PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

C March

Publications and source records attributed to C March.

31 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Creating a quality assurance program for long-term care.

A system approach to quality assurance in long-term care facilities considers residents' total environment and all aspects of their livers--physical, social, psychological, spiritual, and intellectual. This approach lends a holistic perspective to quality assurance, expanding it from a "numbers game" to an integral part of the facility's philosophy. In developing measurement criteria for a quality assurance program, staff should not overlook systems, procedures, and reporting mechanisms already in place that may provide useful data. Some of these systems include risk management activities, continuing education programs, compliance reports, clinical affiliations, performance reviews, and peer review and administrative audits. Residents and their families are key sources of information about the quality of care. In addition to surveying these groups, long-term care facilities also should involve their resident councils in the quality assurance process.

Long-Term Care↗
PubMed1986

Amino acid sequence of a chicken heat shock protein derived from the complementary DNA nucleotide sequence.

The complete nucleotide sequence for a chicken heat shock protein (hsp108) was determined from cDNA clones isolated from hen oviduct and bursal lymphoma recombinant DNA libraries. This protein has certain biochemical similarities to the progesterone receptor, but it is clearly distinct from it. The initial cDNA clone, isolated from a chicken oviduct cDNA library, was detected by antibody screening and hybrid-selected translation [Zarucki-Schulz, T., Kulomaa, M. S., Headon, D. R., Weigel, N. L., Baez, M., Edwards, D. P., McGuire, W. L., Schrader, W. T., & O'Malley, B. W. (1984) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 81, 6358-6362]. The earlier clones were used to screen for additional cDNAs, and cDNAs that define the entire mRNA sequence of hsp108 have been obtained. The nucleotide sequence codes for peptides present in hsp108 as determined by protein microsequencing. The 5' end of the mRNA was determined by primer extension studies. The mRNA contains a noncoding region of 101 nucleotides upstream from the predicted initiation codon. The 3' untranslated region contains 244 nucleotides beyond the termination codon, and it contains a predicted polyadenylation signal 26 nucleotides from the end of the complete cDNA. The coding region of 2385 nucleotides corresponds to a polypeptide chain of 795 amino acids, giving a molecular weight of 91,555 for the hsp108 protein. In another paper, evidence is presented that hsp108 shows a high degree of amino acid sequence homology with two heat shock proteins, hsp90 (yeast) and hsp83 (Drosophila), and is indeed inducible by heat shock [Sargan, D. R., Tsai, M.-J., & O'Malley, B. W. (1986) Biochemistry (following paper in this issue)].

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1986

Purification to homogeneity of B cell stimulating factor. A molecule that stimulates proliferation of multiple lymphokine-dependent cell lines.

Murine B cell stimulating factor 1 (BSF-1) was purified to homogeneity from supernatants of a stimulated thymoma cell line. A protein of 18.4 kD with a unique N-terminal amino acid sequence was identified. BSF-1 had a sp act of at least 3.28 X 10(8) U/mg. In addition to its B cell-stimulatory activity, BSF-1 also stimulated the proliferation of several IL-2- and IL-3-dependent cell lines. We conclude that BSF-1 is both a growth factor and a differentiation factor. Finally, these results also suggest additional biologic properties of BSF-1 on lineages besides B lymphocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1985

Determination of free valproic acid concentrations using the Amicon Micropartition MPS-1 Ultrafiltration System.

Free valproic acid concentrations were determined using the MPS-1 ultrafiltration device marketed by Amicon with one YMB membrane per device. Valproic acid binding to the membrane was 5.6% of the free valproic acid concentration. The free valproic acid concentration increased as serial ultrafiltrate volumes were collected, suggesting that only small ultrafiltrate volumes should be collected from a large initial sample. The protein content of the ultrafiltrate was acceptable and was within the tolerances stated by Amicon. There was no significant difference between free valproic acid concentrations determined within 3 h of sample collection and those determined after storage at 4 degrees C or -20 degrees C for 1 week. There was no significant difference between free valproic acid concentrations in serum and heparinized plasma samples collected simultaneously.

Humans↗
PubMed1983

Natural history of microprolactinomas: six-year follow-up.

A 6-year follow-up of patients harboring microprolactinomas suggests that few patients (3 of 27) demonstrate significant growth of their tumor during this time. The major hazard for such patients who are not treated seems to be their risk for the development of premature osteoporosis in the face of sustained hyperprolactinemia. The risks of this complication may exceed the risks of early surgical intervention in selected patients. This short term risk of tumor growth (about 10%) must be weighed in the decision about therapeutic endeavors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1981

Hypergonadotropic hypogonadism in female patients with galactosemia.

We evaluated gonadal function in 18 female and eight male patients with galactosemia due to transferase deficiency; it was normal in the males, but 12 females had signs of hypergonadotropic hypogonadism. All female patients had a 46,XX karyotype, normal levels of thyroid hormone and prolactin, and no anti-ovarian antibodies. The biologic activity of urinary gonadotropins was normal. Ultrasonography of the pelvis revealed that ovarian tissue was diminished or absent. Total estrogens increased in one of two patients after administration of human menopausal gonadotropin. The frequency of hypergonadotropic hypogonadism was higher in females in whom dietary treatment for galactosemia was delayed. Clinical course and mean erythrocyte galactose-1-phosphate and urinary galactitol levels did not correlate with ovarian function. We conclude that female patients with galactosemia have a high incidence of ovarian failure due to acquired ovarian atrophy. Galactose or its metabolites may be toxic to the ovarian parenchyma, particularly during the immediate neonatal period.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1979

Comparison of serum prolactin, plain radiography, and hypocycloidal tomography of the sella turcica in patients with galactorrhea.

