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Biomedical subjects

F Ghazi

Publications and source records attributed to F Ghazi.

13 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

Psychological distress of cancer and clinical trial participation: a review of the literature.

The House of Commons Select Committee on Science and Technology 2000 state that currently less than 5% of adult patients with solid tumours are entered into clinical trials. They recommend that increasing the number of adult cancer patients entering clinical trials must become a high priority. Health-care providers need to prepare themselves for this proposed increase in trial participants by assessing the current status of care and implementing changes within the current infrastructure to provide optimal holistic care. Cancer can change a patient's life either for better or for worse. At one extreme, having cancer leads to enhanced appreciation of life and closer bonds with others. However, at the other extreme, cancer combined with its treatment is viewed as an event that evokes distress and emotional anguish taxing the individual's ability to cope. In the last 25 years, owing to the advent of clinical trials, progress has been made in cancer treatment. Clinical trials may be hailed as the saviour to many therapeutic dilemmas. Treatments are now available which can offer patients hope of cure. Nevertheless, many participants may fear, for the purpose of research, that they may be assigned to less than optimal therapy or that their care will be carried out in a sterile scientific atmosphere devoid of humane and personal consideration. These and other reasons may cause unacceptable personal distress that overrides the potential therapeutic gain. Cancer diagnosis coupled with the ramifications of clinical trial involvement can have significant psychological implications. They may trigger the onset of a mood disorder or exacerbate a present symptom. This article will identify mood disorders in the cancer population, focus on the participants' needs in the clinical trial arena and investigate the influence trial participation has on psychological status.

Anxiety↗
PubMed2001

Arginine-glycine-aspartic acid motif is critical for human parechovirus 1 entry.

The human parechovirus 1 RGD motif in VP1 was studied by mutagenesis. An RGD-to-RGE change gave only revertant viruses with a restored RGD, while deletion of GD was lethal and nonrevertable. Mutations at the +1 and +2 positions had some effect on growth properties and a +1 M-to-P change was lethal. These studies indicate that the RGD motif plays a critical role in infectivity, presumably by interacting with integrins, and that downstream amino acids can have an influence on function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

T'ai Chi Chih as an intervention for heart failure.

A program of T'ai Chi Chih, a modified T'ai Chi exercise, was piloted in a study comprised of a small sample of individuals with heart failure. A conceptual framework guided the study design, integrating theories of the neurohormonal dynamics of heart failure with mind-body holistic perspectives of health. Comparisons of pre- and post-measures of heart failure symptoms, general health, mental health, functional capacity, and energy perceptions support the potential of T'ai Chi Chih in managing heart failure symptoms and improving quality of life. In this article, quantitative interviews capture the meaning of experiencing a complementary therapy as an intervention for chronic illness. Participation in T'ai Chi Chih by individuals with heart failure is a cost-effective, noninvasive alternative strategy that warrants continued investigation.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Molecular analysis of human parechovirus type 2 (formerly echovirus 23).

Picornaviruses have been divided into five genera until recently, when a sixth genus, Parechovirus, was defined. Human parechovirus type 1 (HPeV1; formerly echovirus 22) was the first recognized member of this genus and preliminary sequence analysis of echovirus 23 [now renamed human parechovirus type 2 (HPeV2)] suggested that it is also a parechovirus. Here we describe the complete nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequences of HPeV2, which indicate a close relationship to HPeV1 throughout the genome. Sequence covariance in the 5' untranslated region allows a prediction of the secondary structure, which indicates that these parechoviruses have a type 2 internal ribosome entry site, most closely related to that of cardioviruses. Overall, HPeV2 has 87.9% amino acid identity with HPeV1, most divergence being seen in regions of the capsid proteins that probably define antigenic sites. The N-terminal sequence extension to VP3, seen only in parechoviruses, is highly basic in both viruses, but has a variable sequence, suggesting that it does not have a sequence-specific role. There is an RGD motif near the C terminus of VP1, in an analogous location to that in HPeV1 which is believed to be functionally significant. The results confirm that both viruses are parechoviruses and give insights into the molecular features of this genus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Differentiation of proteinase (minor toxin lambda) in Clostridium perfringens strains from sheep and goats in Iran.

