tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
The eosinophil as an effector cell of the immune response during hepatic allograft rejection
Authors: Piet C. De Groen, Gail M. Kephart, Gerald J. Gleich, Jurgen Ludwig
Journal: Hepatology (1994)

Objective: To evaluate the role of the eosinophil granulocyte during hepatic allograft rejection. Design: (a) A retrospective case–control study and (b) a prospective study of consecutive liver transplant recipients. Patients: In the retrospective study, eight patients with severe rejection in the first month after liver transplantation were compared with six patients without rejection. In the prospective study, 20 consecutive patients were studied for the presence of liver allograft rejection between March 1989 and October 1989. Measurements: Absolute eosinophil counts were determined whenever blood was drawn. Serum was analyzed for the presence of two eosinophil granule proteins, major basic protein and eosinophil–derived neurotoxin, on days 7, 14 and 21 after transplantation. Liver biopsy specimens were stained for the presence of major basic protein by means of immunofluorescence using a double–antibody staining technique. The degree of eosinophil infiltration and degranulation was graded using a panel of representative slides. Results: Blood eosinophilia was increased in patients with hepatic allograft rejection (p &lt; 0.05). Serum major basic protein and eosinophil–derived neurotoxin concentrations were similar in patients with and without rejection. Many portal tracts of patients with rejection contained an abundance of eosinophils, and staining for major basic protein revealed the presence of intact eosinophils. In addition, extracellular major basic protein was seen, sometimes in the absence of intact eosinophils or an extensive infiltrate. In patients with severe allograft rejection, major basic protein staining was present in littoral cells lining the sinusoids. Conclusions: Patients with severe rejection in the first month after liver transplantation often have blood eosinophilia and marked infiltration of portal tracts with eosinophils or evidence of eosinophil degranulation. The presence of major basic protein likely is direct evidence of tissue destruction and may indicate active rejection (major basic protein in eosinophils and extracellular major basic protein, presence of portal infiltrate) or the immediate postinflammatory rejection state (extracellular major basic protein and major basic protein inside littoral cells, absence of portal infiltrate and eosinophils, bile ducts damaged or vanished). These findings underline the importance of the eosinophil as an intergral part of the rejection process. We conclude that the presence of eosinophils or their secretion products in the first month after liver transplantation is an indicator of ongoing or recent allograft rejection. (Hepatology 1994;20:654-662).
Radiation leukemia in C57BL/6 mice. I. Lack of serological evidence for the role of endogenous ecotropic viruses in pathogenesis.
Authors: J N Ihle, R McEwan, K Bengali
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1976)

The humoral immune response against endogenous ecotropic murine leukemia viruses (MuLV) was examined in irradiated and control C57BL/6 mice. Control mice developed antibodies against MuLV slowly throughout life. In contrast, within 2-3 mo after irradiation 90% of irradiated C57BL/6 mice had developed detectable antibodies against MuLV. The characteristics of this immune response, however, were identical in control and irradiated mice in terms of peak titers, specificity for endogenous ecotropic MuLV, and reactivity against the ecotropic viruses' glycoprotein (gp71). Moreover, the rate of appearance of antibodies against MuLV in irradiated mice and the peak titers were generally not affected by age at irradiation, dose of irradiation (two, three, or four treatments of 175 R), or bone marrow reconstitution. Although the ability of irradiation to accelerate the appearance of antibody in a population of C57BL/6 mice suggested activation of endogenous ecotropic MuLV, there was no apparent correlation between the appearance of this immune response or its persistence and the development of lymphoma. Thus, the incidence of lymphoma was comparable in mice that: (a) developed no immune response; (b) developed an immune response only transiently after irradiation; or (c) developed an immune response which persisted until death from lymphoma. Moreover, experimental conditions that alter the ability of irradiation to induce leukemia, such as age, dose, or bone marrow reconstitution did so without significantly altering either the rate of appearance of a humoral immune response to MuLV or its peak titers. The results, therefore, fail to demonstrate any seroepidemological relationship between endogenous ecotropic MuLV and radiation-induced leukemia.
Efficacy of transbronchial biopsies in diagnostics of smear-negative pulmonary TB
Authors: Ilya Sivokozov, Olga Lovacheva
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2012)

