and we reported the largest series of tinea of the vellus hair. We highlighted the potential importance of this finding, which is one cause of resistance to topical treatment in tinea of vellus hair skin.1 We assessed whether dermoscopy could be useful to identify parasitism of vellus hair, in the same way that it has proven useful in the diagnosis of tinea capitis.
Clinical presentation and diagnostic delay in bullous pemphigoid: a prospective nationwide cohort
Authors: R. della Torre, C. Combescure, B. Cortés, G. Marazza, H. Beltraminelli, L. Naldi, L. Borradori
Journal: British Journal of Dermatology (2012)

Prospective systematic analyses of the clinical presentation of bullous pemphigoid (BP) are lacking. Little is known about the time required for its diagnosis. Knowledge of the disease spectrum is important for diagnosis, management and inclusion of patients in therapeutic trials.The primary aims of the study were: (i) to characterize the clinical features of BP at time of diagnosis; and (ii) to assess the diagnostic delay in BP and its impact on prognosisAll new cases of BP diagnosed in Switzerland between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2002 were prospectively registered by means of a standardized data collection form.One hundred-seventeen patients with BP were included in the study. 97cases (82.9%) had typical features with vesicles, blisters and/or erosions at time of diagnosis, while in the remaining cases (17.1%) only excoriations, eczematous and/or urticarial infiltrated lesions were observed. Head/neck as well as palmo-plantar involvement were found in up to 20% of patients, while mucosal lesions were present in 14.5% of the cases. Diagnosis was made after a mean of 6.1 months after the first symptoms. In patients, in whom the diagnostic delay was 4 months or more (defined as late diagnosis group), lesions were more often limited to one body area. The type of lesions did not affect the diagnostic delay. Diagnosis was made more rapidly in patients with limb involvement compared to those without. The calculated mortality rate in the early and late diagnosis group was 18.9% and 17.9%, respectively, without significant difference.BP often presents with bullous lesions at time of diagnosis after a mean diagnostic delay of 6 months. Nevertheless, up to 20% of patients lack obvious blistering and postbullous erosions, mimicking thus a variety of inflammatory dermatoses. Localized disease is associated with an increased diagnostic delay, which has however no impact on prognosis.
Is There a Role for Adjuvant Tamoxifen in Progesterone Receptor–Positive Breast Cancer? An <i>In silico</i> Clinical Trial
Authors: Susan G. Hilsenbeck, C. Kent Osborne
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2006)

Abstract Purpose: Subset analysis from the Arimidex, Tamoxifen, Alone or in Combination trial, a major adjuvant therapy trial, suggests that progesterone receptor–negative (PR−) cases may derive greater benefit from aromatase inhibitor compared with tamoxifen than PR+ cases. We postulated that estrogen receptor–positive (ER+)/PR+ patients might do as well or better by starting on tamoxifen and later switching to an aromatase inhibitor rather than by starting on an aromatase inhibitor as initial therapy. Experimental Design: We constructed a computer model using retrospective data to approximate exponential failure rates for PR+ and PR− in tamoxifen-treated and tamoxifen-untreated patients, adding the assumptions that about half of patients are cured at surgery and that ∼20% of postmenopausal ER+ early breast cancer cases are PR−. This model provided a very good approximation to the published overview data and to the clinical trials. We then used the failure rates to generate relapse times for a large number of cases (n = 50,000) for each treatment scenario. Results: In PR− cases, initial therapy with an aromatase inhibitor is superior to tamoxifen and this advantage can never be made up by switching. In PR+ cases, tamoxifen is only modestly inferior to aromatase inhibitor at the outset, and after switching to an aromatase inhibitor at 3 or 5 years the tamoxifen relapse-free survival curve catches up and then begins to surpass the aromatase inhibitor curve at 7.5 or 12 years, respectively. Discussion: Although our in silico trial is based on many assumptions, it closely approximates results of the published trials and, therefore, suggests that an in vivo comparison in ER+/PR+ patients of aromatase inhibitor versus tamoxifen followed by aromatase inhibitor may be worth considering.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging for the Detection of Focused Ultrasound-Induced Blood-Brain Barrier Opening
Authors: Ching-Hsiang Fan, Wun-Hao Lin, Chien-Yu Ting, Wen-Yen Chai, Tzu-Chen Yen, Hao-Li Liu, Chih-Kuang Yeh
Journal: Theranostics (2014)

