tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
MPs vote to allow creation of “admixed” embryos
Authors: Clare Dyer
Journal: BMJ (2008)

Patients who have confounded doctors with signs and symptoms that elude diagnosis are to be offered the expertise of hundreds of doctors in a unique programme from the US National Institutes of Health."Physicians deal with about 6600 conditions and 6000 of them are quite rare.Even common diseases have many subtypes," the institutes' director Elias A Zerhouni said during a telephone news conference with reporters earlier this week.He said it was not surprising that many can go undiagnosed for years.The programme aims to combine the revolution in tools and information at the molecular level with the expertise of the 1600 doctors at the NIH Clinical Center "to assist patients around the country and their doctors."It will add to the knowledge base by creating a phenotype atlas of disease."We are doing this now because of the advances that have been made over the last five years at the fundamental level.We have many more biologic markers, the significance of which is not always understood." Dr Zerhouni said that for the first time his organisation was going to apply these sophisticated laboratory tests to human diseases on a large scale.Under the current system of research at the NIH Clinical Center, patients with challenging conditions "are triaged to a specific institute or protocol programme, and are assessed by one team," said John I Gallin, director of the centre.Participants in the new programme "will be assessed by a large spectrum of teams."Candidate patients must be referred by a healthcare provider and will have to submit exhaustive medical records that will be reviewed by a multidisciplinary team of 25 senior doctors.Those who are accepted into the programme will travel to the centre for an evaluation, which is likely to take at least a week.Details are available at http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/
Detection of Venous Thrombosis
Authors: Richard Warren
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1970)

Thrombosis in the veins of the lower extremity! Is there any condition more ubiquitous, heedless of specialty boundaries, elusive of diagnosis or in need of better focused prophylactic and therapeutic measures? Since complete salvage of the patient is often possible, even small triumphs over it can be rewarding.Recent years have produced several new technics for detecting the presence of venous thrombosis, which in its early and dangerous form is notoriously difficult of recognition from "clinical" signs and symptoms. One of the new methods is scanning the lower extremity for radioactivity after systemic injection of 125I-tagged fibrinogen. Studies comparing positive . . .
Tissue engineering-based cartilage repair with allogenous chondrocytes and gelatin–chondroitin–hyaluronan tri-copolymer scaffold: A porcine model assessed at 18, 24, and 36 weeks
Authors: Chih-Hung Chang, Tzong-Fu Kuo, Chien-Cheng Lin, Cheng-Hung Chou, Kuang-Ho Chen, Feng-Huei Lin, Hwa-Chang Liu
Journal: Biomaterials (2005)
Group Behaviour in Chronic Schizophrenics Treated with "Meratran"
Authors: F. Houston
Journal: BMJ (1956)

MERATRAN"BRrrisH 949 meratran at the present time could result in distressing medical and social sequelae.For while we have found the means of combating a flare-up of anxiety by the addition of barbiturates or chlorpromazine, it remains to find out how the occasional severe psychotic episode resulting from its use can be predicted and so prevented.Further clinical research may indicate more clearly the type of patient in which this is likely to happen. SummaryAn extensive clinical trial of the new stimulant drug "meratran " is described and its value in the treatment of reactive depression confirmed.Unlike the amphetamine group of drugs, meratran generally causes little disturbance of appetite or sleep, and in this respect would seem to be superior to any stimulant drug at present available.Promising results were obtained with it in the treat- ment of spasmodic torticollis and post-leucotomy anergia.This requires further investigation.The value of the drug reported by American workers in endogenous depressions is not confirmed.It is our experience that such patients are often made worse by meratran.The chief drawback to this drug's therapeutic useful- ness is its tendency to exacerbate pre-existing anxiety; this necessitates exact diagnosis before administering it.Fortunately, combination with other drugs (chlorpromazine hydrochloride or amylobarbitone sodium) will often prevent this.Psychotic episodes which can only be attributed to the action of meratran itself are reported in this series.Owing to the poverty of bodily side-effects, no warning of their imminence is given, and they can occur on minimal doses of the drug.At present there is no way of anticipating these disturbances.We wish to record our thanks to Dr.
816-2 Risk stratification of diabetic patients with rest/stress ECG-gated Tc-99m sestamibi SPECT imaging: Significance of mild perfusion abnormalities
Authors: Sachin M Navare, Gavin L Noble, Safi U Ahmed, Alan W Ahlberg, Deborah M Katten, Lori L Alexander, Leslee J Shaw, William E Boden, Gary V Heller
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2004)
Hepatic enrichment and activation of myeloid dendritic cells during chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Victoria M. Velazquez, Huiming Hon, Chris Ibegbu, Stuart J. Knechtle, Allan D. Kirk, Arash Grakoui
Journal: Hepatology (2012)

