tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Agatha Christie's doctors
Authors: H. G. Kinnell
Journal: BMJ (2010)

“Christie had a … partiality to murderous medical people who have both the specialized knowledge and the opportunity to administer such lethal agents.”1

This partiality persisted throughout her 101 short stories and novels. In her first book, The Mysterious Affair at Styles, a doctor tries to cover up a murder. In her first play, Black Coffee , a doctor is the prime murder suspect. And in her last book, The Postern of Fate, a doctor is one of the two murderers. 

Where the occupation of the murderer is known, doctors make up the largest group (table⇓).

View this table:

Frequency of murderers’ occupations in Agatha Christie’s 101 novels and short stories 



In Christie’s most famous thriller, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd , Dr James Sheppard is the culprit and her choice of a doctor murderer may have been influenced by the real life poisoning of Charles Bravo, who Christie believed was killed by Dr James Manby Gully, the lover of Bravo’s wife. In Cards on the Table Dr Roberts murders not only his lover’s wife, by poisoning her travel immunisation typhoid injection, but he also kills a rich man in whom she confides, by putting anthrax on his shaving brush. Roberts’s other victims included witnesses to his crimes, who are injected by him with the anaesthetic Evipan, falsely described as “a simple restorative,” and the doctor comments that he has “always been interested in crime. Bad thing for a doctor, perhaps mustn’t say so to my nervous patients!”

Another quadruple serial killer was the GP in The Pale Horse , who murders his patients with morphine. Dr Anderson, in The Flock of Geryon , one of the books in the short story collection The Labours of Hercules , in which Poirot feels he must destroy various monsters, is a crazy …
Physical and biological properties of barium cross-linked alginate membranes
Authors: Heiko Zimmermann, Felix Wählisch, Claudia Baier, Markus Westhoff, Randolph Reuss, Dirk Zimmermann, Marcus Behringer, Friederike Ehrhart, Alisa Katsen-Globa, Christoph Giese, Uwe Marx, Vladimir L Sukhorukov, Julio A Vásquez, Peter Jakob, Stephen G Shirley, Ulrich Zimmermann
Journal: Biomaterials (2006)
Immune-metabolic profiling of anorexic patients reveals an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory phenotype
Authors: Daniela Omodei, Valentina Pucino, Giuseppe Labruna, Claudio Procaccini, Mario Galgani, Francesco Perna, Daniele Pirozzi, Carmela De Caprio, Gianni Marone, Luigi Fontana, Franco Contaldo, Fabrizio Pasanisi, Giuseppe Matarese, Lucia Sacchetti
Journal: Metabolism (2014)
Abstract 4654: Mitochondrial variants and clinical outcome of oral squamous cell carcinoma in Taiwan
Authors: Chih Husiung Lai, Shiang-Fu Huang, Chun-Ta Liao, I-How Chen, Hung-Ming Wang, Ling-Ling Hsieh
Journal: Cancer Research (2010)

Abstract Mitochondria are essential cytoplasmic organelles, generating cellular energy in the form of adenosine triphosphate by oxidative phosphorylation. A large volume of studies have indicated that polymorphisms in the mitochondrial genome are associated with risk of various diseases, including cancer. However, only few studies examined the effect of polymorphisms on cancer outcome. To explore the possible role of mitochondrial polymorphisms on clinical outcome of oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) in Taiwan, 7 common length polymorphism (mtLP) sites and the control D-loop region of mitochondrial genome were genotyped or screened by DNA direct sequencing in 298 OSCCs. One hundred and seventy-eight single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in the D-loop region and 19 SNPs were presented with a high frequency (&amp;gt; 10%) of variant form. The frequency of variant form in the mtLP sites were quite various ranging from 3.7% to 62.8%. In total, 7 variants from 6 polymorphism sites (2 mtLPs and 4 SNPs) were associated with overall survival. Four subgroups (clusters 1 - 4) were identified by hierarchical clustering of the OSCCs based on the genotypes of these 6 polymorphism sites. We found that the overall survival was significantly different among these 4 OSCC clusters. An index score designated as the total effects of the genotypes of these 6 polymorphism sites on survival for each individual was also developed using the estimates from the Cox model. We found that individual with the higher the index score had the poorer disease-free and overall survival. In summary, the findings provide the first evidence pointing toward mitochondrial variants affect the clinical outcome in OSCC and the underlying mechanisms are worthy to investigate. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4654.
Excess deoxycorticosterone secretion from adrenocortical carcinoma.
Authors: J D Powell-Jackson, A Calin, R Fraser, R Grahame, P Mason, G A Missen, P R Powell-Jackson, A Wilson
Journal: BMJ (1974)

