Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

L Rose

Publications and source records attributed to L Rose.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2003

Interleukin-17 family and IL-17 receptors.

Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine secreted by activated T-cells. Recently discovered related molecules are forming a family of cytokines, the IL-17 family. The prototype member of the family has been designated IL-17A. Due to recent advances in the human genome sequencing and proteomics five additional members have been identified and cloned: IL-17B, IL-17C, IL-17D, IL-17E and IL-17F. The cognate receptors for the IL-17 family identified thus far are: IL-17R, IL-17RH1, IL-17RL (receptor like), IL-17RD and IL-17RE. However, the ligand specificities of many of these receptors have not been established. The IL-17 signaling system is operative in disparate tissues such as articular cartilage, bone, meniscus, brain, hematopoietic tissue, kidney, lung, skin and intestine. Thus, the evolving IL-17 family of ligands and receptors may play an important role in the homeostasis of tissues in health and disease beyond the immune system. This survey reviews the biological actions of IL-17 signaling in cancers, musculoskeletal tissues, the immune system and other tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2002

[Comparison between line immunoassay (LIA) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the determination of antibodies to extractable nuclear antigenes (ENA) with reference to other laboratory results and clinical features].

INTRODUCTION: The line immunoassay (LIA) for the determination of antibodies to individual extractable antinuclear antigens (ENA) is a development of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in which the antigens to be tested are adsorbed onto a nylon test strip. In addition, the antigen subspecificities B/B' and D in the case of Sm, the 70 kD, A and C components in the case of U1-snRNP and the Ro52 and Ro60 components in the case of SSA/Ro are present separately on the strips. The aim of the study was to determine whether the line immunoassay is suitable for routine laboratory use by means of a comparison with the ELISA. METHODS: Sera from 92 patients stored in our serum bank with known ENA profile as determined by ELISA and with at least one antibody to ENA were tested again with LIA. The clinical features and other available laboratory data taken from the patient records were used to classify the disease according to the relevant diagnostic criteria. In discrepant cases, antibodies to ENA were also determined by Western blot. These data were used to determine which of the two methods gave the more plausible results and to calculate the sensitivity and specificity for each autoantibody. RESULTS: There was good correlation between the two methods, especially for anti-CENP-B (centromere protein B) and anti-Jo1 (histidyl-tRNA transferase) antibodies. For anti-Sm, there was a trend toward higher specificity with the LIA in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) if antibodies to Sm D were detected. The LIA was significantly more specific for the detection of antibodies to ribonucleoprotein (RNP) in mixed connective tissue disease and, if antibodies to the 70 kD component were present, also in SLE, although the sensitivity was significantly lower in this case. For anti-SSA/Ro, the specificity of the LIA was significantly higher than ELISA if anti-Ro60 was detected. In the case of anti-SS-B/La, anti-Scl70 (topoisomerase I), anti-CENP-B (centromere protein B) und anti-Jo-1 (histidyl-tRNA transferase), the sensitivity and specificity of the two methods were not significantly different. The LIA was significantly more specific but less sensitive for the detection of anti histone antibodies. CONCLUSION: The suitability of the LIA for routine laboratory determinations was confirmed.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed2001

Endurance, pain and resumption in fully flexed postures.

In this study effects of low loads in fully flexed postures were investigated. Thirteen men who were unused to the postures participated. Thirteen professional construction workers with long experience of suchlike postures were also studied. Pain reactions during and after loading were observed, as well as endurance time and the recovery process, here by studying the resumption time. Endurance and resumption times differed little from those given by models used for more common postures. Pain from the legs and not from the back limited the working ability in 86% of the endurance tests. Thirdly, the construction workers had significantly longer endurance time and shorter resumption time.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Inhibition of isoniazid-induced expression of Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen 85 in sputum: potential surrogate marker in tuberculosis chemotherapy trials.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigen 85 is induced in vitro by isoniazid (INH); its sustained induction in sputum during tuberculosis (TB) therapy predicts relapse. In this trial, rifampin or rifalazil inhibited the induction of sputum antigen 85 by INH in a dose-dependent fashion. This approach may facilitate the evaluation of new TB drugs.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed2001

