Biomedical subjects

K A Moore

Publications and source records attributed to K A Moore.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2000

Quality of life and cognitive function of liver transplant patients: a prospective study.

The presence of cognitive impairment in end-stage liver disease is well recognized, as are patient reports of an impoverished quality of life. The aim of this study is to systematically evaluate the effect of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) on these factors. Thirty-two adult patients activated for OLT participated in the study. Assessments were made on activation and at 1, 3, and 9 months post-OLT, with 24 transplant recipients available for reassessment at 9 months. Two control groups (10 patients with nonalcoholic cirrhosis and 10 healthy volunteers) also completed the test protocol at four 2-month intervals. The test battery included the Austin Quality-of-Life Scale, Weschler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Benton's Controlled Oral Word Test, and the Complex Figure of Rey. The OLT group showed significant improvement in cognitive performance and their reported quality of life. These changes were evident by 3 month post-OLT and remained stable at subsequent testing. The control groups typically remained stable over test occasions. Clearly, OLT extends life and, most importantly, improves patients' quality of life and their cognitive functioning.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Silent NMDA receptor-mediated synapses are developmentally regulated in the dorsal horn of the rat spinal cord.

In vitro whole cell patch-clamp recording techniques were utilized to study silent pure-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated synaptic responses in lamina II (substantia gelatinosa, SG) and lamina III of the spinal dorsal horn. To clarify whether these synapses are present in the adult and contribute to neuropathic pain, transverse lumbar spinal cord slices were prepared from neonatal, naive adult and adult sciatic nerve transected rats. In neonatal rats, pure-NMDA receptor-mediated excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) were elicited in SG neurons either by focal intraspinal stimulation (n = 15 of 20 neurons) or focal stimulation of the dorsal root (n = 2 of 7 neurons). In contrast, in slices from naive adult rats, no silent pure-NMDA EPSCs were recorded in SG neurons following focal intraspinal stimulation (n = 27), and only one pure-NMDA EPSC was observed in lamina III (n = 23). Furthermore, in rats with chronic sciatic nerve transection, pure-NMDA EPSCs were elicited by focal intraspinal stimulation in only 2 of 45 SG neurons. Although a large increase in Abeta fiber evoked mixed alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and NMDA receptor-mediated synapses was detected after sciatic nerve injury, Abeta fiber-mediated pure-NMDA EPSCs were not evoked in SG neurons by dorsal root stimulation. Pure-NMDA receptor-mediated EPSCs are therefore a transient, developmentally regulated phenomenon, and, although they may have a role in synaptic refinement in the immature dorsal horn, they are unlikely to be involved in receptive field plasticity in the adult.

2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate↗

PubMed2000

Antigen inhalation unmasks NK-2 tachykinin receptor-mediated responses in vagal afferents.

The majority of airway sensory innervation originates from afferent neurons whose somata reside in vagal (nodose and jugular) ganglia. Using guinea pigs immunized with chick ovalbumin, we have discovered that airway inflammation provokes phenotypic changes in the tachykinin responsiveness of nodose neurons. Bath application of substance P (SP; 0.1 to 10 microM) to nodose neurons isolated from guinea pigs with normal uninflamed airways did not elicit measurable changes in resting electrophysiological properties. In sharp contrast, 80% of nodose neurons isolated 24 h after in vivo aerosolized antigen challenge of the airway were depolarized by 100 nM SP. Inhalation of a nonantigenic protein did not evoke the expression of SP responses. Pharmacological analysis revealed that SP responses unmasked by airway inflammation were mediated by neurokinin-2 (NK-2) tachykinin receptors. There are several potential mechanisms for transduction of an "unmasking signal" from the inflamed airway to vagal afferent somata. The vagus nerve may relay the signal, either through anterograde transport and/or nerve impulse activity. Alternatively, a signal generated by airway inflammation may be carried by the circulation to the nodose ganglia. Unilateral vagotomy significantly reduced the percentage of SP-responsive neurons compared with intact controls, suggesting that the vagus nerve is required for unmasking of NK-2 responses.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Attitudes and practices regarding varicella vaccination among physicians in Minnesota: implications for public health and provider education.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine physicians' attitudes and practices regarding varicella vaccine. METHODS: A sample of Minnesota family physicians and pediatricians was surveyed in January 1997. RESULTS: Of 255 physicians surveyed, 108 (42%) reported routinely offering varicella vaccine. Physicians who perceived their professional organization's recommendations as "very important" were more likely to routinely offer varicella vaccine. Physicians who preferred natural disease over vaccination and those concerned about waning immunity were less likely to routinely offer vaccine. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations of professional organizations have encouraged varicella vaccine use and may further enhance future use. Differences in pediatricians' and family physicians' attitudes and practices regarding this vaccine suggest that education of providers by specialty may be needed to increase acceptance of newly licensed vaccines.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Screening postmortem blood and tissues for nine classes [correction of cases] of drugs of abuse using automated microplate immunoassay.

A commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) was evaluated as a screening procedure for the detection of nine classes of abused drugs in postmortem blood and tissue specimens. Specifically, postmortem blood, fluid and/or tissue homogenates were screened for amphetamine (AMP), methamphetamine (MET), barbiturates (BARB), benzodiazepines (BZD), cannabinoids (CNB), cocaine (benzoylecgonine; BE), morphine-specific (MOR), opiates (class; OPI), phencyclidine (PCP) and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) by ELISA and by coated tube radioimmunoassay (CTR) (BARB, BE, OPI, PCP, LSD) or double-antibody radioimmunoassay (DAR) (AMP/METH, BZD, CNB). Specimens that screened 'positive' by any method were confirmed and quantitated by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The only assay that appeared to perform less optimally than RIA was the MOR assay (five false negatives). However, this assay is very specific for free morphine while the GC/MS confirmation method provided a total morphine value. The OPI assay was more sensitive, producing fewer false negatives, and is recommended for broad class opiate screening. EIA is an adequate alternative to RIA for screening postmortem specimens, including blood and tissue, for nine major classes of drugs.

Amphetamine↗

PubMed1999

Effects of exercise training on older patients with major depression.

BACKGROUND: Previous observational and interventional studies have suggested that regular physical exercise may be associated with reduced symptoms of depression. However, the extent to which exercise training may reduce depressive symptoms in older patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) has not been systematically evaluated. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of an aerobic exercise program compared with standard medication (ie, antidepressants) for treatment of MDD in older patients, we conducted a 16-week randomized controlled trial. METHODS: One hundred fifty-six men and women with MDD (age, > or = 50 years) were assigned randomly to a program of aerobic exercise, antidepressants (sertraline hydrochloride), or combined exercise and medication. Subjects underwent comprehensive evaluations of depression, including the presence and severity of MDD using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores before and after treatment. Secondary outcome measures included aerobic capacity, life satisfaction, self-esteem, anxiety, and dysfunctional cognitions. RESULTS: After 16 weeks of treatment, the groups did not differ statistically on HAM-D or BDI scores (P = .67); adjustment for baseline levels of depression yielded an essentially identical result. Growth curve models revealed that all groups exhibited statistically and clinically significant reductions on HAM-D and BDI scores. However, patients receiving medication alone exhibited the fastest initial response; among patients receiving combination therapy, those with less severe depressive symptoms initially showed a more rapid response than those with initially more severe depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: An exercise training program may be considered an alternative to antidepressants for treatment of depression in older persons. Although antidepressants may facilitate a more rapid initial therapeutic response than exercise, after 16 weeks of treatment exercise was equally effective in reducing depression among patients with MDD.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Calcium regulation of a slow post-spike hyperpolarization in vagal afferent neurons.

