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Biomedical subjects

A Schenck

Publications and source records attributed to A Schenck.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Prevalence and predictors of osteoporosis treatment in nursing home residents with known osteoporosis or recent fracture.

SUMMARY: We studied nursing home residents with osteoporosis or recent fracture to determine the frequency and predictors of osteoporosis treatment. There was wide variation in performance, and both clinical and systems variables predicted use. This study shows that improvement in osteoporosis care is possible and important for many nursing homes. INTRODUCTION: We determined the prevalence and predictors of osteoporosis evaluation and treatment in high-risk nursing home residents. METHODS: We identified 67 nursing facilities in North Carolina and Arizona with > 10 residents with osteoporosis or recent hip fracture. Medical records (n=895) were abstracted for osteoporosis evaluation [dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), vitamin D level, serum calcium), treatment (calcium, vitamin D, osteoporosis medication, hip protectors), clinical, and systems covariates. Data were analyzed at the facility level using mixed models to account for the complex nesting of residents within providers and nursing facilities. RESULTS: Calcium and vitamin D was prescribed for 69% of residents, bisphosphonates for 19%, calcitonin for 14%, other pharmacologic therapies for 6%, and hip protectors for 2%. Overall, 36% received any bone protection (medication or hip protectors), with wide variation among facilities (0-85%). Factors significantly associated with any bone protection included female gender [odds ratio (OR) 2.4, (1.5-3.7)] and nonurban/suburban location [1.5, (1.1-2.2)]. Residents with esophagitis, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), or dysphagia [0.6, (0.4-0.9)] and alcohol abuse [0.2, (0.0-0.9)] were less likely to receive treatment. CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial variation in the quality of osteoporosis treatment across nursing homes. Interventions that improve osteoporosis quality of care are needed.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

Temperature and field dependence of the order parameter in the antiferroquadrupolar phase of CeB6 from mu+ Knight shift measurements.

The Fermi contact hyperfine contribution to the Knight shift of positive muons, implanted at the interstitial 3d sites in CeB6, is found to exhibit the same temperature dependence below T(Q) in phase II as the quadrupolar order parameter determined from resonant and nonresonant x-ray scattering. Furthermore, the contact coupling parameter is shown to be anisotropic and field dependent. These unanticipated features are interpreted to arise from the RKKY induced conduction electron spin polarization, which depends on the orientation and expectation value of the ordered 4f quadrupole moments.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Field-induced magnetization distribution and antiferroquadrupolar order in CeB(6).

The anisotropic Knight shift of implanted positive muons (micro(+)) in CeB(6) has been studied between 2.2 and 200 K in a field of 0.6 T. The results imply that the field-induced magnetization distribution is not only found at the Ce sites but also in other regions of the unit cell (e.g., near or inside the B6 molecule, as proposed by Saitoh et al. [J. Phys. Soc. Jpn. Suppl. 71, 106-108 (2002)]). While above the antiferroquadrupolar ordering temperature T(Q) approximately 3.55 K this additional magnetization appears to be antiparallel to the Ce moments, a drastic change is observed below T(Q), and the additional magnetization is eventually aligned parallel to the Ce moments.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

A highly conserved protein family interacting with the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP) and displaying selective interactions with FMRP-related proteins FXR1P and FXR2P.