Safety and bactericidal activity of rifalazil in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Rifalazil, also known as KRM-1648 or benzoxazinorifamycin, is a new semisynthetic rifamycin with a long half-life of approximately 60 h. Rifalazil has potent bactericidal activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis in vitro and in animal models of tuberculosis (TB). Prior studies in healthy volunteers showed that once-weekly doses of 25 to 50 mg of rifalazil were well tolerated. In this randomized, open-label, active-controlled phase II clinical trial, 65 subjects with sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB received one of the following regimens for the first 2 weeks of therapy: 16 subjects received isoniazid (INH) (5 mg/kg of body weight) daily; 16 received INH (5 mg/kg) and rifampin (10 mg/kg) daily; 17 received INH (5 mg/kg) daily plus 10 mg of rifalazil once weekly; and 16 received INH (5 mg/kg) daily and 25 mg of rifalazil once weekly. All subjects were then put on 6 months of standard TB therapy. Pretreatment and day 15 sputum CFU of M. tuberculosis were measured to assess the bactericidal activity of each regimen. The number of drug-related adverse experiences was low and not significantly different among treatment arms. A transient decrease in absolute neutrophil count to less than 2,000 cells/mm(3) was detected in 10 to 20% of patients in the rifalazil- and rifampin-containing treatment arms without clinical consequences. Decreases in CFU counts were comparable among the four treatment arms; however, the CFU results were statistically inconclusive due to the variability in the control arms. Acquired drug resistance did not occur in any patient. Studies focused on determining a maximum tolerated dose will help elucidate the full anti-TB effect of rifalazil.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Endurance time, pain and resumption in passive loading of the elbow joint.

This study investigated reactions in passively loaded, fully extended elbow joints in 13 men. Pain reactions during and after loading were studied, as were endurance time, T(end), and resumption time, Tr. The loading moment on the elbow joint, Mn, varied between 7 and 100% of maximum elbow moment. Discomfort/ pain was estimated with Borg's CR-10 scale. T(end) decreased with increasing load level. The opposite was found for the resumption time: the higher the load, held until T(end), the shorter the Tr. The pain limiting the working capability originated mainly from muscle tissue and not from the joint itself. It is concluded that the relation between load and endurance time for passively loaded, fully extended elbow joints resembles that for muscular loading in more 'normal' postures. Equations for estimation of endurance and resumption times (in minutes) for fully extended joints are proposed: T(end) = 20.6e(-6.04Mn) and Tr = 0.0167e(8.84/(1.46+0.346Mn)), respectively.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Factors associated with successful answering of clinical questions using an information retrieval system.

OBJECTIVES: Despite the growing use of online databases by clinicians, there has been very little research documenting how effectively they are used. This study assessed the ability of medical and nurse-practitioner students to answer clinical questions using an information retrieval system. It also attempted to identify the demographic, experience, cognitive, personality, search mechanics, and user-satisfaction factors associated with successful use of a retrieval system. METHODS: Twenty-nine students completed questionnaires of clinical and computer experience as well as tests of cognitive abilities and personality type. They were then administered three clinical questions to answer in a medical library setting using the MEDLINE database and electronic and print full-text resources. RESULTS: Medical students were able to answer more questions correctly than nurse-practitioner students before and after searching, but both had comparable improvements in the number of correct questions before and after searching. Successful ability to answer questions was also associated with having experience in literature searching and higher standardized test-score percentiles. CONCLUSIONS: Medical and nurse-practitioner students obtained comparable benefits in the ability to answer clinical questions from use of the information retrieval system. Future research must examine strategies that improve successful search and retrieval of clinical questions posed by clinicians in practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Sleep alterations in cancer patients.

