tbuckley/cabot-search huggingface dataset:
Impact of the 2009 influenza pandemic
Authors: J. Dunning, P. J. M. Openshaw
Journal: Thorax (2010)

One year on from the start of the 21st century's first influenza pandemic, it is a good time to take stock of how the outbreak evolved and what has been learned. Although we now know that many infections were mild or inapparent, it is important not to forget the severe disease that it sometimes caused, and may still cause, in future winters.

During April 2009, reports from Mexico provided a worrying picture of unusually severe influenza in large numbers of healthy people including healthcare workers.1 The impact on hospitals was particularly marked with up to one in four specialist beds being occupied by patients with influenza, often needing highly specialised care and mechanical ventilation. Medical resources were exceeded by demand, and elective admissions and surgery halted; transmission to staff and to other patients was common, placing specialised nursing care, consumables, ventilators, drugs and containment facilities under great pressure.

Once cases began to appear in UK schools in May 2009, an intensive cooperative campaign of quarantine and antiviral prophylaxis was mounted by the Heath Protection Agency, the Department of Health and the NHS. Antiviral drugs have not been used in this way in previous pandemics; although it was unlikely that the spread of influenza could be halted, it was important to gather information about the pattern and severity of disease and to slow the spread, buying time for vaccine development and capacity building. Despite the public health campaign, the numbers of cases increased in London and the West Midlands, putting considerable strain on primary care. By 2 July, case numbers were rising sharply in most parts of the UK and containment measures no longer seemed appropriate. Routine antiviral prophylaxis was discontinued and a telephone helpline was launched on 23 July.2 Call centres took a history according to defined algorithms …
Electron microscopic study of intercellular junctions in human gastric mucosa with special reference to their relationship to gastric ulcer.
Authors: T Ohkusa, M Yamamoto, K Kataoka, T Kyoi, F Ueda, H Fujimoto, M Sasabe, Y Tamura, H Hosoi, S Tokoi
Journal: Gut (1993)

The development of gap junctions in the human gastric mucosa has been examined to see if there is any relation to gastric ulcer. Freeze fracture replicas were prepared from the endoscopic biopsy specimens of 20 patients with gastric ulcer (15 men and five women, aged 49 (13) years) and seven healthy volunteers (four men and three women, aged 41 (19) years). Large fractured areas of lateral cell membranes of surface mucous cells were observed randomly at a direct magnification of 15,000 using electron microscopy. Small gap junctions were observed between gastric surface mucous cells in all healthy volunteers. Gap junctions in the patients with gastric ulcer were significantly fewer than in the healthy volunteers. In addition, gap junctions in patients with recurrent ulcer were significantly fewer than in those with first onset ulcer. There was no obvious relationship between age and the development of gap junctions in patients with gastric ulcer or in healthy volunteers. In areas of intestinal metaplasia, gap junctions were occasionally seen between absorptive cells of the villi, but not in the lateral membranes of goblet cells. These findings suggest that loss of intercellular communication via gap junctions is associated with gastric ulcer formation.
The Nasal-associated Lymphoid Tissue of Adult Mice Acts as an Entry Site for the Mouse Mammary Tumor Retrovirus
Authors: Dominique Velin, Grigorios Fotopoulos, Frédéric Luthi, Jean-Pierre Kraehenbuhl
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1997)

Mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) is a B type retrovirus transmitted to the suckling offspring through milk. MMTV crosses the intestinal barrier of neonates, initially infects the lymphoid cells of the Peyer's patches, and later spreads to all lymphoid organs and to the mammary gland. Adult mice can be infected systemically, but not by oral MMTV administration. In this study, we show that nasal administration of infected milk induces the infection of adult mice. Nasal MMTV infection shared the main features of systemic and neonatal intestinal MMTV infections: deletion of the superantigen (SAg)-reactive T cell subset from the peripheral T cell population, presence of viral DNA in lymphoid cells, and transmission of MMTV from mother to offspring. Viral DNA was restricted to the lungs and nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) 6 d after nasal infection. Furthermore, SAg-induced T cell proliferation was only detected in NALT. These results demonstrate that MMTV crosses the intact epithelium of the upper respiratory tract of adult mice and infects the lymphoid follicles associated with these structures.
Luteinizing-Hormone-Releasing Hormone
Authors: S. M. McCann
Journal: New England Journal of Medicine (1977)

