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Biomedical subjects

L Vincent

Publications and source records attributed to L Vincent.

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

[Large granular T-cell lymphocytic leukemia disclosed by bilateral uveitis: association with celiac disease].

A 70-year-old woman presented with bilateral anterior uveitis. She was on a gluten-free diet because of a celiac disease which had been diagnosed 3 months before. An anterior chamber aspirate contained a majority of large granular lymphocytes (LGL). The investigation of a chronic neutropenia led to the diagnosis of an otherwise typical T-LGL leukemia. This seems to be the first report of a CD3+ CD4- CD8+ T-LGL leukemia causing anterior uveitis through infiltration of leukemic cells, and the second report of an intriguing association of celiac disease with T-LGL leukemia.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

The 1996 Helene Hudson Memorial Lecture. Work redesign and re-engineering: a challenge for professional nursing practice.

Work redesign and re-engineering have become the buzzwords of the 1990s as all sectors of the health care arena struggle to meet the demands of patient care while coping with increasing fiscal constraint. Redesign and re-engineering are terms that describe a wide range of strategies in health care and radically different models of care delivery. These new approaches to care are shifting the way we view care delivery and how it is structured. This paper describes the principles of redesign and re-engineering, common applications in health care organizations, outcomes and evaluation. Multiskilling and use of genetic health care workers are addressed. The potential impact on the practice of oncology nurses is explored as well as strategies to meet the challenges of today's health care environment.

Canada↗
PubMed1996

Gastric aspiration for diagnosis of pulmonary tubercolosis in adult renal allograft recipients.

Of 213 renal allgraft recipients suspected to have had pulmonary tuberculosis, 132 had sputum examinations and 14 showed acid-fast bacilli. Of the remaining 118 patients, 25 had gastric aspirations, 18 had bronchoalveolar lavage, and 75 did not require further investigation because of spontaneous improvement or confirmation of an alternative diagnosis. While 9 of the 25 patients' gastric aspirate examination was positive, all the 18 who had bronchoalveolar lavage were negative for acid-fast bacilli. Eighty-one patients without expectoration had gastric aspiration directly and 14 showed acid-fast bacilli. Of the remaining 67 patients only 17 had bronchoalveolar lavage, of which three were positive for AFB and the rest did not require further testing for tuberculosis. A total of 106 patients had gastric aspiration. Acid-fast bacillus positivity was significantly more (P<.01) in patients with abnormal chest radiographs as compared with patients with normal chest radiographs as compared with patients with normal chest radiograph results. We suggest gastric aspiration for AFB in all renal transplant recipients who have fever, scanty expectoration, and abnormal chest radiograph with clinical suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis.

Bacteriological Techniques↗
PubMed1995

Fatigue-reducing strategies used by patients receiving treatment for cancer.

In order to determine which strategies are most effective in relieving fatigue of women undergoing treatment for cancer, women receiving either chemotherapy (n = 45) or radiation therapy (n = 54) were interviewed twice to determine their level of fatigue and the effectiveness of the strategies they used to relieve their fatigue. The subjects were interviewed either at the start and mid-point of any cycle of chemotherapy, or at the beginning and end of a 5- or 6-week course of radiation therapy. At each interview, the subjects completed the Pearson Byars Fatigue Feeling Checklist and the Fatigue Relief Scale. At the second interview, the patients were significantly more fatigued than they had been at the first interview (p < 0.0001). The more effective the fatigue-relieving strategies at the second interview, the less fatigue experienced by the women (p < 0.0001). At both interviews, subjects used similar strategies to relieve their fatigue. Sleep and exercise were among the most effective strategies. However, there was a wide range of scores for each strategy used, indicating variability among subjects as to the effectiveness of the strategy. The results of the study provide nurses with some guidance as to strategies they might suggest to patients who experience fatigue.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The prevalence and correlates of fatigue in patients receiving treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A comparison with the fatigue experienced by healthy individuals.

Fatigue can be a prevalent and serious problem for the individual with cancer and can negatively impact on the individual's quality of life. Little is known about the prevalence of clinical fatigue among patients with cancer and how the fatigue cancer patient's experience compares with the fatigue people experience as a function of their normal daily activities. This study, which utilized a control group, investigated the prevalence of fatigue among patients receiving treatment with radiotherapy (n = 54) and chemotherapy (n =47) over two measurement points. The level of fatigue experienced by cancer patients was compared with the level of fatigue experienced by apparently healthy auxiliary staff (n = 53) working at three cancer treatment facilities. There were no differences in the mean level of fatigue experienced by cancer patients and the mean level experienced by healthy controls before the start of cancer treatment. However, cancer patients experienced a significant increase in fatigue over a 5- or 6-week course of radiotherapy and 14 days after treatment with chemotherapy, and these increases were significantly greater than the fatigue reported by healthy control subjects. The midpoint of the Pearson Byars Fatigue Feeling Checklist was accepted as a crude measure of clinical fatigue and was found to be significantly different from the mean level of fatigue reported by healthy controls. The prevalence of fatigue among patients after undergoing cancer treatment was determined to be 61%. Fatigue in cancer patients was found to covary with weight, symptom distress, mood disturbance, and alterations in usual functional activities. The best predictors of fatigue in the patient sample were their symptom distress and mood disturbance. Symptom distress and fatigue were significant predictors of impairment in functional activities related to illness. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1993

Germinal center analysis with the tools of mathematical morphology on graphs.