Background. Around half of all cases of tuberculosis are smear-negative. In order to achieve the final diagnosis and to find a susceptibility profile of mycobacteria, bronchosopy is used.  Aim. To investigate the effectiveness of bronchosopy in the diagnosis of smear-negative TB.  Materials and methods. We analyzed 99 cases of smear-negative, therapy-naive patients with pulmonary TB without cavity according to chest CT. All of them undergo a bronchoscopy with bronchial swabs with/without brush-biopsy of targeted bronchus. We analyzed further dataset: results of cytological examination of brush-biopsy (acid-fast bacilli detection, components of specific granuloma, caseous necrosis) and results for all available material of luminescent microscopy, PCR, BACTEC MGIT 960, and classical Lowenstein-Jensen (LY)culture.  Results. Brush-biopsy was performed in 81/99 pts (81.2%), cytology revealed acid-fast bacilli in 14/81 (17,3%), specific granuloma components were found in 12/81 (14.8%), caseous necrosis was found in 15/81 (18.5%). In summary, combining all three components, cytology revealed TB signs in 21/81 (25.9%) with brush. Luminescent microscopy of all biopsy types was positive in 6/81 (9.9%). PCR testing was positive in 60/99 pts (60.6%), whereas microbiology was less effective - 15/99 (15.2%) for LY culture, and 42/99 (42.4%) for BACTEC. In summary, PCR and culture methods were strong enough to detect as much as 68/99 (68.7%) of all smear-negative TB-cases. Combining the cytology, genetics and culture data, 71/99 (71.8%) of cases were detected.  Conclusion. Bronchoscopy with brush-biopsy with or without swabs is effective method of diagnostics for patients with smear-negative pulmonary TB.
Man's best friend
Authors: Liam Farrell
Journal: BMJ (2005)

Dysorganophilia (Farrell's syndrome): excessive affection for an abnormal body part.

When I was a lad I had a papilloma on my left upper arm, and had no need of thumbsucking or a security blanket; I had Bob to twiddle, and we went everywhere together.

“Isn't he a gorgeous little thing?” girlfriends would say, admiring the elegant stalk, the smooth bulbous head, but as I grew older, more mature and sophisticated, and conscious of the importance of physical perfection, I …
Rehabilitation, weaning and physical therapy strategies in chronic critically ill patients
Authors: N. Ambrosino, E. Venturelli, G. Vagheggini, E. Clini
Journal: European Respiratory Journal (2011)

In critically ill patients, a prolonged hospital stay, due to the initial acute insult and adverse side-effects of drug therapy, may cause severe late complications, such as muscle weakness, prolonged symptoms, mood alterations and poor health-related quality of life. The clinical aims of physical rehabilitation in both medical and surgical intensive care units (ICUs) are focussed on the patient to improve their short- and even long-term care. The purpose of this article is to review the currently available evidence on comprehensive rehabilitation programmes in critically ill patients, and describe the key components and techniques used, particularly in specialised ICUs. Despite the literature suggesting that several techniques have led to beneficial effects and that muscle training is associated with weaning success, scientific evidence is limited. Due to limitations in undertaking comparative studies in ICUs, further studies with solid clinical short- and long-term outcome measures are now welcomed.
gauging the heuristic value of heuristics
Authors: philip e. tetlock
Journal: Behavioral and Brain Sciences (2005)

heuristics are necessary but far from sufficient explanations for moral judgment. this commentary stresses: (a) the need to complement cold, cognitive-economizing functionalist accounts with hot, value-expressive, social-identity-affirming accounts; and (b) the importance of conducting reflective-equilibrium thought and laboratory experiments that explore the permeability of the boundaries people place on the “thinkable.”
Staged Carotid Angioplasty and Stenting Followed by Cardiac Surgery in Patients With Severe Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis
Authors: Jan Van der Heyden, Maarten J. Suttorp, Egbert T. Bal, Jef M. Ernst, Rob G. Ackerstaff, Jeroen Schaap, Johannes C. Kelder, Mark Schepens, Herbert W. Plokker
Journal: Circulation (2007)