One of the exciting advances in endocrinology has been the discovery of a family of peptidic neurohormones in the hypothalamus that stimulate or inhibit the secretion of adenohypophysial hormones. This article briefly reviews the evolution of present understanding of one of these neurohormones, the luteinizing-hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH). The clinical applications of the native hormone and its analogues are stressed since they may be used as a test for pituitary reserve for gonadotropin secretion, to induce ovulation in infertile women and as an antifertility drug.The anterior pituitary gland is under neural control but lacks a secretomotor innervation. Instead, neural control . . .
Glucocorticoid Receptor-â Up-Regulation In C57BL/6 Diet-Induced Obese Mice With House Dust Mite-Mediated Asthma
Authors: Jennifer Diaz, Malvika Solanki, Xiangying Xue, Prodyot Chatterjee, Madhu Gupta, Vincent R. Bonagura, Christine Metz
Journal: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2014)
An Orthotopic Model of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma in Athymic Nude Mice
Authors: Seungwon Kim, Young-Wook Park, Bradley A. Schiff, Dao D. Doan, Yasemin Yazici, Samar A. Jasser, Maher Younes, Mahitosh Mandal, Benjamin N. Bekele, Jeffrey N. Myers
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2005)

Abstract Purpose: To develop an orthotopic model of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) in athymic nude mice. Experimental Design: Various thyroid carcinoma cell lines were injected into the thyroid gland of athymic nude mice to determine whether such injection was technically feasible. ATC cells were then injected into the thyroid gland or the subcutis of nude mice at various concentrations, and the mice were then followed for tumor development. The tumors were examined histopathologically for local invasion or regional or distant metastasis. Results: Injection of tumor cells into the thyroid glands of nude mice was technically feasible and resulted in the formation of thyroid tumors. The ATC cell line DRO showed significantly higher tumorigenicity in the thyroid gland than in the subcutis. In contrast, oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line TU167 shows no significantly higher tumorigenicity in the thyroid gland than in the subcutis. ATC tumors established in the thyroid gland also produced symptomatic compression of the esophagus and the trachea. Local invasion of the larynx and trachea was as well as high rates of pulmonary metastasis were also observed. Immunohistochemical staining showed higher microvessel density as well as higher expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin-8 in the orthotopic thyroid tumors than in ectopic tumors. Conclusion: An orthotopic model of ATC in athymic nude mice was developed that closely recapitulates the clinical findings of human ATC. This model should facilitate the understanding of the pathogenesis of ATC and aid in the development of novel therapies against ATC.
Psychiatric Disorder Onset and First Treatment Contact in the United States and Ontario
Authors: M Olfson, R C Kessler, P A Berglund, E Lin
Journal: American Journal of Psychiatry (1998)

Objective:The authors describe the timing of the first treatment contact following new-onset DSM-III-R mood, anxiety, and addictive disorders in community samples from the United States and Ontario, Canada, before and after passage of the Ontario Health Insurance Plan.Method:The authors drew data from the National Comorbidity Survey (NCS) (N=8,098) and the mental health supplement to the Ontario Health Survey (OHS) (N=9,953). They assessed psychiatric disorders with a modified version of the Composite International Diagnostic Interview; they also assessed retrospectively age at disorder onset and first treatment contact. They used the Kaplan-Meier method to generate time-to-treatment curves and survival analysis to compare time-to-treatment intervals across the two surveys.Results:The overall time-to-treatment curves revealed substantial differences between disorders that were consistent across the two surveys. In both surveys, panic disorder had the highest probability of first-year treatment (NCS, 65.6%; OHS supplement, 52.6%), while phobia (NCS, 12.0%; OHS supplement: 6.5%) and addictive disorders (NCS, 6.4%; OHS supplement, 4.2%) had the lowest in both surveys. Retrospective subgroup analysis suggests that before the passage of the Ontario public insurance plan, the likelihood of receiving treatment in the year of disorder onset was greater in Ontario than in the United States but that this relationship reversed following passage of the Ontario plan. During this period, the authors observed no significant between-country differences in the probability of prompt treatment of adults with 12 or fewer years of education. Conclusions:These results challenge the assumption that the universal health insurance plan in Ontario promotes greater access to mental health services than is available in the United States for vulnerable groups. Marked differences between disorders in the speed to first treatment suggest that in both countries, clinical factors play an important role in the timing of the initial decision to seek treatment. Am J Psychiatry 1998; 155: 1415-1422
Do Alterations in Intercellular Coupling Play a Role in Cardiac Contractile Dysfunction?
Authors: Jeffrey E. Saffitz, Kathryn A. Yamada
Journal: Circulation (1998)

