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Biomedical subjects

C Eisenberg

Publications and source records attributed to C Eisenberg.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Important qualities in physiatrists: perceptions of rehabilitation team members and patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the personal qualities important in physiatrists as described by patients and rehabilitation team members. DESIGN: An oral survey. SETTING: Adult rehabilitation service at a teaching rehabilitation institution affiliated with an academic medical center. PARTICIPANTS: Convenience sample of 171 people including inpatients, rehabilitation nurses, occupational and physical therapists, and resident and full-time attending physicians. INTERVENTIONS: Two questions to elicit the personal qualities that were considered important in a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Subjects' responses grouped as personal qualities (personality), working qualities (professionalism), competence, caring, and collegiality. RESULTS: Caring and competence qualities were the most important to patients. Collegiality and caring were valued most by the rehabilitation staff. Personal qualities and competence were of relatively greater importance to the physiatrists. CONCLUSIONS: There was significant variability in the relative. value assigned to each of the five groups of traits among the respondents. Knowledge of the desires and expectations of the people involved in the rehabilitation process may benefit rehabilitation patients, physicians, and staff.

Adult↗

Transabdominal application of transvaginal transducer enhancing depiction of mature cystic teratoma at 34 weeks' gestation.

We present an unusual case in which a 36-year-old patient was referred for consultation due to increasing upper left abdominal pain at 35 weeks' gestation. Transabdominal ultrasonography disclosed an appropriate-for-gestational-age singleton, vertex-presenting fetus with normal anatomy. An unclear, complex, semisolid, semicystic mass was noted in the upper right abdomen. Due to the close proximity of the adnexal mass to the patient's abdominal wall, a high-frequency transvaginal transducer was applied transabdominally. Unlike the unclear images generated at conventional transabdominal ultrasonography, this application depicted a discrete mass with multiple characteristics consisting of calcifications, hair and fatty tissue, considered diagnostic of a mature cystic ovarian teratoma. The patient delivered spontaneously at 39 weeks' gestation. At 6 weeks' postpartum an elective laparotomy left ovarian cystectomy was performed and a mature cystic teratoma confirmed by pathology examination.

Abdomen↗

Epithelial-mesenchymal transformations in early avian heart development.

Cardiac morphogenesis proceeds from a sequential series of epithelial-mesenchymal transitions which begins by establishing bipotential heart-forming cells and later their segregation into endocardial and myocardial lineages. Cells within each lineage integrate to form two concentric epithelia which inductively interact to transform cells of the inner epithelium, the endocardium, into mesenchymal or 'cushion' cells. Noncardiogenic epithelia (dorsal mesocardium, epicardium, neural ectoderm and coelomic mesothelium) undergo transition into populations of extracardiac mesenchyme that combine over time with cushion tissue to remodel the simple tubular heart into a four-chambered organ. Model systems are described for studying the mechanisms of cardiac-related transformations including primary cultures of precardiac epithelia and a differentiation-inducible, avian stem cell line called QCE-6. Focus is centered on the molecular mechanism by which endocardial epithelium transforms into cushion mesenchyme. Experimental findings are reviewed and interpreted in the context of a hypothetical model that seeks to answer why only some cells within an epithelium transform and whether the transformation process is regulated by intrinsic or extrinsic mechanisms. The model proposes that epithelial cells competent to transform to mesenchyme express characteristic markers including receptors for extrinsic signals secreted by stimulator cells (e.g. myocardium). Candidate extrinsic signals include multicomponent complexes called adherons. If applied directly to cultured endocardium, myocardial adherons but not those secreted by L6 myoblasts, induce changes in gene expression within target endocardial cells for proteases and cell:cell and cell:matrix adhesion molecules that accompanied transformation to mesenchyme. A main component of myocardial adherons has been identified as ES antigens, one of which, ES/130, has been cloned, found to have a novel sequence and in culture assays shown to be required for endocardium to transform to mesenchyme. The spatiotemporal pattern of ES protein expression within the embryo suggests that common mechanisms may exist for embryonic epithelial-mesenchymal transformations.

Animals↗

Absence of microsomal triglyceride transfer protein in individuals with abetalipoproteinemia.

Abetalipoproteinemia is a human genetic disease that is characterized by a defect in the assembly or secretion of plasma very low density lipoproteins and chylomicrons. The microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP), which is located in the lumen of microsomes isolated from the liver and intestine, has been proposed to function in lipoprotein assembly. MTP activity and the 88-kilodalton component of MTP were present in intestinal biopsy samples from eight control individuals but were absent in four abetalipoproteinemic subjects. This finding suggests that a defect in MTP is the basis for abetalipoproteinemia and that MTP is indeed required for lipoprotein assembly.

Abetalipoproteinemia↗

In vitro DNA fluorescence after in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure.