Activation of distinct classes of potassium channels can dramatically affect the frequency and the pattern of neuronal firing. In a subpopulation of vagal afferent neurons (nodose ganglion neurons), the pattern of impulse activity is effectively modulated by a Ca2+-dependent K+ current. This current produces a post-spike hyperpolarization (AHPslow) that plays a critical role in the regulation of membrane excitability and is responsible for spike-frequency accommodation in these neurons. Inhibition of the AHPslow by a number of endogenous autacoids (e.g., histamine, serotonin, prostanoids, and bradykinin) results in an increase in the firing frequency of vagal afferent neurons from <0.1 to >10 Hz. After a single action potential, the AHPslow in nodose neurons displays a slow rise time to peak (0.3-0.5 s) and a long duration (3-15 s). The slow kinetics of the AHPslow are due, in part, to Ca2+ discharge from an intracellular Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release (CICR) pool. Action potential-evoked Ca2+ influx via either L or N type Ca2+ channels triggers CICR. Surprisingly, although L type channels generate 60% of action potential-induced CICR, only Ca2+ influx through N type Ca2+ channels can trigger the CICR-dependent AHPslow. These observations suggest that a close physical proximity exists between endoplasmic reticulum ryanodine receptors and plasma membrane N type Ca2+ channels and AHPslow potassium channels. Such an anatomical relation might be particularly beneficial for modulation of spike-frequency adaptation in vagal afferent neurons.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed1999

The myeloid-lymphoid initiating cell (ML-IC) assay assesses the fate of multipotent human progenitors in vitro.

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) are cells with self-renewing multilineage differentiation potential. Although engraftment in xenogeneic recipients can be used to measure human HSC, these assays do not allow assessment of individual progenitors. We developed an in vitro assay that allows the identification of a single human bone marrow progenitor closely related to HSC, which we termed "Myeloid-Lymphoid Initiating Cell," or ML-IC, because it is capable of generating multiple secondary progenitors that can reinitiate long-term myeloid and lymphoid hematopoiesis in vitro. The assay is done in contact with murine AFT024 fetal liver stromal cells and with Flt3-Ligand, stem cell factor, and interleukin-7. In this assay, 0.2% to 1.7% of Lin -/34(+)/DRdim cells could generate 1 to 3 long-term culture initiating cells (LTC-IC) as well as 1 to 4 NK-IC after 4 to 6 weeks. In addition, this assay measures contribution of net-progenitor conservation and net-progenitor proliferation over time, providing insight in the fate of individual LTC-IC and NK-IC. This assay will prove useful to enumerate the number of very primitive human progenitors with multilineage differentiation potential, as well as to evaluate future ex vivo culture conditions.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Quinolone-resistant Campylobacter jejuni infections in Minnesota, 1992-1998. Investigation Team.

BACKGROUND: Increasing resistance to quinolones among campylobacter isolates from humans has been reported in Europe and Asia, but not in the United States. We evaluated resistance to quinolones among campylobacter isolates from Minnesota residents during the period from 1992 through 1998. METHODS: All 4953 campylobacter isolates from humans received by the Minnesota Department of Health were tested for resistance to nalidixic acid. Resistant isolates and selected sensitive isolates were tested for resistance to ciprofloxacin. We conducted a case-comparison study of patients with ciprofloxacin-resistant Campylobacter jejuni isolated during 1996 and 1997. Domestic chicken was evaluated as a potential source of quinolone-resistant campylobacter. RESULTS: The proportion of quinolone-resistant C. jejuni isolates from humans increased from 1.3 percent in 1992 to 10.2 percent in 1998 (P<0.001). During 1996 and 1997, infection with quinolone-resistant C. jejuni was associated with foreign travel and with the use of a quinolone before the collection of stool specimens. However, quinolone use could account for no more than 15 percent of the cases from 1996 through 1998. The number of quinolone-resistant infections that were acquired domestically also increased during the period from 1996 through 1998. Ciprofloxacin-resistant C. jejuni was isolated from 14 percent of 91 domestic chicken products obtained from retail markets in 1997. Molecular subtyping showed an association between resistant C. jejuni strains from chicken products and domestically acquired infections in Minnesota residents. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in quinolone-resistant C. jejuni infections in Minnesota is largely due to infections acquired during foreign travel. However, the number of quinolone-resistant infections acquired domestically has also increased, largely because of the acquisition of resistant strains from poultry. The use of fluoroquinolones in poultry, which began in the United States in 1995, has created a reservoir of resistant C. jejuni.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed1999

Serotonin unmasks functional NK-2 receptors in vagal sensory neurones of the guinea-pig.