yocardial stunning 1 and hibernation 2 have been subjects of intense laboratory and clinical investigations to elucidate mechanisms responsible for contractile dysfunction after transient ischemia or chronic hypoperfusion.Considerable evidence has implicated the generation of oxygen-derived free radicals and derangements in myocardial energy metabolism and excitation-contraction coupling as major contributors to the pathogenesis of myocardial stunning and hibernation. 3,4Despite enormous progress in this area, however, our understanding of the cellular pathophysiology of contractile dysfunction in ischemic heart disease remains incomplete.
INFECTIOUS CATARRH OF THE ALBINO RAT
Authors: John B. Nelson
Journal: The Journal of Experimental Medicine (1940)

Evidence is presented that infectious catarrh of the rat is caused by Gram-negative coccobacilliform bodies which resemble the agents of fowl coryza and mouse catarrh. These bodies were demonstrable microscopically in at least 90 per cent of the exudates from the nasal passages and middle ears. The characteristic syndrome was reproduced in selected rats by the nasal instillation of pure tissue culture growths and was maintained for 10 successive passages by the injection of exudate. The experimentally produced disease was also communicable by direct contact. The biological characteristics of the specific bodies are discussed in relation to the organisms of the pleuropneumonia group.
Assessment of the <i>In vivo</i> Antitumor Effects of ENMD-2076, a Novel Multitargeted Kinase Inhibitor, against Primary and Cell Line–Derived Human Colorectal Cancer Xenograft Models
Authors: John J. Tentler, Erica L. Bradshaw-Pierce, Natalie J. Serkova, Kendra M. Hasebroock, Todd M. Pitts, Jennifer R. Diamond, Graham C. Fletcher, Mark R. Bray, S. Gail Eckhardt
Journal: Clinical Cancer Research (2010)

Abstract Purpose: This in vivo study was designed to investigate the efficacy of ENMD-2076, a small-molecule kinase inhibitor with activity against the Aurora kinases A and B, and several other tyrosine kinases linked to cancer, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, cKit, and fibroblast growth factor receptor 1, against murine xenograft models of human colorectal cancer (CRC). Experimental Design: HT-29 CRC cell line xenografts were treated with either vehicle or ENMD-2076 (100 or 200 mg/kg) orally daily for 28 days. Tumor growth inhibition, dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging, and 18FDG-positron emission tomography were conducted to assess the antiproliferative, antiangiogenic, and antimetabolic responses, respectively. Effects on proliferation were also analyzed by immunohistochemical methods. Additionally, three patient-derived xenografts from primary and metastatic sites were treated with ENMD-2076 (100 mg/kg) and assessed for tumor growth inhibition. Results: In the HT-29 xenograft model, ENMD-2076 induced initial tumor growth inhibition followed by regression. Treatment was associated with significant tumor blanching, indicating a loss of vascularity and substantial reductions in tumor vascular permeability and perfusion as measured by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Positron emission tomography scanning showed significant decreases in 18FDG uptake at days 3 and 21 of treatment, which was associated with a marked reduction in proliferation as assessed by Ki-67. All three of the patient-derived xenografts tested were sensitive to treatment with ENMD 2076 as measured by tumor growth inhibition. Conclusions: ENMD-2076 showed robust antitumor activity against cell line and patient-derived xenograft models of CRC that is detectable by functional imaging, supporting clinical investigation of this agent in CRC. Clin Cancer Res; 16(11); 2989–98. ©2010 AACR.
Low Molecular Weight Hydroxyethyl Chitosan-Prednisolone Conjugate for Renal Targeting Therapy: Synthesis, Characterization and In Vivo Studies
Authors: Xia-kai He, Zhi-xiang Yuan, Xiao-juan Wu, Chao-qun Xu, Wan-yu Li
Journal: Theranostics (2012)