A patient with hypertension, oedema, and hypokalaemia due to excessive secretion of deoxycorticosterone (DOC) is described.Her symptoms were cured by removal of an adrenal cortical carcinoma but recurred four years later when a metastasis was found in bone.The high plasma levels of DOC were sup- pressed by dexamethasone, suggesting that production of this steroid by the tumour cells was ACTH-dependent. Case HistoryA 64-year-old woman presented with a history of tiredness and weak- ness for three years and weight gain (12-7 kg), ankle swelling, and increase in dyspnoea for two years.She had also noticed giddiness and unsteadiness when walking.On admission to Guy's Hospital in October 1968 her blood pressure was found to be 220/130 mm Hg and there was evidence of mild congestive cardiac failure.Plasma electrolytes were sodium 141 mEq, potassium 2-2 mEq, and bicarbonate 36 mEq/l.and her blood urea was 28 mg/100 ml.Potassium supplements by mouth (160 mEq/day for eight days) failed to raise the plasma potassium above 2-5 mEq/l.but spironolactone 100 mg daily led to an increase to 4 mEq/l.and the return of the blood pressure to normal.The urinary excretion of potassium during the period of hypokalaemia was 120 mEq/24 hr.Her haemoglobin was 16 g/100 ml, E.S.R. 8 mm/hr (Westergren), and W.B.C. 8,200/mm3.Plasma 11-hydroxycorticosteroid concentration estimated by fluorimetry (Mattingly, 1962) was 16 7 [±g/100 ml at 09.30 hours and 13-6 ,ug at 00.30 hours.The urinary excretion of vanillylmandelic acid was 2-4 mg/24 hr (normal <5 mg/24 hr).An intravenous urogram showed depression of the right kidney by a suprarenal mass.At operation (Mr. F. N. Glover) on 21 October the right adrenal gland (263 g) was removed and found to contain a mass 94 by 77 by 58 mm.The cut face of the mass was chiefly dark red but was also part cream and part pale yellow.Histologically it was a pleomorphic adrenal cortical carcinoma made up mostly of cells resembling the zona reticularis, though a few were akin to those of zona fasciculata.After operation her plasma potassium remained above 4 mEq/l.and her blood pressure fell to 150/80 mm Hg without medication.She was readmitted in November 1972.
Science, medicine, and the future: Malaria
Authors: C. J M Whitty
Journal: BMJ (2002)

Malaria is one of the leading causes of morbidity and death worldwide, with over 100 million cases and at least a million deaths a year. Most of these deaths are in the poorest regions of the world. Because malaria is a highly complex disease, the diversity of research to prevent and treat it is probably greater than for any other disease. It ranges from modelling climate change and satellite data to predict epidemics through to elucidating the genome sequence of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the mosquito vector Anopheles gambiae.1–5 The cultural diversity and poverty of seriously affected populations in Africa, Asia, and South America present particular challenges. Here social science, especially anthropology and economic research, have as important a role as traditional laboratory work. Malaria research is exciting because it is rapidly moving and cross disciplinary. It is also depressing, as the spread of drug resistant parasites, extreme poverty, and the collapse of health services under the impact of HIV or war undermine much of this progress.
A Jury of Medical Experts
Authors: PETER J. JEDERLINIC
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1988)

