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Biomedical subjects

J Kaminski

Publications and source records attributed to J Kaminski.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

New England eye care survey.

BACKGROUND: Descriptive statistics on patient or consumer use of eye care are important for health care policy and professional development. Most survey research has been through doctors or doctors' offices. Some consumer surveys have been completed by direct mail, but information from direct mail surveys suffers from respondent self selection. This study joins a growing number of surveys designs that use random-digit telephone survey methods, which have less self-selection bias. METHODS: This study describes patient use and perceptions of eye care services in three New England areas using random-digit telephone survey. Nine hundred eighteen calls were attempted. A standardized interview and survey questionnaire was used for each phone contact. RESULTS: Of 163 respondents (18% response rate), it was found that most patients were satisfied with the care, time, discussion, and fees provided by their eye care practitioner. Most (78%) planned on returning to the same practitioner in the future. Sixty percent of participants saw an optometrist, 29% saw an ophthalmologist, and 11% were unsure. In a subsample, differences in perception between optometric and ophthalmologic care was investigated, and no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings are similar to others in terms of market share between optometric and ophthalmologic settings for primary eye care. Several new findings were measured and discussed, and the data may be helpful for policy decisions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

The effect of soothing music on neonatal behavioral states in the hospital newborn nursery.

Most newborns born in Western countries spend their first transitional hours in hospital nurseries. Noxious noise levels in the nursery can interfere with neonatal efforts to achieve physiological and behavioral homeostasis. Literature indicates that music has been used to induce relaxation states and reduce stress responses. This study used a one-group, pretest, posttest design. A convenience sample of 20 term, Caucasian neonates was recruited. The number of high arousal behavioral states and the number of state changes of the newborns was recorded for a control and an experimental period. Soothing, lyrical music was played in the baby's bed during the experimental period. The data was compared using McNemar's test statistic. A significant difference (p < .01) was observed. The results suggest that soothing music may be a feasible intervention to help newborns demonstrate fewer high arousal states and less state lability.

Arousal↗
PubMed1992

A bioassay for inhibition of serotonin release from bovine platelets.

A bioassay was developed to study agents capable of inhibiting the release of serotonin from bovine blood platelets. It is a simple, inexpensive, and reproducible high-throughput bioassay suitable for quality control of feverfew, Tanacetum parthenium, a crude drug with proven migraine prophylactic activity that is being considered for governmental registration and regulation. The bioassay, which requires no experimental animals or human subjects, was used to assess the in vitro activity of T. parthenium samples grown from seed obtained from 10 different regions of Europe. The activity was found to vary significantly within and between samples, with no geographical correlation. Serotonin release inhibition was shown to be significantly correlated with the content of the germacranolide sesquiterpene lactone, parthenolide, although other sesquiterpene lactones from this plant and other members of the Asteraceae were also shown to be active. The activities of six other species of Tanacetum, as well as of Artemisia absinthium (wormwood) and Zingiber officinale (ginger), and two commercial drugs for migraine prophylaxis, verapamil hydrochloride and propranolol hydrochloride, were also assessed. The relevance of the bovine platelet serotonin release inhibition bioassay to antimigraine research is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Adhesion of L1210 cells to modified styrene copolymer surfaces in the presence of serum.

The static adhesion of living L1210 cells (in serum-containing medium) to the surface of (styrene/methylmethacrylate) copolymers differing in styrene content (from 5% to 50% of styrene units) was investigated. The examination of wettability of the copolymer surfaces showed that the contact angle of water on the hydrophobic surfaces is an increasing linear function of styrene content in the copolymer. Cell adhesion to the unwettable surfaces is low (within 2-4%). A novel method of modification of the styrene copolymer surfaces was used to render these surfaces suitable for cell attachment. The modification consists of sulfonation of the surfaces with sulfur trioxide at the gas/solid interface. The contact angle of sulfonated copolymer surfaces is a decreasing linear function of styrene content in the copolymer. The contact angle decreases due to the increased number of highly hydrophilic sulfonic groups bonded to styrene. By acetylation of the sulfonated surfaces it was shown that cell adhesion to acetylated surfaces is not diminished and is at the same level as cell adhesion to sulfonated copolymer surfaces. Thus, it can be concluded that sulfonation of copolymer surfaces does not form hydroxyl groups. Cell adhesion to substrata of high wettability stabilizes after 30s. The relative number of cells adhering to the sulfonated copolymer surfaces is a decreasing linear function of the contact angle. For the copolymer surfaces containing 50% of styrene units the contact angle decreases sevenfold, due to sulfonation, and the number of adhering cells increases 40-fold. The results obtained show that for cell-substratum adhesive interaction the presence of sulfonic groups at the substratum surface is important.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Comparative vaginal spermicidal studies in the stumptailed macaque with alkyloxynol-741, nonoxynol-9 and chlorhexidine.

