Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0729233 (Thoracic)
 6,478 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Forty-two patients with small cell lung cancer were treated with a combination of carboplatin, ifosfamide and etoposide. Vincristine was given on day 14 of each course, the courses being repeated every 28 days for a maximum of six. Thoracic radiotherapy was given 4 weeks after the last course of chemotherapy but no prophylactic cranial radiotherapy was administered. Thirty patients had clinically limited state disease, the remaining patients having contralateral neck lymphadenopathy and/or pleural effusions. Elevated enzyme levels (alkaline phosphatase, LDH, ALT, GGT) were noted in 69% of patients. Twenty-four patients (57%) achieved a complete response (CR) when assessed one month after the end of treatment. A further 21% of patients had a partial response (PR). Median duration of CR was 14 months and of PR 8 months. Cerebral metastases were the sole site of relapse in 13% of the CR patients. Myelosuppression was severe with a median nadir of neutropenia of 0.2 x 10(9) cells 1-1. However, 74% of the patient group received all six courses of chemotherapy and only 16 courses (7%) were delayed because of toxicity. There were three deaths associated with treatment-related neutropenia. The median survival of the total group was 14 months, with an actuarial 2 year survival of 37% and a minimum follow-up of 18 months. [A recent analysis, March 1989, demonstrated a 33%, 2 year actual survival.]
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PMID:Carboplatin, ifosfamide and etoposide with mid-course vincristine and thoracic radiotherapy for 'limited' stage small cell carcinoma of the bronchus. 255 90

Hyperthyroidism was diagnosed in 131 cats during a 3 1/2-year period. The cats ranged in age from 6 to 20 years; there was no breed or sex predilection. The most frequent clinical signs included weight loss, polyphagia, increased activity, polydipsia, polyuria, and vomiting. Common serum biochemical abnormalities included high values for alkaline phosphatase activity (75%), lactate dehydrogenase activity (66%), aspartate transaminase activity (66%), and alanine transaminase activity (54%). Electrocardiographic changes included tachycardia (greater than or equal to 240 beats/min) and increased R-wave amplitude in lead II (greater than or equal to 0.9 mV) in 66% and 29% of the 131 cats, respectively. Thoracic radiography in 82 cats revealed cardiomegaly in 40 (49%) of these cats; 16 cats with congestive heart failure also had pulmonary edema or pleural effusion. In 5 cats with markedly increased fecal volume, mean 48-hour fecal fat content was significantly greater than normal, with daily fat excretion 2 to 15 times the upper limit of normal. Base-line serum thyroxine concentrations were increased above normal range in all cats, whereas triiodothyronine concentrations were increased in 127 (97%) of the 131 cats. In 11 cats tested, mean thyroxine concentration did not increase significantly after thyroid-stimulating hormone administration. Mean 24-hour percentage of thyroid radioiodine uptake in 32 hyperthyroid cats was significantly higher (39.1%) than normal (9.2%). Thyroid scans, performed on 126 cats, showed enlargement and increased radionuclide accumulation in 1 thyroid lobe in 36 (29%) and both lobes in 90 (71%) of the cats.
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PMID:Feline hyperthyroidism: pretreatment clinical and laboratory evaluation of 131 cases. 687 10

A six-month-old, female German shepherd dog was presented because of depression, anorexia, vomiting, polyuria, and polydipsia of approximately 10 days' duration. The puppy was depressed, and pain could be elicited on palpation of both shoulders and hips. The most significant results of serum chemistries and hematology were hypercalcemia; increased blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and alkaline phosphatase; and leukocytosis with neutrophilia. Thoracic radiographs revealed a large thymic mass, diagnosed on histological examination as a thymic lymphoma. Radiographs of the shoulders revealed destructive bone lesions involving the proximal metaphyses of the humeri, causing slipped epiphyses. Bone lesions were found at necropsy on the proximal and distal aspects of both humeri and femurs. Bone resorption was due to local neoplastic infiltration and presumed humoral factors secreted locally and systemically by neoplastic thymic lymphocytes.
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PMID:Multiple metaphyseal involvement of a thymic lymphoma associated with hypercalcemia in a puppy. 782 Jul 70