Letters and Corrections1 March 1988A Jury of Medical ExpertsPETER J. JEDERLINIC, M.D.PETER J. JEDERLINIC, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-108-3-495_3 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: Dr. Brennan (1) raises several interesting issues in his article on hazardous substance litigation. There is little doubt that leaving the final determination of truth in the courtroom to the anecdotal experience of the treating physician is unfair and is often based on emotion rather than scientific reason. The "gun-for-hire" expert witness is an equally unacceptable alternative frequently used by both sides. Whether the federally funded researcher-clinician should be allowed to act as expert witness for industry at all is an ethical question not yet addressed.A jury is often asked to deliver a verdict in a...Reference1. BRENNAN T. Untangling causation issues in law and medicine: hazardous substance litigation. Ann Intern Med. 1987;107:741-7. LinkGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics 1 March 1988Volume 108, Issue 3Page: 495-495KeywordsEmotions Issue Published: 1 March 1988 PDF downloadLoading ...
The major histocompatibility complex-restricted antigen receptor on T cells. II. Role of the L3T4 product.
Authors: P Marrack, R Endres, R Shimonkevitz, A Zlotnik, D Dialynas, F Fitch, J Kappler
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1983)

We have examined the role of the murine homologue of Leu-3 T4, L3T4, in recognition of antigen in association with products of the major histocompatibility complex (Ag/MHC) by murine T cell hybridomas. A series of ovalbumin (OVA)/I-Ad-specific T cell hybridomas were ranked in their sensitivity to Ag/I by measuring their ability to respond to low doses of OVA, or their sensitivity to inhibition by anti-I-Ad antibodies. T cell hybridomas with low apparent avidity for OVA/I-Ad, i.e. that did not respond well to low concentrations of OVA and were easily inhibited by anti-I-Ad, were also easily inhibited by anti-L3T4 antibodies. The reverse was true for T cell hybridomas with apparent high avidity for Ag/MHC. We found that the presence of low doses of anti-L3T4 antibodies caused T cell hybridomas to respond less well to low doses of Ag, and to be more easily inhibited by anti-I-Ad antibodies. These results suggested that the role of the L3T4 molecule is to increase the overall avidity of the reaction between T cells and Ag-presenting cells. In support of this idea was the discovery of several L3T4- subclones of one of our L3T4+ T cell hybridomas, D0.11.10. The L3T4- subclones had the same amount of receptor for OVA/I-Ad as their L3T4+ parent, as detected by an anti-receptor monoclonal antibody. The L3T4- subclones, however, responded less well to low doses of OVA, and were more easily inhibited by anti-I-Ad antibodies than their L3T4/ parent. These results showed that the L3T4 molecule was not required for surface expression of, or functional activity of, the T cell receptor for Ag/MHC. The L3T4 molecule did, however, increase the sensitivity with which the T cell reacted with Ag/MHC on Ag-presenting cells.
The Role of Reputation in U.S. News &amp;amp; World Report's Rankings of the Top 50 American Hospitals
Authors: Ashwini R. Sehgal
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2010)

U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings of the top 50 American hospitals in 12 specialties are based on a combination of subjective and objective measures of quality. Although the rankings have been criticized for emphasizing the subjective reputation of hospitals too strongly, the role of reputation in determining the relative standings of the top 50 hospitals has not been quantified.To quantify the role of reputation in determining the relative standings of the top 50 hospitals in the 2009 edition of U.S. News & World Report's rankings.Cross-sectional study.The top 50 hospitals in each of 12 specialties.Rankings based on the total U.S. News score and on a subjective reputation score.On average, rankings based on reputation score alone agreed with U.S. News & World Report's overall rankings 100% of the time for the top hospital in each specialty, 97% for the top 5 hospitals, 91% for the top 10 hospitals, and 89% for the top 20 hospitals. Hospital reputation was minimally associated with objective quality measures (mean Spearman rho(2) = 0.03).The findings apply primarily to interpretations about the relative standings of the 50 top-ranked hospitals in each specialty and not necessarily to the hundreds of unranked hospitals.The relative standings of the top 50 hospitals largely reflect the subjective reputations of those hospitals. Moreover, little relationship exists between subjective reputation and objective measures of hospital quality among the top 50 hospitals.None.
False-positive Technetium-99m DMSA Renal Imaging in Two Cases of Malrotated Kidney
Authors: KYOICHI UENO, SHIGEHO RIKIMARU, TETSUSABURO MIYAGI, SHINOBU MOHRI
Journal: Clinical Nuclear Medicine (1985)

