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Biomedical subjects

E Nichols

Publications and source records attributed to E Nichols.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Patient education in thyrotoxicosis.

The aim of the study was to assess the need for a thyrotoxicosis patient education programme and to evaluate a group education session. Patients with thyrotoxicosis were sent questionnaires on knowledge, satisfaction and mood. Patients showed limited knowledge about thyrotoxicosis. Newly diagnosed patients did not differ significantly from those who had been diagnosed more than a year previously. There was no significant relation between knowledge and other measures, but satisfaction was significantly correlated with mood. A further 82 patients were recruited to evaluate a group education session. Patients were randomly allocated either to receive a leaflet about thyrotoxicosis or to attend a group education session in addition to a leaflet. Comparison of the two groups showed a significant difference in anxiety (p = 0.02) but no significant difference in knowledge. Only 9 of 31 patients attended the group education session, and no significant differences were found between those who did and did not attend. Patients in the trial who all received leaflets, were more knowledgeable (p = 0.05) and more satisfied (p < 0.05), than those in the initial survey. Patients with thyrotoxicosis have limited knowledge about their condition. The offer of a group education programme had little effect on that knowledge but was associated with a reduction in anxiety. The provision of leaflets alone seemed to improve knowledge and satisfaction compared with no leaflets, but as this was not a randomised comparison, further evaluation is needed.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Release of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone from enzymatically dispersed rat hypothalamic explants is pulsatile.

This study was conducted to investigate 1) the utility of a cell perifusion system to examine questions dealing with the regulation of pulsatile LHRH release and 2) the necessity of cell-cell connections for communication between LHRH neurons and for coordination of LHRH release. To this end, cell perifusion of both hemihypothalamic tissue and enzymatically dispersed hypothalamic tissue isolated from adult male rats was performed. Periodic perfusate samples were collected and assayed to measure LHRH release. LHRH release from both hemihypothalami and dispersed hypothalamic tissue was clearly pulsatile, with comparable pulse frequencies and amplitudes. These results were interpreted to support the hypothesis that coordination of pulsatile LHRH release can be maintained in the absence of most cell-cell connections. This suggests a paracrine rather than a neural mechanism for the coordination of LHRH secretory events leading to the distinct signals we observe as pulses of LHRH in situ.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1997

The effect of turning and backrub on mixed venous oxygen saturation in critically ill patients.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of a change in body position (right or left lateral) and timing of backrub (immediate or delayed) on mixed venous oxygen saturation in surgical ICU patients. METHODS: A repeated-measures design was used to study 57 critically ill men. Mixed venous oxygen saturation was recorded at 1-minute intervals for 5 minutes in each of three periods: baseline, after turning, and after backrub. Subjects were randomly assigned to body position and timing of backrub. Subjects in the immediate-backrub group were turned and given a 1-minute backrub. Mixed venous oxygen saturation was measured at 1-minute intervals for 5 minutes at two points: after the backrub and then with the patient lying on his side. For subjects in the delayed-backrub group, saturation was measured at 1-minute intervals for 5 minutes at two different points: after the subject was turned to his side and after the backrub. RESULTS: Both position and timing of backrub had significant effects on mixed venous oxygen saturation across conditions over time. Subjects positioned on their left side had a significantly greater decrease in saturation when the backrub was started. At the end of the backrub, saturation was significantly lower in subjects lying on their left side than in subjects lying on their right side. The pattern of change differed according to the timing of the backrub, and return to baseline levels of saturation after intervention differed according to body position. CONCLUSIONS: Two consecutive interventions (change in body position and backrub) cause a greater decrease in mixed venous oxygen saturation than the two interventions separated by a 5-minute equilibration period. Turning to the left side decreases oxygen saturation more than turning to the ride side does. Oxygen saturation returns to clinically acceptable ranges within 5 minutes of an intervention. In patients with stable hemodynamic conditions, the standard practice of turning the patient and immediately giving a backrub is recommended. However, it is prudent to closely monitor individual patterns of mixed venous oxygen saturation, particularly in patients with unstable hemodynamic conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Topically applied recombinant tissue plasminogen activator for the treatment of venous ulcers. Preliminary report.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests that fibrin deposition is an important pathogenic component of venous ulceration and that fibrin removal could accelerate ulcer healing. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether topical application of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) compounded in 1% hyaluronate acid (HA) can be used safely in venous ulcers and whether it can accelerate healing. METHODS: Twelve patients were randomized in a double-blind fashion in three sequential groups of four subjects each, so as to receive daily topical application of either placebo (HA alone, one patient) or tPA/HA (three patients) at escalating doses of 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/ml of tPA for 4 weeks. RESULTS: No safety problems occurred, and we found a close direct correlation between mean ulcer reepithelialization, fibrin removal, and the dose of topically applied tPA (r = 0.991). CONCLUSION: In this first study to examine its usefulness, topically applied tPA appears to be a safe and promising agent for treating venous ulcers.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1993

Tumor cell retention of antibody Fab fragments is enhanced by an attached HIV TAT protein-derived peptide.