This multi-institutional sleep study involved two phases aimed at investigating sleep alterations in patients with any stage of breast and lung cancer. The first phase of this study used an 82-item, 20-minute telephone survey to elicit information regarding the impact of sleep disturbances on a convenience sample of 150 patients. Of these patients, 44% reported a sleep problem during the month before the interview. Significant relations included these: report of sleep problems prediagnosis over the past month (x = 5.82; p = 0.02), duration of sleep medication use and frequency of sleep problem (r = 0.58; p = 0.05), age and severity of sleep problems (r = 0.38; p = 0.05), and frequency and severity of the sleep problem over the past month (r = 0.21; p < 0.10). Communication with health care providers occurred in 16.6% of patients reporting a sleep disturbance. The second phase of this study explored the type, frequency, and severity of sleep problems and perceptions of causation, support, and methods of coping with the sleep problem. A qualitative approach to the problem was used in this phase. A one-time telephone interview of 42 patients, derived from a convenience sample, revealed a 45% prevalence of sleep problems a month before the interview. A qualitative analysis of the responses suggested that sleep problems are related to experiences of other symptoms and perceptions of cancer and treatment. Content analysis of the responses identified the following categories: figuring out the reason, seeking help, seeking support and relation to the overall cancer experience.

Baltimore↗
PubMed1999

Caring for patients who experience chemotherapy-induced side effects: the meaning for oncology nurses.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore the meaning for oncology nurses of caring for patients with cancer who experience chemotherapy-induced side effects. DESIGN: Descriptive phenomenology. SETTING: Participant's work setting (n = 2), home setting (n = 1), and social setting (n = 2). SAMPLE: Five female oncology nurses (four Caucasian and one African American), age range 31-62 years, with an average of 13.3 years in oncology nursing from a variety of settings (e.g., private medical practice, ambulatory infusion centers, university-based bone marrow/peripheral blood stem cell transplantation unit) with present or recent experience administering chemotherapy. METHODS: Open-ended, audiotaped interviews were conducted. The text was transcribed verbatim and was analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenologic analysis technique. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLE: Meaning for oncology nurses of providing care to patients with cancer experiencing chemotherapy-induced side effects. FINDINGS: Six main themes and four subthemes emerged from the data analysis. The main themes were Being Drawn Into Patients' Experiences of Suffering. Being Challenged by Personal and Professional Imperatives to Act, Defining Treatment Purpose for Self and Patient, Reconsidering the Meaning of "Sick" and "Well," Being Changed by Ties of Shared Experience, and Advocacy for Self and Patient. CONCLUSIONS: The fundamental meaning to oncology nurses of providing care to patients with cancer experiencing chemotherapy-induced side effects is their empathetic use of self as an oncology nurse/friend to alleviate the suffering related to these side effects. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Providing nursing care to patients who experience chemotherapy-induced side effects is both rewarding and stressful. Sharing these research results may help other oncology nurses discover and experience deeper meaning in their own practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Benefits and limitations of professional-family interactions: the family perspective.

Families of persons with severe mental illness often experience burden and stress related to the caregiving role. There is a paucity of research describing effective interventions for relieving this burden. This article reports the findings of a study that elicited families' perceptions of professional interventions. Two focus groups were conducted with relatives of persons with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Participants described their experiences of the illness, current concerns, and coping strategies. A major focus of the study was the families' evaluations of past and future interventions from health professionals. Content analysis of the data identified critical elements of supportive and nonsupportive behaviors from professionals. Recommendations for future interventions were identified.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

The fatigue experience: persons with HIV infection.