Technetium-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (Tc-99m DMSA) has been used as a renal imaging agent of choice. A few false-positive cases of Tc-99m DMSA imaging have been reported. The authors have experienced false-positive Tc-99m DMSA imagings in two cases of a malrotated kidney, and this finding previously has not been reported in the literature. The possibility of its nuclear imaging diagnosis with Tc-99m DTPA is also discussed.
Effect of a Topical Glucocorticoid, Budesonide, on Nasal Mucosal Blood Flow as Measured with <sup>133</sup> Xe Wash‐Out Technique
Authors: Mats Bende, Nils Lindqvist, Ulf Pipkorn
Journal: Allergy (1983)

The “vasoconstrictor” effect of dermally applicated steroids is a widely used parameter when determining the potency of glucocorticoids. A similar effect on the nasal mucosa has been suggested as providing an explanation for the clinical effect of topically administered glucocorticoids in the treatment of nasal disorders such as allergic and vasomotor rhinitis. The recently described 133 Xe wash‐out method was used for the purpose of blood flow determination in 11 healthy subjects. In a randomized double blind cross over study, the effect of topically administered budesonide, a non halogenated glucocorticoid, for 1 week was compared with that of placebo. No diference was found to occur in the mucosal blood flow after the administration of budesonide, as compared with placebo. It seems likely that a more complex activity than vasoconstriction is responsible for the clinical effect in the treatment of nasal disorders, and further research is required in order to clarify this issue.
The inhibition of postinfarct ventricle remodeling without polycythaemia following local sustained intramyocardial delivery of erythropoietin within a supramolecular hydrogel
Authors: Tao Wang, Xue-Jun Jiang, Tao Lin, Shan Ren, Xiao-Yan Li, Xian-Zheng Zhang, Qi-zhu Tang
Journal: Biomaterials (2009)
Molecular Biology -- To the Heart of the Matter
Authors: Harry C. Dietz, Reed E. Pyeritz
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1994)

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in developed countries. It is widely recognized that a person's genetic makeup, reflected by his or her family history, may influence the risk of various forms of cardiovascular disease. Although classic mendelian patterns of inheritance have been observed for certain less common cardiovascular disorders, more common diseases, such as atherosclerotic disease and hypertension, have atypical patterns of inheritance and a multifactorial pathogenesis. Impressive progress has been made in identifying the precise molecular causes of many cardiovascular disorders that are relatively rare and involve mutations of a single gene, such as Marfan's syndrome . . .
Randomised, clinically controlled trial of intensive geriatric rehabilitation in patients with hip fracture: subgroup analysis of patients with dementia
Authors: T. M Huusko
Journal: BMJ (2000)

