Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to C Baker.
In summary, between 1979 and 1989, prescription drug costs increased by 151 percent, the rate of growth second only to the costs of hospital room and board. While expenditures on prescription drugs in the United States account for only 3 percent of all medical expenses, there is great interest in prescription drug coverage.
Cultural differences play a significant role in how people react to health problems. Culture also affects the relationship between patient and caregiver. This article describes four basic characteristics of culture: it is learned, not hereditary; it is shared by all members of the same cultural group; it develops in adaptation to the environment; and it is dynamic, in constant evolution. The author shows how a patient's culture can affect his or her health. Three specific aspects are discussed--eating habits, communication and health beliefs. The need for nurses to be aware of the cultural dimension and its significance in the caregiving process is emphasized. This is particularly important in a multicultural society such as Canada. The effectiveness of the care provided depends on the nurse's awareness and sensitivity. In the same vein, the prevention of misunderstandings requires an appreciation of the other person's culture. Nurses who reach out to understand other cultures will come to respect individual differences.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Myers et. al. show what a curriculum looks like when it's based on learning strategies and thinking processes instead of being content based. The authors identify five critical operations: clinical process, consultation, managerial process, educative/learning and the investigative processes. New NLN procedures encourage such creative designs; you'll enjoy reading about this one.
Fifty-six gay and bisexual men were tested for antibody to the human immunodeficiency virus. Twenty-two subjects who tested positive, 22 subjects who tested negative, and 12 subjects who chose not to learn the test results were surveyed by questionnaire after one week and after about six months after testing. Subjects who tested positive and those who tested negative were also compared two weeks after learning results. Subjects who tested positive experienced an increase in anxiety, depression, and AIDS anxiety, and subjects who tested negative experienced a decrease in these feelings after learning results. Subjects who did not learn the results of their tests experienced no change in these feelings. All three groups altered their sexual behavior. Subjects were more likely to tell test results to lovers and to regular sexual partners than to casual sexual partners. Implications for social work practice are discussed.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Using the endogenous histone H4 mRNA of Xenopus oocytes as a target, we have previously shown that 20mer oligos complementary to different parts of this sequence vary in their effectiveness at causing mRNA cleavage in vivo, and that some of the RNA can never be cleaved. In this paper we show that the resistant RNA is not localised within one part of the oocyte, and that the relative resistance in vivo of endogenous or synthetic H4 mRNA to the different oligos is preserved in an in vitro assay system using deproteinised RNA. If an prior annealing step is included in vitro, all resistance is abolished. Chemical modification of one oligo by end substitution with methylphosphonate or phosphorothioate residues did not improve cleavage efficiency. Oligos with complete phosphorothioate substitution cause slower cleavage in vivo but persist for longer. Consequently phosphorothioate oligos are effective at lower doses than phosphodiester ones, provided that the incubation time is long enough (24 hours). Increasing oligo length from 20nt to 30nt increases phosphorothioate oligo efficiency over long reaction times in vivo, but decreases efficiency during short in vitro assays. Similar increases in length did not affect phosphodiester oligo performance in vivo, but caused a decrease in efficiency in vitro which was overcome by an annealing step.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
A case of synovial haemangiomatosis of the knee joint with associated severe destructive arthritis is reported. The patient also had widespread cutaneous port wine stains and a bilateral Naevus of Ota. The interesting association between cutaneous and synovial haemangiomatosis is discussed. A pathogenic association of synovial haemangiomatosis and destructive arthritis is offered. Patients presenting with port wine stains and joint symptoms should be considered for the investigation of synovial haemangiomatosis.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Catalase-negative or weakly positive (CNW) thermotolerant campylobacteria, first isolated from dogs in 1983, were recently recognized as a new species, "Campylobacter upsaliensis," but their association with human illness has not been established. Twelve human isolates received at the Centers for Disease Control between 1980 and 1986 were identified as CNW campylobacteria by biochemical tests, cellular fatty acid composition, and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns. Eleven CNW Campylobacter strains tested by DNA-DNA hybridization (hydroxyapatite method) were all highly related and were related to two "C. upsaliensis" strains at the species level (86% under optimal conditions and 76% under stringent conditions). Clinical information was obtained for 11 human isolates from three stool and eight blood specimens. They were isolated from four female and seven male patients 6.5 months to 83 years of age residing in 10 different states. The patients had a wide spectrum of illnesses. The stool isolates were obtained from two previously healthy persons during episodes of acute gastroenteritis and from one immunocompromised patient with persistent diarrhea and fever. The blood isolates were obtained from two infants with fever and respiratory symptoms; a young woman with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy; three elderly men with underlying chronic diseases; and two immunocompromised adults. In a bactericidal assay to assess sensitivity to serum, seven of eight blood isolates showed some resistance to killing by pooled normal human serum. These observations suggest that "C. upsaliensis" is a potential human pathogen associated with both gastroenteritis and bacteremia in normal hosts and with opportunistic infection in immunocompromised individuals.
Tissue injury is observed in allergic and nonallergic eosinophilic rhinitis, but the mechanism of this injury is unclear. Because eosinophils are prominent in biopsy specimens in these conditions, we hypothesized that they may participate in the injury process. Initially, we developed techniques to isolate and purify human nasal epithelial cells from turbinate biopsies to use as target cells for eosinophil granule products. Primary cultures from explants were characterized by electron microscopy and indirect immunofluorescence with a panel of primary monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies. These studies revealed the homogeneity of the cells and confirmed their epithelial nature. Cultured nasal epithelial cells were then exposed to either purified human eosinophil peroxidase, bromide, and glucose plus glucose oxidase, as a continuous source of hydrogen peroxide, or eosinophil major basic protein. Neither eosinophil peroxidase alone nor glucose plus glucose oxidase in the absence of eosinophil peroxidase were injurious, but the combined addition of eosinophil peroxidase, glucose/glucose oxidase, and bromide produced marked target cell lysis. This effect was time- and eosinophil peroxidase dose-dependent. Catalase and azide significantly inhibited the lysis of these cells, suggesting the eosinophil peroxidase-catalyzed products of halide oxidation mediated this form of injury. The addition of purified human eosinophil major basic protein also caused dose- and time-dependent lysis of the nasal epithelial cells but required longer incubation periods to effect injury. We hypothesize that the eosinophil peroxidase-hydrogen peroxide-halide system and major basic protein may injure the nasal epithelium in inflammatory conditions such as allergic and nonallergic eosinophilic rhinitis.
Human nasal turbinate tissue from surgical specimens was dissected free of connective tissue, and primary epithelial cultures were established by explant techniques. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that cultured cells retained homogeneous cytoplasmic granules, tonofilaments, and desmosomes and formed a homogeneous monolayer. The epithelial cells stained positively with cytokeratin antibodies AE1, AE3, and 35BH11 but failed to stain with two other cytokeratin antibodies, AE2 and 34BE12. Staining was also positive with anti-desmoplakin I and II but negative with antivimentin (43BE8), anti-desmin, and anti-human factor VIII antibodies. Cultured cells were exposed to filtered air or sulfur dioxide at 1-5 ppm for 30-60 min. Although there was no increase in cell lysis as measured by chromium-51 release, SO2 exposure significantly inhibited [3H]leucine incorporation compared to air exposure. This effect was dependent on both SO2 concentration and exposure duration. Control experiments revealed that these SO2 effects were not caused by the [H+] load produced by SO2 exposure. Electron microscopy of cells exposed to air or SO2 did not show any significant morphological differences.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.