The absence of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), encoded by the FMR1 gene, is responsible for pathologic manifestations in the Fragile X Syndrome, the most frequent cause of inherited mental retardation. FMRP is an RNA-binding protein associated with polysomes as part of a messenger ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) complex. Although its function is poorly understood, various observations suggest a role in local protein translation at neuronal dendrites and in dendritic spine maturation. We present here the identification of CYFIP1/2 (Cytoplasmic FMRP Interacting Proteins) as FMRP interactors. CYFIP1/2 share 88% amino acid sequence identity and represent the two members in humans of a highly conserved protein family. Remarkably, whereas CYFIP2 also interacts with the FMRP-related proteins FXR1P/2P, CYFIP1 interacts exclusively with FMRP. FMRP--CYFIP interaction involves the domain of FMRP also mediating homo- and heteromerization, thus suggesting a competition between interaction among the FXR proteins and interaction with CYFIP. CYFIP1/2 are proteins of unknown function, but CYFIP1 has recently been shown to interact with the small GTPase Rac1, which is implicated in development and maintenance of neuronal structures. Consistent with FMRP and Rac1 localization in dendritic fine structures, CYFIP1/2 are present in synaptosomal extracts.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy on 30-day outcome in patient > or = 65 years of age with chronic congestive heart failure.

Patients discharged from the hospital on an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor had a significant decrease in 30-day death or readmission (by 30% in 1,195 unselected Medicare patients hospitalized with congestive heart failure). Other independent predictors of poor outcome determined by multivariate analysis included history of congestive heart failure, male gender, increased number of comorbidities, higher serum blood urea nitrogen, and lower serum sodium.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2000

Magnetic quantum critical point and superconductivity in UPt3 doped with Pd.

Transverse-field muon spin relaxation measurements have been carried out on the heavy-fermion superconductor UPt (3) doped with small amounts of Pd. We find that the critical Pd concentration for the emergence of the large-moment antiferromagnetic phase is approximately 0.6 at. %Pd. At the same Pd content, superconductivity is completely suppressed. The existence of a magnetic quantum critical point in the phase diagram, which coincides with the critical point for superconductivity, provides evidence for ferromagnetic spin-fluctuation mediated odd-parity superconductivity, which competes with antiferromagnetic order.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Using north carolina medicare data to assess excess prostate cancer mortality among african americans.

PURPOSE: To investigate the basis for the higher prostate cancer mortality rate for African American (AA) men, which is twice the rate for White men.METHODS: 221 AA and 979 White men with a primary diagnosis code of prostate cancer ("patients") in the North Carolina Medicare Hospitalization claims from 1997 were compared with 1,326 AA and 5,874 White men of the same age with no cancer hospitalizations ("beneficiaries") selected from the NC Medicare Enrollment files. Mortality rates were calculated as the cumulative percent of deaths using the hospital discharge date as day 1. AA and White age distributions were similar.RESULTS: Cumulative mortality percentages at 6, 12, and 18 months were, respectively, 4.5, 7.7, 10.9 for AA patients; 2.8, 6.5, 9.2 for White patients; 2.3, 3.8, 7.4 for AA beneficiaries; and 1.8, 3.1, 6.1 for White beneficiaries.CONCLUSIONS: AA prostate cancer patients had higher overall mortality than did White prostate cancer patients during the first year, but by 12-months the White-Black survival advantage for prostate cancer patients was similar in magnitude to the White-Black survival advantage among the non-cancer Medicare beneficiaries. AAs' higher prostate cancer mortality may derive from higher short-term case fatality rates, which may reflect differences in treatment and access to quality medical care, co-morbidities, and tumor characteristics such as stage and grade at diagnosis, and in part from the survival disadvantage for AA in the general population.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Evidence for a two component magnetic response in UPt3

The magnetic response of the heavy fermion superconductor UPt3 has been investigated on a microscopic scale by muon Knight shift studies. Two distinct and isotropic Knight shifts have been found for the field in the basal plane. While the volume fractions associated with the two Knight shifts are approximately equal at low and high temperatures, they show a dramatic and opposite temperature dependence around T(N). Our results are independent on the precise muon localization site. We conclude that UPt3 is characterized by a two component magnetic response.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Relationship of DNA ploidy to hormone receptor status and proliferation in invasive breast carcinoma.

