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Biomedical subjects

J Ruffin

Publications and source records attributed to J Ruffin.

17 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Building capacity for health disparity research at minority institutions.

The science and technology enterprise of the United States has consistently produced seminal work and cutting-edge technologies. It has responded promptly to both new opportunities and urgent crises. The success of this enterprise derives largely from the diversity of the types of institutions doing the work and from the many sources of public and private funding available to accomplish it. To those who argue that public-sector funds should support only the best science at the premier research institutions on the nation's East and West coasts, Dr. Rita Colwell, the director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) eloquently responds, "No one region, no one group of institutions, and no special communities have a corner on the market of good and great ideas, smart people, or outstanding researchers. Great ideas can come from just about anywhere."

Education↗
PubMed2001

Building capacity for health disparity research at minority institutions.

The science and technology enterprise of the United States has consistently produced seminal work and cutting-edge technologies. It has responded promptly to both new opportunities and urgent crises. The success of this enterprise derives largely from the diversity of the types of institutions doing the work and from the many sources of public and private funding available to accomplish it. To those who argue that public-sector funds should support only the best science at the premier research institutions on the nation's East and West coasts, Dr. Rita Colwell, the director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) eloquently responds, "No one region, no one group of institutions, and no special communities have a corner on the market of good and great ideas, smart people, or outstanding researchers. Great ideas can come from just about anywhere."

Education↗
PubMed1997

Forging alliances to meet future research and training needs.

There are countless challenges in meeting the future needs of the biomedical research community. In an era of flattened research budgets, the overarching concern has become how more can be done with less. One approach, still novel for the biomedical research community but proven successful for the commercial sector, is the establishment of strategic alliances. Among federal entities, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Office of Research on Minority Health (ORMH) have as their goal the improvement of the health of the nation's minorities through support for alliances between academic research institutions. These partnerships serve to maximize an institution's opportunity for success, especially with regard to research and training. There are many different opportunities for institutions to establish partnerships, especially among minority institutions, and between minority and majority institutions. Features of successful alliances are described, working partnership models identified, and other opportunities explored.

Humans↗
PubMed1996

A memorial service for families of children who died from cancer and blood disorders.

The grief of staff who work with dying children and the grief of family members after the death of a child has been widely documented. Interventions to facilitate grieving have been extensively developed for parents but less so for siblings and staff. This article describes one approach, a memorial service, for families and staff that has wide applicability for providing support after a death. The memorial service provides families and staff with a healing ritual of remembrance, a source of closure after the death, and a recognition of the relationships established between families and staff. The service particularly legitimizes the staff's grief experience. The organization, implementation, and evaluation of such a program is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

The effects of a support group on selected psychosocial outcomes of bereaved parents whose child died from cancer.

Group support for bereaved parents whose child died from cancer has been suggested as a means of helping parents express emotions about their loss and improve their coping. Using a quasi-experimental design, we sought to determine the selected psychosocial effects of participation in a support group for bereaved parents whose child died from cancer. Five bereaved parents completed the Emotions Profile Index, the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales, and the Social Adjustment Scale Self-Report before and after the seven group sessions. No statistically significant differences were found. Descriptive data were analyzed from the co-therapists' process log and the participants' evaluation forms. The group process log revealed intense pain and grief over the loss of the child and the parents' conscious struggle to adapt to the present and prepare for the future. The discussions poignantly indicated the great extent to which the child's death had changed their lives. Using the group evaluation form parents reported high satisfaction with the group sessions. Tentative conclusions support the value of such a group in providing a forum for some bereaved parents to ventilate feelings and thoughts and validate the normalcy of their reactions.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Seasonal variation of IgE and IgG antibody of some atopic patients against the pollen grains of selected plant species.

Several steps were taken to determine the seasonal variation of IgE and IgG antibody against Short Ragweed, Timothy Grass, Tag Alder and White Ash. Extracts of the above pollen grains were separated into their allergen components using SDS-gel electrophoresis and transblotted to nitrocellulose membrane (Western blotting) and probed with sera from atopic patients in every month (August 1987-July 1988). The IgE and IgG antibody against the specific-allergens were detected by double antibody immunoenzyme assay. The percentage of binding was determined by using a 620 video-densitometer. Results indicate that there was no reasonable IgE antibody before the pollination season, but IgEAb appeared after the season and was detectable for several months. Negligible amounts of IgGAb were observed.