PURPOSE: A pilot study was performed to test the diagnostic value of in vitro DNA fluorescence in oocytes that failed to fertilize after IVF. Ten patients with a cleavage rate less than 20% after IVF were included. RESULTS: Uncleaved oocytes were observed by fluorescence microscopy after incubation with the DNA fluorescent dye Hoeschst 33342. Four main causes which may have contributed to the low cleavage rate were found: (1) sperm incapacity to penetrate the oocyte despite the absence of the usual criteria for male infertility, (2) oocyte immaturity, (3) delayed fertilization, and (4) oocyte abnormalities revealed by aberrations in the morphology of the female chromatin. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of a rapid and detailed analysis of the maturational status of unfertilized oocytes, the morphology of the female chromatin, the presence and quantity of spermatozoa tightly bound to the zona pellucida, and sperm penetration into the oocyte without subsequent pronucleus formation, using DNA fluorescence, allows us to clarify further the cause of fertilization failure and to orient infertility treatment toward the male, the female, or both partners.

Adult↗

Asialoglycoprotein receptor in human isolated hepatocytes from normal liver and its apparent increase in liver with histological alterations.

We have characterized a binding site for galactosyl terminal glycoproteins in hepatocytes isolated from human biopsies. The binding of asialoorosomucoid on hepatocytes previously treated by Triton X-100 was saturable, calcium-dependent and highly affine (Ka = 1.11 +/- 0.87.10(9) M-1) thus corresponding to a ligand-receptor binding. The total number of receptors in the normal human liver was 140,000 +/- 65,000 sites per cell. This corresponded to the value obtained in the human hepatoma cell line HepG2, but was significantly lower than for isolated rat hepatocytes. Furthermore, in hepatocytes isolated from livers with histological features of either fibrosis, cirrhosis, hepatocarcinoma with cirrhosis or nodular regenerative hyperplasia, the number of asialoglycoprotein receptors per cell was increased, while the binding affinity was unchanged.

Adult↗

Fertilization and ageing processes in non-divided human oocytes after GnRHa treatment: an analysis of individual oocytes.

Some human oocytes cultured together with spermatozoa for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) do not subsequently divide. The arrest of the fertilization process at different moments during development may provide information about the cause of fertilization failure. Oocytes which subsequently divide are transferred 48 h after insemination; when oocytes do not divide, ageing processes can be observed. Therefore these oocytes are interesting material in which to observe both fertilization and ageing. Our study concerns 72 undivided human oocytes 0, 48 or 72 h post-insemination. DNA of the oocyte and spermatozoa was visualized by the DNA fluorescent dye Hoechst 33342. Living oocytes were observed in toto by fluorescence and bright field microscopy which allowed nuclear and pronuclear membranes to be discerned. Oocytes were subsequently fixed and sectioned for bright field microscopy. Both techniques allowed parallel observations. Oocytes at various stages of fertilization are described: sperm penetration in both mature and immature oocytes, decondensation of sperm-heads, premature condensation of male chromatin, polyspermy and pronucleus formation. Typical ageing processes such as the centripetal migration of the metaphase II chromosomes, the formation of a restitution nucleus and the lagging of chromosomes within a metaphase spindle are observed. DNA fluorescence appears to be a quick, easy and valuable means to analyse fertilization and its failure.

Adult↗

Shock in an infant with bullous mastocytosis.

A 6-month-old infant had bullous lesions on his posterior neck, upper trunk, and extremities for two months prior to admission for fever and shock. He had an elevated white blood cell count with left shift and normal platelet count, but abnormal coagulation studies. He was treated with intravenous antibiotics, crystalloids, fresh-frozen plasma, and pressor agents. A histamine H2 receptor antagonist was started for guaiac-positive nasogastric tube drainage. The patient recovered after four days of treatment. A skin biopsy confirmed mastocytosis. A week later the child passed grossly bloody stools with blood clots. No source of gastrointestinal bleeding was identified by extensive work-up. Blood histamine level measured one day before gastrointestinal bleeding was 16,400 pg/ml (normal 263 +/- 202 pg/ml). The bleeding resolved spontaneously. The patient was maintained on cimetidine. Results of a subsequent bone scan were normal. Shock or gastrointestinal bleeding associated with unusual skin lesions should alert the pediatrician to the possibility of mastocytosis.

Biopsy↗

Efficacy of a programmed calculator for constant-infusion medication calculations.

A program for calculation of constant-infusion vasoactive medications on a hand-held programmable calculator was evaluated in terms of accuracy and time saved v conventional means of calculation. All groups, with the exception of the pharmacists, showed a statistically significant improvement in accuracy and time saved when using the programmable calculator. These results indicate that use of the programmable calculator may significantly save time and reduce errors on dose calculation of potentially dangerous drugs in pediatric and neonatal intensive care units.

Cardiovascular Agents↗

Women as physicians.

Whatever qualities are ascribed to femininity and whether these are attributed to nature or to nurture, the characteristics women display as physicians are primarily determined by the impact of their professional education, by their socialization into medical roles, and by the organization of their practices. Women physicians more nearly resemble men physicians in professional attributes than they do other women in the population. Women merit more opportunities in medicine, both on grounds of equity and in order to enlarge the pool of medical talent. However, women, in themselves, are not likely to alter the perceived shortcomings of medical practice. For that to take place, it will be necessary to modify admission criteria, to broaden the narrow focus of medical education, and to change the reward systems which govern medical practice for both women and men.

Female↗