Fatigue is a frequently reported symptom by persons with HIV infection and one that has an adverse impact on activities of daily living and overall quality of life. Although the concept of fatigue has been studied extensively and discussed in the literature, little is known about the experience of fatigue by persons with HIV infection. A hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted to investigate the subjective experience of HIV-associated fatigue and to describe the management of fatigue in the context of daily life. In-depth interviews were done with 10 adult patients of an outpatient HIV/AIDS clinic. Thematic analysis identified three concerns that represented the meaning of fatigue for the participants. The first concern was 'Fatigue as a signal of AIDS'. A second concern was 'The mind, the body, the social experience of fatigue'. The third concern was 'Choosing ways to live with fatigue and addiction'. The findings provide insights for nursing practice regarding the subjective meaning of fatigue for patients with HIV and the need for nurses to explore this topic with patients.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Crosstalk between the phosphatidylinositol cycle and MAP kinase signaling pathways in Xenopus mesoderm induction.

Recent studies have established a role for the phosphoinositide (PI) cycle in the early patterning of Xenopus mesoderm. In explants, stimulation of this pathway in the absence of growth factors does not induce mesoderm, but when accompanied by growth factor treatment, simultaneous PI cycle stimulation results in profound morphological and molecular changes in the mesoderm induced by the growth factor. This suggests the possibility that the PI cycle exerts its influence via crosstalk, by modulating some primary mesoderm-inducing pathway. Given recent identification of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) as an intracellular mediator of some mesoderm-inducing signals, the present study explores MAPK as a potential site of PI cycle-mediated crosstalk. We report that MAPK activity, like PI cycle activity, increases in intact embryos during mesoderm induction. Phosphoinositide cycle stimulation during treatment of explants with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) synergistically increases late-phase MAPK activity and potentiates bFGF-induced expression of Xbra, a MAPK-dependent mesodermal marker.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Professional training in the practice of hypnosis--the Australian experience.

Increasingly around the world as clinicians and researchers alike become more sophisticated in their understanding of the hypnotic process, there is developing a conviction that the hypnotic state or process itself poses no inherent dangers for patients but that its inexpert use may. The solution to prevent potential patient harm is to ensure that all clinicians of whatever discipline have adequate and appropriate clinical training prior to being allowed to practice. Since 1985, in all the Australian states, the appropriate disciplines, already licensed to practice their profession, have completed 2 years part-time academic and clinical training in the nature and nuances of hypnosis (30 hours), practical experience of direct and indirect approaches, and supervised clinical case management (50 hours). At the end of the training they complete a 3 part examination of competence (clinical cases reports, written examination, and oral examination) in order to be accepted as members of the Australian Society of Hypnosis. Only by completing this training and peer reviewed assessment are clinicians able to receive the backing of the Society and recommendation to patients of their competence as clinicians using hypnosis. Recently in the states of Victoria and South Australia (and soon in the state of Queensland), the training program of the Australian Society of Hypnosis has been incorporated into a university diploma course, giving formal academic recognition to the approach to training. The University of Melbourne diploma course will be discussed with a view to illustrating these recent developments.

Australia↗
PubMed1998

Cytoskeletal actin reorganization in neutrophils from patients with localized juvenile periodontitis.

Localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) is an early-onset periodontal disease associated with a polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) defective migratory response. Kinetics of actin polymerization-depolymerization determine the shape changes occurring in the plasma membrane-associated cytoskeleton and provide the driving force for directed cell migration (chemotaxis). Therefore, we investigated the relation between an abnormality in LJP PMN chemotaxis and an altered reorganization of the actin filament network. PMNs isolated from peripheral blood of LJP patients (n=14) and matching control subjects (n=12) were evaluated for random and directed migration in a Boyden chamber assay, and the kinetics of actin polymerization were studied by flow cytometry. Three groups of LJP patients could be distinguished on the basis of their PMN-chemotactic response compared to their matched control: depressed (n=6), normal (n=4), and elevated (n=4). The abnormal (depressed or elevated) chemotaxis was generally not related to abnormal random migratory response, except for two patients. Since the kinetics of formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-induced F-actin response were highly variable from one subject to another, means were calculated at each timepoint with the values obtained from each group of subjects and compared by a general factorial design analysis. No statistically significant differences were detected between the control group and the LJP patient group. Furthermore, the data did not show a correlation between the kinetics of actin polymerization-depolymerization and the abnormal chemotactic response observed in LJP PMNs. Hence, the chemotaxis defect in LJP PMN appears to be mediated by signaling events that carry their effect independently of an intact cytoskeleton.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗
PubMed1998

Immediate loading of root-form implants: two case reports 3 years after loading.