1. The regulation of substance P (SP) responsiveness in acutely isolated nodose neurones from adult guinea-pigs was investigated using standard intracellular recording techniques. 2. In control neurones, SP produced no measurable electrophysiological effects. However, following incubation with serotonin (5-HT, 10 microM), 64% of neurones were depolarized by 10 +/- 0.6 mV (n = 84 of 132 neurones) by SP (100 nM). 5-HT-induced SP responses were inhibited by SR48968 (100 nM, n = 6), a neurokinin 2 (NK-2) receptor antagonist, but were unaffected by CP99,994 and SR142801, NK-1 and NK-3 receptor antagonists (n = 3 each), respectively. 3. 5-HT-induced unmasking of SP responses was maximal within 5 min. Increasing the 5-HT incubation time up to 120 min did not increase the mean response amplitude or the percentage of SP responsive neurones (P = 0.611 and 0.867, respectively). 4. 5-HT-induced unmasking of SP responses was dose dependent (EC50 = 14 nM). A 5-HT3 receptor agonist CPBG (1 microM), mimicked the unmasking effects of 5-HT (n = 10 of 19 neurones), while 5-CT (10 microM), a non-selective 5-HT agonist devoid of action at 5-HT3 receptors, did not (n = 18). ICS205-930 (1 microM), a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, completely blocked the 5-HT-induced unmasking of SP responses (n = 10 of 10 neurones). 5. In 68% of the neurones tested, bath-applied 5-HT (10 microM) evoked a 178 +/- 29.5 nM increase in [Ca2+]i (n = 16), which was blocked by nominally zero [Ca2+]o (n = 4) or by ICS205-930 (1 microM, n = 4). Nodose neurones incubated with 5-HT in the presence of nominally zero [Ca2+]o did not respond to SP (n = 12 of 13 neurones) in Locke solution containing normal [Ca2+]o, indicating that the 5-HT-mediated elevation of [Ca2+]i is required for unmasking of SP responses. Calmidazolium (100 nM), a calmodulin inhibitor, inhibited the unmasking effects of 5-HT (n = 5 of 5 neurones). 6. Incubating neurones with the nitric oxide (NO) donors papaNONOate (1 mM, 15-30 min) or SNAP (50 microM, 30-60 min) unmasked depolarizing SP responses in 71% and 45% of the neurones studied, respectively. L-NMMA (30 microM), a NO synthase inhibitor, blocked 5-HT-induced unmasking of SP responses (n = 10 of 10 neurones). 7. In sum, these results suggest that stimulation of 5-HT3 receptors activates an intracellular signalling cascade that couples calcium-calmodulin and NO activation to NK-2 receptor unmasking in sensory neurones.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Single adult human CD34(+)/Lin-/CD38(-) progenitors give rise to natural killer cells, B-lineage cells, dendritic cells, and myeloid cells.

Marrow stromal cultures support adult CD34(+)/Lin-/HLA-DR- or CD34(+)/Lin-/CD38(-) cell differentiation into natural killer (NK) or myeloid cells, but unlike committed lymphoid progenitors (CD34(+)/Lin-/CD45RA+/CD10(+)), no B cells are generated. We tested whether different microenvironments could establish a developmental link between the NK and B-cell lineages. Progenitors were cultured in limiting dilutions with interleukin-7 (IL-7), flt3 ligand (FL), c-kit ligand (KL), IL-3, IL-2, and AFT024, a murine fetal liver line, which supports culture of transplantable murine stem cells. NK cells, CD10(+)/CD19(+) B-lineage cells and dendritic cells (DC) developed from the same starting population and IL-7, FL, and KL were required in this process. Single cell deposition of 3,872 CD34(+)/Lin-/CD38(-) cells onto AFT024 with IL-7, FL, KL, IL-2, and IL-3 showed that a one time addition of IL-3 at culture initiation was essential for multilineage differentiation from single cells. Single and double lineage progeny were frequently detected, but more importantly, 2% of single cells could give rise to at least three lineages (NK cells, B-lineage cells, and DC or myeloid cells) providing direct evidence that NK and B-lineage differentiation derive from a common lymphomyeloid hematopoietic progenitor under the same conditions. This study provides new insights into the role of the microenvironment niche, which governs the earliest events in lymphoid development.

ADP-ribosyl Cyclase↗

PubMed1999

Thoracic aortic aneurysm repair with an endovascular stent graft: the "first generation".