Hypocycloidal tomography of the sella turcica is being used with increasing frequency in patients with galactorrhea in order to establish the diagnosis of pituitary adenoma. In 201 patients with galactorrhea, serum prolactin (PRL) levels were correlated with anteroposterior (AP)--lateral plain radiographs and hypocycloidal tomography of the sella turcica. Plain films were normal in 167 and abnormal in 34 patients. Of the 167 patients with normal AP-lateral plain films, 80 had normal tomograms and normal serum prolactin levels while 80 patients had normal tomograms and elevated serum PRL levels (21 to 256 ng/ml). The remaining seven of the 167 patients had normal plain films with abnormal tomograms and elevated serum PRL levels (28 to 176 ng/ml). All patients with abnormal plain radiographs had abnormal tomograms and had either elevated or normal serum PRL levels. In view of these findings, sella tomography is only necessary in patients with normal plain radiographs and elevated serum PRL levels.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Solid phase extraction and simultaneous high performance liquid chromatographic determination of antipyrine and its major metabolites in urine.

A reversed phase gradient high performance liquid chromatographic method utilizing solid phase extraction has been described for the simultaneous determination of antipyrine (AP), 4-hydroxyantipyrine (4-OHAP), norantipyrine (NorAP) and 3-hydroxymethylantipyrine (3-OHMAP) in human urine after hydrolysis with beta-glucuronidase. The C-18 sorbent cartridges were conditioned and urine samples were applied, washed with 1 x 4 mL of phosphate buffer and eluted with 3 x 100 microL of 20% v/v of acetonitrile in methylene chloride. The eluent was evaporated to dryness, reconstituted in 100 microL phosphate buffer and injected. The calibration ranges were 2.0-250 micrograms/mL (AP), 2.5-250 micrograms/mL (NorAP), 2.0-250 micrograms/mL (3-OHMAP) and 5.0-500 micrograms/mL (4-OHAP) with regression coefficients of 0.998 or greater. Specificity was indicated by the absence of interferences in chromatogram of blank urine from normal as well as cirrhotic patients. The average recovery was 86.7% for AP, 90.5% for NorAP, 85.2% for 4-OHAP and 74.2% for 3-OHMAP. The within-assay precision as indicated by the reproducibility of the assayed spiked urine was less than 9% in all cases and the between-assay precision was less than 12%. The method was applied to studies on antipyrine metabolism in stable cirrhotic patients. Following administration of a single oral dose of about 1000 mg to nine stable cirrhotic patients and eight age-matched healthy volunteers, the cumulative account excreted in the urine up to 48 h for AP and the three metabolites was comparable to other literature reports.

Antipyrine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Determination of unbound L-tryptophan in human plasma using high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

An assay for the measurement of unbound L-tryptophan concentrations in plasma was developed using reverse-phase HPLC with fluorescence detection. Unbound L-tryptophan from plasma was obtained using the Amicon MPS-1 ultrafiltration device. L-tryptophan binding to the membrane in the ultrafiltration device was not significant. A linear relationship between the peak-area ratios (peak-area of L-tryptophan to internal standard) and concentrations of L-tryptophan was obtained in the range of 0.1 microgram/mL to 2.5 micrograms/mL. The intra-assay precision was less than 10% for each control (0.18 microgram/mL, 0.75 microgram/mL and 2.0 micrograms/mL). The inter-assay precision was less than 15% for each control; the accuracy for each control; the accuracy for each control, expressed as percent difference from nominal (%DFN), was less than 12%. This method was used to determine unbound L-tryptophan concentrations in plasma from nine male subjects who participated in a clinical study.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cloning, sequence and expression of human interleukin-2 receptor.

T lymphocytes, essential for the generation of a normal immune response, require the presence of the lymphokine interleukin-2 (IL-2) in order to proliferate. Cells that respond to IL-2 possess a surface receptor glycoprotein specific for this lymphokine. We have recently purified and chemically characterized the IL-2 receptor from both phytohaemagglutinin-activated human T cells and the human T-cell lymphoma HUT-102 (ref. 5). From the NH2-terminal protein sequence obtained in that study, we have now used synthetic oligonucleotides to probe a complementary DNA library, prepared from HUT-102 messenger RNA, for the presence of cDNA clones that might code for the IL-2 receptor. Two cDNA clones were isolated which had closely related DNA sequences. Interestingly, only one coded for an active receptor when transfected into COS-7 cells. This clone contained a 216-base pair (bp) insert that was not present in the other clone. The insert was flanked by an 8-bp direct repeat reminiscent of a transposable element, and appeared to code for a region of marked structural homology to the NH2-terminal region of the receptor molecule.

Amino Acid Sequence↗