17 Clostridium perfringens strains isolated post mortem from sheep and goats in Iran were examined by biochemical tests and by enzyme immuno assay (EIA). 7 of the C. perfringens strains belonged to type B, 8 strains were type D, one strain was type A, one strain was untypable by EIA. The isolated strains were examined for presence of Minor Toxin Lambda (proteinase) to identify the Iran subtype of C. perfringens type B. The results are compared to characteristics of Clostridium perfringens reference strains. The differentiation technique for proteinase (Minor Toxin Lambda) is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Molecular and biological characteristics of echovirus 22, a representative of a new picornavirus group.

Recent sequence analysis revealed that the human pathogen echovirus 22 (EV22) is genetically distant from all the other picornaviruses studied to date (T. Hyypiä, C. Horsnell, M. Maaronen, M. Khan, N. Kalkkinen, P. Auvinen, L. Kinnunen, and G. Stanway, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 89:8847-8851, 1992). We have further characterized the biological properties of the virus and show here that the virion has properties similar to those of other picornaviruses. However, the protein composition is unique, in that most copies of one of the three major capsid proteins, VP0, do not undergo the further processing to VP2 and VP4 observed during the maturation of the virus in previously studied picornaviruses. Alignment of the capsid protein sequences with those of other picornaviruses revealed, furthermore, that the VP3 polypeptide contains an apparent insertion of approximately 25 amino acids at its amino terminus. An arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif is found in VP1, and by using synthetic peptides, it was shown that this sequence plays a role in cell surface receptor recognition. Finally, EV23 was shown to share remarkable identity with EV22 in certain parts of the genome and also belongs to this previously unrecognized picornavirus group.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Nursing and midwifery research: making it happen.

The organisation of a series of research awareness workshops for nurses and midwives in the North East Thames Regional Health Authority is described. The workshops, which aim to 'demystify' nursing research for practitioners, are particularly pertinent in view of government and nursing drives to raise the profile of research. Evaluations from workshop participants have shown a high degree of satisfaction with content and presentation.

Clinical Nursing Research↗
PubMed1989

Ebstein's anomaly: natural and unnatural history.

Clinical features and natural history were analyzed in 30 patients with Ebstein's anomaly (mean age 26 years, range 1.5-58 years, 53% females). The main presenting symptoms were dyspnea and fatigue (83%). At presentation, there were six patients (20%) in New York Heart Association Functional Class (NYHAFC) I, nine (30%) in NYHA-FC II, and 15 (50%) in NYHA-FC III or IV; 12 patients (40%) were cyanotic. Common auscultatory findings were widely split second heart sound in 21 (70%), third heart sound in 14 (47%), fourth heart sound in 16 (53%), and a systolic murmur in 22 (73%). Right bundle branch block was present in 21 (70%), documented supraventricular tachycardia in seven (23%), and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome in three (10%). Catheterization was performed in 93% without complications. Fourteen patients were treated surgically (12 [86%] in NYHA-FC III or IV, 10 [71%] with associated anomalies); tricuspid valve replacement was performed in eight, atrial septal defect repair in two, accessory pathway ablation in two, right atrial plication in one, and automatic cardioverter defibrillator implantation in one. Surgical treatment improved 10 patients from NYHA-FC III or IV to NYHA-FC I or II. Death occurred in nine patients (five treated surgically and four medically); four of these deaths were sudden. In the eight patients who had tricuspid valve replacement, there were one operative and two late deaths. The authors conclude that surgical therapy with tricuspid valve replacement improves the clinical status of patients who are severely ill. Risk of sudden death remains an important problem in patients with Ebstein's anomaly regardless of severity of the disease and mode of treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Monitoring research in a nursing college.

The increasing profile of research in nursing has demanded that monitoring and advice-giving facilities for prospective researchers become more formalised and rigorous. This article describes how a nursing college has responded to the challenge by forming a Research, Ethics and Consultancy Committee, and sets out the important work it has completed in the two years since its inception.

Faculty, Nursing↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Auditing student practice placements.

This article describes an action research project which analysed the development of a single audit tool of student practice placements. The tool was designed to meet the needs of a newly established college formed by the merger of three independent nursing and midwifery schools, each with their own clinical auditing strategies. The article outlines the significance of this work, in particular in relation to the production of competent practitioners within the framework of Project 2000 courses.

Education, Nursing↗
PubMedDate not supplied

How to keep student nurses motivated.

Student nurses on a pre-registration diploma Project 2000 course were poorly motivated, skipped lecturers and presented substandard work. This article describes how implementing formative assessment and learning contracts helped to improve students' attendance, performance and presentation.

Absenteeism↗