To further evaluate the potential renal targeting profile of low molecular weight hydroxyethyl chitosan (LMWHC) we developed before, prednisolone (Pre) was conjugated with LMWHC by EDC/NHS chemistry to improve the therapeutic effect of glucocorticoids in vivo.The conjugate was denoted as LMWHC-Pre.The prednisolone content of the conjugate was determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with Kromasil C18 column.The results showed that the average coupling degree of prednisolone to LMWHC was 76.7±3.2 μg•mg -1 .The stability and physicochemical characterization of LMWHC-Pre under various conditions were also investigated.To study the fate of LMWHC-Pre after intravenous (i.v.) administration, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was coupled to the conjugate to explore the renal targeting efficacy.The in vivo results showed that significant amount of the conjugate was accumulated into the kidneys while negligible signal could be detected when the mixture of FITC-LMWHC and prednisolone was co-administered.The preliminary pharmacodynamics study of LMWHC-Pre showed that the conjugate could effectively alleviate the nephrotic syndrome of rats induced by minimal change nephrosis (MCN) model.Toxicity study also revealed that there was little glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis by LMWHC-Pre upon 20 days of treatment.From this study, LMWHC-Pre may be employed as an effective potential drug candidate for the treatment of chronic renal disease.
Ultrastructural localization of carbonic anhydrase II in subpopulations of intercalated cells of the rat kidney.
Authors: J Kim, C C Tisher, P J Linser, K M Madsen
Journal: Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (1990)

At least two configurations of intercalated cells, type A and type B, are present in the cortical collecting duct. Intercalated cells are rich in carbonic anhydrase. However, it is not known whether there are differences in the level and subcellular distribution of this enzyme between type A and type B intercalated cells. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative content and intracellular distribution of carbonic anhydrase II in the various subpopulations of intercalated cells in the rat collecting duct. A rabbit polyclonal antibody directed against mouse erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase II was employed to localize carbonic anhydrase, II by light and electron microscopy by an indirect immunoperoxidase method. A Western immunoblot analysis of homogenates of rat kidney cortex and medulla with the carbonic anhydrase II antibody revealed a single polypeptide band at 29 kDa corresponding to the molecular size of carbonic anhydrase II. By both light and electron microscopy, carbonic anhydrase II immunoreactivity was present in all intercalated cells but the intensity of staining was much greater in type A than in type B cells. In addition, immunostaining in type A cells was especially pronounced in the apical cytoplasm and apical microprojections whereas in type B cells, immunostaining was more diffuse throughout the cytoplasm. A third configuration of intercalated cell with diffuse immunostaining for carbonic anhydrase II was occasionally observed in the connecting segment. Very weak immunostaining was present in principal cells, whereas connecting tubule cells and inner medullary collecting duct cells were negative for carbonic anhydrase II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Difference in plantar pressure between the preferred and non-preferred feet in four soccer-related movements
Authors: Pui-lam Wong, Karim Chamari, Anis Chaouachi, De Wei Mao, Ulrik Wisløff, Youlian Hong
Journal: British Journal of Sports Medicine (2006)