Only few studies devoted to quantitative analysis of tissue architecture have been performed. The analysis of neighborhood relationships between cells, using graphs and mathematical morphology (MM), constitutes one approach. We propose to analyse quantitatively the architecture of a tissue with the tools of MM on graphs. The use of graphs seems best suited to take into account the neighborhood relationships between cells, independently from their mutual distances: two cells are considered as neighbors if no interfering cell is placed in a given sense between them. Such neighboring cells are linked by an arc in a graph. On such a graph, all tools of MM may be applied. We investigate two of them in the present work: (1) the distance transforms permits to analyse the repartition of a cellular population A relative to population B, (2) the size distribution permits to analyse the tendancy of a cell population to form clusters. We have applied this method using Gabriel's graph, derived from the Voronoï diagram, to determine the "zone of influence" of a cell. We have analysed the neighborhood relationships between cells in germinal centers (GC) from lymph nodes. Twelve hyperplastic GCs from follicular hyperplasia (FH) and 5 neoplastic GCs from small cleaved cell follicular lymphoma (++SCCFL) have been studied; 2 microns hematoxylin-eosin plastic embedded sections have been analysed. Cell nuclei have been identified manually by the observer by giving a numerical and image color code. Gabriel's graphs have been constructed with all centrofollicular cells. Subgraphs with only lymphoid cells, large cells or small cleaved cells have also been studied. The application of MM transformations on the graphs using software package Morphograph has allowed a quantitative description of cell distribution in the tissue. The distances of centrofollicular lymphoid cells from the periphery of the GCs (mantle zone), from nonlymphoid cells as macrophages located within the GCs and between large lymphoid cells and small lymphoid cells have been determined in FH and SCCFL. Using iterative closings and openings, we have detected aggregates of small and large cells and characterized their size and distribution in the GCs. The application of this method on lymph node biopsy has allowed a quantitative description and comparison of GCs in different pathological conditions.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1991

A critical appraisal of the research literature investigating fatigue in the individual with cancer.

Fatigue is a commonly experienced symptom, which may be a component of virtually any disease and can have a psychological, physical, or mixed origin. Nurses need to understand the onset, duration, and progression of fatigue to intervene successfully with the cancer patient adapting to diagnosis and treatment. While the literature is an important source of information, results of research studies must be critically interpreted before proceeding with practice guidelines based on research findings. A critical appraisal of the research literature investigating the problem of fatigue in individuals with cancer was conducted. There is strong evidence to suggest that fatigue is a prevalent problem among cancer patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However past research has been limited by methodological problems. Typically, studies fail to include a control group, do not control for possible confounding variables, and have restricted measurement to unidimensional scales with limited reliability and validity. While several correlates of fatigue have been postulated, research to date has found no consistent relationships among such correlates as weight loss, anemia, or psychological distress. This article reviews what is currently known about fatigue in the cancer patient and how future research could be designed to improve on past measurement and sampling problems.

Fatigue↗
PubMed1988

Synthesis, in vitro and in vivo activity of novel 9-deoxo-9a-AZA-9a-homoerythromycin A derivatives; a new class of macrolide antibiotics, the azalides.

A series of erythromycin A-derived semisynthetic antibiotics, featuring incorporation of a basic nitrogen atom into a ring expanded (15-membered) macrocyclic lactone, have been prepared and biologically evaluated. Semisynthetic modifications focused upon (1) varied substitution at the macrocyclic ring nitrogen and (2) epimerization or amine substitution at the C-4'' hydroxyl site within the cladinose sugar. In general, the new azalides exhibit improved Gram-negative potency, expanding the spectrum of erythromycin A to fully include Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. When compared to erythromycin A, the azalides exhibit substantially increased half-life and area-under-the-curve values in all species studied. The overall in vitro/in vivo performance of N-methyl, C-4'' epimers 3a and 9; and C-4'' amine 11 identify these compounds as the most interesting erythromycin A-superior agents. Compound 3a has been advanced to clinical study.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

The effects of cocaine and lignocaine on the rat right ventricle in vitro.