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptides (PACAP27 and PACAP38) are members of the VIP/secretin/glucagon family of peptides and have diverse neuroregulatory effects in sympathoadrenal cell development and function. PACAP peptides regulate rat superior cervical ganglion (SCG) neuron catecholamine and neuropeptide Y content and secretion, and promote sympathoneuroblast survival through activation of specific PACAP1 receptor isoforms. In examining the potential sources of PACAP regulating the SCG, PACAP expression was identified in rat preganglionic neurons in the intermediolateral cell column (IML) of the thoracic spinal cord which provide primary afferent projections to this sympathetic ganglion. Thoracic spinal cord segments (T1-4) contained approximately 17 pmol PACAP38 immunoreactivity/g tissue wet weight. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction of cDNA from microdissected thoracic spinal cord using primers specific for rat neuronal proPACAP identified proPACAP mRNA expression in the IML; the results correlated with neurons labeled for proPACAP mRNA by in situ hybridization histochemistry and implicated PACAP biosynthesis in IML neurons. To demonstrate directly proPACAP transcript expression in preganglionic projection neurons to the SCG, the ganglion was decentralized and the sympathetic trunk immersed in fluorogold to identify sympathetic preganglionic neurons by retrograde labeling. Cryosections of spinal cord segments containing preganglionic neuron fluorogold labeled neurons were processed subsequently for in situ hybridization histochemical localization of proPACAP mRNA using a digoxigenin-labeled riboprobe; IML neurons were examined for fluorogold and digoxigenin/alkaline phosphatase product dual labeling. More than half of the preganglionic projection neurons to the SCG expressed PACAP mRNA, consistent with the postulate that PACAP peptides released from a subpopulation of thoracic IML preganglionic neurons may be physiological anterograde modulators of sympathetic SCG function.
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PMID:Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) expression in sympathetic preganglionic projection neurons to the superior cervical ganglion. 973 69

We conducted a survey of thoracic surgery in the UK today. Questionnaires were sent to 75 cardiothoracic surgeons, known to perform thoracic surgery regularly; we had a 100% response. The commonest preoperative investigations for carcinoma of the oesophagus were serum alkaline phosphatase (90%), GGT (69%), contrast swallow (80%), ultrasound of abdomen (71%) and CT scan of chest and abdomen (60%). After oesophagectomy, 84% of the surgeons inserted nasogastric tubes and 31% sent their patients to the intensive care unit. Oral fluids were started on days 3-5 in 81% of cases, and 58% of the surgeons requested a postoperative contrast swallow, usually between the seventh and tenth postoperative days, after oral fluids had been started. Most of the surgeons nearly always used staplers for a given procedure or else completely avoided them for that part of the operation. The commonest use of staplers was for bronchial closure in pneumonectomy (67%) and lobectomy (48%) and in constructing an oesophageal anastomosis (25%). Twenty per cent of the surgeons did not insert a chest drain after pneumonectomy, while 65% observed the protocol of chest drain insertion with short intermittent unclamping, usually every hour, followed by removal of the drain, usually the next morning. Thoracic surgeons vary widely in their surgical practices. In a well structured training programme, trainees should rotate between several units so they are exposed to different techniques and ideas and acquire a broad based training.
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PMID:A national survey of thoracic surgical practice in the UK. 1056 65

