Biomedical subjects

A Fink

Publications and source records attributed to A Fink.

153 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of elevated intranasal temperature on subjective and objective findings in perennial rhinitis.

The effects of elevated intranasal temperature on symptoms and signs of perennial rhinitis were studied in 78 patients by a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Patients were subjected to two treatments separated by a 1-week interval. Each treatment consisted of three 30-minute sessions, during which the patient's intranasal temperature was raised by inhalation of saturated hot air (42 degrees C to 44 degrees C). Subjective response was recorded on a daily symptom score card during the week following treatment. Nasal patency was determined before and after treatment by measuring maximal nasal expiratory and inspiratory airflow and by measuring the area covered with vapor formed by the exhaled air on a plate. Highly reproducible results were obtained by using these three objective methods. Elevation of intranasal temperature resulted in amelioration of rhinitis symptoms and in objective evidence of increased nasal patency in a significant percentage of patients compared to the placebo-treated group.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Blood pressure effects on retinal vessel diameter and flicker response: a 1.5-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: The study examined the influence of individual blood pressure changes overtime on retinal vessel diameter and the latter's response to flicker light. METHODS: The diameter of a retinal arterial and venous segment was measured continuously on-line with a Dynamic Vessel Analyzer in 20 patients twice (mean interval between examinations of 24 months). Eleven patients had no cardiovascular disease. Nine patients had arterial hypertension and were untreated at the time of the first measurement; at the time of the second measurement they were undergoing various antihypertensive therapies. Each test consisted of a 50-s baseline plus three 20-s periods of flicker stimulation followed by an 80-s period of observation. During the examinations the blood pressure was measured at 1-minute intervals. RESULTS: In the hypertension group changes in the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) correlated significantly with changes in the arterial baseline diameter (y = -0.1 - 0.37x, r =0.74, p (increase) <0.03). A comparison of the two measurements showed no such relationship in the group of cardiovascularly healthy subjects. The venous baseline and the arterial and venous flicker response did not change significantly in either group between the two measurements and showed no relationship to blood pressure changes. CONCLUSIONS: In hypertensive subjects, long-term therapy-related changes in blood pressure induced a change in the arterial baseline by approximately +3.7 microm/-10 mmHg MAP. An influence of lowering MAP to the arterial flicker response could not be detected.

Antihypertensive Agents↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Immunological reaction of UV-induced radiation damage in coliphage DNA.

Denatured DNA of coliphage T1, poly-dT and dTpT were UV-irradiated (2537 A) and conjugated to methylated bovine serum albumin. These molecules act as haptens after injection into rabbits. Antibodies are predominantly formed against UV-induced cyclobutane-type of cis-synthymine dimers. They belong to the IgG-type of antibody molecules. Antigen-antibody complexes were detected by means of the CsCl-density gradient method. Denaturation of the DNA strongly influences the amount of specific antibodies bound to the antigen. In native DNA thymine dimers are masked concerning their reaction with antibodies. Photoproducts of UV-irradiated dTpT induce a specific production of antibody. Our results indicate that the cyclobutane type of thymine dimers is the relevant antigenic determinant group in UV-irradiated DNA.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Anatomy of an outpatient visit. An evaluation of clinic efficiency in general and subspecialty clinics.

The time spent in outpatient visits to a Veteran's Administration medical center was measured to determine clinic efficiency. Patient flow through the outpatient department of the medical center was studied to: 1) evaluate how time is spent in VA outpatient settings as compared to non-VA outpatient settings, including waiting time, checking of vital signs, seeing the doctor, etc., 2) develop a baseline to gauge the comparison of the effects of management changes; and 3) develop a mechanism for collecting clinic activity efficiency.

