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Biomedical subjects

J T Li

Publications and source records attributed to J T Li.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

A novel perspective on medical education.

Participants on a course entitled 'Planning and Evaluating a Course' generated a theoretical framework to simplify consideration of the essential components of clinically skilled behaviour. Five superordinate facets were elucidated and elaborated with reference to specific teaching situations. This paper illustrates the effective use of buzz-groups to encourage active participation of individual group members. The exercise revealed some serious shortcomings in the current teaching of clinical skills.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1990

Lack of suppression of IgE production by recombinant interferon gamma: a controlled trial in patients with allergic rhinitis.

Recent evidence suggests that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is a potent inhibitor of IgE synthesis in rodents. We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled, two-period clinical trial of human recombinant IFN-gamma in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Forty-five adults with well-documented ragweed-allergic rhinitis were randomized into three groups of 15 adults each and received subcutaneous injections three times weekly. The first treatment period (4 weeks during the off season) began on April 18, 1988; the second treatment period (6 weeks during ragweed pollination) began on August 15, 1988. All subjects received the same treatment in both periods. Group 1 received 0.2 mg per injection of IFN, group 2 received 0.02 mg of IFN, and group 3 received placebo. One subject in group 1 and three subjects in group 2 withdrew because of adverse reactions, and three subjects withdrew for personal reasons. There were no significant differences in mean weekly symptom scores or supplemental medication scores among the three groups in either treatment period. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in the changes of serum IgE antibody to crude ragweed extract or in serum total IgE among the three groups during or before the ragweed-pollination season. These results indicate that this treatment regimen with IFN-gamma does not alter IgE production in patients with ragweed hay fever and indicate the need for further clinical research of lymphokine modulation of IgE production.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Proper use of aerosol corticosteroids to control asthma.

Aerosol glucocorticoids are highly effective in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Clinically apparent systemic hypercortisolism is virtually nonexistent in patients who receive such therapy, although local effects of candidiasis or dysphonia may occur. Treatment failures can often be attributed to poor patient compliance or incorrect use of the pressurized aerosol inhaler. The addition of a spacer device to the inhaler improves the technique and the results in many patients. Furthermore, many patients with asthma require 2 or 3 times the conventional dose of aerosol corticosteroids for optimal control of pulmonary function. Careful coaching is essential for the successful use of aerosol corticosteroids.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1989

[Affinity of penicillin-binding proteins of Escherichia coli K-12 for furbenicillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics].

Penicillin-binding proteins (PBP) are vitally important targets in relation to the killing of bacteria by beta-lactams. The affinities of PBP of Escherichia coli K 12 for ampicillin, mecillinam and for ureidopenicillins were studied by sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis and fluorography. The results showed that furbenicillin, a semisynthetic ureidopenicillin developed in China, bound to all 3 essential target proteins of E coli. The IC50 values of furbenicillin to PBP 1 b, PBP 2 and PBP 3 were 4.55 mg/L, 0.37 mg/L and 0.06 mg/L, respectively. The affinities of the 3 proteins of E coli for furbenicillin were 2.5-, 3.5-, and 2.5-fold, respectively higher than that of azlocillin. Mecillinam bound exclusively to PBP 2 (IC50: 0.16 mg/L). Mezlocillin and piperacillin showed higher affinities for PBP 3 than furbenicillin, but their affinities for PBP 1 b and PBP 2 were much lower than furbenicillin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1989

Five steps toward better asthma management.

The primary goal of asthma management is to eliminate all of the symptoms and maintain normal pulmonary function with the safest medical program. Important management issues, which are often overlooked, include identification and management of respiratory allergy to dust mites, pets and occupational exposures; appropriate (sparing) use of antibiotics; proper dosing and instruction in the use of aerosol corticosteroids; recognition and management of nocturnal asthma, and continuing assessment of the severity of asthma by measuring and monitoring pulmonary function. Adherence to these and other principles of management will help achieve the goal of symptom-free asthma.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed1988

Nocturnal asthma: approach to the patient.

Nocturnal asthma can be diagnosed by asking patients whether they awaken at night with asthmatic symptoms and feel the need to use an aerosol bronchodilator. The primary objective in treating nocturnal asthma is to help patients sleep through the night. The bronchoconstriction that underlies nocturnal asthmatic symptoms is a reflection of bronchial hyperresponsiveness, and this hyperresponsiveness is greatly increased by airway inflammation. In patients with allergic asthma, airway inflammation can be reduced by reducing exposure to allergens and, in some cases, by immunotherapy. Nocturnal bronchoconstriction is best controlled by scheduling sustained-release bronchodilators, particularly theophylline, to provide the maximal theophylline blood concentration at the time of maximal obstruction, usually between 4:00 and 6:00 A.M.

Asthma↗
PubMed1986

The Coomassie Brilliant Blue method underestimates drug-induced tubular proteinuria.

The sensitivity of the Coomassie Brilliant Blue (CBB) procedure differs for different proteins. To investigate the impact of this variability on clinical measurements of proteinuria, we collected urine specimens from patients with glomerular disease or drug-induced tubular nephrotoxicity and compared urinary protein concentrations as determined by the CBB method with those obtained by the biuret method. The CBB method underestimated the protein concentration predicted by the biuret method by as much as eightfold in specimens with low proportions of albumin. Determinations of protein by the CBB method in serially diluted urine specimens from patients with tubular damage also deviated from linearity by as much as twofold for protein concentrations less than 1 g/L. We conclude that CBB binding is relatively insensitive for measuring proteins specifically associated with tubular damage and hence may be inappropriate for clinical use.

Biuret Reaction↗
PubMed1985

Nocturnal asthma and timing of treatment.

Nocturnal deterioration of pulmonary function in asthmatic patients is a well-recognized and well-documented phenomenon. The mechanism of this "morning dip," however, remains uncertain. Although the circadian rhythms of body temperature, corticosteroid, catecholamine, histamine, and opiate peptide levels, and even sleep itself have been shown to be in phase with the diurnal variation in asthma, a causal relationship has yet to be established. Increased nighttime bronchial reactivity to histamine, acetylcholine, and house dust allergen have been demonstrated. In general, continuous treatment with theophylline, beta-adrenergic agonists, or corticosteroids attenuates the degree of morning dip but does not completely eliminate the circadian rhythm of asthma. The significance of nocturnal asthma is emphasized by the observation that asthma deaths occur more frequently during nighttime hours and are often preceded by large daily swings in peak expiratory flow. Further studies examining the etiology and treatment of nocturnal asthma are needed.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