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Biomedical subjects

F Baker

Publications and source records attributed to F Baker.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Role retention and quality of life of bone marrow transplant survivors.

Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) offers the potential for survival of 50% or more for selected patients with malignant disease not controlled by other means. However, BMT introduces risks for psychological, social, and physical impairment and the potential for significant loss in one's ability to retain important role relationships. While there has been a sharp increase in the performance of BMTs in the past decade, there has been little research on its effects on long-term survivors. This paper presents the results of a follow-up survey of 135 survivors of BMT at the Johns Hopkins Oncology center. The ability of the survivors to maintain valued social roles is examined as this affects perceived quality of life. The main hypothesis of the paper, that role retention is significantly related to higher quality of life, is supported by significant correlations of role retention with quality of life as measured by the Satisfaction with Life Domains Scale, current and future life satisfaction on Cantril Self-Anchoring Ladders, and by the Bradburn Positive Affect Scale. While the Bradburn Negative Affect Scale was not significantly related to role retention, total negative mood as measured by the Profile of Mood States was inversely related to role retention at a statistically significant level.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Influence of nifedipine on cyclosporin A nephrotoxicity after unilateral nephrectomy in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

1. Nifedipine ameliorates cyclosporin A-induced renal impairment in surgically intact (two-kidney) rats. This study investigates the effect of nifedipine on cyclosporin A nephrotoxicity in spontaneously hypertensive rats after either uninephrectomy or uninephrectomy with contralateral renal denervation. 2. Fourteen days after uninephrectomy pair-fed rats were injected for 14 days with cyclosporin A (25 mg/kg body weight) via the subcutaneous route and with nifedipine (0.1 mg/kg body weight) via the intraperitoneal route. Renal and systemic haemodynamics were measured in conscious unrestrained rats. 3. Whole-blood levels of cyclosporin A did not differ between groups (overall 352 +/- 22 ng/ml, means +/- SEM). After uninephrectomy, cyclosporin A decreased the glomerular filtration rate (olive oil versus cyclosporin A: 0.96 +/- 0.04 versus 0.70 +/- 0.06 ml min-1 100 g body weight, P less than 0.02) and effective renal plasma flow (1.94 +/- 0.10 versus 1.38 +/- 0.13, P less than 0.01), and increased renal vascular resistance [(20.2 +/- 1.8) x 10(4) versus (31.6 +/- 3.3) x 10(4) kPa l-1 s [(20.2 +/- 1.8) x 10(3) versus (31.6 +/- 3.3) x 10(3) dyn s cm-5], P less than 0.02] and mean arterial pressure (146.7 +/- 6.7 versus 167.3 +/- 2.9 mmHg, P less than 0.05). Neither renal denervation nor nifedipine prevented the reduction in glomerular filtration rate or effective renal plasma flow induced by cyclosporin A. 4. This study infers that the sympathetic nervous system does not play an active role in cyclosporin A nephrotoxicity and demonstrates that the concomitant administration of nifedipine to rats with reduced renal mass does not ameliorate cyclosporin A-induced renal impairment.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Localization of recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma with technetium-99m-methoxyisobutylnitrile scintigraphy: a case report.

This case report demonstrates the successful localization of metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma with 99mTc-labeled methoxyisobutylnitrile (MIBI). Disease recurrence was initially localized using 201Tl and by immunoscintigraphy with 111In-labeled anti-carcinoembryonic antigen (anti-CEA) antibody fragments. Scintigraphy with 99mTc-MIBI yielded higher target-to-background ratios than 201Tl or 111In-anti-CEA. Technetium-99m-MIBI may be a useful agent in the localization of recurrent medullary thyroid carcinoma.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1990

Housing environments and community adjustment of severely mentally ill persons.

This study examined relationships between the quality and appropriateness of housing environments and community adjustment of 729 deinstitutionalized severely mentally ill clients in a state-wide community support service program. Environmental measures included ratings of the physical condition of the client's residence, its adequacy for six key life activities, and the overall appropriateness of the residential setting for the client. Community adjustment measures included global level of functioning, degree of maladaptive behavior and client's perceived quality of life. Evidence is presented that quality and appropriateness of housing environments significantly affect aspects of client's community adjustment outcomes over a nine-month period.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Effect of nifedipine on renal haemodynamics in an animal model of cyclosporin A nephrotoxicity.