OBJECTIVE: The feasibility and efficacy trial of an endovascular stent-grafting system for the treatment of aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta was investigated. METHODS: After Institutional Review Board approval, 103 patients (mean age 69 years) underwent stent graft repair of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm between July 1992 and November 1997. The stent graft was fabricated using self-expanding "Z" stents covered by a woven Dacron tube graft. Follow-up, which averaged 22 months, was 100% complete. Simultaneous open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair was performed in 19 patients. RESULTS: Complete aneurysm thrombosis was achieved in 86 patients (83%). Early mortality, defined as a death during the same hospitalization or in less than 30 days, was 9 +/- 3%, and was significantly associated with preoperative cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or myocardial infarction. Major perioperative morbidity occurred in 31 patients, and included paraplegia in 3, CVA in 7, and respiratory insufficiency in 12 patients each. Actuarial survival was 81 +/- 4% at 1 year, and 73 +/- 5% at 2 years. Treatment failure (including all late, sudden, unexplained deaths) occurred in 38 patients, and only 53 +/- 10% of patients were free of treatment failure at 3.7 years. Five patients required late operative therapy for endoleaks associated with aneurysm enlargement. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfactory results were achieved using this "first-generation" homemade stent graft device. Mortality and morbidity occurred frequently, but may have been associated with the high-risk character of this patient population. Medium-term results were acceptable, but continued aortic enlargement, with the late development of endoleaks, is a significant concern. Second-generation devices with commercial development, coupled with this initial experience, should allow improved clinical results in the future. Longer term follow-up is still necessary to fully define the efficacy of this endovascular approach.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Vascular smooth muscle differentiation of murine stroma: a sequential model.

Previous studies by our group showed that stromal cells from human long-term marrow cultures were mesenchymal cells following a vascular smooth muscle pathway. The present study using 58 immortalized stromal lines from different hematopoietic sites was conducted to verify whether this hypothesis also held true for murine stroma. Principal components analysis performed using cytoskeletal and extracellular matrix proteins allowed the segregation of five factors explaining more than 70% of the variance. Factor I, including osteopontin and vimentin, and factor II, laminins and fibronectins, were representative of the mesenchyme. The remaining three factors were representative of vascular smooth muscle: factor III, including alphaSM actin, SM alpha actinin, SM22alpha, EDa+ fibronectin, and thrombospondin-1; factor IV, metavinculin and h-caldesmon; and factor V, smooth muscle myosin SM1 and desmin. All lines expressed factors I and II; 53 lines expressed factor III, 35 lines expressed factor IV; and 11 lines expressed factor V. A second principal components analysis including membrane antigens indicated the cosegregration of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 with osteopontin and that of Ly6A/E with vimentin, whereas CD34 and Thy-1 appeared to be independent factors. The heterogeneity of vascular smooth muscle markers expression suggests that harmonious maintenance of hematopoiesis depends on the cooperation between different stromal cell clones.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

The type of stromal feeder used in limiting dilution assays influences frequency and maintenance assessment of human long-term culture initiating cells.

The goal of this study was to evaluate if differences in culture conditions used in long-term culture assays affect enumeration of LTC-IC in freshly sorted or ex vivo expanded CD34+/HLA-DRdim/CD2-/CD7- (34+/Lin-) cells. The variables examined included different stromal feeders (murine bone marrow fibroblast cell line, M2-10B4 and murine fetal liver cell line, AFT024) and presence or absence of cytokines (MIP-1alpha + IL-3). The absolute LTC-IC frequency in 34+/Lin- cells measured in limiting dilution assays (LDA) on AFT024 (4.45 +/- 0.69%) was significantly higher than in M2-10B4 (1.45 +/- 0.20%) LDA. Addition of MIP-1alpha and IL-3 to AFT024 LDA increased the measured LTC-IC frequency to 6.8 +/- 0.9%. We also determined the fraction of LTC-IC that persisted after 34+/Lin cells were cultured for 5 weeks by replating progeny in the three LDA readout systems. The measured LTC-IC maintenance was significantly lower when M2-10B4 LDA (13.1 +/- 3.5%, P < 0.05) were used compared with AFT024 LDA (36.6 +/- 5.5%) or AFT024 LDA supplemented with MIP-1alpha and IL-3 (29.1 +/- 6.3%). Thus, the number of LTC-IC measured in freshly sorted 34+ cells depends on the stromal feeder used in LDA assays. Furthermore, and most important, assessment of LTC-IC expansion or maintenance may vary significantly depending on the type of stromal feeder used to enumerate LTC-IC.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Tissue distribution of mirtazapine (Remeron) in postmortem cases.