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) can be transiently and locally opened by focused ultrasound (FUS) in the presence of microbubbles (MBs). Various imaging modalities and contrast agents have been used to monitor this process. Unfortunately, direct ultrasound imaging of BBB opening with MBs as contrast agent is not feasible, due to the inability of MBs to penetrate brain parenchyma. However, FUS-induced BBB opening is accompanied by changes in blood flow and perfusion, suggesting the possibility of perfusion-based ultrasound imaging. Here we evaluated the use of MB destruction-replenishment, which was originally developed for analysis of ultrasound perfusion kinetics, for verifying and quantifying FUS-induced BBB opening. MBs were intravenously injected and the BBB was disrupted by 2 MHz FUS with burst-tone exposure at 0.5-0.7 MPa. A perfusion kinetic map was estimated by MB destruction-replenishment time-intensity curve analysis. Our results showed that the scale and distribution of FUS-induced BBB opening could be determined at high resolution by ultrasound perfusion kinetic analysis. The accuracy and sensitivity of this approach was validated by dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Our successful demonstration of ultrasound imaging to monitor FUS-induced BBB opening provides a new approach to assess FUS-dependent brain drug delivery, with the benefit of high temporal resolution and convenient integration with the FUS device.
285 EXTRACELLULAR NUCLEOTIDES MODULATE NK CELL CYTOTOXICITY AND MATURATION DURING LIVER REGENERATION
Authors: N. Graubardt, R. Fahrner, A. Keogh, M. Trochsler, E. Slack, S.C. Robson, D. Candinas, G. Beldi
Journal: Journal of Hepatology (2011)
Time course of histological progression in primary biliary cirrhosis
Authors: G R Locke, T M Therneau, J Ludwig, E R Dickson, K D Lindor
Journal: Hepatology (1996)

Histological staging is used for stratification and assessment of treatment efficacy in therapeutic trials for primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Knowledge of the rate of progression of the histological changes would be helpful in the design (duration) and conduct of clinical trials. The histological stages were recorded for liver biopsies performed annually on 222 patients during a randomized, placebo- controlled clinical trial in which therapy with D-penicillamine (DPCA) was shown to be ineffective. These data were analyzed using a Markov model to describe the time course of histological progression in PBC. At study entry, 15 patients were stage I, 56 were stage II, 96 were stage III, and 55 were stage IV. Histological progression was observed after 1 year in 41%, 43%, and 35% of the patients, and after 2 years in 62%, 62%, and 50% of the patients who were stage I, stage II, and stage III at entry, respectively. After 4 years biopsies showed cirrhosis in 31% and 50% of the patients in stage I and stage II at entry, respectively. A minority (20%) of the precirrhotic patients showed histological stability; sustained histological regression was rarely observed (2%). Our data suggest that a majority of patients with PBC will progress histologically within 2 years. The distribution of histological stages over time may be helpful in determining the number of patients and length of time necessary to appreciate a treatment effect on histological progression in clinical trials for PBC.
Guidelines for monitoring of patients with ureterosigmoidostomy
Authors: C R J Woodhouse
Journal: Gut (2002)

Neoplasms can occur at the anastomosis of ureter and bowel probably only in the presence of faeces. In practice the only patients at risk are those with ureterosigmoidostomies or one of the variations, such as the Mainz II or Mansoura operations.

The neoplasms are adenomas or adenocarcinomas. It is thought that adenomas develop first and subsequently undergo malignant degeneration. The observation that the mean latent period for the development of adenomas is 19.8 years and for carcinomas is 25.8 years suggests that this process takes a mean of six years.1 It is uncertain whether the neoplasms arise from the intestinal or the ureteric epithelium or from the anastomosis itself. Although neoplasms other than adenomas and adenocarcinomas have been reported in patients with ureterosigmoidostomy, they are rare and probably a chance finding.