BACKGROUND: The pattern of liver function tests (LFTs) in community-acquired pneumonia has not been investigated in detail. Although abnormal tests are thought to be more frequent in patients with atypical pneumonia, the prognostic value of LFTs have not been clearly established. METHODS: We assessed 96 consecutive patients admitted to one hospital with a chest infection over a period of 6 weeks. The infection was classified as bronchitis or lobar pneumonia on clinical and radiological criteria. The site and severity of the infection were assessed and correlated with LFTs and standard British Thoracic Society prognostic criteria. Mortality and length of stay in survivors were used as major outcome measures. RESULTS: There were 17 deaths (18%) overall and patients with abnormal LFTs were significantly more likely to die than those with normal tests (25% vs. 5%; p=0.026). Length of stay was significantly longer in survivors with abnormal liver function than in those with normal tests (9.7 vs. 5.8 days; p=0.006). A low albumin was the most useful predictor of poor outcome and carried a relative risk of dying of 1.8, comparable to the predictive value of tachypnoea. ALT was increased threefold in those succumbing to their disease, but alkaline phosphatase levels were not predictive of outcome and an increase in gamma GT appeared to be protective. CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal LFTs are common in community-acquired pneumonia and are of prognostic value. Patients with a low albumin or raised ALT are significantly more likely to die from their disease or to stay in hospital for a prolonged period. However, other LFTs are of less value in predicting prognosis.
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PMID:The pattern and significance of abnormal liver function tests in community-acquired pneumonia. 1558 47

A 1-year-old neutered male chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) was presented with emaciation and a 1-month history of progressive weight loss. The animal was bright and responsive on clinical examination, but had poor body condition. Serum biochemical analysis revealed elevated alanine amino transferase and alkaline phosphatase. Ultrasound examination was unremarkable. Thoracic radiography showed changes consistent with bullous emphysema and severe pneumonia. Antibiotic therapy was initiated, but the chinchilla died 6 weeks later. Necropsy examination revealed granulomatous lesions in the lungs and liver. Numerous acid-fast bacilli were present in the cytoplasm of macrophages. Sequencing of genetic material isolated from fixed tissue classified the pathogen as Mycobacterium genavense.
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PMID:Disseminated Mycobacterium genavense infection in a chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera). 2481 53

A 6 yr old castrated male English springer spaniel was evaluated with a 1 mo history of progressive right forelimb lameness with recent swelling around the elbow joint. Physical examination findings included lameness of the right forelimb, muscle atrophy around the right shoulder, grade 2/6 heart murmur, and moderate dental disease. Results of a complete blood cell count and serum biochemical analysis were unremarkable with the exception of a mildly increased alkaline phosphatase (368 U/L; reference range, 128-328 U/L). Radiographs of the right elbow revealed a mixed lytic and proliferative osseous lesion most consistent with either neoplasia or infection. Thoracic radiographs and the echocardiogram were unremarkable. Fine-needle aspiration of the bone lesion was performed. The cytological diagnosis was chondrosarcoma. The right forelimb was amputated and the axillary lymph nodes were collected. Histopathological examination of the bone lesion and axillary lymph nodes revealed chondrosarcoma with metastasis to the lymph nodes. Lymph node metastasis of chondrosarcoma is rare and needs to be further evaluated as a prognostic indicator.
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PMID:Regional Nodal Metastasis of Humeral Chondrosarcoma in a Dog. 2635 88

A 13-yr-old intact male cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) presented for evaluation after a 4-mo history of intermittent lethargy and increased expiratory effort. The clinical signs were initially noted after the diagnosis and death of its 13-yr-old male sibling with solitary hepatic T-cell lymphoma. Physical examination findings included thin body condition, harsh lung sounds, peripheral lymphadenopathy, and a cutaneous mass on the right medial tarsus and scrotum. Excisional biopsies diagnosed well-differentiated cutaneous hemangiosarcomas. Thoracic radiographs revealed a cranial mediastinal mass. Complete blood count and serum biochemical analyses showed a leukocytosis with persistent lymphocytosis, progressive azotemia, and markedly elevated alkaline phosphatase. Because of the cheetah's declining quality of life, euthanasia was elected. Postmortem examination, histopathology, and immunohistochemical staining revealed multicentric T-cell lymphoma. Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, FeLV polymerase chain reaction (whole blood), and viral metagenomic analysis were negative. This is the first case of cutaneous hemangiosarcoma and multicentric T-cell lymphoma reported in a FeLV-negative cheetah.
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PMID:MULTICENTRIC T-CELL LYMPHOMA AND CUTANEOUS HEMANGIOSARCOMA IN A CAPTIVE CHEETAH (ACINONYX JUBATUS). 2666 62