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a serious disease that can result in numerous long-term complications leading to liver failure or death. Approximately 80% of people fail to clear their infection, largely as the result of weak, narrowly targeting or waning antiviral T-cell responses. Although professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) like dendritic cells (DCs) might serve as targets for modulation of T-cell immunity, the particular role of DCs in immunity to HCV is not known. Moreover the identity, phenotype, and functional characteristics of such populations in the liver, the site of HCV replication, have proven difficult to elucidate. Using a multicolor flow-based approach, we identified six distinct populations of professional APCs among liver interstitial leukocytes isolated from uninfected and HCV-infected patients. Although a generalized enrichment of DCs in the liver compared to blood was observed for all patients, HCV infection was characterized by a significant increase in the frequency of intrahepatic myeloid DCs (both CD1c+ and CD141+). Phenotypic analyses of liver plasmacytoid (pDC) and myeloid DCs (mDC) further revealed the HCV-induced expression of maturation molecules CD80, CD83, CD40, and programmed death ligand-1. Importantly, pDC and mDCs from HCV-infected liver were capable of secreting effector cytokines, interferon-alpha and interleukin-12, respectively, in response to Toll-like receptor stimulation in vitro.Chronic HCV infection facilitates the "customized" recruitment of liver DC subsets with established functional roles in antigen presentation. These DCs are characterized by a mature, activated phenotype and are functionally responsive to antigenic stimulation in vitro. Such findings highlight an important paradox surrounding liver DC recruitment during HCV infection, where despite their activation these cells do not provide adequate protection from the virus.
Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure on Intrathoracic and Left Ventricular Transmural Pressures in Patients With Congestive Heart Failure
Authors: Matthew T. Naughton, M. Atiar Rahman, Kazuhiro Hara, John S. Floras, T. Douglas Bradley
Journal: Circulation (1995)

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) can improve cardiac function in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). We hypothesized that this effect might be related to CPAP-induced increases in intrathoracic pressure, which would reduce left ventricular transmural pressure (LVPtm) during systole, thereby decreasing left ventricular afterload.The effect of graduated CPAP from 0 to 10 cm H2O on the above variables was examined over a 75-minute period and compared with a 75-minute time control period without CPAP in two groups of subjects: 15 patients with CHF and 9 healthy subjects. Intrathoracic pressure was estimated from esophageal pressure (Pes), and systolic LVPtm, a determinant of left ventricular afterload, was assessed by subtracting Pes during systole from systolic blood pressure. Cardiac index (CI) was assessed by Doppler echocardiography. At baseline, inspiratory Pes amplitude, which reflects inspiratory muscle force generation, was greater in the patients with CHF than in the healthy group (9.9 +/- 0.8 versus 5.5 +/- 0.4 mm Hg, P < .001). In addition, systolic Pes, which represents the relative contribution of intrathoracic pressure to LVPtm, was more negative in the patients with CHF than in the healthy group (-4.1 +/- 0.3 versus -2.2 +/- 0.1 mm Hg, P < .001). While on CPAP of 10 cm H2O, inspiratory Pes amplitude decreased and systolic Pes increased significantly in the group with CHF (from 11.1 +/- 1.1 to 7.5 +/- 1.1 mm Hg, P < .025 and from -4.7 +/- 0.6 to 0.6 +/- 0.6 mm Hg, P < .001, respectively), but CPAP had no effect on these variables in the healthy subjects. Compared with the equivalent time control period, Pes amplitude x respiratory rate decreased significantly while on CPAP in both the group with CHF (from 188 +/- 22 to 112 +/- 17 mm Hg x breaths per minute, P < .005) and the healthy group (from 82 +/- 8 to 60 +/- 6 mm Hg x breaths per minute, P < .05). Compared with time control, systolic LVPtm decreased significantly while on CPAP, from 116.0 +/- 5.3 to 110.3 +/- 4.5 mm Hg (P < .025) in the group with CHF, but did not change in the healthy group. Moreover, systolic LVPtm x heart rate decreased significantly in the group with CHF (from 80.55 +/- 5.27 to 71.83 +/- 4.73 mm Hg x beats per minute/100, P < .005) but not in the healthy group. CI decreased significantly while on CPAP in the healthy group (P < .025) but did not change in the group with CHF.In patients with CHF, the inspiratory muscles generate greater force per breath and systolic Pes contributes more to LVPtm than in healthy subjects. By increasing intrathoracic pressure in patients with CHF, CPAP unloaded inspiratory muscles and reduced left ventricular afterload without compromising CI.
Arabs were skilled in anaesthesia
Authors: M Al-Fallouji
Journal: BMJ (1997)