The strategy for treating patients with severe asymptomatic carotid artery stenosis and cardiac disease remains unresolved. Staged or combined carotid endarterectomy in these patients offers the potential benefit of decreased neurological morbidity during and after cardiac surgery; however, in high-risk patients with severe coronary artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or renal impairment, the incidence of death and stroke is significantly higher.We report the results of a prospective, single-center study designed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of carotid artery angioplasty and stenting (CAS) before cardiac surgery in neurologically asymptomatic patients. The periprocedural and long-term outcomes of 356 consecutive patients who underwent CAS before cardiac surgery were analyzed. The procedural success rate of CAS was 97.7%. The death and stroke rate from time of CAS to 30 days after cardiac surgery was 4.8% (n=17). The myocardial infarction rate from time of CAS to 30 days after cardiac surgery was 2.0% (n=7), and the combined death, stroke, and myocardial infarction rate was 6.7% (n=24). Distal embolic protection devices were used in 40% of the cases.This large cohort of asymptomatic patients who underwent staged CAS and cardiac surgery experienced a low periprocedural complication rate. The high rate of freedom from death and stroke during the 5 years of follow-up supports the long-term durability of this approach. Our findings suggest that this new strategy may become a valuable alternative in the treatment of patients with combined carotid and cardiac disease.
Acute Chemotherapy–Related Toxicity Is Not Increased in <i>BRCA1</i> and <i>BRCA2</i> Mutation Carriers Treated for Breast Cancer in the United Kingdom
Authors: Susan Shanley, Kate McReynolds, Audrey Ardern-Jones, Roger Ahern, Indrajit Fernando, John Yarnold, Gareth Evans, Diana Eccles, Shirley Hodgson, Sue Ashley, Linda Ashcroft, Andrew Tutt, Elizabeth Bancroft, Susan Short, Ian Smith, Gerald Gui, Lester Barr, Andrew Baildam, Anthony Howell, Gavin Royle, Lori Pierce, Douglas Easton, Rosalind Eeles
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2006)

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate acute toxicity induced by chemotherapy for breast cancer in a retrospective study of 62 BRCA1/2 mutation carriers matched 1:1 with women who had treatment for sporadic disease in the United Kingdom between 1983 and 2003. Experimental Design: All participants were interviewed by one of two researchers using standardized questionnaires, and their medical records were reviewed by one research nurse. The two main regimens received were cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil and fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide. The proportion of cases and controls receiving anthracycline-based treatment was equivalent, but fewer BRCA1 cases received this treatment than did BRCA2 mutation carriers. Toxicity was documented using the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Common Toxicity Criteria for hematologic, infective, and gastrointestinal toxicities. No increase in toxicity was seen in BRCA1/2 mutation carriers. Results: The only significant difference was that neutropenia was less evident in BRCA2 mutation carriers than in either BRCA1 mutation carriers or controls. As a result, there was no requirement for dose reduction among BRCA2 mutation carriers, in contrast to 10 of 39 BRCA1 carriers and 16 of 62 controls (P = 0.02). Conclusions: This result has implications for therapy and indicates that women with mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 may be given the same doses of chemotherapy as noncarriers.
Improving the Long-term Management of Benign Thyroid Nodules
Authors: Anne R. Cappola, Susan J. Mandel
Journal: JAMA (2015)

Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to use our site, or clicking "Continue," you are agreeing to our Cookie Policy | Continue JAMA HomeNew OnlineCurrent IssueFor Authors Publications JAMA JAMA Network Open JAMA Cardiology JAMA Dermatology JAMA Health Forum JAMA Internal Medicine JAMA Neurology JAMA Oncology JAMA Ophthalmology JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery JAMA Pediatrics JAMA Psychiatry JAMA Surgery Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry (1919-1959) Podcasts Clinical Reviews Editors' Summary Medical News Author Interviews More JN Learning / CMESubscribeJobsInstitutions / LibrariansReprints & Permissions Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement 2023 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved Search All JAMA JAMA Network Open JAMA Cardiology JAMA Dermatology JAMA Forum Archive JAMA Health Forum JAMA Internal Medicine JAMA Neurology JAMA Oncology JAMA Ophthalmology JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery JAMA Pediatrics JAMA Psychiatry JAMA Surgery Archives of Neurology & Psychiatry Input Search Term Sign In Individual Sign In Sign inCreate an Account Access through your institution Sign In Purchase Options: Buy this article Rent this article Subscribe to the JAMA journal
Antiarrhythmic Drug Target Choices and Screening
Authors: Michael C. Sanguinetti, Paul B. Bennett
Journal: Circulation Research (2003)

