SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Protocol”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 1,027 records · Page 57Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Effects of exposure protocols on induction of kinetochore-plus and -minus micronuclei by arsenite in diploid human fibroblasts.

Arsenic, widely distributed in the environment, is a potent human carcinogen. Arsenite genotoxicity has been observed in a variety of cells and animal systems. However, the underlying mechanism is not completely clear. In this study, human fibroblasts (HFW) were treated with 1.25-10 microM arsenite for 24 h (low dose and long exposure) and 5-80 microM for 4 h (high dose and short exposure), and the arsenite accumulation, cytotoxicity, and micronucleus (MN) induction were examined. By these two different protocols, HFW cells showed equivalent levels of arsenite accumulation, but exhibited different kinetics of cell killing and different types of MN generation. Arsenite induced mainly kinetochore-positive MN (K+-MN) in HFW cells by low dose exposure whereas mainly kinetochore-negative MN (K--MN) was induced by high dose exposure. Catalase reduced both K+- and K--MN induced by these two exposure protocols. Except for the case of K+-MN induction by the high dose exposure protocol, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) in both low and high dose protocols was also shown to effectively reduce arsenite-induced MN. The present results imply that oxidative stress is involved in arsenite-induced MN in diploid human fibroblasts. However, different protocols for arsenite exposure may result in different cellular damage.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed2006

Comparative protein expression profiling in human cumulus cells in relation to oocyte fertilization and ovarian stimulation protocol.

Comparative profiling was performed on proteins synthesized in human cumulus cells (CC) from individual oocytes recovered after two different ovarian stimulation protocols for classical IVF (cIVF). Using high-resolution two-dimensional protein electrophoresis after metabolic labelling with [35S]-methionine, protein expression was profiled in CC of metaphase II oocytes obtained after two different ovarian stimulation protocols (rFSH versus human menopausal gonadotrophin). Analysis was done on CC from two cIVF cycles in the same patient and then extended to CC from individual oocytes from two groups of patients. CC from single oocytes have robust levels of protein expression into 600-800 protein spots. Comparison of CC protein expression from oocytes obtained from the same patient but after two different stimulation protocols shows that the type of hormonal treatment influences CC protein expression. In contrast, CC from oocytes obtained under the same stimulation protocol but with different fertilization outcome show a high profile similarity with differences in only a few spots. Comparison of two groups of patients indicates that dissimilarities in protein pattern between patients become very high, even when comparing the same stimulation protocol and oocyte fertilization outcome. Thus protein expression profiling of human CC may provide a correlation between the synthesis of specific cumulus proteins and maturity and fecundity.

Female↗

PubMed2005

Optimizing GnRH antagonist administration: meta-analysis of fixed versus flexible protocol.

A meta-analysis was conducted to investigate whether flexible gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist administration according to follicular size would be more beneficial than starting on a fixed day. Only randomized controlled trials were included after a comprehensive search strategy. The data were combined for meta-analysis with RevMan software. Eleven trials were identified, but only four randomized controlled trials met the inclusion criteria. There was no statistically significant difference in pregnancy rate per woman randomized, although there was a trend towards a higher pregnancy rate with the fixed protocol, especially with delayed administration beyond day 8 [odds ratio (OR) 0.7, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45-1.1]. There was no premature LH surge in any participant in either protocol. However, there was a statistically significant reduction both in number of antagonist ampoules (OR -1.2 95%, CI -1.26 to -1.15) and amount of gonadotrophin (OR 95.5 IU, 95% CI 74.8-116.1) used in the flexible protocol. In conclusion, there was no statistically significant difference in pregnancy rate between flexible and fixed protocols. There was a statistically significant reduction in the amount of recombinant FSH with the flexible protocol.

Female↗

PubMed2003

A declarative implementation of the DICOM-3 network protocol.

