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Biomedical subjects

A Stein

Publications and source records attributed to A Stein.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Staff stress and job satisfaction at a children's hospice.

A study of staff stress and job satisfaction was undertaken in a children's hospice. In addition factors were investigated which might be stressful or which helped staff to manage in difficult circumstances. Three quarters were under comparatively little stress and in general showed very few psychological symptoms but a distinct subgroup were under a great deal of stress. A number of factors, notably recent personal bereavement and unresolved grief about a death that had occurred before they came to work at the hospice, distinguished this small group. Job satisfaction was generally high. The main sources of stress were: the sense of impotence staff felt when they were unable to relieve perceived needs or distress; dealing with negative responses in families, and conflicts within the staff group. The most important mitigating factors were: the informal support that staff provided for each other in this small cohesive working unit, the homelike atmosphere of the hospice, and the diversity of professional and personal skills among the staff group. The implications of these findings for reducing stress among staff dealing with dying people are discussed; this includes not only staff on paediatric wards, intensive care and neonatal units, but also community paediatric nurses.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Life threatening illness and hospice care.

A retrospective study was undertaken of 25 families and their 26 ill children attending the first children's hospice in the United Kingdom. The study examined the family's perceptions of the care offered and the impact of chronic and life threatening illness. Eighteen (72%) of the families felt they had been well supported by the hospice and valued the family like atmosphere, perceiving the staff to be friendly, approachable, and helpful. The actual nature of hospice care, in an environment with other terminally ill children, was, however, considered a drawback for a few families. A number of families still had unmet needs, notably appropriate child minding when away from the hospice. The impact of chronic life threatening illness on the families was substantial. The parents (particularly the mothers), the index children, and their siblings all experienced much higher levels of psychological symptomatology than would have been expected from normal samples. While families felt greatly helped over symptom control, a proportion remained very worried about certain symptoms, particularly breathlessness, seizures, and pain. A high proportion of families were experiencing financial and employment difficulties as a result of their children's illnesses.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Generation of different nucleosome spacing periodicities in vitro. Possible origin of cell type specificity.

We have been able to generate ordered nucleosome arrays that span the physiological range of spacing periodicities, using an in vitro system. Our system (a refinement of the procedure previously developed) uses the synthetic polynucleotide poly[d(A-T)], poly[d(A-T)], core histones, purified H1, and polyglutamic acid, a factor that increases nucleohistone solubility and greatly promotes the formation of ordered nucleosome arrays. This system has three useful features, not found in other chromatin assembly systems. First, it allowed us to examine histones from three different cell types/species (sea urchin sperm, chicken erythrocyte, and HeLa) as homologous or heterologous combinations of core and H1 histones. Second, it allowed us to control the average packing density (core histone to polynucleotide weight ratio) of nucleosomes on the polynucleotide; histone H1 is added in a second distinct step in the procedure to induce nucleosome alignment. Third, it permitted us to study nucleosome array formation in the absence of DNA base sequence effects. We show that the value of the spacing periodicity is controlled by the value of the initial average nucleosome packing density. The full range of physiological periodicities appears to be accessible to arrays generated using chicken erythrocyte (or HeLa) core histones in combination with chicken H5. However, chromatin-like structures cannot be assembled for some nucleosome packing densities in reactions involving some histone types, thus limiting the range of periodicities that can be achieved. For example, H1 histone types differ significantly in their ability to recruit disordered nucleosomes into ordered arrays at low packing densities. Sea urchin sperm H1 is more efficient than chicken H5, which is more efficient than H1 from HeLa or chicken erythrocyte. Sea urchin sperm core histones are more efficient in this respect than the other core histone types used. These findings suggest how different repeat lengths arise in different cell types and species, and provide new insights into the problems of nucleosome linker heterogeneity and how different types of chromatin structures could be generated in the same cell.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

A t (11;21) (13;q22) in Ph-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Reciprocal translocations, in addition to that of the Ph chromosome, though rare, have been reported in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We describe here a case of Ph-positive CML with a new translocation, t (11;21) (q13;q22), and missing Y, which were present both during transformation to the blastic crisis and in the subsequent reversion to the chronic phase. The possible significance of this abnormality is discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Aneurysm of a common digital artery: resection and vein graft.

A 57-year-old woman developed an aneurysm of a common digital artery and its branches, which caused pain from pressure on digital nerves. There was also evidence of median nerve compression at the wrist. Treatment included resection and vein graft connecting three vessels, and carpal tunnel release. Three years later, the graft is patent, and the patient's hand has excellent function with no recurrence of symptoms.

Aneurysm↗
PubMed1988

Total knee arthroplasty kinematics. An in vivo evaluation of four different designs.