Most antiarrhythmic drugs are ion channel blockers, and to date, those tested in large randomized placebo-controlled clinical trials have shown no decrease in mortality outcome. This apparent lack of survival benefit may result from the significant liabilities associated with these agents that offset any long-term benefit. Despite the current success of implantable defibrillators and the future promise of gene therapy, there is still a pressing need for new antiarrhythmic drugs. An improved understanding of cardiac ion channels and novel approaches to target selection and compound screening will provide new opportunities for drug discovery in the near future. Here, we briefly review the multiple mechanisms of arrhythmia, the history of drug failures, and the possibilities that evolving technologies may provide in the search for more efficacious and safer antiarrhythmic drugs.
A Prospective Study of Back Belts for Prevention of Back Pain and Injury
Authors: James T. Wassell
Journal: JAMA (2000)

Despite scientific uncertainties about effectiveness, wearing back belts in the hopes of preventing costly and disabling low back injury in employees is becoming common in the workplace.To evaluate the effectiveness of using back belts in reducing back injury claims and low back pain.Prospective cohort study. From April 1996 through April 1998, we identified material-handling employees in 160 new retail merchandise stores (89 required back belt use; 71 had voluntary back belt use) in 30 states (from New Hampshire to Michigan in the north and from Florida to Texas in the south); data collection ended December 1998, median follow-up was 6(1/2) months.A referred sample of 13,873 material handling employees provided 9377 baseline interviews and 6311 (67%) follow-up interviews; 206 (1.4%) refused baseline interview.Incidence rate of material-handling back injury workers' compensation claims and 6-month incidence rate of self-reported low back pain.Neither frequent back belt use nor a belt-requirement store policy was significantly associated with back injury claim rates or self-reported back pain. Rate ratios comparing back injury claims of those who reported wearing back belts usually every day and once or twice a week vs those who reported wearing belts never or once or twice a month were 1.22 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87-1.70) and 0.95 (95% CI, 0.56-1.59), respectively. The respective odds ratios for low back pain incidence were 0.97 (95% CI, 0.83-1.13) and 0.92 (95% CI, 0.73-1.16).In the largest prospective cohort study of back belt use, adjusted for multiple individual risk factors, neither frequent back belt use nor a store policy that required belt use was associated with reduced incidence of back injury claims or low back pain. JAMA. 2000;284:2727-2732.
Orthotopic liver transplantation for patients with hepatitis B virus–related liver disease
Authors: Satoru Todo, Anthony J. Demetris, David van Thiel, Lewis Teperman, John J. Fung, Thomas E. Starzl
Journal: Hepatology (1991)

Fifty-nine patients with prior hepatitis B virus infection underwent orthotopic liver transplantation. During the first 2 mo, mortality was not significantly different in the hepatitis B virus-infected group (25.5%) vs. a hepatitis B virus-immune control group (21%). Beyond 2 mo, the mortality, rate of graft loss, need for retransplantation and incidence of abnormal liver function were significantly higher in the hepatitis B virus-infected group. Treatment of the hepatitis B virus infection was attempted with passive immunization, combined active and passive immunization, alpha-interferon or nothing. The clinical outcome was not significantly influenced by any of these therapies. However, of the patients who lived more than 60 days, 6 of 22 treated with active plus passive immunization were cleared of HBsAg, something achieved once in 16 patients treated with alpha-interferon, never in 3 patients with passive immunization only and once in 4 patients with no therapy. In patients with recurrent hepatitis B virus infection, the pace of hepatitis development in the graft appeared to be accelerated, and this was particularly striking in patients who underwent multiple retransplantations at progressively shorter intervals. None of the patients who became HBsAg-negative had HBeAg preoperatively.
The Mechanism and Significance of Deletion of Parasite-specific CD4<b><sup>+</sup></b>T Cells in Malaria Infection
Authors: Huji Xu, Jiraprapa Wipasa, Huaru Yan, Ming Zeng, Morris O. Makobongo, Fred D. Finkelman, Anne Kelso, Michael F. Good
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (2002)