PURPOSE: In 247 primary invasive breast carcinomas, DNA ploidy was related to hormone receptor status, proliferation, and clinical/histopathologic factors. METHODS: DNA ploidy analysis was performed by image analysis using imprints. Estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptor status was determined immunohistochemically. The proliferative activity of the tumours was assessed by Ki-67 antigen labelling. Total observation time was 3.5 years. RESULTS: DNA ploidy analysis revealed a high fraction of tumours with non-peridiploid patterns (78%). Significant correlations between DNA ploidy and ER/PR receptor status (P < 0.01) were found with increased frequencies of peridiploid DNA results in receptor positive tumours. A significant relationship became manifest between DNA ploidy and Ki-67 index showing high frequencies of non-peridiploid DNA patterns in tumours with Ki-67 index > 20% (P < 0.01). There was a strong correlation (P < 0.001) between DNA ploidy and histopathologic grading, while tumour size and lymph node status were not correlated to DNA ploidy. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study on invasive breast carcinoma demonstrate that DNA ploidy measured by image analysis is predominantly associated with markers of cell differentiation. Preliminary outcome data reveal a risk-indicating potential of DNA ploidy primarily in cases with favourable results for other prognostic factors.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

[Prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting after hysterectomy with oral dolasetron, intravenous dehydrobenzperidol or a combination of both substances].

OBJECTIVE: PONV is a frequent postoperative complication. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of oral dolasetron in comparison to intravenous droperidol (DHB) and to a combination of both drugs for prophylaxis of PONV. METHODS: 80 patients (ASA I-III) were randomly allocated to one of four groups and received the following medication: group A: 50 mg dolasetron was given orally 45-60 minutes before anaesthesia was induced, group B: 2.5 mg i.v. DHB + placebo p.o. was administered while inducing anaesthesia (positive control group), group C: 50 mg dolasetron was given 45-60 minutes before anaesthesia was induced and 2.5 mg i.v. DHB was given while inducing anaesthesia, group D: placebo tablet was administered 45-60 minutes before anaesthesia was induced (negative control group). PONV was assessed using a 5-point score: 0 = no symptoms, 1 = nausea, 2 = retching, 3 = vomiting, 4 = multiple vomiting. Metoclopramid was given as antiemetic if a patient reached two or more score points. RESULTS: PONV scores were significantly lower in group A and C (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Patients treated with DHB showed a significantly lower PONV score in comparison to the placebo treated patients (p < 0.05). Between the groups A, B and C we found no significantly different PONV scores. Postoperative consumption of metoclopramid was significantly lower in the groups A (2.4 +/- 5.2 mg) and C (1.0 +/- 3.1 mg) than in the placebo group (6.0 +/- 6.8 mg), whereas between group B (3.0 +/- 5.7 mg) and D we found no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS: Single dose of oral dolasetron and single dose of intravenous DHB reduced PONV effectively, in patients undergoing gynaecologic surgery. A combination of dolasetron and DHB has no better effect than a single dose of oral dolasetron. Contrary to DHB the application of dolasetron decreased the postoperative antiemetic requirement significantly.

Antiemetics↗
PubMed1999

A novel RNA-binding nuclear protein that interacts with the fragile X mental retardation (FMR1) protein.

Silenced expression of the FMR1 gene is responsible for the fragile X syndrome. The FMR1 gene codes for an RNA binding protein (FMRP), which can shuttle between the nucleus and the cytoplasm and is found associated to polysomes in the cytoplasm. By two-hybrid assay in yeast, we identified a novel protein interacting with FMRP: nuclear FMRP interacting protein (NUFIP). NUFIP mRNA expression is strikingly similar to that of the FMR1 gene in neurones of cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum. At the subcellular level, NUFIP colocalizes with nuclear isoforms of FMRP in a dot-like pattern. NUFIP presents a C2H2 zinc finger motif and a nuclear localization signal, but has no homology to known proteins and shows RNA binding activity in vitro. NUFIP does not interact with the FMRP homologues encoded by the FXR1 and FXR2 genes. Thus, these results indicate a specific nuclear role for FMRP.

Amino Acid Sequence↗