We describe a new design for programs using the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) protocol, which we have implemented in a DICOM image storage server and a radiation treatment plan transfer facility for our locally developed radiation treatment planning system, Prism. This design is declarative, representing DICOM as a language for describing messages and sequencing of messages. The coding involved implementing an interpreter for this language. The DICOM protocol specifies messages, message formats, and sequencing. In our design, the specification translates almost directly into computer-readable declarative expressions that closely resemble the relevant tabulated DICOM specifications. The resulting programs are small, simple, and extensible, because most of the details of the DICOM protocol are not coded in the procedural control statements but are in the expressions and state table that the interpreter uses to perform all its functions. This approach provides a way to validate the consistency of a specification and the correctness of the implementation. The same method can be generalized to other such protocols. It may also be used to assist the design of new protocols.

Algorithms↗

PubMed2006

Nonregeneration protocol for surface plasmon resonance: study of high-affinity interaction with high-density biosensors.

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) has been used in determining kinetics and thermodynamics of biological interaction in the past decades. One difficulty encountered in this technology is the need for a proper regeneration, which means the removal of analytes from the bound complexes to regenerate the activity of the ligands. Regeneration is not always practical since the harsh regeneration reagents may destroy the bioactivity of the ligands. It is even more difficult for complexes with high affinity constants. In this paper, we report a nonregeneration protocol for SPR techniques in which subsequent ligand/analyte interactions can be measured without regeneration; thus ligand biological activity could be retained. Kinetics, binding models, and mathematics of this protocol are discussed in detail using rabbit IgG as the analyte and engineered recombinant antibody A10B single-chain fragment variables (scFv) as the ligand. The affinity constant of rabbit IgG binding with A10B scFv measured by using a nonregeneration protocol was (2.5 +/- 0.2) x 10(7) M(-1), which was comparable with the value determined with a conventional regeneration SPR method ((2.2 +/- 1.5) x 10(7) M(-1)) and quartz crystal microbalance (1.9 x 10(7) M(-1)). A paradigm of streptavidin-biotin binding was analyzed to validate this protocol. The affinity constant for each binding subunit of streptavidin to the immobilized biotin was determined to be (7.3 +/- 0.2) x 10(6) M(-1), which was comparable with the solution-based value of 2 x 10(7) M(-1). The nonregeneration protocol requires a relatively high ligand density on the biosensor surface so that more data points can be obtained before surface saturation. The small size of scFv enables them to be constructed in the biosensors for such purpose.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Influence of the treatment protocol upon the in vivo efficacy of cidofovir (HPMPC) and of acyclovir (ACV) formulations in topical treatment of cutaneous HSV-1 infection in hairless mice.

In recent studies we found that the topical effectiveness of acyclovir (ACV) formulations was a single-valued function of C-the target site free drug concentration. The topical efficacy was the same when the therapy was initiated 0, 1, or 2 days after intracutaneous herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) inoculation in hairless mice. The purpose of the present study was to examine the hypothesis that the topical effectiveness of cidofovir (HPMPC) would not be a single valued function of C and that it would be dependent upon when the therapy was initiated relative to the time of viral infection. Formulations of HPMPC and ACV in 95% DMSO as a vehicle were used. Hairless mice intracutaneously infected with HSV-1 were used, and 20 microL of the test formulation was topically applied twice a day. In protocol A, the treatment was continued until the fourth day after virus inoculation, whereas in protocol B the treatment was terminated on the day of virus inoculation. Treatment was initiated on various days ranging from day -6 to day 4, and the lesions were scored on day 5. Treatment of ACV according to protocol A proved efficacious whether started as early as 6 days before virus inoculation or later, whereas the efficacy of ACV was annihilated if applied following protocol B. For HPMPC, on the other hand, the in vivo efficacies were found to be strongly dependent on how early the therapy was initiated, and significant efficacy was observed even when the treatment was terminated on the day of virus inoculation. This difference was attributed to the virus-independent intracellular phosphorylation of HPMPC and slow clearance of its metabolites from the cell. It was also noted that, similar to ACV, for HPMPC the topical efficacy is likely to be a function of C for a fixed protocol. However, unlike for ACV, for HPMPC the efficacy was not a single-valued function of C.

