Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Gardner

Publications and source records attributed to J Gardner.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Isoproterenol evokes extracellular Ca2+ spikes due to secretory events in salivary gland cells.

Secretory cells should in principle export substantial amounts of calcium via exocytosis since Ca2+ is sequestered in secretory granules. Based on a new technique for measurements of the extracellular calcium concentration in the vicinity of the cell membrane and on the droplet technique, we have monitored the rate of calcium extrusion from salivary gland acinar cells. Isoproterenol (ISP), a beta-adrenergic agonist and powerful secretogogue, evoked no change in the cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) but induced vigorous extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) spiking. The absence of [Ca2+]i elevation and the pulsatile nature of the changes in [Ca2+]i indicate that these spikes are most likely due to calcium release from secretory granules. The cholinergic agonist acetylcholine (ACh), which induces moderate secretion, evoked a marked rise in [Ca2+]i and a smooth rise in [Ca2+]i, most likely induced by plasma membrane calcium pumps, on which shortlasting [Ca2+]i spikes were superimposed. The rate of ISP-induced calcium efflux was very substantial. The calculated calcium loss during the first 100 s of supramaximal stimulation corresponded to a reduction of the total cellular calcium concentration of approximately 0.4 mM. We conclude that in salivary glands, calcium release via exocytosis is one of the main mechanisms extruding calcium from cells to the extracellular milieu.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1998

Budget battle looms. Clinton uses fraud fines, user fees to pay for programs.

President Clinton ignited a new money battle for providers last week as he proposed an activist healthcare agenda in his proposal to balance the federal budget in the next fiscal year. In his $1.733 trillion fiscal 1999 spending plan, Clinton proposed that providers and health plans pay $659.2 million in new user fees to fund expanded provider audits, certification surveys and a host of other HCFA activities.

Budgets↗
PubMed1998

Reaching for it. States struggle to gain new money for children's healthcare.

Last year's balanced-budget act authorized the creation of a state Children's Health Insurance Program and set aside federal funding for state children's healthcare plans. However, states can't get the feds' money unless they pony up some of their own dough. Not only are states worrying about how to come up with the money, they're also wondering how best to structure their children's healthcare plans.

Child↗
PubMed1998

Blood pressure in adolescence and early adulthood related to obesity and birth size.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is an established risk factor for higher systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure in adolescence and early adulthood, but birth size may also have a role. We analyzed the effects of adolescent and adult obesity and birth size on BP in the young adult. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: In a prospective longitudinal study, anthropometric measurements were obtained at birth on 67 boys and 67 girls born in Boston. Their body mass indices (BMI) and BP were recorded 17 years and 30 years later. RESULTS: For women, adolescent and early adult obesity appeared to be the stronger determinants of higher BP, although smaller head and chest circumferences at birth may also be related. We found some evidence of birth (ponderal index [PI] and head circumference) anthropometric influences on age 17 BP levels in boys. By age 30, body mass variables were the dominant predictors of male BP levels. Female BMI at age 17 was positively correlated with birth adiposity (PI), but BMI at 30 was related only to age 17 BMI. Similarly, male BMI at 17 years was higher for those who weighed more at birth, but BMI at 30 years was again related only to age 17 BMI. DISCUSSION: We conclude that adult weight and weight gain are the major determinants of adult BP.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1998

Vaccine-induced cytotoxic T lymphocytes protect against retroviral challenge.

The development of prophylactic vaccines against retroviral diseases has been impeded by the lack of obvious immune correlates for protection. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL), CD4-lymphocyteS, chemokine and/or antibody responses have all been associated with protection against HIV and AIDS; however, effective and safe vaccination strategies remain elusive. Here we show that vaccination with a minimal ovine CTL peptide epitope identified within gp51 of the retrovirus bovine leukemia virus (BLV), consistently induced peptide-specific CTLs. Only sheep whose CTLs were also capable of recognizing retrovirus-infected cells were fully protected when challenged with BLV. This retrovirus displays limited sequence variation; thus, in the relative absence of confounding CTL escape variants, virus-specific CTLs targeting a single epitope were able to prevent the establishment of a latent retroviral infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Spinal cord injury management in Salisbury: the history of the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre.

One point remains paramount in our minds and that is, in order to achieve the goals we have set, we need vigorously to ensure that Spinal Units continue to be seen as the only facilities competent to provide for the diverse needs of spinal cord injured patients. We at the Duke of Cornwall Spinal Treatment Centre are fortunate in having a first class, expanding facility and have the tireless cooperation of both our staff and those of the other departments in Salisbury. We recognize also that we can play a leading role in the treatment of patients, not only from the Southwest, but, where and when appropriate, from further afield.

Electric Stimulation↗
PubMed1998

Acceptability of a substitution of estrogen replacement therapy to women enrolled in a health maintenance organization.

We evaluated the acceptability of a systematic estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) substitution program in a large U.S. health maintenance organization (HMO). Prescriptions for 14,601 enrollees were converted from Premarin tablets (PR) to Estratab tablets (ES). At the end of 6 months, 93.5% of the women continued to use ES, and 6.5% reverted to use of PR. We report the results of a telephone survey that included women randomly selected from three groups who participated in the substitution program. The groups were women whose prescriptions were converted from PR to ES (n = 253), women whose prescriptions were converted from PR to ES and back to PR (n = 250), and women who continued to use PR without converting to ES (n = 251). Two thirds of women who did not revert to use of PR were still using ES 3 years after conversion of their prescriptions. Women whose prescriptions were converted but who returned to use of PR cited both return of menopausal symptoms and development of new symptoms as reasons. Women who continued to use ES did not report return of menopausal symptoms after the conversion. Our evidence supports the conclusion that the substitution of Estratab tablets for Premarin tablets among users of ERT was well tolerated and acceptable to most affected women in this HMO setting.

Aged↗