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Biomedical subjects

G Stone

Publications and source records attributed to G Stone.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Getting to know oncology inpatients and their families: a continuous quality improvement approach.

Given the overall magnitude of cancer, a climate of stretched health care resources, and the political activism of cancer survivors and families, it is becoming increasingly clear that local service providers need to assess and reassess the care they provide. A qualitative design was used to seek the patient and family's perspectives on whether or not their needs were being met while in hospital. Direct feedback from a convenience sample of 19 oncology patients and families was elicited through a semi-structured interview. Qualitative data analysis revealed eight important aspects of care for oncology patients and their families. These included: communication between patients and caregivers, caregiver availability and concerns about health care cutbacks, coordination and continuity of care, physical care and comfort, psychosocial care, caregiver sensitivity, caregiver competence, and the physical environment of the hospital. Challenges faced by individuals and their families affected by cancer are highlighted as they navigate through our health care system. Respondents provide positive reinforcement for use of appropriate interventions by caregivers, while clearly outlining areas needing improvement.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Pediatric asthma--a correlation of clinical treatment and oxygen saturation.

To determine the relationship between changes in room air oxygen saturation (SaO2) and changes in the clinical signs of pediatric asthma patients after treatment with nebulized albuterol, a 9-month prospective observational study was conducted. Eighty-two patients from 2 to 15 years of age who had exacerbations of asthma were studied when they presented to a military community hospital emergency department with an annual census of 62,500. For each patient, the change in SaO2 30 minutes after administration of nebulized albuterol was compared to the change in an ordinal clinical scoring system for asthma. Physicians were blinded to SaO2 measurements. Data are reported as mean values with differences between groups analyzed using the paired t-test. Patients with an initial SaO2 < 95% who clinically improved after treatment had a mean increase in their SaO2 of 2.6%. Patients with an initial SaO2 < 95% who did not clinically improve after treatment had a mean decrease in SaO2 of 1.1%, but this was not statistically significant (p = 0.14). The positive predictive value for improved SaO2 indicating clinical improvement is 98%. Patients with an initial SaO2 > 95% did not have significant changes in SaO2 after treatment regardless of clinical response. For pediatric asthma patients with an initial SaO2 < 95%, increased SaO2 after treatment with inhaled albuterol is predictive of clinical improvement. Patients with an initial SaO2 < 95% who do not have improved SaO2 after treatment require further evaluation.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Mixed estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activities of yuehchukene--a bis-indole alkaloid.

Anti-estrogenic effects of yuehchukene were observed in rat uterotrophic, mice vaginal smear and MCF-7 cell growth assays. Whereas yuehchukene per se was estrogenic in these bioassay models, the co-administration of yuehchukene and an optimal dose of 3,17 beta-estradiol (estradiol) could attenuate the maximum estrogenic response due to estradiol alone. The anti-estrogenic effect of yuehchukene in rat uterine hypertrophy was corroborated by a parallel attenuation of ornithine decarboxylase activity in these tissues. Yuehchukene binds to rat, mice and MCF-7 cell estrogen receptors with a relative binding affinity of 1/150 to 1/300. This binding affinity was positively related to estrogenicity as determined by uterotrophic assay and MCF-7 cell growth. However, this estrogenic effect did not correlate with the degree of competitive receptor binding by a weaker agonist. Indole-3-carbinol and methylbutadienylindole could induce ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase and estradiol-2-hydroxylase in rat liver and MCF-7 cells. It is postulated that the 'free' indole moiety of yuehchukene could possess similar induction activity. Thus yuehchukene may have a dual pharmacological function. While the intact molecule is a weak estrogen, the 'free' indole moiety in yuehchukene may induce an enhancement of estradiol-2-hydroxylase, thus terminating the biological activity of the endogenous estrogen pool. There is obvious benefit in attenuating the estrogen level in post-menopausal breast cancer patients without going directly to the use of tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitor. Yuehchukene may serve this purpose. In this context, the pharmacological evaluation of a hydroxylated yuehchukene analogue and the anti-estrogenic effect of methylbutadienylindole acid-condensation products are now being studied in earnest.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1993

GAL4 is regulated by a glucose-responsive functional domain.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae transcriptional activator GAL4 is regulated by the presence of available carbon sources. Galactose induces activity by inhibiting the negative regulator GAL80, while glucose, the preferred carbon source, antagonizes GAL4 function by several mechanisms. In the present study we present evidence that one mechanisms for inhibition of GAL transcription by glucose involves direct inhibition of the GAL4 protein. We demonstrate that a large, previously uncharacterized, central region of GAL4 contains at least three 'inhibitory domains' and a 'glucose response domain' (GRD). Deletion of the entire central region eliminates direct inhibition of GAL4 by glucose, and furthermore, fusion of the central region to a heterologous transcriptional activator confers inhibition by glucose. The central region inhibitory domains constitutively inhibit transcriptional activation when the GRD is absent. Direct inhibition of GAL4 activity can be detected within 30 min following glucose addition and may represent an early mechanism promoting a switch from galactose to glucose utilization. A model for the regulatory role of the central region is presented, involving interaction with an additional protein that inhibits GAL4 activity when glucose is present.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Neutralizing antibody responses in patients with AIDS with neurologic complications.

