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Biomedical subjects

K Allen

Publications and source records attributed to K Allen.

132 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

The Wand vs. traditional injection: a comparison of pain related behaviors.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a computerized anesthesia delivery system (e.g., Wand) compared to a traditional anesthesia administration, with respect to reducing disruptive pain related behavior during injections. METHODS: Subjects consisted of 62 patients between the ages of 5 and 13 requiring local anesthesia for dental restorations in the maxilla. Patients were randomly assigned to either the Wand or the traditional anesthetic delivery system. A palatal approach to the anterior and middle superior alveolar nerves and the anterior superior alveolar nerve was used with the Wand injections. Buccal infiltration and palatal injections were used for the traditional method. Pain behavior was observed and coded. Pain ratings were obtained. Subjects also rated their satisfaction with treatment. RESULTS: Results of chi-square tests found that the Wand injections produced significantly fewer patients who exhibited disruptive behavior during the initial 15 seconds of an injection when compared with those who received a traditional palatal injection. Wand patients were significantly less likely to cry, to exhibit disruptive body movements, and to require physical restraint. In contrast, there were no significant differences in disruptive behavior when comparing the Wand with the traditional buccal injection. Pain ratings showed no statistical difference between the Wand and the traditional injections. CONCLUSION: Wand injections can deliver proper anesthesia, utilizing one palatal injection site, while significantly reducing the likelihood of disruptive behaviors during the initial moments of an injection.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Social support in smoking cessation among black women in Chicago public housing.

To accomplish significant reductions in smoking by the year 2000, special populations with relatively low rates of smoking cessation must be reached and helped to quit smoking. These populations are most often groups in which traditional approaches to smoking cessation have not been successful. Focus groups were conducted with black women who were residents of Chicago public housing developments. The purposes were to assess factors related to smoking and the women's willingness to participate in cessation programs. The findings reveal several barriers to smoking cessation. These barriers are linked to the difficult daily existence and environment of these women and to a lack of social support that would help them to achieve smoking cessation. The barriers include (a) managing their lives in highly stressful environments, (b) major isolation within these environments, (c) smoking as a pleasure attainable with very limited financial resources, (d) perceived minimal health risks of smoking, (e) commonality of smoking in their communities, (f) scarcity of information about the process of cessation available to them, and (g) belief that all they need is the determination to quit on their own. The women emphasized that smoking cessation would be more relevant to them if part of broader social support efforts geared to improve their lives. The public health system may need to consider such strategies to engage this group of women.

Black or African American↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate estrogenic action at its physiological plasma concentration in human breast cancer cell lines.

Estrogen receptor activation in hormone dependent cells (MCF-7 and T47D) and hormone independent cells (MDA-MB-231) was measured by bioluminescence in stably transfected human breast cancer MCF-7, T47D and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with a reporter gene which allows expression of the firefly luciferase enzyme under the control of an estrogen regulatory element. Estrogen receptor activation by estrogens and steroid sulfates such as estrone 3-sulfate (E1S), estradiol 3-sulfate (E2S), estriol 3-sulfate (E3S) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) were studied and compared in these cell lines. DHEAS, at a physiological plasma concentration only (1 microM), had a high "estrogen-like" effect in MCF-7 and T47D cells. In contrast, estrogen sulfates did not have any effect on the luciferase activity at their physiological plasma concentration. These results suggest that MCF-7 and T47D cells could convert DHEAS to estrogens by aromatase and/or to estrogen-like compounds by other enzymatic systems. This is the first demonstrahon of the steroid sulfates action through their metabolites on the estrogen receptor. Therefore, at the concentrations observed in physiological conditions, DHEAS could contribute to the pool of compounds having estrogenic activities in human breast cancer hormone dependent cell lines.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

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