Appointments and Schedules↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Feasibility of using an alcohol-screening and health education system with older primary care patients.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the feasibility of a combined alcohol-screening and health education system for elderly patients METHODS: The Computerized Alcohol-Related Problems Survey (CARPS) was evaluated in primary care practices among 106 current drinkers, 60 years and older. The CARPS contains (1) a self-administered screening survey; (2) software to scan or hand-enter survey responses; (3) software to process data and electronically generate reports of patients' drinking risks; (4) health education; and (5) a database useful for clinical and quality improvement purposes. RESULTS: Nearly all study participants were able to complete the CARPS while waiting for a prescheduled appointment with their physician. There were 44% of patients who were hazardous and 9% who were harmful drinkers. About 20% of men and 26% of women were binge drinkers. Most (85%) patients agreed that alcohol is an important topic, 67% reported learning new information, 78% had never discussed drinking with a physician, and 31% intended to do so. After reviewing CARPS data, physicians concluded that alcohol use in the elderly is an important quality improvement topic. CONCLUSIONS: Combined screening and health education systems appear feasible for use in practice if they deal with pertinent health problems such as alcohol use. Their data can encourage discussions between physicians and patients and might be used for quality improvement activities.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Randomized clinical trials: issues for researchers.

The clinical trial is a randomized prospective study of human subjects in which the effectiveness of an intervention is compared against a control. Such a trial is considered to be a critical test of an innovative therapy. Trials require careful design and planning to be scientifically valid and clinically pertinent. In this review the clinical trial and its role in research are defined, and major ethical, methodological, and feasibility issues associated with trial design and organization are described.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The isolation of colon cancer organ specific neoantigen by the use of the leukocyte adherence inhibition assay and monoclonal antibodies.

The LAI reactivity of a colon organ specific neoantigen (OSN) was recovered from the urine of advanced colon cancer patients. In this study three physico-chemical steps were employed; precipitation by 80% ammonium sulfate, ion exchange, and molecular sieve chromatography. Each isolate was tested for activity and specificity by the direct tube leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) assay employing leukocytes from colon and breast cancer patients. The OSN enriched isolate was then used to generate monoclonal antibodies (Mab). Hybridomas were screened by ELISA. One hybridoma designated Bac 18.1 reacted preferentially with colon OSN and not with the urine from normals or patients with breast cancer. Affinity purification of colon OSN was achieved and it was shown to consist of a single band in SDS-PAGE with an apparent molecular weight of 30,000. The eluted polypeptide was specifically reactive in ELISA as well as in the LAI assay.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluating clinical programs: methodological guidelines.

Evaluations can be defined as investigations of the merits of clinical programs, and they provide information about program goals/objectives, processes, outcomes, impact, and costs. How can reliable and credible evaluations be conducted? In this article, criteria are given for posing evaluation questions; selecting samples and research designs; collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting data.

Drug Information Services↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Residual renal function affects lipid profile in patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether lipoprotein abnormalities associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) are influenced by residual renal function (RRF). DESIGN: Open, nonrandomized prospective and comparative study. SETTING: Single university teaching hospital dialysis unit and outpatient clinic. PATIENTS: Twenty adult patients on standard CAPD (1-38 months) were divided into two groups: group A (RRF < or = 0.8 mL/min, n = 10) and group B (RRF > or = 1.1 mL/ min, n = 10), Patients in the two groups were matched for age, time on dialysis, body weight, body mass index, serum urea and albumin levels, peritoneal and urinary albumin losses, and peritoneal transport characteristics such as overnight 8-hour peritoneal creatinine and beta 2-microglobulin clearances and overnight B-hour effluent glucose concentrations. RESULTS: The degree of uremia in patients with preserved RRF (group B) was obviously lower than in patients with negligible RRF (group A), that is, patients in group B had significantly lower serum creatinine and beta 2-microglobulin levels and significantly higher weekly KT/V than group A patients. Despite the prevalence of allele 4 of apolipoprotein E genotype in group A patients, their levels of serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], apolipoprotein B(ApoB), and apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) were significantly lower than those of patients with preserved RRF (group B). The two groups did not differ significantly in the serum levels of triglyceride or high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Serum concentrations of Lp(a) and ApoA1, as well as ratios of ApoA1 to ApoB, were correlated significantly with RRF (r = 0.63, r = 0.51, and r = 0.61, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that RRF affects the lipid profile of CAPD patients, especially serum levels of cholesterol-rich lipoproteins.

Adult↗