Alkyloxynol-741 ("agent 741") is used in the People's Republic of China as a substitute for nonoxynol-9 in vaginal contraceptive formulations. However, no studies are available that compare the effectiveness of these agents as vaginal spermicides. For this reason, dissolvable polyvinylalcohol (PVA) films were prepared containing various concentrations of alkyloxynol-741 and nonoxynol-9. Films were also prepared containing chlorhexidine, a potentially new vaginal contraceptive agent. Postcoital vaginal spermicidal studies were performed with the films in the stumptailed macaque (Macaca arctoides). The order of spermicidal potency was: alkyloxynol-741 greater than nonoxynol-9 greater than chlorhexidine. These observations suggest that alkyloxynol-741 can be used instead of nonoxynol-9 in those countries where alkyloxynol-741 is more readily available and can be obtained at a lower cost.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Comparison of the spermicidal activity and acute toxicity of nonoxynol-9 and agent 741 [alkylphenoxy polyethoxy ethanol(10)].

A spermicidal agent called "741" is used in the People's Republic of China as a substitute for nonoxynol-9 in vaginal contraceptive preparations. The relative spermicidal activity of these two agents was evaluated using dog, rabbit, monkey and human semen. Acute LD50 determinations in mice were also performed. The spermicidal activity and acute toxicity of both agents were either identical or very similar in all species. Since agent 741 is less expensive than nonoxynol-9 to manufacture and equally as potent in vitro, it is an alternative spermicide for vaginal contraceptive formulations.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Inhibition of human sperm penetration into zona-free hamster oocytes by proteinase inhibitors.

The potential role of serine proteinase in the penetration of human spermatozoa into denuded (zona-free) hamster oocytes was investigated. Aryl 4-guanidinobenzoates (10(-4) to 10(-6) M) and 4-aminobenzamidines (10(-3) and 10(-4) M) decreased oocyte penetration when present throughout the assay system. More detailed studies with 8-quinolyl 4-guanidinobenzoate showed that this inhibitor also caused a large decrease in the penetration rate even when only present during the preincubation period of the spermatozoa to induce capacitation. Much smaller decreases were observed when this inhibitor was only present during sperm/egg incubation. By contrast, 4-aminobenzamidine caused a large decrease in the penetration rate when present during sperm/egg incubation but a much smaller one when present during the sperm's preincubation period. The primary action of the inhibitors was not due to a visible effect on sperm motility or forward progression, or to an effect on the oocyte, although treatment of oocytes with inhibitor caused a small decrease in penetration. Inhibition of sperm binding to the oolemma occurred also at times, but this was not directly correlated to the decrease in oocyte penetration. The results are consistent with the fact that a serine proteinase, presumably acrosin, is important for the capacitation, acrosome reaction, and/or oocyte penetration of human spermatozoa. The synthesized aryl 4-guanidinobenzoates are of interest as contraceptive agents because they possess phenols approved by the Food and Drug Administration (United States) for human use and should be relatively nontoxic.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Gastric antisecretory properties of SCH 32651.

This report describes the gastric antisecretory properties of SCH 32651 (3-amino-2-methyl-8-phenylmethoxyimidazo[1,2-a] pyrazine HCl . 1/3 H2O). In the pyloric ligated rat, SCH 32651 inhibited gastric acid secretion; the oral ID50 (95% confidence limits) was 23.7 (13.8-39.2) mg/kg. In Heidenhain pouch dogs, SCH 32651 antagonized histamine-stimulated acid secretion with an ID50 of 1.44 (0.55-3.91) mg/kg p.o. SCH 32651 was also active against secretory responses to dimaprit, pentagastrin and feeding in dogs. In all test models SCH 32651 showed similar potency to cimetidine. Chronic administration of SCH 32651 or cimetidine caused slight tolerance and its antisecretory effect was readily reversible on cessation of dosing. The data indicate that SCH 32651 is an orally effective novel antisecretory drug.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1984

Gastric cytoprotective properties of SCH 32651, a novel antiulcer agent.