Acyclovir↗

PubMed1999

Establishment of an optimised gene transfer protocol for human primary T lymphocytes according to clinical requirements.

Current gene therapeutic protocols directed towards the treatment of inherited disorders (eg ADA-SCID) and viral infections (eg AIDS), as well as adoptive immunotherapy approaches are based on the use of genetically modified lymphocytes. Since only insufficient transduction of T cells is obtained using existing techniques, the development of more efficient gene transfer protocols into these cells is of great importance. We present here a protocol for the highly efficient transduction of human primary T cells at high densities (1 x 106/ml) by retroviral infection. Using retroviral vectors encoding a truncated human low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor (DeltaLNGFR) as a gene transfer marker, we obtained transduction frequencies of more than 70% of CD3+ cells after two cycles of infection. Our protocol is based on the use of FBS-free media for both the production of retrovirus-containing supernatant and the cultivation of the primary T cells. Since the protocol presented here works just as efficiently under large-scale conditions, it may be easily adapted to clinical needs and 'good manufacturing practice' (GMP) standards.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2001

Treadmill exercise testing with increasing inclination as exercise protocol for wheelchair athletes.

STUDY DESIGN: Treadmill testing on a progressive incline of 11 wheelchair athletes. OBJECTIVE: To determine if a novel treadmill exercise protocol which uses increments in inclination, rather than the standard increments in velocity, can be used to effectively determine maximum oxygen uptake VO2max for elite wheelchair athletes. SETTING: Nottwil, Switzerland. METHODS: Eleven elite wheelchair basketball players (29.3+/-6.3 years, 72.7+/-16.9 kg and 177+/-9.6 cm) performed an exercise protocol with increasing inclination on the treadmill. Eight players had a spinal cord injury (SCI), two had no lesion of the central nervous system and one had poliomyelitis. VO2max and heart rate were measured continuously, while serum lactate was determined immediately after the exercise protocol. RESULTS: Athletes reached a maximal heart rate of 185+/-11.4 bpm and maximal lactate of 10.2+/-2.1 mmol/l. VO2max was 35.1+/-4.9 ml/min/kg. The correlation between heart rate and VO(2) at different inclinations was statistically significant and comparable to able-bodied subjects. CONCLUSIONS: An exercise protocol with increasing inclination is a valid alternative to an exercise protocol with increasing velocity.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Evaluation of sprint exercise testing protocols in wheelchair athletes.

STUDY DESIGN: Comparison of five different exercise testing protocols with different speeds on a treadmill with seven wheelchair athletes. OBJECTIVE: To determine which speed and duration in an exercise protocol is best to test wheelchair athletes performing sprint races on a track. SETTING: Swiss Paraplegic Centre, Nottwil, Switzerland. METHODS: Three elite and four junior wheelchair athletes (18.7+/-6.8 years, 52.1+/-9.7 kg and 165.3+/-19.3 cm) performed five different exercise testing protocols at different speeds on a treadmill until exhaustion. Maximal effort treadmill (0.7% incline) testing protocols were performed using three timeframes. The first was focussing on short duration tests (S1 and S2) where incremental increases in velocity (0.42 and 0.1 m.s(-1)) were required from a stationary start. The second were medium duration tests (M1 and M2) where the athlete started at their 200 m and 800 m personal best time (mean velocities) and then had the velocity increased 1 km.h(-1) by every 10 and 60 s respectively. The long duration test (L) started at 14 km.h(-1) and velocity was increased by 2 km.h(-1) every 120 s. Maximal heart rate, maximal concentration of lactate, maximal speed, and maximal duration of the test were measured. RESULTS: The highest concentration of lactate and the highest heart rates were measured in the longest tests. CONCLUSION: During maximal effort testing wheelchair athletes are able to produce higher lactate concentrations when tested for longer duration. Post test lactate assessments provide little information in short duration testing protocols. Sequential lactate assessments post-test may provide additional information on the rate of recovery for middle distance wheelchair athletes and warrants further investigation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2001

Craniofacial morphology in children with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate: a comparison of two surgical protocols.