CONSORT statement on the reporting standards of clinical trials Recommendations are inappropriate for trial reportsEditor-In his editorial on the CONSORT statement Douglas G Altman states that since "only randomised trials have the potential directly to affect patient care ... it is ... reasonable to require higher standards for papers reporting randomised trials than those describing other types of study." 1 But although randomised trials are usually the preferred approach for the unbiased evaluation of treatments, non-randomised observational studies also influence treatment.Because the correct interpretation of observational studies is much more difficult, largely due to uncontrollable biases, their description and analysis call for at least as much care as do randomised trials.Sometimes, of course, randomised comparisons are unnecessary-for example, to determine the value of fetoprotein screening for neural tube defects.CONSORT is the product of deliberations conducted almost entirely through North American journals. 2Journal editors and statisticians are well represented among those involved, but clinicians and others with experience in actually conducting trials less so.Experience of the procedures recommended seems to be limited and not wholly positive.The authors of one trial report who had been persuaded to rewrite it 3 in the structured format expressed mixed feelings: the paper was rendered less readable with "ideas that are logically linked together (such as point estimates with 95% confidence intervals) torn asunder." 4 Inflexibility and a lengthier manuscript were other reported disadvantages.The editor stated that a journal "should change the way it structures articles only when there is good agreement on the new format in the communities we serve" 4 ; this includes writers and readers of trial reports as well as editors.Feedback from the test case 3 or from other commentators does not seem to have materially altered the final version of CONSORT.By announcing its decision, less than a fortnight after publication of CONSORT, the BMJ pre-empted input from many with experience of planning, conducting, and reporting trials.Few will dispute the need for improvements in the reporting of all studies with implications for patient care, whatever their design.But without appropriate consultation, the BMJ seems to have made its decision on CONSORT prematurely.The requirement that randomised trials report the numbers of patients excluded is generally pointless, 5 and making authors indicate where a large number of checklist items are dealt with would be unduly prescriptive.The CONSORT recommendations should not be imposed unilaterally.Others with experience of trial conduct should be consulted on the nature of any guidelines for the reporting of randomised trials and, more importantly, of observational studies of treatments.
Adropin Is a Novel Regulator of Endothelial Function
Authors: Fina Lovren, Yi Pan, Adrian Quan, Krishna K. Singh, Praphulla C. Shukla, Milan Gupta, Mohammed Al-Omran, Hwee Teoh, Subodh Verma
Journal: Circulation (2010)

Background— Adropin is a recently identified protein that has been implicated in the maintenance of energy homeostasis and insulin resistance. Because vascular function and insulin sensitivity are closely related, we hypothesized that adropin may also exert direct effects on the endothelium. Methods and Results— In vitro cell culture models were partnered with an in vivo murine injury model to determine the potential vascular effects of adropin. Adropin was expressed in human umbilical vein and coronary artery endothelial cells (ECs). Adropin-treated endothelial cells exhibited greater proliferation, migration and capillary-like tube formation and less permeability and tumor necrosis factor-α–induced apoptosis. In keeping with a vascular protective effect, adropin stimulated Akt Ser 473 and endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase Ser 1177 phosphorylation. The former was abrogated in the presence of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002, whereas the latter was attenuated by LY294002 and by mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 inhibition with PD98059. Together, these findings suggest that adropin regulates NO bioavailability and events via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt and extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathways. Adropin markedly upregulated vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR2) transcript and protein levels, and in VEGFR2-silenced endothelial cells, adropin failed to induce phosphorylation of endothelial NO synthase, Akt, and extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2, supporting VEGFR2 as an upstream target of adropin-mediated endothelial NO synthase activation. Last, adropin improved murine limb perfusion and elevated capillary density following induction of hindlimb ischemia. Conclusions— We report a potential endothelial protective role of adropin that is likely mediated via upregulation of endothelial NO synthase expression through the VEGFR2-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-Akt and VEGFR2-extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 pathways. Adropin represents a novel target to limit diseases characterized by endothelial dysfunction in addition to its favorable metabolic profile.
UK exempts motor racing from advertising ban
Authors: Z. Kmietowicz
Journal: BMJ (1997)

The British government has decided to exempt Formula One motor racing from a tobacco sponsorship ban.

The decision has infuriated the European Commission (which has been working for a European-wide ban) and the opponents of tobacco advertising, and it has generated criticism of the possible conflict of interest involving the husband of the minister for public health, Tessa Jowell.

Organisations that have campaigned to see tobacco advertising in sport stamped out have promised to keep up pressure to ensure that Formula One cars are banned from displaying tobacco logos.