It is thought that both helper and effector functions of CD4(+) T cells contribute to protective immunity to blood stage malaria infection. However, malaria infection does not induce long-term immunity and its mechanisms are not defined. In this study, we show that protective parasite-specific CD4(+) T cells were depleted after infection with both lethal and nonlethal species of rodent PLASMODIUM: It is further shown that the depletion is confined to parasite-specific T cells because (a) ovalbumin (OVA)-specific CD4(+) T cells are not depleted after either malaria infection or direct OVA antigen challenge, and (b) the depletion of parasite-specific T cells during infection does not kill bystander OVA-specific T cells. A significant consequence of the depletion of malaria parasite-specific CD4(+) T cells is impaired immunity, demonstrated in mice that were less able to control parasitemia after depletion of transferred parasite-specific T cells. Using tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-RI knockout- and Fas-deficient mice, we demonstrate that the depletion of parasite-specific CD4(+) T cells is not via TNF or Fas pathways. However, in vivo administration of anti-interferon (IFN)-gamma antibody blocks depletion, suggesting that IFN-gamma is involved in the process. Taken together, these data suggest that long-term immunity to malaria infection may be affected by an IFN-gamma-mediated depletion of parasite-specific CD4(+) T cells during infection. This study provides further insight into the nature of immunity to malaria and may have a significant impact on approaches taken to develop a malaria vaccine.
Weekly docetaxel versus CMF as adjuvant chemotherapy for older women with early breast cancer: final results of the randomized phase III ELDA trial
Authors: F. Perrone, F. Nuzzo, F. Di Rella, A. Gravina, G. Iodice, V. Labonia, G. Landi, C. Pacilio, E. Rossi, M. De Laurentiis, M. D'Aiuto, G. Botti, V. Forestieri, R. Lauria, S. De Placido, V. Tinessa, B. Daniele, S. Gori, G. Colantuoni, S. Barni, F. Riccardi, E. De Maio, A. Montanino, A. Morabito, G. Daniele, M. Di Maio, M.C. Piccirillo, S. Signoriello, C. Gallo, A. de Matteis
Journal: Annals of Oncology (2014)
Functional Hypofrontality and Working Memory Dysfunction in Schizophrenia
Authors: Cameron S. Carter, William Perlstein, Rohan Ganguli, Jaspreet Brar, Mark Mintun, Jonathan D. Cohen
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1998)

Hypofrontality is a common but not invariable finding in schizophrenia. Inconsistencies in the literature may reflect, in part, the fact that abnormal physiological responses in the prefrontal cortex are best identified under conditions that place well-specified functional demands on this region.The authors studied eight patients with schizophrenia and eight matched comparison subjects using [(15)O]H2O positron emission tomography and the "N-back" task, which activates the prefrontal cortex as a function of working memory load in normal subjects.Under low-working-memory-load conditions, the accuracy of both groups in the N-back task was equal, but when the memory load increased, the patients' performance deteriorated more than did that of the comparison subjects. The regional cerebral blood flow response to increased working memory load was significantly reduced in the patients' right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.These results confirm the importance of using tasks that tap specific cognitive functions, linked to specific neural systems, in studies of brain-behavior relationships in schizophrenia. Hypofrontality is reliably demonstrated in schizophrenia during tasks that engage working memory functions of the prefrontal cortex.
The potential of platinum-DNA adduct determination in ex vivo treated tumor fragments for the prediction of sensitivity to cisplatin chemotherapy
Authors: M.J.P. Welters, B.J.M. Dr. Braakhuis, A.J. Jacobs-Bergmans, A. Kegel, R.A. Baan, W.J.F. van der Vijgh, A.M.J. Fichtinger-Schepman
Journal: Annals of Oncology (1999)