Colorado Consortium for Nursing Work Force Development. Moving from chaos to collaboration.
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Area Health Education Centers↗
Biomedical subjects
J Falco
Publications and source records attributed to J Falco.
Differentiated practice in Colorado--what's happening?
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Colorado↗
Chinese flap in head and neck surgery.
Twenty patients underwent resections for head and neck cancer. The reconstructive procedure used was the free forearm flap with microsurgical technique on 22 occasions. The free forearm flap was used in its simple or composite form, with double or manifold islands, with a segment of the radius for mandible reconstruction or with two islands joined solely by the vascular pedicle, constituting what the authors call "tandem flap", with excellent results. The procedure does not replace conventional ones, but the authors believe it should be regarded as one of the choice flaps by surgeons dedicated to this special field.
Adult↗
Growth factor-regulated pathways in epithelial cell proliferation.
Investigations of the pathways regulating normal growth of epithelial cells have revealed the existence of two major growth-factor signaling cascades required for proliferation. One pathway is activated by IGF-1 or high insulin concentration. The other is triggered by EGF, TGF alpha, or members of the FGF family, including the recently discovered epithelial-cell-specific growth factor, designated keratinocyte growth factor (KGF). Its expression pattern in vivo suggests that KGF plays an important normal physiologic role as a stromal effector of epithelial cell proliferation. Oncogenes, which represent constitutively activated forms of genes critically involved in growth-factor signaling pathways, specifically abrogate the requirement for mitogens of the EGF pathway. Examples of such genes include the erbB/EGF receptor and erbB-2, which encode structurally related receptor proteins and are often amplified and/or overexpressed in epithelial malignancies. Employing reduced stringency hybridization with v-erbB as a probe, we recently identified a third member of this receptor family, designated erbB-3. cDNA cloning revealed a predicted 148-kD transmembrane polypeptide with structural features similar to those of the EGF receptor. Normal erbB-3 expression in keratinocytes and glandular epithelium suggests its physiologic role in these cell types. Moreover, markedly elevated erbB-3 mRNA levels in certain mammary tumor cell lines suggest that increased erbB-3 expression may also play a role in some human epithelial malignancies.
Animals↗
The calcium signal for BALB/MK keratinocyte terminal differentiation counteracts epidermal growth factor (EGF) very early in the EGF-induced proliferative pathway.
BALB/MK mouse epidermal keratinocytes require epidermal growth factor (EGF) for proliferation and terminally differentiate in response to high calcium concentrations. We show that EGF is an extremely potent mitogen, causing BALB/MK cultures to enter the cell cycle in a synchronous manner associated with a greater than 100-fold increase in DNA synthesis. Analysis of the expression of proto-oncogenes which have been reported to be activated during the cascade of events following growth factor stimulation of fibroblasts or lymphoid cells revealed a very rapid but transient 100-fold increase in c-fos RNA but little or no effect on the other proto-oncogenes analyzed. Exposure of EGF-synchronized BALB/MK cells to high levels of calcium was associated with a striking decrease in the early burst of c-fos RNA as well as the subsequent peak of cell DNA synthesis. Since the inhibitory effect of high calcium on c-fos RNA expression was measurable within 30 min, our studies imply that the EGF proliferative and calcium differentiation signals must interact very early in the pathway of EGF-induced proliferation. Our results also establish that c-fos RNA modulation is an important early marker of cell proliferation in epithelial as well as mesenchymal cells.
Animals↗
B cell stimulatory factor-1/interleukin-4 mRNA is expressed by normal and transformed mast cells.
BSF-1/interleukin-4, a product of activated T cells, has multiple biological activities that affect cells of most hematopoietic lineages. Among these is the ability of BSF-1 to costimulate the growth of mast cells and regulate the production of IgE. We demonstrate here that BSF-1 mRNA is expressed by a majority of transformed mast cell lines and by 5 IL-3-dependent non-transformed mast cell lines. BSF-1 activity, including the ability to enhance the growth of IL-3-dependent mast cells, was detected in the supernatants of transformed mast cells. The role of BSF-1 as a mast cell growth factor, its constitutive production by transformed mast cells, and the lack of IL-3 production by most of these cells raise the possibility that BSF-1 may act as an autocrine growth factor for some transformed mast cells. Furthermore, production of BSF-1 mRNA by nontransformed cells indicates that mast cells may be an important physiologic source of this factor.
Abelson murine leukemia virus↗
Modulation of urokinase plasminogen activator gene expression during the transition from quiescent to proliferative state in normal mouse cells.
We have investigated the regulation of urokinase (u-PA) mRNA in quiescent mouse fibroblasts and keratinocytes stimulated to divide by the addition of serum or epidermal growth factor (EGF), respectively. Serum stimulation of quiescent fibroblasts (BALB/c 3T3 or Swiss 3T3) results in an early and transient increase of u-PA mRNA level, which precedes by several hours the onset of DNA synthesis. A similar response is elicited by EGF stimulation of quiescent keratinocytes. The increase of u-PA mRNA parallels that of c-myc mRNA, does not require protein synthesis and is at least in part due to increase in template activity of the u-PA gene. Induction of terminal differentiation of mouse keratinocytes results in a decrease of u-PA mRNA which parallels the decrease of thymidine incorporation. In conclusion, variation in the level of u-PA mRNA is seen during G0/G1 transition and correlates with the proliferative state of these normal mouse cells.