Experimental evidence is difficult to interpret as some laboratory animals develop neoplasms very readily in urinary reservoirs and yet other animals develop few, thus the results cannot be translated from one species to another with confidence. However, it seems that when ureteric epithelium and colonic mucosa are anastomosed and exposed to faeces and urine, adenomas and adenocarcinomas are common. These neoplasms are rare when ileum is interposed between ureters and colon. When urine or faeces are excluded, a few neoplasms occur and seldom are malignant. …
Enhanced Sensitivity to Benzodiazepines in Active Cocaine-Abusing Subjects: A PET Study
Authors: Nora D. Volkow, Gene-Jack Wang, Joanna S. Fowler, Robert Hitzemann, Samuel J. Gatley, Stephen S. Dewey, Naomi Pappas
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1998)

OBJECTIVE: Because cocaine enhances dopamine brain activity and dopamine signals are transferred through γ-aminobutyric acid pathways, the authors hypothesized GABA-ergic disruption in cocaine-abusing subjects. This study tests this hypothesis. METHOD: GABA brain function was assessed indirectly by measuring the brain metabolic responses to lorazepam, a drug that facilitates GABA neurotransmission. Thirteen current cocaine-abusing subjects and 14 comparison subjects were scanned twice with positron emission tomography and [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose; the first scan was obtained after placebo administration and the second after lorazepam administration (30 µg/kg). RESULTS: Despite significantly higher plasma lorazepam concentrations in comparison subjects than in cocaine-abusing subjects, lorazepam-induced decrements in whole brain metabolism were significantly greater in cocaine-abusing (mean=21%, SD=13%) than in comparison (mean=13%, SD=7%) subjects. These differences were largest in striatum, thalamus, and parietal cortex. Lorazepam-induced sleepiness in cocaine-abusing subjects was intense and was significantly greater than in comparison subjects, and it was correlated with lorazepam-induced changes in thalamic metabolism. Whereas regional metabolic measures during placebo administration were significantly higher in cocaine-abusing subjects than in comparison subjects, the measures during lorazepam administration were equivalent for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: The enhanced sensitivity to lorazepam in cocaine-abusing subjects suggests disruption of GABA pathways that may reflect, in part, cocaine withdrawal. The intense sleepiness induced by lorazepam in some of the abusers, despite their significantly lower plasma concentrations, should alert clinicians of the potential toxicity from accentuated responses to sedative hypnotics in active cocaine-abusing subjects. (Am J Psychiatry 1998; 155:200–206)
Treatment of Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> Infection
Authors: James R. Johnson
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2006)