The antisecretory activity of SCH 32651 (3-amino-2-methyl-8-phenylmethoxyimidazo[1,2-a] pyrazine HCl . 1/3 H2O) has been described in a preceding paper. This report describes its gastric cytoprotective properties. SCH 32651 inhibited the gastric lesions due to ethanol in a dose-dependent manner (ID50 = 5 mg/kg p.o.) and exerted its maximal effect when given 30 min before ethanol and had a duration of at least 90 min at 30 mg/kg p.o. The activity of SCH 32651 against ethanol was unaffected by indomethacin pretreatment. Furthermore, SCH 32651 produced significant increases in gastric mucus release (10-100 mg/kg p.o.) and rapidly reversed ethanol-induced (30-100 mg/kg p.o.) fall in gastric potential difference (PD). SCH 32651 displayed significant antiulcer activity in indomethacin-(30-100 mg/kg p.o.), aspirin - (30-100 mg/kg p.o.), "aspirin + acid" - (10-100 mg/kg p.o.), reserpine - (10-100 mg/kg p.o.), stress - (30-100 mg/kg p.o.), and cysteamine (10-100 mg/kg p.o.) ulcers. The present data in conjunction with those reported in a preceding paper indicate that SCH 32651 is an orally effective novel antiulcer drug with both gastric antisecretory and cytoprotective properties.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1983

Miscuffing: inappropriate blood pressure cuff application.

For the accurate indirect measurement of blood pressure (BP), the American Heart Association (AHA) now recommends that cuff size should be based solely on limb circumference. We studied prevailing cuffing habits and compared them with newly revised AHA guidelines. Monitoring our staff's cuff applications, we found that "miscuffing" occurred in 65 (32%) of 200 BP determinations on 167 unselected adult outpatients, including 61 (72%) of 85 readings taken on "nonstandard" size arms. Undercuffing large arms was the most frequent error, accounting for 84% of the miscuffings. Considering that miscuffing distorts BP readings by an average of 8.5 mm Hg systolic and 4.6 mm Hg diastolic, we can improve the accuracy of our BP determinations by remarking our cuffs and using the new AHA guidelines.

American Heart Association↗
PubMed1981

Particle size and concentration adjustments of tomato products for Howard mold count.

The present AOAC method for mold counts of tomato products (44.096) provides no inter-product standardization of concentration among juice, sauce, paste, puree, and catsup; no intra-product standardization of concentration for juice, sauce, and catsup; and no adjustment for degree of comminution. Use of the official method, therefore, could result in an artificially increased mold count for products which have undergone extreme comminution. A new method was developed to adjust all products to the same concentration and grind them to a uniform particle size, thereby ensuring comparable mold counts on products produced by different processes. Collaborative study results showed equal repeatability for both the official and the proposed methods and a lower coefficient of variation for the proposed method.

Food Microbiology↗
PubMed1978

[Enzymehistochemical and immunopathological findings in the guinea pig lung after repeated doses of Freund's adjuvant (author's transl)].

An interstitial cell reaction was produced in guinea pigs by repeated doses of complete Freund's adjuvant. The resulting changes were investigated with enzymehistochemical and immunopathological methods. Histologically there were diffuse or focal interstitial infiltrations of histiocytes, lymphocytes, plasma cells, polymorphonuclear leucocytes and some eosinophils. Enzymehistochemically a strong activity of acid phosphatase and beta-glucuronidase is found in an increased number of alveolar macrophages, in contrast to the poor enzyme content of the interstitial cell infiltrations. Only some granulomas with starting fibrosis, visible after 6 weeks, exhibit an activity of leucine aminopeptidase and alkaline phosphatase. Immunopathologically, with the aid of anti-guinea pig-globulin, no immunoglobulins could be detected in the lungs of all animals.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1977

Myocardial infarction coincident with cerebrovascular accidents in the elderly.

In a three-year prospective study of acute cerebrovascular accident patients admitted to a geriatric unit within 72 hours of the onset, 12.7% had what was considered to be an associated acute myocardial infarction. In the majority of cases, 71%, there was no clinical indication of an acute myocardial infarction and, had it not been for electrocardiographic and enzyme studies, the concurrence of these two conditions might not have come to light. The possible explanations for the concurrence of these two conditions are explored. Patients were followed-up for five years. The mortality rate for the combined acute myocardial and cerebral infarction cases admitted to hospital was 53% in six weeks, and 64% in one year, compared with 26% and 42%, respectively, in those strokes uncomplicated by a cardiac infarction. Only one patient has survived for five years. The recognition of such cases is important in terms of management and prognosis and this may be achieved by ECG recordings followed by enzyme studies in all cases of acute stroke admitted to hospital.

Acute Disease↗