The facial morphology of 2 groups of complete unilateral cleft lip and palate children (n = 75), ranging in age from 4 to 7 years old, were retrospectively studied cephalometrically before the beginning of the orthodontic treatment. Each group was submitted to a different surgical protocol. The control group was comprised of 53 children (33 males and 20 females) and was treated according to the surgical protocol of the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies (HRCA) from the University of São Paulo, in Bauru, Brazil. Lip repair was performed between 3 months and 27 months of age (mean age of 9 months) and palate repair between 12 months and 44 months of age (mean age of 19 months). The experimental group was comprised of 22 children (12 males and 10 females). They were treated with Malek's surgical protocol, modified at the HRCA, with lip and soft palate repair at 5.5 months of age on average and hard palate repair at 20 months of age on average. The cephalometric results did not show any difference, suggesting that both surgical protocols have the same influence on facial growth, at least during the age range studied. Therefore, palate repair in 2 surgical times with earlier closure of the soft palate (Malek's protocol) did not cause greater restriction to the midface growth.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2003

Survey of effective dose levels from typical paediatric CT protocols.

Concern over reported large radiation doses leading to a high cancer risk for paediatric CT patients has prompted considerable investigation in paediatric CT. The recent release of software from Germany has allowed effective doses to be calculated from CT protocol information and radiation measurement for standard paediatric patient sizes for both sexes. An initial study has been undertaken in nine radiology departments, four of which were dedicated paediatric departments, for routine chest and abdominal CT procedures. The dose calculation software is based on Monte Carlo simulation of X-ray conditions during a CT procedure and utilized a 'tomographic' phantom model of a 7-year-old child and an 8-week-old baby to allow calculation of organ dose and hence effective dose. Results of the survey indicate that effective doses were higher for females than males, and higher for abdominal procedures. Slightly higher effective doses were calculated for the child compared to the baby. All centres but one recorded lower effective doses with their current protocols than if they had used recommended CT protocols found in the literature. Analysis of the survey data indicates that scan parameters are the main cause of dose variations, although the type of scanner can affect dose by a factor of 2 (when comparing different units) as well as variation in anatomy scanned in protocols. Dose reduction appears to be most closely linked with reduced mAs and increased pitch as expected. The calculation of effective dose appears to be a key factor in assessing CT protocols, particularly for paediatric patients.

Child↗

PubMed2002

Minimal stimulation protocol for use with intrauterine insemination in the treatment of infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether minimal stimulation with clomiphene and one injection of 150 IU of human menopausal gonadotrophin (hMG) provides pregnancy rates comparable with those in a conventional full hMG stimulation protocol for infertile patients undergoing intrauterine insemination (IUI). METHODS: A prospective study was carried out at the Infertility Clinic of a teaching institute and tertiary care referral center in Chandigarh, India. Two hundred couples with either unexplained infertility or ovulatory dysfunction cases who ovulated with clomiphene citrate (CC) but failed to conceive were offered ovarian stimulation with CC and hMG along with IUI for 420 cycles. Pregnancy rate, medication and monitoring cost were compared between minimal and conventional stimulation protocols. RESULTS: There was no difference in the couples of the two stimulation protocols regarding their age, duration and type of infertility as well as cause of infertility. Number of ampoules of hMG and monitoring costs were significantly higher in the full hMG stimulation cases whereas pregnancy rate was comparable in both protocols. CONCLUSION: Minimal stimulation appears to be an effective protocol in cases of unexplained infertility undergoing intrauterine insemination. Reduced cost and minimal monitoring is appealing to patients and the clinician.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

A protocol of early spiral computed tomography for the detection of stones in patients with renal colic has reduced the time to diagnosis and overall management costs.