Thirty-four patients who had 42 total knee arthroplasties during the past 5 years were examined. Four types of total knee arthroplasties (Tricon-M, PCA, Variable Axis, and Anametric) were evaluated, using a computerized knee evaluation system. The patients and 10 controls with normal knees were tested for anteroposterior stability with the Lachman test, medial/lateral stability at 20 degrees, varus/valgus stability at 20 degrees, internal/external rotation at 80 degrees and 20 degrees of flexion, and internal/lateral rotation (screw home) over the active range of motion. At 30 degrees of flexion, the Variable Axis prosthesis was 54% more constrained than the normal knee to anterior/posterior shear. The Anametric and the Variable Axis were more lax under varus/valgus stress than the normal knee by 85% and 71%, respectively. There were no statistical differences for any of the other tests.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Dicyclomine discriminates between M1- and M2-muscarinic receptors in the guinea-pig ileum.

1. The affinity of the antagonist dicyclomine for subtypes of muscarinic receptors has been assessed in the myenteric plexus-longitudinal muscle preparation of the guinea-pig. 2. Dicyclomine had a high affinity (pA2 9.13) for the neuronal M1-receptor whose activation by pilocarpine causes an increase in acetylcholine release. Dicyclomine had a low affinity for both the prejunctional M2-receptor (pA2 7.61) mediating inhibition of the electrically-evoked acetylcholine release and the postjunctional M2-receptor (pA2 7.21). 3. It is concluded that dicyclomine distinguishes between M1- and M2-muscarinic receptors in functional experiments.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis. Report of two cases, one with simultaneous transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis is a very rare condition and represents less than 1% of renal pelvic tumors. Hydronephrosis of long duration, stones and inflammation are frequently associated with these tumors. We report 2 cases. In 1 of them, adenocarcinoma of the renal pelvis, pyelolithiasis and transitional carcinoma of the bladder were present simultaneously. The other patient had a history of abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer 10 years prior to the renal tumor.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

The relationship of blood lead to systolic blood pressure in a longitudinal study of policemen.

We examined the relationship of blood lead level to systolic and diastolic blood pressure in a longitudinal study of 89 Boston, MA, policemen. At the second examination blood lead level and blood pressure were measured in triplicate. Blood pressure measurements were taken in a similar fashion in years 3, 4, and 5. Multivariate analysis using a first-order autoregressive model revealed that after adjusting for previous systolic blood pressure, body mass index, age, and cigarette smoking, an elevated blood lead level was a significant predictor of subsequent systolic blood pressure. Bootstrap simulations of these models provided supporting evidence for the observed association. These data suggest that blood lead level can influence systolic blood pressure even within the normal range.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Social adversity, low birth weight, and preterm delivery.

A prospective study of 483 pregnant women was undertaken to examine possible associations of social and psychiatric factors with both low birth weight (less than 2500 g) and preterm delivery (less than 37 weeks' gestation). As few babies were born before term (n = 14) or with a low birth weight (n = 14) further analyses were conducted to investigate predictors of absolute birth weight and gestational age. Low income was found to be an independent predictor of birth weight when birth weight was treated both as a dichotomous and as a continuous variable. Unemployment was found to be associated with absolute birth weight. Although this effect was statistically accounted for by low income, a low income was frequently caused by unemployment. Smoking independently predicted absolute birth weight and tended to be associated with preterm delivery. None of the factors investigated was associated with gestational age. In contrast with previous findings, factors such as social class, adverse life events, and psychiatric state were not associated with birth outcome. The mechanism underlying the association between low income and low birth weight requires further investigation.

Female↗
PubMed1987

Unique positioning of reconstituted nucleosomes occurs in one region of simian virus 40 DNA.

A direct end label method was used to study the positioning of nucleosome arrays on several long (greater than 2200 base pairs) SV40 DNA fragments reconstituted in vitro with core histones. Comparison of micrococcal nuclease cutting sites in reconstituted and naked DNA fragments revealed substantial differences in one DNA region. When sufficient core histones were annealed with the DNA to form closely spaced nucleosomes over most of the molecule, a uniquely positioned array of four nucleosomes could be assigned, by strict criteria, to a 610-base pair portion of the SV40 "late region," with a precision of about +/- 20 base pairs. In some other DNA regions, a number of alternative nucleosome positions were indicated. The uniquely positioned four-nucleosome array spanned the same 610 nucleotides on two different DNA fragments that possessed different ends. Removal of a DNA region that had contained a terminal nucleosome of the array, by truncation of the fragment before reconstitution, did not affect the positioning of the other three nucleosomes. As the core histone to DNA ratio was lowered, evidence for specific positioning of nucleosomes diminished, except within the region where the four uniquely positioned nucleosomes formed. This region, however, does not appear to have a higher affinity for core histones than other regions of the DNA.

Animals↗