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Biomedical subjects

Jennifer Bennett

Publications and source records attributed to Jennifer Bennett.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The physician-patient working alliance.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive and emotional dimensions of the physician-patient relationship (working alliance) were examined in relation to patients' beliefs about the usefulness of treatment (perceived utility), patients' beliefs about being able to adhere to treatment (adherence self-efficacy beliefs), patients' follow through on their treatment plan (adherence), and patients' satisfaction. METHODS: Participants were 51 men and 67 women who averaged 38.9 years of age (S.D.=12.28). Seventy-two were Euro-American, 23 African-American, 6 Asian-American, 11 Hispanic, and 6 "Other." They reported an average of 7.3 years (S.D.=7.48) since being diagnosed with a chronic medical illness and an average of 7.1 (S.D.=4.88) visits to their doctor within the last year. Patients' conditions included HIV+/AIDS, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, and cancer. RESULTS: Results show moderate to strong relationships between working alliance and perceived utility (r=0.63, P<0.001), self-efficacy (r=0.47, P<0.001), adherence (r=0.53, P<0.001), and satisfaction (r=0.83, P<0.001). Regression analyses showed that ratings of the working alliance (SB=0.25, P<0.005) and self-efficacy beliefs (SB=0.48, P<0.001) predicted patient adherence and that working alliance ratings (SB=0.83, P<0.001) also predicted patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The working alliance can be measured in medical care and appears to be strongly associated with patients' adherence to and satisfaction with treatment. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The working alliance is important in medical treatment, as it is associated with patient adherence and satisfaction. Patients' self-efficacy ought to be assessed and promoted as it is also associated with treatment adherence.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

A novel perfluoroelastomer seeded with adipose-derived stem cells for soft-tissue repair.

BACKGROUND: There is a need for engineered soft tissue in reconstructive surgery, particularly after tumor removal. An ideal implant that will provide structural support and a favorable environment for growing cells is a key element in the process of tissue engineering. Nonbiodegradable materials that become well incorporated within the new tissue are a good solution, but many such materials do not have a surface favorable for cell adherence and proliferation. The authors hypothesized that the modification of the pore size in a novel fluoropolymer would improve the adherence and enhance the proliferation of adipose-derived stem cells. METHODS: Fluoropolymers with two varying pore size ranges were examined. Fluoropolymer compound U48 (pore size, 100 to 180 microm) and fluoropolymer compound P54 (pore size, 10 to 55 microm) were seeded with human adipose-derived stem cells, and cell adherence to the material was measured after 4 hours and cell proliferation was measured after 72 hours. Cell-seeded constructs were implanted subcutaneously in a nude mouse model for 30 days. RESULTS: Fluoropolymer surface treatment with fibronectin improved the attachment of adipose-derived stem cells to the well plates but did not improve attachment to the fluoropolymer, regardless of pore size. Fluoropolymer U48 increases the adherence and provides a favorable surface for proliferation of adipose-derived stem cells. CONCLUSIONS: After subcutaneous implantation into nude mice, tissue growth was observed in the fluoropolymer samples with the larger pore size. The characteristics of this new material will allow for future clinical applications in plastic and reconstructive surgery.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2004

Intraventricular insulin and leptin reverse place preference conditioned with high-fat diet in rats.

The authors hypothesized that insulin and leptin, hormones that convey metabolic and energy balance status to the central nervous system (CNS), decrease the reward value of food, as assessed by conditioned place preference (CPP). CPP to high-fat diet was blocked in ad-lib fed rats given intraventricular insulin or leptin throughout training and test or acutely before the test. Insulin or leptin given only during the training period did not block CPP. Thus, elevated insulin and leptin do not prevent learning a food's reward value, but instead block its retrieval. Food-restricted rats receiving cerebrospinal fluid, insulin, or leptin had comparable CPPs. Results indicate that the CNS roles of insulin and leptin may include processes involving memory and reward.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Melatonin receptors and their regulation: biochemical and structural mechanisms.

There is growing evidence demonstrating the complexity of melatonin's role in modulating a diverse number of physiological processes. This complexity could be attributed to the fact that melatonin receptors belong to two distinct classes of proteins, that is, the G-protein coupled receptor superfamily (MT(1), MT(2)) and the quinone reductase enzyme family (MT(3)) which makes them unique at the molecular level. Also, within the G-protein coupled receptor family of proteins, the MT(1) and MT(2) receptors can couple to multiple and distinct signal transduction cascades whose activation can lead to unique cellular responses. Also, throughout the 24-hour cycle, the receptors' sensitivity to specific cues fluctuates and this sensitivity can be modulated in a homologous fashion, that is, by melatonin itself, and in a heterologous manner, that is, by other cues including the photoperiod or estrogen. This sensitivity of response may reflect changes in melatonin receptor density that also occurs throughout the 24-hour light/dark cycle but out of phase with circulating melatonin levels. The mechanisms that underlie the changes in melatonin receptor density and function are still not well-understood, but data is beginning to show that transcriptional events and G-protein uncoupling may be involved. Even though this area of research is still in its infancy, great strides are being made everyday in elucidating the mechanisms that underlie melatonin receptor function and regulation. The focus of this review is to highlight some of these discoveries in an attempt to reveal the uniqueness of the melatonin receptor family while at the same time provide thought-provoking ideas to further advance this area of research. Thus, a brief overview of each of the mammalian melatonin receptor subtypes and the signal transduction cascades to which they couple will be discussed with a greater emphasis placed on the mechanisms underlying their regulation and the domains within the receptors essential for proper signaling.

Animals↗