Humans↗
PubMed1990

Lasting impressions. A psychosocial support program for adolescents with cancer and their parents.

Adolescents with cancer undergo numerous stresses due to their disease, its treatment, and its potential late effects. These patients may experience delayed mastery of developmental tasks, intimacy, and independence and may have long-term psychological sequelae. Parents of adolescents with cancer also encounter many stresses related to coping with their child's illness. Lasting Impressions, a support program for adolescent cancer patients and their parents, was developed to help overcome these problems. The purpose of the program is to promote positive mental health and adaptation in participants. This article describes the program's goals and methods for accomplishing them, including components and therapeutic activities. The activities include a scrapbook, a newsletter, peer visitation, and a speakers' bureau. The most recent project is a video that is shown to newly diagnosed cancer patients. This program could be easily replicated by other oncology nurses who work with adolescents or young adults with cancer.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Effects of certain atmospheric pollutants (SO2, NO2 and CO) on the soluble amino acids, molecular weight and antigenicity of some airborne pollen grains.

The pure pollen grains of Red Oak (Quercus rubra), Meadow Fescue (Festuca elatior) and Chinese Elm (Ulmas pumila) were exposed to carbon monoxide (CO), sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). After exposure, the soluble free amino acids were determined from the extracts using two-dimensional thin layer chromatography, and the molecular weight of the extracts were determined by SDS-gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The results indicated that after contamination, both the amino acids and molecular weight profiles were changed. In addition, the double immunodiffusion method was used against rabbit-antisera to determine the antigenicity of contaminated and non-contaminated pollen grain extracts. The results also showed that there were antigenic changes after contamination.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗
PubMed1983

An evaluation of the side effects of garlic as an antihypertensive agent.

Eight spontaneously hypertensive rats representative of a diverse group with regard to age and sex were used to observe possible side effects from the use of garlic as an antihypertensive agent. Doses were administered at 6 h intervals daily for 28 days. Blood pressure, pulse rate and ECG were monitored once every 7 days for 28 days and then again 6 days after the day that the last dose was administered. All of the animals had erratic pulse rates and abnormal ECG. Weight loss occurred in all of the animals receiving the extract two and three times a day. All of the animals tested became lethargic and weak, had soft faeces and showed signs of dehydration. Also, the skin on the hindlimbs and forelimbs became very tender and could be easily torn. These effects were more pronounced in the animals receiving the extract two and three times a day.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Garlic as a natural agent for the treatment of hypertension: a preliminary report.

The major objective of this study was to re-evaluate the effects of garlic on blood pressure with respect to its ability to provoke a decrease in blood pressure and to determine the length of time that this decrease would require. Spontaneously hypertensive rats were given three doses of garlic extract (0.1 ml/kg, 0.25 ml/kg, and 0.5 ml/kg) by oral injection. The blood pressures of these ether-anaesthetized rats were measured immediately before the extract was given, and then 0.5, 2, 4, 6, and 24 h after the extract was given. A blood pressure measurement was also taken at 48 h after extract administration for the 0.5 ml/kg dose. The Gilson Duograph System was used to measure blood pressure by the tail-cuff method. There was a marked decrease in the systolic blood pressure of all of the rats after three doses and the decrease occurred within 30 min in each case. Even though the average decreases for the 0.1 ml/kg and the 0.25 ml/kg doses were calculated as 51,25 mm Hg and 56.25 mm Hg, respectively, these doses were not sufficient to sustain the blood pressure in a normal range for more than 1 or 2 h. The 0.5 ml/kg dose, showing an average decrease of 65.7 mm Hg, was sufficient to provoke a decrease to a normal level and to sustain this decrease for up to 24 h. The results indicate that garlic is effective as a natural agent for the treatment of hypertension.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A call to action.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Ethnicity↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Planning and organizing a multidisciplinary psychosocial oncology service.

Providing psychosocial care to patients with cancer and their families is a formidable task given the current fiscal environment in hospitals. As the pool of available resources shrinks and populations shift from inpatient to outpatient, psychosocial staff are challenged to find creative, versatile, and efficient ways to deliver quality services and programs. This article describes the efforts to plan and implement psychosocial care at a cancer center facing the constraints of limited staff and decreasing resources. The background of the project, the development and implementation of a strategic plan, and a 1-year evaluation of the attainment of the objectives in the plan are described. The success of this approach and implications for psychosocial staff at other institutions are discussed.

Cancer Care Facilities↗