1. This study investigates the effect of nifedipine on cyclosporin A nephrotoxicity in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. 2. Cyclosporin A, administered daily by subcutaneous injection at 25 mg/kg body weight for 14 days, induced a significant reduction in glomerular filtration rate (35.3%) and effective renal plasma flow (45.0%), and an increase in renal vascular resistance (219%). Using this regimen, tubular, glomerular or vascular morphological damage was not evident on light microscopy. 3. The administration of nifedipine simultaneously with cyclosporin A from day 1 prevented the characteristic decline in renal function and increase in renal vascular resistance. However, the administration of nifedipine to spontaneously hypertensive rats previously exposed to cyclosporin A for 7 days failed to improve renal haemodynamics. 4. This study suggests that the beneficial effect conferred by nifedipine on cyclosporin A nephrotoxicity is present only when treatment is initiated simultaneously with cyclosporin A.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Risk communication about environmental hazards.

The development of the new field of risk communication of environmental hazards is briefly described and the term "risk communication" is defined. This is followed by a description of the eight basic steps in risk communication about environmental hazards including: 1) assessing the risk; 2) setting goals; 3) assessing the target audiences; 4) assessing the socio-cultural context; 5) choosing the approach; 6) constructing the communications; 7) implementing the risk program; and 8) evaluating the effects. In describing each step, relevant literature concerning risk communication is reviewed.

Communication↗
PubMed1989

2,3-Dihydro-5-benzofuranols as antioxidant-based inhibitors of leukotriene biosynthesis.

The enzymes that catalyze the oxidative metabolism of arachidonic acid have provided fertile ground for the development of useful therapeutic agents for nearly a quarter century. Inhibitors of the enzyme cyclooxygenase prevent the formation of the prostaglandins and thromboxanes and are clinically useful antiinflammatories and peripheral analgesics. More recently it has been discovered that the enzyme 5-lipoxygenase is the first step in the formation of a series of biologically important metabolites of arachidonic acid, the leukotrienes. Evidence suggests that an inhibitor of 5-lipoxygenase may be a useful therapeutic agent in the treatment of asthma, immediate hypersensitivity, and inflammation. Various antioxidants have been examined as inhibitors of 5-lipoxygenase in vitro. We were intrigued by recent reports that the 2,3-dihydro-5-benzofuranol ring system maximizes the stereoelectronic effects necessary for efficient hydrogen atom abstraction by peroxyl radicals. In this study we describe the synthesis of over 50 new 2,3-dihydro-5-benzofuranols and their biological evaluation as inhibitors of leukotriene biosynthesis in isolated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes. We show that the 2,3-dihydro-5-benzofuranol ring system, although not a potent inhibitor of leukotriene biosynthesis in itself, can provide a useful template for the design of antioxidant-based inhibitors of leukotriene biosynthesis. Furthermore, within a structural class the potency of a given analogue can be predicted on the basis of its overall calculated lipophilicity (log P). The data are interpreted in terms of a model in which the observed inhibition by this class of inhibitors is dependent on the intrinsic ability of the antioxidant to reduce the enzyme and on the fraction of the inhibitor that is partitioned into the membrane.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1989

The metabolic consequences of the correction of acidosis in uraemia.

Chronic renal failure is associated with increased protein turnover, and recent evidence suggests that this may be due to the accompanying acidosis. Patients with stable chronic renal failure maintained on protein restriction were given sodium bicarbonate supplementation for 8 weeks. This resulted in improvements in acid-base status, plasma urea and uric acid levels, independent of changes in glomerular filtration rate. Acidosis is a potentially reversible toxic effect of chronic renal failure and its correction produces sustained metabolic benefit.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗
PubMed1989

Continuity of care and the control of costs: can case management assure both?

Case management is increasingly extolled as a mechanism to improve services in both health and mental health settings. However, in mental health service systems, case coordination of services is at the client level, while in health services it is applied mainly as a means to manage care and control costs. This paper discusses the background of case management, the policy and management conflict that is arising between the goals of cost control and continuity of care, and a number of steps to reduce the negative effects of these competing policies and goals.

Community Mental Health Services↗
PubMed1988

Dietary protein manipulation in experimental nephrotic syndrome.