The exemption came after the sport's governing body, the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile, and the …
Propranolol in the Long-Term Treatment of Angina Pectoris.
Authors: Howard J. Zeft
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1969)

s1 May 1969Propranolol in the Long-Term Treatment of Angina Pectoris.Howard J. Zeft, M.D., Sandra D. Patterson, B.S., Edward S. Orgain, M.D., F.A.C.P.Howard J. Zeft, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, Sandra D. Patterson, B.S.Search for more papers by this author, Edward S. Orgain, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-70-5-1082_1 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThere is increasing evidence that propranolol hydrochloride, a beta-adrenergic receptor blocking agent, may be a useful adjunct in the treatment of angina pectoris. The effect of this agent in the long-term management of 65 patients with severe ischemic (coronary) heart disease was evaluated. Fifty-seven patients received propranolol for 6 to 24 months. Sixty-five percent of the patients exhibited a sustained 50% or more reduction both in frequency of anginal pain and in nitroglycerin requirement. For a given patient there was a dose threshold, between 160 and 400 mg/day, at which maximum relief of symptoms was attained. The reduction of resting... This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Durham, North Carolina PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByClinical Features of Adrenergic Agonists and Antagonistsβ-Adrenergic Antagonists in Angina and Myocardial InfarctionAntianginal drugs 1 May 1969Volume 70, Issue 5Page: 1082-1082KeywordsAnginaCoronary heart disease Issue Published: 1 May 1969 PDF DownloadLoading ...
Clinical Significance of Fasciculations in Voluntary Muscle
Authors: R. S. Schwab, D. Stafford-Clark, J. S. Prichard
Journal: BMJ (1951)

<h3>Abstract</h3> People tend to interpret political information in a manner that confirms their prior beliefs, a cognitive bias that contributes to rising political polarization. In this study, we combined functional magnetic resonance imaging with semantic content analyses to investigate the neural mechanisms that underlie the biased processing of real-world political content. We scanned American participants with conservative-leaning or liberal-leaning immigration attitudes while they watched news clips, campaign ads, and public speeches related to immigration policy. We searched for evidence of “neural polarization”: activity in the brain that diverges between people who hold liberal versus conservative political attitudes. Neural polarization was observed in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), a brain region associated with the interpretation of narrative content. Neural polarization in the DMPFC intensified during moments in the videos that included risk-related and moral-emotional language, highlighting content features most likely to drive divergent interpretations between conservatives and liberals. Finally, participants whose DMPFC activity closely matched that of the average conservative or the average liberal participant were more likely to change their attitudes in the direction of that group’s position. Our work introduces a novel multi-method approach to study the neural basis of political cognition in naturalistic settings. Using this approach, we characterize how political attitudes biased information processing in the brain, the language most likely to drive polarized neural responses, and the consequences of biased processing for attitude change. Together, these results shed light on the psychological and neural underpinnings of how identical information is interpreted differently by conservatives and liberals. <h3>Significance Statement</h3> Partisan biases in processing political information contribute to rising divisions in society. How do such biases arise in the brain? We measured the neural activity of participants watching videos related to immigration policy. Despite watching the same videos, conservative and liberal participants exhibited divergent neural responses. This “neural polarization” between groups occurred in a brain area associated with the interpretation of narrative content, and intensified in response to language associated with risk, emotion, and morality. Furthermore, polarized neural responses predicted attitude change in response to the videos. These findings suggest that biased processing in the brain drives divergent interpretations of political information and subsequent attitude polarization.
Sex-Related Differences in Clinical Presentation and Outcome of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation for Severe Aortic Stenosis
Authors: Kentaro Hayashida, Marie-Claude Morice, Bernard Chevalier, Thomas Hovasse, Mauro Romano, Philippe Garot, Arnaud Farge, Patrick Donzeau-Gouge, Erik Bouvier, Bertrand Cormier, Thierry Lefèvre
Journal: Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2012)
TWH Regulates the Development of Subsets of Spinal Cord Neurons
Authors: Changlin Dou, Xin Ye, Colin Stewart, Eseng Lai, Suzanne C Li
Journal: Neuron (1997)

<h2>Abstract</h2> Thymocyte winged helix (TWH) is a putative transcription factor expressed in the developing neural tube. At midgestation, TWH expression identifies subsets of spinal cord motor neurons and interneurons. TWH-expressing motor neurons were restricted to specific spinal cord levels, distinguishing motor neurons at lumbar from those at cervical levels. To understand the developmental role of TWH, we replaced the TWH gene with the lacZ reporter gene and generated mice with a homozygous disruption of the TWH gene. TWH<sup>(−/−)</sup> mutant mice had increased perinatal mortality, retarded postnatal growth, and motor weakness. The TWH<sup>(−/−)</sup> mutation resulted in alterations in the sizes and position of different neuronal populations. Our results demonstrate that TWH plays a critical role in neuronal development and suggest that TWH regulates the early differentiation of neural progenitors.