BACKGROUND: The recent use of spiral computed tomography (CT) without contrast for the diagnosis of acute flank pain has been shown to be highly sensitive and specific for the detection of urolithiasis. This method has not, however, been evaluated for its contribution to savings in management costs. The present study aims to evaluate the cost savings gained by instituting a protocol of early spiral CT to investigate these patients. METHODS: The records of 200 patients presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) with acute flank pain during two periods were retrospectively reviewed. The first period was before the spiral CT protocol was instituted and the second was after. Cost analyses between the two periods were performed. RESULTS: After the spiral CT protocol, 72 versus 31 patients had a definitive diagnosis prior to discharge from hospital. The time taken to diagnosis was also significantly shorter after the protocol implementation (6.3 vs. 16.8 h). This resulted in a shorter time spent in the A&E, and hence bed cost savings. Radiological costs were reduced by 22%, but the major cost saving was made by a reduction in time spent in A&E (44%). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of a protocol of early spiral CT for patients with suspected renal colic has led to earlier definitive diagnosis and shorter hospital stays. This is associated with a significant reduction in costs associated with managing this condition.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Different forms of LTD in the CA1 region of the hippocampus: role of age and stimulus protocol.

In this study, we have investigated the developmental range over which different stimulus protocols induce long-term depression (LTD). Low-frequency stimulation (LFS; 900 stimuli, 1 Hz) produced LTD in hippocampal slices from rats younger than approximately 40 days old, but not in animals aged between approximately 40 days and 16 weeks. We demonstrate, however, that different stimulus protocols can result in LTD in the adult hippocampus. Whilst one paired-pulse low-frequency stimulus protocol [PP-LFS; 50 ms paired-pulse interval (PPI), 900 pairs of stimuli] produced N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-independent LTD, another PP-LFS protocol (200 ms PPI; 900 pairs) produced NMDA receptor-dependent LTD. Furthermore, the saturation of NMDA receptor-dependent LTD did not prevent the induction of further NMDA receptor-independent LTD. This lack of occlusion suggests that different mechanisms of expression may underlie each of the above forms of LTD in the adult hippocampus. In contrast to the adult hippocampus, NMDA receptor-dependent LTD was induced by both LFS and PP-LFS (50 ms PPI) in slices from young animals (12-20 days). Although they share a common induction mechanism, LTD induced by PP-LFS may be expressed through other mechanisms in addition to those underlying LFS-induced LTD in the young hippocampus. In conclusion, the results in this study demonstrate that mechanisms of long-term synaptic depression within the hippocampus can alter radically with development of the central nervous system and with the use of different induction protocols.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗

PubMed1999

Effective desensitization protocol to paclitaxel following hypersensitivity reaction.

The objective of this paper is to describe our experience with a desensitization protocol to paclitaxel using the original paclitaxel solution in patients following severe hypersensitivity reactions. A retrospective review of 75 consecutive patients with ovarian cancer who received intravenous paclitaxel-based chemotherapy between January 1996 and May 1998 at the Gynecologic Oncology Unit at Meir Hospital-Sapir Medical Center, Kfar-Saba, Israel. All patients who developed a hypersensitivity reaction to paclitaxel were treated with a desensitization protocol. The protocol included serial 10-fold dilutions (up to 1:100,000) of the actual paclitaxel infusate, delivered in successive volumes of 1, 2, 4, and 8 ml. These escalating doses of paclitaxel were given intravenously at 15-min intervals for each dilution. Following administration of the last diluted dose, the patient received a 1-ml dose of the undiluted solution. If no side effects were recorded, the rest of the actual dose was delivered at a 3-h infusion rate. Vital signs were monitored and recorded throughout the course of treatment. Six patients with a previous paclitaxel-associated hypersensitivity reaction were successfully treated with the desensitization protocol. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the desensitization protocol is feasible and safe without compromising cytotoxic activity. Our results show that this strategy is a reasonable choice in this clinical setting and potentially avoids paclitaxel-based regimen interruption.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

A comparison of scoring protocols on the Clock Drawing Test in relation to ease of use, diagnostic group, and correlations with Mini-Mental State Examination.