Although the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is frequently isolated from the cerebrospinal fluid of infected patients, only a small percentage of patients are found to have clinical dementia or neuropathies (or both). The reasons for this remain unclear. In our study, serum neutralizing antibody titers against the human T cell leukemia virus-IIIB isolate of HIV-1 were tested in 10 patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) with neurologic complications and 20 patients with HIV infection without neurologic complications. Titers were significantly lower in the neuro-AIDS group, suggesting that impaired neutralizing antibody responses in this subpopulation of patients may be involved in the immunopathogenesis of AIDS encephalopathy.

AIDS Dementia Complex↗
PubMed1989

Infection of macaque monkeys with simian immunodeficiency virus from African green monkeys: virulence and activation of latent infection.

The virulence of three isolates of simian immunodeficiency virus from African green monkeys (SIVagm) was studied in rhesus and pigtailed macaques. None of 15 rhesus monkeys and one of four pigtailed monkeys died from infection during the time they were studied (up to 33 months). SIVagm was only isolated from rhesus monkeys for up to 2 months after inoculation. However, when these animals were secondarily infected with Simian acquired immunodeficiency syndrome retrovirus type 1 (SRV-1), SIVagm was activated and isolated. Dual infection caused increased mortality.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Tropical spastic paraparesis: clinical, immunological, and virological studies in two patients from Martinique.

Two patients from Martinique with tropical spastic paraparesis had antibodies to human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in serum and spinal fluid but no antibodies to other retroviruses tested. They presented with spastic weakness of both lower extremities, hyperreflexia with upgoing toes, sphincteric dysfunction, and normal sensation. By means of agarose isoelectric focusing and selective immunoblotting we demonstrated an increased intrathecal synthesis of IgG antibodies to HTLV-I in the spinal fluid. Unique oligoclonal bands of IgG antibodies to HTLV-I were present in the cerebrospinal fluid. Using a battery of monoclonal antibodies we also found in these patients an increased number of circulating T cells that expressed activation markers. We conclude that the HTLV-I retrovirus associated with tropical spastic paraparesis has both lymphocytotropic and neurotropic properties.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Agreement among physician assessment methods. Searching for the truth among fallible methods.

To determine the convergent validity of four methods of physician assessment--physician interview, patient interview, chart audit, and videotaped observation--these methods were compared for their ability to detect medication regimens prescribed for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Comparisons of data from the four methods revealed substantial discrepancies among them. In fact, the methods were in full accord only 36% of the time in detecting theophylline prescription, and even less often for the other COPD medications. According to physician interview, 78% of patients were on theophylline; chart audit revealed 62% of patients were on the medication; videotaped observation, 69%; and only 59% of patients reported themselves to be on theophylline. An iterative analysis, applied to determine which method most accurately captures data, revealed that reports from physician interviews were the most precise source of data. Although the order of merit was much the same for each of the drugs studied, there were some differences in levels of sensitivity across drugs. Specificities were consistently high for all drugs and all methods.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1988

A comparison of two measures of egocentrism.

This study examined the relationship between two prominent measures of egocentrism, Enright's Adolescent Egocentrism Scale (AES) and Elkind's Imaginary Audience Scale (IAS), in a sample of 458 adolescents, between 10 and 15 years old. Both correlational and factor analyses indicated that the two measures assess distinctly different phenomena. As predicted, IAS scores were correlated with self-reported levels of shyness, nervousness, and social skills. These results provide partial evidence for the validity of the IAS as a measure of self-consciousness, though not necessarily egocentrism per se. The validity of the AES was not examined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Effect of nicardipine on rest and exercise hemodynamics in chronic congestive heart failure.

The hemodynamic response to vasodilation induced by the new calcium channel antagonist nicardipine was studied in 10 patients with severe, chronic congestive heart failure. Rest and exercise hemodynamics were evaluated in the baseline state and after 1 week of oral nicardipine therapy (30 mg 3 times daily). In addition, respiratory gas exchange and arteriovenous oxygen difference were measured to assess changes in oxygen utilization. The responses of the sympathetic nervous system were evaluated by measuring plasma norepinephrine concentrations at rest and during maximal exercise. At rest, nicardipine administration was associated with significant reductions in mean systemic arterial pressure, systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary artery wedge pressure and pulmonary arterial pressure, and significant increases in cardiac index and stroke volume index. These effects were maintained during exercise. In contrast to findings with other calcium channel antagonists, no negative inotropic effect of nicardipine was identified. Nicardipine administration was associated with reduction of arteriovenous oxygen difference. Nicardipine had no effect on plasma norepinephrine concentrations, suggesting absence of reflex sympathetic nervous activation. Thus, nicardipine-mediated vasodilation leads to significant improvements in both rest and exercise cardiac performance.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Medical Communication Behavior System. An interactional analysis system for medical interactions.

The study assessed the psychometric properties of the Medical Communication Behavior System. This observation system records time spent by the physicians and patients on specific behaviors in the categories of informational, relational, and negative situation behaviors by using hand-held electronic devices. The study included observations of 101 genetic counseling sessions and also assessed the outcome measures of patient knowledge and satisfaction. In addition, 41 of the sessions were rated using the Roter Interactional Analysis System, and 20 additional control subjects completed the post-counseling information without being observed to examine the effects of recording the session. Results showed good interobserver reliability, and evidence of concurrent, construct, and predictive validity. No differences were found between the observed and unobserved groups of any of the outcome measures.

Behavior↗