Evidence that glomerulosclerosis may be accelerated by high-protein diet and ameliorated by low-protein diet has led to debate concerning appropriate dietary recommendations in nephrotic syndrome. In this study, dietary protein was manipulated in a chronic, non-uraemic experimental model of nephrotic syndrome. Groups of 12 AS rats received 12, 24 or 48% protein diet after nephrotic syndrome was induced by adriamycin. Animals were sacrificed 8 weeks after change of diet when all were normotensive and none were uraemic. Animals on 24 and 48% maintained initial body weight and had persistent nephrosis. There was renal hypertrophy and histology showed tubular casts, focal tubulo-interstitial injury and glomerulosclerosis. Animals on 48% diet had more renal hypertrophy and worse histological damage but no differences in other parameters compared to 24% diet. On a 12% protein diet animals lost 15 +/- 3% of initial body weight (from 221 +/- 6 to 188 +/- 6 g; p less than 0.001). There was less proteinuria (p less than 0.0001), and lower serum cholesterol (p less than 0.0001) and triglyceride (p less than 0.01). Serum albumin was not different but total protein was lower than on 24 and 48% diet (p less than 0.01). Renal histological damage, although less severe than on 48% diet, did not differ from 24% diet. There was fatty infiltration of the liver. In view of the effects of low-protein diet in this model of nephrotic syndrome, dietary protein restriction should be applied with caution in human nephrotic syndrome.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Effect of varying quantity and quality of dietary protein intake in experimental renal disease in rats.

Dietary protein restriction is known to be beneficial in the preservation of renal function when renal mass is reduced. This study investigates the effects of two different dietary proteins, casein and soya, upon renal function in normal rats and rats subjected to subtotal nephrectomy. The diets were isocaloric, with identical sodium, potassium and phosphorus contents. Normal rats ingesting a 24% soya protein diet demonstrate lower effective renal plasma flow rates and lower glomerular filtration rates than rats ingesting a 24% casein diet. Experimental animals were subjected to a unilateral nephrectomy and contralateral partial renal infarction and were fed either casein or soya, at 24 or 12% levels, for 3 months. Those animals ingesting the soya diets demonstrated improved survival (p less than 0.05), less proteinuria (p less than 0.02), less renal hypertrophy (p less than 0.005) and less renal histological damage. The nature of the dietary protein appears to influence both normal renal function and the progression of experimentally induced renal disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Skin and mucous membrane ulceration in beagle dogs following oral dosing with an experimental aminoglycoside antibiotic.

G-418 is a unique aminoglycoside antibiotic that is structurally related to gentamicin; however, unlike gentamicin, G-418 inhibits growth of both procaryotic and eucaryotic cells. In a preliminary acute oral safety study, adult male and female beagles were given a single oral dose of either 2000, 1000, 500, 200, or 50 mg/kg of G-418. Ulceration of the lip, tongue, and/or gingiva occurred in all G-418-dosed dogs 1 to 9 days after dosing. Ulceration of the glans penis, penis sheath, and scrotum occurred 7 to 14 days after a single oral dose with 1000 and 500 mg/kg G-418, and ulceration of the vaginal mucosa of the 2000-, 1000-, 500-, and 50-mg/kg-dosed female dogs occurred 2 to 8 days after dosing. Ulcers of the lip and vaginal area began at the mucocutaneous border and were more severe at these borders. In some dogs a yellow membrane formed over these lesions. Ulceration of the oral and vaginal mucosa disappeared 10 days after the first occurrence and reoccurred 3-7 days later. All ulcers healed within 30 days after the single oral dose; however, at necropsy hemorhagic areas of the urinary bladder were observed in at least one of two dogs at each dose level. Similar lesions have not been reported in animals treated with any other aminoglycoside antibiotics. The etiology of these lesions is unknown.

Aminoglycosides↗
PubMed1984

The short term effects of bezafibrate on the hypertriglyceridaemia of moderate to severe uraemia.

Hypertriglyceridaemia, an atherogenic risk factor, is a well recognised complication of uraemia, and is present in the earliest stages of the disease. Bezafibrate is an effective hypolipidaemic agent, and its effect in moderate to severe uraemia is documented in this study. Significant reductions in serum triglyceride and cholesterol have been achieved after 1 month's therapy with a reduced dosage of bezafibrate. A reduction in the hyperinsulinaemia was also seen, but no change in the fractional removal rate of injected lipid emulsion (K2) was observed. An accelerated decline in some patients' renal function was observed, which was partially reversed on cessation of treatment. Reversible elevations in the serum creatinine phosphokinase were also seen, but no patient exhibited the myositis-like syndrome associated with clofibrate.

Adult↗