Letters1 August 2006Treatment of Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus InfectionJames R. Johnson, MDJames R. Johnson, MDFrom the VA Medical Center and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55417.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-145-3-200608010-00017 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR: King and colleagues (1) cite clindamycin, trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, and linezolid as alternatives to vancomycin for outpatient treatment of localized skin and soft-tissue infections due to MRSA. However, they point out the uncertain efficacy of these agents in MRSA infections and the problem of inducible clindamycin resistance. Missing from this list of alternatives, and from the susceptibility data included in the paper and in the Editors' Notes, are the tetracyclines, of which minocycline is the most potent against staphylococci and with which there is the most clinical experience in treating MRSA infections (2).Tetracyclines are highly orally bioavailable, inexpensive, ...References1. King MD, Humphrey BJ, Wang YF, Kourbatova EV, Ray SM, Blumberg HM. Emergence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA 300 clone as the predominant cause of skin and soft-tissue infections. Ann Intern Med. 2006;144:309-17. [PMID: 16520471] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Cunha BA. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus: clinical manifestations and antimicrobial therapy. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2005; 11 Suppl 4 33-42. [PMID: 15997484] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: From the VA Medical Center and University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55417.Disclosures: Dr. Johnson has received research grants from Bayer, Merck, Ortho-McNeil, Wyeth-Ayerst, and Procter & Gamble. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoEmergence of Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus USA 300 Clone as the Predominant Cause of Skin and Soft-Tissue Infections Mark D. King , Bianca J. Humphrey , Yun F. Wang , Ekaterina V. Kourbatova , Susan M. Ray , and Henry M. Blumberg Treatment of Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection Henry M. Blumberg , Susan M. Ray , and Mark D. King Treatment of Community-Acquired Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infection Kleper N.F. de Almeida and Larry M. Bush Metrics 1 August 2006Volume 145, Issue 3Page: 232KeywordsClindamycinClinical trialsConflicts of interestMethicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureusOutpatientsResearch grantsSkin infectionsStaphylococcal infectionTetracyclinesVancomycin ePublished: 1 August 2006 Issue Published: 1 August 2006 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2006 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...
55 The effect of prior exposure for 6 hours to 400ppb NO2 on allergen-induced inflammatory changes in nasal airways of allergic rhinitics and the influence of fluticasone propionate aqueous nasal spray (FP)
Authors: J WANE, J DEVALIA, C RUSZNAK, A BAGNALL, R DAVIES
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (1996)
Mucosal reactive oxygen metabolite production in duodenal ulcer disease.
Authors: G R Davies, N J Simmonds, T R Stevens, A Grandison, D R Blake, D S Rampton
Journal: Gut (1992)

To investigate the hypothesis that reactive oxygen metabolites are important in the pathophysiology of duodenal ulcer disease, their production by duodenal mucosal biopsy specimens was measured using luminol and lucigenin amplified chemiluminescence. Luminol chemiluminescence, expressed as background corrected median photon emission/mg/min x 10(3) (95% confidence intervals), was increased in duodenal inflammation as assessed macroscopically: ulcers 20.3 (4.8 to 51.3), n = 29; severe duodenitis 13.9 (6.6 to 75.3), n = 16; mild duodenitis 0.0 (-0.5 to 0.8), n = 56; controls -0.8 (-1.3 to -0.1), n = 41; p = 0.0001, Kruskal-Wallis) and microscopically: severe 17.0 (9.3 to 51.3), n = 12; moderate 0.3 (-2.8 to 5.8), n = 17; mild -0.1 (-1.8 to 1.0), n = 17; controls -0.8 (-1.6 to 0.0), n = 15; (p = 0.0001). Luminol chemiluminescence was directly related to both the macroscopic and microscopic severity of duodenal damage (Spearman9s R = + 0.53, + 0.55 respectively, both p = 0.0001), to histochemical assessment (myeloperoxidase activity) of neutrophil infiltration (R = + 0.63; p = 0.04), and to lucigenin chemiluminescence (R = + 0.56, p = 0.0002). Luminol chemiluminescence was inhibited by sodium azide (-80%), catalase (-73%), and dimethyl sulphoxide (-24%). Superoxide dismutase inhibited lucigenin more than luminol dependent chemiluminescence (-61% and -7% respectively, p &lt; 0.05). Within disease groups, Helicobacter pylori antral infection was associated with increased duodenal chemiluminescence, whereas smoking, alcohol, and use of NSAIDs or H2 blockers had no influence. Their disease related generation in duodenal mucosa supports a role for reactive oxygen metabolites in the pathogenesis of duodenitis and duodenal ulcer. These metabolites might include superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl, and products of myeloperoxidase activity.
Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein is Required for Gain of Function by Mutant p53
Authors: Sue Haupt, Silvia di Agostino, Inbal Mizrahi, Osnat Alsheich-Bartok, Mathijs Voorhoeve, Alex Damalas, Giovanni Blandino, Ygal Haupt
Journal: Cancer Research (2009)

Mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor are the most common genetic events in human cancer. These mutations not only result in a loss of wild-type p53 activity, but can also lead to a gain of new oncogenic properties. Understanding how these gained functions are regulated is in its infancy. In this study, we show that the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein is an important regulator of mutant p53. We show that PML interacts with mutant p53. Importantly, PML enhances the transcriptional activity of mutant p53. Unexpectedly, PML is required for the proliferation and colony formation of cancer cells bearing mutant p53. Down-regulation of PML expression inhibits the growth of mutant p53-expressing cancer cells, predominantly by promoting cell cycle arrest. Our results suggest that the tumor suppression function of PML depends on the status of p53. In the context of mutant p53, PML enhances its cancer-promoting activities.
Changes in cellular Na+, K+, and Ca2+ contents, monovalent cation transport rate, and contractile state during washout of cardiac glycosides from cultured chick heart cells.
Authors: W H Barry, S Biedert, D S Miura, T W Smith
Journal: Circulation Research (1981)

To delineate more clearly the importance of altered monovalent cation transport rate in the mediation of the positive inotropic effects of cardiac glycosides, we studied changes in the contractile state and rate of uptake of K+ and Rb+ by monolayer cultures of chick embryo ventricular cells during exposure to and washout of ouabain and dihydro-ouabain. These cardiac glycosides produced a positive inotropic effect in this system, accompanied by a significant reduction in monovalent cation transport rate, by increases in cellular contents of Na+ and Ca2+, and by a decrease in cellular content of K+ as judged by radioisotopic tracer studies. Following removal of glycosides from media bathing the cultures, monovalent cation transport rate returned to normal within 1 minute, followed by a loss of inotropy which was complete by 7 minutes, a time at which cellular [Ca2+] had returned to normal. The bulk cellular concentration of Na+ remained increased, however, and that of K+ depressed for longer periods. Veratrine (1 microgram/ml) induced a positive inotropic effect, but caused a less marked increase in cellular [Na+] than did equipotent concentrations of ouabain and dihydroouabain. These results indicate that there is not a simple relationship between bulk cellular [Na+] and magnitude of inotropic effect in these cells, and are consistent with the proposal that there is a subsarcolemmal space in which [Na+] regulates Ca2+ fluxes and contractility, and in which [Na+] is regulated primarily by the balance between transsarcolemmal influx and Na+ pump rate and, to a lesser degree, by bulk [Na+].
Muscarinic Receptors and Control of Airway Smooth Muscle
Authors: ALLISON D. FRYER, DAVID B. JACOBY
Journal: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (1998)

Section:ChooseTop of pageAbstract <<SUBTYPES OF MUSCARINIC RE...MUSCARINIC RECEPTORS ON A...M2 MUSCARINIC RECEPTORS I...OTHER MECHANISMS FOR DECR...CONCLUSIONReferencesCITING ARTICLES
Big Pharma's long tentacles
Authors: W. L Aldis
Journal: BMJ (2010)

The BMJ gives two more examples of penetration by the pharmaceutical industry into what, in a better world, would be protected places: Harvard Medical School1 and the World Health Organization.2

In this atmosphere of hidden payments and conflict of interest, medical professionals still go with some confidence to journals such as the BMJ , and the general public to trusted media such as the New York Times . It is distressing therefore to come across an article in the New York Times …
Vacuum Toilet Evisceration
Authors: J. Brendan Wynne
Journal: JAMA (1987)

<h3>To the Editor.—</h3> I would like to alert your readers to the potential for serious injury that exists in the use of vacuum toilets such as those found on cruise ships. Recently, while on a Greek-registered cruise ship moored near Vancouver, British Columbia, to accommodate the hotel overflow from Expo 86, I responded to an emergency call over the ship's loudspeaker and was asked to administer first aid to a woman who had sustained a serious pelvic injury. A 70-year-old, slightly obese woman was in her cabin lying on the bunk in the right lateral recumbant position. She was alert and responding verbally but in obvious distress, moaning in pain, diaphoretic, and apprehensive. Protruding behind her on the bed were several feet of small intestine with omentum attached. The woman stated she had flushed the toilet while still seated and the suction had "pulled everything out." Apparently, her buttocks and