Objective and participants: The present study measured the difference in plantar pressure between the preferred and non-preferred foot in four soccer-related movements in 15 male university soccer players (mean (SD) age 20.9 (1.3) years, mean (SD) height 173 (4) cm and mean (SD) weight 61.7 (3.6) kg). Design: To record plantar pressure distribution, players randomly wore three types of soccer shoes (classical 6-stud and 12-stud, and specially designed 12-stud) embedded with an insole pressure recorder device with 99 sensors, divided into 10 areas for analysis. Plantar pressure was recorded in five successful trials in each of the four soccer-related movements: running (at 3.3 m/s), sideward cutting, 45° cutting and landing from a vertical jump. Results: Plantar pressures of the preferred and non-preferred foot were different in 115 of 120 comparisons. The overall plantar pressure of the preferred foot was higher than that of the non-preferred foot. Specifically, in each of the four movements, higher pressure was found in the preferred foot during the take-off phase, whereas this was found in the non-preferred foot during the landing phase. This would suggest a tendency of the preferred foot for higher motion force and of the non-preferred foot for a greater role in body stabilisation. Conclusions: The data indicate that the preferred and non-preferred foot should be treated independently with regard to strength/power training to avoid unnecessary injuries. Different shoes/insoles and different muscular strengthening programmes are thus suggested for each of the soccer player’s feet.
Fine Particulate Air Pollution and the Progression of Carotid Intima-Medial Thickness: A Prospective Cohort Study from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis and Air Pollution
Authors: Sara D. Adar, Lianne Sheppard, Sverre Vedal, Joseph F. Polak, Paul D. Sampson, Ana V. Diez Roux, Matthew Budoff, David R. Jacobs, R. Graham Barr, Karol Watson, Joel D. Kaufman
Journal: PLoS Medicine (2013)

In a prospective cohort study, Sara Adar and colleagues find that decreasing levels of fine particulate matter in multiple US urban areas are associated with slowed progression of intima-medial thickness, a surrogate measure of atherosclerosis.
Performance of Screening Mammography among Women with and without a First-Degree Relative with Breast Cancer
Authors: Karla Kerlikowske
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2000)

Background: Although it is recommended that women with a family history of breast cancer begin screening mammography at a younger age than average-risk women, few studies have evaluated the performance of mammography in this group. Objective: To compare the performance of screening mammography in women with a first-degree family history of breast cancer and women of similar age without such history. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Mammography registries in California (n = 1), New Hampshire (n = 1), New Mexico (n = 1), Vermont [n = 1], Washington State n = 2), and Colorado (n = 1). Participants: 389 533 women 30 to 69 years of age who were referred for screening mammography from April 1985 to November 1997. Measurements: Risk factors for breast cancer; results of first screening examination captured for a woman by a registry; and any invasive cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ identified by linkage to a pathology database, the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program, or a state tumor registry. Results: The number of cancer cases per 1000 examinations increased with age and was higher in women with a family history of breast cancer than in those without (3.2 vs. 1.6 for ages 30 to 39 years, 4.7 vs. 2.7 for ages 40 to 49 years, 6.6 vs. 4.6 for ages 50 to 59 years, and 9.3 vs. 6.9 for ages 60 to 69 years). The sensitivity of mammography increased significantly with age (P = 0.001 [chi-square test for trend]) in women with a family history and in those without (63.2% [95% CI, 41.5% to 84.8%] vs. 69.5% [CI, 57.7% to 81.2%] for ages 30 to 39 years, 70.2% [CI, 61.0% to 79.5%] vs. 77.5% [CI, 73.3% to 81.8%] for ages 40 to 49 years, 81.3% [CI, 73.3% to 89.3%] vs. 80.2% [CI, 76.5% to 83.9%] for ages 50 to 59 years, and 83.8% [CI, 76.8% to 90.9%] vs. 87.7% [CI, 84.8% to 90.7%] for ages 60 to 69 years). Sensitivity was similar for each decade of age regardless of family history. The positive predictive value of mammography was higher in women with a family history than in those without (3.7% vs. 2.9%; P = 0.001). Conclusions: Cancer detection rates in women who had a first-degree relative with a history of breast cancer were similar to those in women a decade older without such a history. The sensitivity of screening mammography was influenced primarily by age.
Cost-effectiveness analysis of tacrolimus ointment versus high-potency topical corticosteroids in adults with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis
Authors: Charles N Ellis, Lynn A Drake, Mary M Prendergast, William Abramovits, Mark Boguniewicz, C Ralph Daniel, Mark Lebwohl, Amy S Paller, Seth R Stevens, Diane L Whitaker-Worth, Kuo B Tong
Journal: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (2003)