Biomedical subjects

L Desantis

Publications and source records attributed to L Desantis.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Preclinical efficacy of travoprost, a potent and selective FP prostaglandin receptor agonist.

Travoprost is the isopropyl ester prodrug of a high affinity, selective FP prostaglandin full receptor agonist. In contrast to travoprost acid's high affinity and efficacy at the FP receptor, there is only sub-micromolar affinity for the DP, EP1, EP3, EP4, IP, and TP receptors. Travoprost produced a lower incidence of ocular irritation than PGF20 isopropyl ester at a dose of 1 microg in the New Zealand albino (NZA) rabbit. Topical ocular application of travoprost produced a marked miotic effect in cats following doses of 0.01, 0.03 and 0.1 microg. In the ocular hypertensive monkey, b.i.d. application of 0.1 and 0.3 microg of travoprost afforded peak reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) of 22.7% and 28.6%, respectively. Topical application of travoprost was well tolerated in rabbits, cats and monkeys, causing no ocular irritation or discomfort at doses up to 1 microg. Travoprost is a promising ocular hypotensive prostaglandin FP derivative that has the ocular hypotensive efficacy of PGF2alpha isopropyl ester but with less severe ocular side effects.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed1998

Effect of betaxolol, timolol and nimodipine on human and pig retinal arterioles.

This study tested the hypothesis that the beta-adrenergic antagonists betaxolol and timolol, cause retinal arteriolar vasodilatation in addition to their ability to reduce intraocular pressure (IOP), and compared their vasodilatory ability with that of a known Ca2+ channel entry blocker nimodipine in donor human and pig isolated perfused retinal arterioles. This study was performed using a microperfusion technique specifically established to allow investigations in arterioles as small as the first order human and pig retinal arterioles (approximately 100 microns diameter). The scarcity of viable human tissue was overcome by the successful development of controlled rate freezing and cryopreservation techniques which were able to preserve the vascular responsiveness of the retinal arterioles, thus enabling multiple experiments to be performed on segments of retinal arterioles from each individual donor eye. Furthermore, relaxation by acetylcholine in noradrenaline contracted pig retinal arterioles showed that endothelial cell function was well maintained after cryopreservation (n = 8). Baseline diameters of retinal arterioles used in the main studies were: cryopreserved human 92.3 +/- 3.4 microns (n = 44), fresh pig 94.7 +/- 2.2 microns (n = 42), and cryopreserved pig 94.3 +/- 2.3 microns (n = 30). Precontraction with extraluminal endothelin-1 (ET-1) 10(-9) M reduced the diameters to 74.3 +/- 0.9%, 71.6 +/- 1.6% and 72.5 +/- 0.9% respectively. Intraluminally applied nimodipine and betaxolol caused a significant dose dependent dilatation (P < 0.001) in human retinal arterioles with a threshold of 10(-12) M. Timolol did not produce a significant dilatation in human arterioles. Timolol produced a small but significant dilatation in fresh and cryopreserved pig arterioles but the dilatation with betaxolol and nimodipine was significantly larger. The nimodipine and betaxolol dose response curves were not significantly different in human arterioles, but nimodipine produced significantly greater dilatation than betaxolol (P < 0.001) in fresh and cryopreserved pig arterioles. Both nimodipine and betaxolol were significantly more effective vasodilators than timolol (P < 0.001) in human and pig retinal arterioles.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

PubMed1988

Development of a nurse-instructor preparation program in China.

Preparation of nurses to function as instructors in schools of nursing has proved a continuing problem in the effort to upgrade nursing and nursing education in third-world nations. Development of a nurse-instructor preparation program in China is discussed. Methods of adapting the program to local and national needs, abilities and resources are described along with the use of the counterpart concept to assure program continuation once foreign nurse-experts are no longer available. Use of a Phase Model program is seen as a method of maximizing use of nurse-consultants while alleviating their recruitment problems and preserving the continuity and integrity of the program.

China↗

PubMed1986

Infant feeding practices of Haitian mothers in south Florida: cultural beliefs and acculturation.

The practice of breast feeding is declining among immigrant groups in the U.S. This study explores the socioeconomic and cultural factors affecting the decision of infant feeding preference among Haitian mothers in Florida. Thirty Haitian-immigrant mothers were interviewed in their homes by two Haitian, Creole speaking health care providers. A 110-item, predominantly open-ended questionnaire developed from the Field Guide for a Study of Socialization was utilized. Descriptive data gathered from the interviews revealed that while most of the Haitian women believe that breast feeding is a better feeding choice, only one woman chose to breast feed her U.S.-born infant. Factors cited for the decision to bottle feed included: need for employment, lack of support, influence of other people, and a wish to acculturate to the perceived norm of infant feeding in the U.S. Haitian ethnomedical beliefs about breast milk, beliefs about bottle feeding, and implications for health teaching by health care professionals are discussed. The author stresses that the reasons for a woman's feeding preference must be evaluated before health care professionals advocate a specific feeding choice, so that the functional significance of the woman's choice is not lost and the stresses of acculturation are not increased.

Acculturation↗