1 The effects of cocaine and lignocaine on the contractile responses to field stimulation and to exogenously applied agents, in the absence of other stimuli, have been investigated in the rat right ventricle using methods we have recently described (Doggrell & Vincent, 1981a). In addition the effects of 3H accumulation from (-)-[3H]-noradrenaline and on the spontaneous and field stimulation-induced overflow of 3H, following preloading of the tissue with (-)-[3H]-noradrenaline, are reported. 2 Cocaine, but not lignocaine, inhibited the accumulation of 3H from (-)-[3H]-noradrenaline. The spontaneous overflow of 3H, following preloading of the tissue with (-)-[3H]-noradrenaline was not altered by cocaine, 10 microM, or lignocaine, 100 microM. 10 microM Lignocaine had no effect on the overflow of 3H evoked by field stimulation at 5Hz. Lignocaine, 100 microM, increased and cocaine, 1 and 10 microM, reduced the decline in evoked release of 3H. This effect of lignocaine probably represents a decrease in nerve excitability and that of cocaine inhibition of neuronal uptake of noradrenaline. 3 Cocaine, 1 microM, reduced the rate of beat response to tyramine, 1 microM, alone probably by inhibiting the neuronal uptake process. 4 Cocaine, 1 and 10 microM, had no effect on the contractile responses to field stimulation (at 2 and/or 5 Hz). The rate of beat (-)-noradrenaline or (-)-isoprenaline, 1 microM, alone was decreased by cocaine, 10 microM. Lignocaine, 10 microM, reduced the force of contractions to field stimulation at 5 Hz and the responses to (-)-noradrenaline or (-)-isoprenaline alone. It is suggested that the inhibitory effects of cocaine and lignocaine on responses to (-)-isoprenaline in the rat right ventricle are due to a decreased postjunctional membrane excitability. The inability of 10 microM cocaine to potentiate contractile responses to endogenous or exogenous (-)-noradrenaline as a consequence of the inhibition of neuronal uptake is also probably due in part to decreased post-junctional excitability of the right ventricle.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

The use of the rat right ventricle strip in studies on noradrenergic transmission.

1. The possibility of using contractility studies with the rat right ventricle strip to assess the effects of drugs on all aspects of noradrenergic transmission has been examined. 2. The force of the contractile responses to field stimulation at 0.5 and 2, but not 5 Hz, markedly decreased with time. About 55% of the tissues responded directly to (-)-isoprenaline, 1 X 10(-6)M (123 tissues from 220 tested) in the absence of other stimuli. In these tissues the force of the contractile responses remained constant and the rate increased with time. Thus it is essential to provide time controls in studies with rat right ventricle. 3. Under conditions in which the responses to (-)-isoprenaline, 1 X 10(-6)M, alone were unaffected the responses to field stimulation at 5 Hz were inhibited by 66 and 86% by 9 X 10(-6)M tetrodotoxin and 1 X 10(-5)M guanethidine, respectively. (+/-)-Propranolol and timolol (both at 1 X 10(-6)M), but not phentolamine, 1 X 10(-6)M, inhibited responses to (-)-isoprenaline, 1 X 10(-6)M alone and responses to field stimulation at 5 Hz. This demonstrates that the responses to field stimulation are largely due to activation of noradrenergic nerves, the released noradrenaline acting at postsynaptic beta-adrenoreceptors. 4. Although nortriptyline is a potent inhibitor of the neuronal uptake of noradrenaline, at 1 X 10(-6)M it had no effect on the contractile responses to field stimulation at 5 Hz and inhibited responses to (-)-isoprenaline, 1 X 10(-6)M, alone and at a higher concentration (1 X 10(-5)M) nortriptyline abolished both responses. It is suggested that the rat ventricle preparation may be useful in examining the effects of drugs on noradrenergic transmission in the heart.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1981

The postsynaptic effects of antidepressant drugs in the rat anococcygeus muscle.

The effects of antidepressants of tricyclic (amitriptyline, nortriptyline, protriptyline, doxepin, imipramine, and desipramine) and atypical (maprotiline, nomifensine, tandamine, viloxazine, CGP 6085A, and YM-08054-1) structures on contractile responses to exogenously applied acetylcholine and (-) noradrenaline were studied in rat isolated anococcygeus muscle previously incubated with 6-hydroxydopamine. Atropine, amitriptyline, protriptyline, doxepin, imipramine, maprotiline and nortriptyline inhibited contractile responses to acetylcholine whereas desipramine, nomifensine, tandamine, viloxazine, CGP 6085A and YM 08054-1 did not. The contractile responses to (-)-noradrenaline were inhibited by low concentrations of tricyclic antidepressants and by higher concentrations of the atypical agents. These results illustrate that, in the preparation, the order of potency of antidepressants as muscarinic and as postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptor antagonists is similar. The ability of tricyclic, but not atypical agents, to increase the concentration of noradrenaline bound to postsynaptic alpha-adrenoceptors may be severely limited by the antagonistic effect these agents have at this receptor.

Acetylcholine↗