OBJECTIVES: To compare five scoring protocols for the Clock Drawing Test (CDT). DESIGN: A retrospective study in which four formal and one informal scoring methods were used to rate clock drawings. Correlations between CDT scores and the abbreviated version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-brief) total and memory scores were compared for the total sample and for three diagnostic groups. Protocols were also compared for content and ease of use. SETTING: A comprehensive, community mental health service for older adults. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-three patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type, multi-infarct dementia, or a mixed diagnosis. MEASUREMENTS: The CDT, scored under five different scoring protocols, and the MMSE-brief. RESULTS: For the total sample, significant correlations were obtained between all five scoring methods and MMSE scores. Two scoring methods stood out. By diagnostic group, all correlations except one between scoring methods were significant, whereas relationships between the MMSE and the CDT varied. CONCLUSIONS: Deterioration in clock drawing scored under five different scoring protocols correlates with severity of global cognitive impairment, as assessed by the MMSE-brief. Although two scoring methods were easier to use, the type of dementia may dictate which scoring protocol is most suitable. Because clinicians now also use the CDT to screen for executive functioning, future scoring methods may need to be selected in terms of what the CDT is screening.

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Fixed time versus fixed distance protocols for the blood lactate profile in athletes.

Laboratory studies of blood lactate accumulation often use a fixed time protocol to define the onset (4 mM) of blood lactate accumulation (OBLA) or other indices of blood lactate concentration. For practical reasons, field studies with athletes often use a fixed distance protocol to accomplish the same goal. Whether these variations of protocol are comparable has not been established. We studied 10 subjects in the laboratory during fixed time (4 minute) and fixed distance (2 km) exercise protocols on a racing bicycle attached to a wind load simulator. The fixed distance studies required 3-6 minutes to complete. We also studied the subjects during fixed distance (2 km) rides in the field. In the laboratory there were no systematic differences in the velocity (34.3 4.6 vs 34.2 +/- 4.6 km.hr-1), VO2 (2.78 +/- 0.60 vs 2.84 +/- 0.62 liters.min-1), or heart rate (159 +/- 16 vs 155 +/- 14 beats.min-1) at OBLA in the fixed time vs fixed distance protocols. The correlation coefficients for velocity (r = 0.97), VO2 (r = 0.97) and heart rate (r = 0.94) further indicate the similarity of results. In the field study there was a significant difference in velocity (29.9 +/- 4.8 vs 34.2 +/- 4.6 km.hr-1) but not heart rate (155 +/- 18 vs 155 +/- 15 beats.min-1) at OBLA versus the fixed distance laboratory study. The correlations for velocity (r = 0.47) and heart rate (r = 0.93) support these data. The results suggest that the practical modification of the lactate profile technique of using fixed distance versus fixed time exercise stages does not systematically influence the outcome, at least for exercise stage durations approximating 4 minutes.

Female↗

PubMed1996

Reliability and comparison of RPE during variable and constant exercise protocols performed by older women.

The purposes of this study were to assess if women 60 to 75 years of age perceived a series of exercise intensities differently from selected intensities in that series and to determine if a particular intensity was perceived more reliably. Twenty-four women (65 +/- 3.8 yr) completed a walking VO2max treadmill test. Subjects were either assigned to a variable, randomly ordered exercise protocol (GP1) or to one of three constant exercise protocols (Gps2-4). Each subject performed relative exercise intensities of 30, 50, and 70% of peak VO2 for three 5 min work bouts over 3 test days. Differences in RPE (p < 0.05) were found between each intensity and between the same intensities from both protocols. Women in GP1 rated exercise higher than women who exercised at a constant exercise intensity (p < 0.05). Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated that the exercise intensity of 50% of maximum was more reliable regardless of the protocol (Gp1: R = 0.97, Gp3: r = 0.94). When the RPE-HR correlation coefficients were transformed into a log scale, neither protocol had a stronger association (p > 0.05) between RPE-HR. It was concluded that older women should be given a range of exercise intensities that include the 50% relative exercise intensity as a perceptual marker in order to reach a reliable rate of exertion.

Aged↗