Two peptide analogs of the 37-62 sequence region of the HIV TAT protein bind tightly to the surface of A431 breast carcinoma cells. After conjugation to either of two poorly internalized anti-tumor antibody Fab fragments, the analogs enhanced the in vitro cell surface retention and internalization of the Fab fragments to the level of the whole antibodies. This was at the expense of some binding specificity in the case of 1.6 peptides/NRLU-10 Fab, but not in the case of 1.1 peptides/Fab. Enhanced retention may occur by enhanced bivalent binding of the Fab fragments. The internalized fraction of free peptide, but not of the Fab conjugates, is enhanced by chloroquine. The conjugates which were less specific for tumor cell binding may be useful for enhanced retention/internalization of specifically acting agents, for use at specific sites of injection, or against pre-separated target cell populations, while the more specific conjugate may be of interest for further development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Epoetin alfa: patient management issues and development through recombinant DNA technology. Part 1: Focus on Epoetin alfa patient management and recombinant DNA technology.

The emergence of the Epoetin alfa as an effective therapy in the treatment of the anemia of chronic renal failure has reemphasized the importance of nursing monitoring and intervention in the treatment of these patients. This article examines the role of nurses in monitoring and managing patients receiving Epoetin alfa and the development of medications, such as Epoetin alfa, with recombinant DNA technology.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗
PubMed1980

Comparative study involving bitoric effect of hard resin lenses mounted in optyl frames, zylonite frames, and metal frames.

It has been noted clinically that hard resin lenses mounted in rimmed frames exhibited bitoricity. The manufacturers of optyl plastic frames claim that the molecular structure of optyl eliminates the bitoric effect. This study involves "clocking" hard resin lenses mounted in frames fashioned of optyl, zylonite plastic, and metal mountings to test this hypothesis. The results are important because of the increasing use of optical CR 39 plastic in the fabrication of eyewear.

Eyeglasses↗
PubMed1979

Identification of a mouse gene required for binding of Rauscher MuLV envelope gp70.

Mouse chromosome segregating somatic cell hybrids were established between a mouse thymic leukemai cell line (GRSL) and Chinese hamster E36 cells. The GRSL cells specifically bound purified Rauscher leukemia virus gp70 while the E36 cells exhibited no binding. The hybrids selectively bound Ruascher gp70 depending on the presence of a mouse cellular gene for the ecotropic murine luekemia gp70 receptor. A syntenic relationship was observed between the DIP-3 chromosome marker (on chromosome 5) and the gp70 receptor in primary clones and subclones of these hybrids; this was confirmed by chromosome analysis. The involvement of H-2 in the binding of Rauscher MuLV gp70 could be ruled out, because discordancies of the receptor presence and H-2 absence as well as of the receptor absence and H-2 presence type could be observed. Our results indicate that the Rec-1 (replication ecotropic MuLV) gene of Gazdar et al. (4) may well be the receptor gene for the ecotropic murine leukemia virus.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Assignment of the gene for glyoxylase I to mouse chromosome 17 by somatic cell genetics.

Evidence is presented for the assignment of the gene for glyoxylase I to mouse chromosome 17 using mouse X Chinese hamster somatic cell hybrids. GLO I was not expressed concordantly with any known marker enzymes which represented 11 linkage groups. The presence of chromosome 17 and expression of GLO I were concordant in 31/31 clones. GLO I is thus linked to the H-2 histocompatibility locus in the mouse.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Gene linkage analysis in the mouse by somatic cell hybridization: assignment of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase to chromosome 8 and alpha-galactosidase to the X chromosome.

Somatic cell hybridization techniques were applied to gene linkage analysis in the laboratory mouse. Cells of an established line of Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts were fused with mouse embryo fibroblasts and with mouse peritoneal macrophages obtained from different inbred strains. From 3 hybridization experiments, 123 primary and secondary clones were isolated in HAT selective medium and 24 were back-selected in 8-azaguanine. Hybrid clones were characterized for the expression of 16 murine isozymes by starch, acrylamide, and Cellogel electrophoresis, and on the basis of segregation data, 3 syntenic associations could be made. Malate oxidoreductase decarboxylating (MOD) and mannose phosphate isomerase (MPI) segregated concordantly, confirming an established linkage relationship; adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) segregated concordantly with glutathione reductase (GR) which is known to be on chromosome 8; alpha-galactosidase was observed to be syntenic with hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT), and X-linked enzyme. All other isozymes examined segregated independently of one another.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