Animals↗
Induction of growth alterations in factor-dependent hematopoietic progenitor cell lines by cocultivation with irradiated bone marrow stromal cell lines.
We studied the production of hemopoietins by x-irradiated plateau-phase cultures of cloned marrow stromal cell lines derived from C3H/HeJ marrow, termed D2XRII and clone 11. The production of CSF in agar overlay of control or 10,000 rad irradiated stromal cultures was quantitated by induction of colonies in: overlaid fresh marrow, IL-3-dependent cell line 32D cl 3, or GM-CSF/IL-3-dependent cell lines FDCP-1 or bg/bg cl 1. Conditioned media were tested for CSF by bioassay using fresh marrow cells, for M-CSF (CSF-1) by RIA, and for IL-3 and GM-CSF by microwell proliferation assay with 32D cl 3 and FDCP-1 cells, respectively. X-irradiation to doses that decreased CSF-1 to 40% of control levels (greater than 5,000 rad) resulted in a 30-fold increase in growth of FDCP-1 or bg/bg cl 1 cells in liquid co-culture or agar culture overlay with no detectable growth of 32D cl 3. The frequency of subculture of nonautocrine, factor independent (FI) variant clonal lines of FDCP-1 or bg/bg cl 1 cells was increased over 1000-fold by 15 weeks cocultivation with irradiated stromal cell cultures. FI subclonal lines formed tumors in syngeneic mice and contained no detectable poly A messenger RNA for GM-CSF or IL-3, and no elevation in c-myc, c-abl, c-src, or erb-B onc gene-specific messenger RNA compared to parent factor-dependent lines. These data indicate that x-irradiated plateau phase marrow stromal cells produce increased levels of cell contact-mediated biologically active hemopoietin(s) other than M-CSF, GM-CSF, or IL-3 and induce nonautocrine factor-independent malignant cell lines in vitro.
Animals↗
Induction of malignant transformation of cocultivated hematopoietic stem cells by X-irradiation of murine bone marrow stromal cells in vitro.
X-irradiation of purified primary cultures of mouse bone marrow stroma or permanent cloned marrow stromal cell lines in plateau phase decreases production of macrophage progenitor cell-specific colony-stimulating factor to a plateau minimum of 40% of control levels after doses of 50 to 500 Gy delivered at 2 Gy/min. After 50 Gy there is increased bioavailability of another growth factor(s) that is distinct from macrophage progenitor cell-specific colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cell colony-stimulating factor, or colony-stimulating factor for multipotential hematopoietic stem cells (interleukin 3). Liquid-phase cocultivation of irradiated stromal cells with either nonadherent cells from continuous marrow cultures or cloned dual granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cell colony-stimulating factor/interleukin 3-dependent hematopoietic progenitor cell lines induces evolution over 5 weeks of factor-independent colony-forming cells. Subcultured factor-independent colonies generated clonal malignant cell lines with multiple distinct karyotypic alterations. Inoculation of 10(6) cells s.c. from factor-independent clones into syngeneic mice produces local granulocytic monomyeloid tumors with spread to spleen, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. These data provide the first demonstration in vitro of indirect X-irradiation leukemogenesis through cells of the marrow stroma.
Animals↗
[Carotid stenosis: appropriate diagnosis and treatment].
Ischemic cerebral infarcts represent a serious health problem with important social and economic repercussions in the western world. The presence of carotid stenosis is one of the main risk factors for the appearance of cerebral infarcts. Carotid stenosis represents a challenge for the medical community, both because of the enormous amount of scientific information available and because of the constant advances in diagnostic procedures and especially in revascularization techniques for treatment. General radiologists as well as those specializing in vascular pathology need to have ample knowledge of how to reach the diagnosis and of the different treatment options for this pathology if they are to play a successful role in multidisciplinary teams dealing with carotid stenosis. This update aims to present the basic information that we consider to be essential in a simple way to enable radiologists to meet this challenge.
Carotid Stenosis↗
The use of group process in developing articulation models.
This article explores the use of group process for developing articulation models to enable movement of graduates between levels of nursing education with minimal barriers and repetition of content. Potential roadblocks to success include differing philosophical positions, lack of recognition of core content and end competencies of the different levels, and time commitments required. However, with careful planning and flexibility, group dynamics can be used proactively to achieve success.
Colorado↗
Exposure assessment techniques used by EPA.
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Animals↗
Performance indicators for discharge planning: a focused review of the literature.
The literature on discharge planning was reviewed with the aim of developing performance indicators to complement the phases of successful discharge planning of: assessment of need, development of plans, implementation of plans and evaluation of outcome. The researchers suggest that these four phases link closely with steps in the Total Quality Management (TQM) cycle of thinking, planning, acting and reviewing. The literature review took account of stakeholders in discharge planning, defining them as hospital and community services, funding bodies and patients and carers. While the literature generally supports the need to develop discharge planning performance indicators, there were few concrete examples that reflected all phases of discharge planning or the needs of all stakeholders. The literature has focused largely on nursing discharge planning activities for specific patient groups, and/or particular hospital and community settings, and has commonly addressed only one or two phases of discharge planning. There were few articles that explored health outcome or cost savings derived from discharge planning on a large scale or over the longer term. The researchers conceptualised a notion of domains of quality discharge planning (efficiency of discharge planning process, timeliness of decision-making, stakeholder satisfaction and managing impediments to discharge), and propose performance indicators that address each discharge planning phase from the perspective of stakeholders.
Efficiency, Organizational↗