To evaluate the effect of intensive geriatric rehabilitation on demented patients with hip fracture.Preplanned subanalysis of randomised intervention study. Settting: Jyväskylä Central Hospital, Finland.243 independently living patients aged 65 years or older admitted to hospital with hip fracture.After surgery patients in the intervention group (n=120) were referred to the geriatric ward whereas those in the control group were discharged to local hospitals.Length of hospital stay, mortality, and place of residence three months and one year after surgery for hip fracture.The median length of hospital stay of hip fracture patients with moderate dementia (mini mental state examination score 12-17) was 47 days in the intervention group (n=24) and 147 days in the control group (n=12, P=0.04). The corresponding figures for patients with mild dementia (score 18-23) were 29 days in the intervention group (n=35) and 46.5 days in the control group (n=42, P=0.002). Three months after the operation, in the intervention group 91% (32) of the patients with mild dementia and 63% (15) of the patients with moderate dementia were living independently. In the control group, the corresponding figures were 67% (28) and 17% (2). There were no significant differences in mortality or in the lengths of hospital stay of severely demented patients and patients with normal mini mental state examination scores.Hip fracture patients with mild or moderate dementia can often return to the community if they are provided with active geriatric rehabilitation.
Local Progression among Men with Conservatively Treated Localized Prostate Cancer: Results from the Transatlantic Prostate Group
Authors: James A. Eastham, Michael W. Kattan, Paul Fearn, Gabrielle Fisher, Daniel M. Berney, Tim Oliver, Christopher S. Foster, Henrik Møller, Victor Reuter, Jack Cuzick, Peter Scardino
Journal: European Urology (2007)
Histamine receptors in the coronary circulation of the dog. Effects of mepyramine and metiamide on responses to histamine infusions.
Authors: R W Giles, G Heise, D E Wilcken
Journal: Circulation Research (1977)

The effect of histamine on coronary blood flow (CBF) was studied in anaesthetized grayhounds. CBF and systemic blood pressure were measured using electromagnetic flow transducers and catheters in the aorta during infusions of drugs into the left circumflex coronary artery. Histamine infusions (5, 10, and 20 microng/min) produced dose-related increases in CBF without changing heart rate or blood pressure. Metiamide (100 microng/min) given simultaneously produced a parallel displacement of the histamine dose-response curve to the right (P less than 0.05) with a dose ratio of 2. Mepyramine (100 microng/min) produced a larger parallel displacement of the dose-response curve (dose ratio = 4). Together, metiamide and mepyramine greatly reduced the histamine response (dose ratio = 16), showing that the metiamide blockade is augmented in the presence of mepyramine. Similarly, mepyramine blockade is augmented in the presence of metiamide. The increase in CBF produced by histamine infusion (20 microng/min) was similar to the peak flow response of reactive hyperemia following 8-second occlusions. However, mepyramine and metiamide together had no effect on the peak flow response, duration, or total repayment of flow debt in reactive hyperemia. These results show that histamine-induced coronary vasodilation is mediated by both H1 and H2 receptors. However, the vasodilation of reactive hyperemia after brief coronary artery occlusions does not appear to involve histamine.
Stomach/Duodenum Posters
Authors: P.V. Sherwood, J.I.D. Wibawa, D.A. Barrett, P.N. Shaw, D. Jenkins, R.C. Spiller
Journal: Gut (2001)

for cardia tumours (p<0.001).Of the 22 patients with a preoperative endoscopic diagnosis of high-grade dysplasia (HGD) invasive ACA was found in the resected specimen in 59% (13/22).Pathological depth of tumour invasion was in-situ in 9 (14%) mucosal in 19 (30%) and submucosal in 36 (56%).51% (28/55) of patients with mucosal and submucosal ACA had evidence of adjacent multi-focal HGD.Nodal metastases were found in 13% (8/64) all of whom had submucosal disease.Nodal disease occurred in 50% (6/12) of submucosal cardia tumours compared to only 8% (2/24) of submucosal oesophageal tumours (p<0.01).Overall 30-day mortality was 6% with three and five year survival rates of 87% and 77% respectively.There was no significant diVerence in survival rates between in-situ, mucosal and submucosal lesions (p=0.65)nor between node positive and node negative tumours (p=0.45).Conclusions: Endoscopic treatment modalities should be applied with caution given the multifocal distribution of dysplasia and its association with underlying invasive ACA.The incidence of nodal disease from submucosal ACA indicates that surgery should remain the mainstay of treatment.Irrespective of depth of invasion, surgery provides excellent long-term survival.