Mirtazapine (Remeron) is a member of the relatively new class of tetracyclic antidepressants. There are published cases of mirtazapine's detection as an incidental finding in postmortem cases; however, case reports with associated tissue concentrations and interpretations are not available. This report documents the tissue distribution of mirtazapine in eight postmortem cases in which it was identified but did not contribute to the cause or manner of death. The following mean mirtazapine concentrations (milligrams per liter or milligrams per kilogram) were found: heart blood 0.12 (range, < 0.01-0.33, n = 7); peripheral blood 0.09 (< 0.01-0.14, n = 4); urine 0.61 (0.01-3.2, n = 7); liver 0.88 (0.04-3.6, n = 6), kidney 0.21 (0.02-0.48, n = 5); and bile 0.62 (0.11-1.6, n = 6). In each case, the mirtazapine concentration in heart blood was approximately equal to that of peripheral blood, indicating that postmortem redistribution was not a factor in evaluating postmortem blood concentrations in these cases. However, because the liver mirtazapine concentrations were 5-30 times the blood concentrations, the potential for postmortem redistribution cannot be excluded. Additionally, because urine concentrations of the parent compound were consistently greater than the blood concentrations, urine is an adequate screening specimen for mirtazapine.

Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic↗

PubMed1999

Tissue distribution of tramadol and metabolites in an overdose fatality.

Tramadol (Ultram) is a centrally acting, synthetic analgesic agent. Although it has some affinity for the opiate receptors, tramadol is believed to exert its analgesic effect by inhibiting the re-uptake of norepinephrine and serotonin. There are several published cases of tramadol's involvement in drug-related deaths and impairment. Reports of deaths involving tramadol alone with associated tissue concentrations are rare. This report documents a case in which tramadol overdose was identified as the cause of death. The following tramadol concentrations were found in various tissues: blood, 20 mg/L; urine, 110.2 mg/L; liver, 68.9 mg/kg; and kidney, 37.5 mg/kg. Tissue distributions of the two primary metabolites, N-desmethyl and O-desmethyl tramadol, are also reported. In each tissue or fluid except urine, the tramadol concentration was greater than either metabolite, consistent with other reports of drug-impaired drivers and postmortem cases. The O-desmethyl metabolite concentration was greater than the N-desmethyl metabolite concentration in all tissues; this is in contrast to other postmortem reports, in which the majority of cases report concentrations of O-desmethyl as less than those of N-desmethyl. This may be useful as an indicator of time lapse between ingestion and death.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Breast cancer patients' out-of-pocket expenses.

Patients with cancer soon discover that there is much more to the cost of treatment than hospital and physician bills. Out-of-packet expenses for transportation, food supplements, over-the-counter medications, distractions, telephone bills, insurance premiums--at a time when employment may be out of the question--can be a significant drain on family finances. Women with regional breast cancer reported their estimates of out-of-pocket expenses incurred during 1 month of outpatient chemotherapy. All women in the study were covered by some form of insurance. Mean monthly out-of-pocket costs were $360 (SD = $346), and ranged from $36 to $1224. Additional costs for wigs, special events, gifts, and alternative treatment incurred since diagnosis, ranged from $20 to $3700. These costs excluded expenses for health providers. Very low and very high expenditures may indicate risks concealed from providers that may have subsequent impact on long-term capacity to sustain treatment. Nurses can help families anticipate expenses and prioritize referrals to community agencies.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Addressing emerging infections. The partnership between public health and primary care physicians.

In response to concerns about emerging infections, the Minnesota Department of Health, in conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, developed a model emerging infections program in 1995. The authors' experience with the program has demonstrated the key role clinicians have as partners with public health agencies in identifying and reporting disease cases, educating patients about infectious risks, and preventing emerging infections. This partnership is well illustrated by two examples from Minnesota: a recent outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis infection in a rural area and a laboratory surveillance study of invasive and drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in a metropolitan area.

Adolescent↗