This study examines a protocol for achieving successful osseointegration in immediately loaded implants. With an atraumatic surgical technique and an acceptable biomaterial for implant placement, in certain cases adequate splinting of implants may sufficiently shield the bone-implant interface from functional overload and prevent micromovement from exceeding the allowable limits for successful osseointegration. Two successful cases are presented in which titanium root-form implants were immediately loaded for the support of fixed restorations in the maxilla and the mandible. The authors conclude that for a distinct patient population, immediate loading of multiple, splinted implants may prove to be a valuable adjunct to therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Distress, symptom distress, and immune function in women with suspected breast cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To investigate distress and its association with immune function among women with suspected breast cancer. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive, correlational study. SETTING: An outpatient breast clinic at a tertiary urban hospital. SAMPLE: A convenience sample of women who had either a fine needle aspiration or open breast biopsy for a suspicion of breast cancer. Thirty-five women comprised the study sample, 6 with malignant and 29 with benign tumors. METHODS: Data were collected at three points in time. The first time (T1) was after the physician visit when the need for breast biopsy was ascertained. The second time (T2) was 7-10 days postbiopsy, and the third time (T3) was 7-10 days after T2. At T1, T2, and T3, participants filled out the Brief Symptom Inventory (a measure of psychological distress) and the Adapted Symptom Distress Scale (a measure of symptom distress) and provided a blood sample. Demographic data also were collected at T1. Immune function was measured by serum cytokine levels of transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Psychological distress, symptom distress, and immune function. FINDINGS: Psychological distress scores were moderate to high. Symptom distress was either nonexistent or slight. Significant correlations between psychological distress and symptom distress were found at T2 and T3. At T2, significant relationships between psychological distress and TNF alpha and between symptom occurrence and TNF alpha were found. Psychological and symptom distress scores were significantly different between women with malignant versus benign tumors at all three times. No differences in cytokine levels were found between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the strong effect that the diagnostic process has on psychological distress and its potential effects on immune functioning. Distress was significantly greater for women with malignant disease; however, women with benign disease continued to have elevated levels of distress. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses should be aware of the extremely stressful nature of the diagnostic phase and should continue to provide support, knowing that this distress continues throughout this phase, particularly for women diagnosed with malignancy.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMed1997

Traumatic cataract in children: correction of aphakia by contact lens or intraocular lens.

PURPOSE: To compare the postoperative complications, visual outcome, and incidence of strabismus in children suffering from traumatic cataract corrected with contact lens or intraocular lens and to follow up the refractive changes in these eyes for an extended period of time. METHODS: Forty children, 2 to 13 years old at time of surgery for unilateral traumatic cataract, were followed up for 1.5 to 11 years. Seventeen children were corrected with contact lenses and 23 with intraocular lenses. Thirty-two underwent a primary posterior capsulectomy and anterior vitrectomy. RESULTS: The mean follow-up after surgery was 7.4 years for the children with contact lenses and 6.2 years for those with intraocular lenses. The incidence of secondary surgical interventions was higher among the children corrected with contact lenses. The eight children (five with contact lenses, three with intraocular lenses) who did not undergo primary posterior capsulectomy had Nd:YAG capsulectomy within 1 year after surgery. Fifteen of the 23 children with intraocular lenses (65.2%) achieved a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/40, and 17 children (73.9%) had a final visual acuity of 20/50, but only five of 17 children with contact lenses (35.3%) achieved this level of visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS: Correction of unilateral aphakia by intraocular lens in children after traumatic cataracts results in better final visual acuities and binocularity with a smaller incidence of strabismus than when correction is carried out by contact lens. Intraocular lens implantation should be considered the primary aphakic correction in children with traumatic cataract.

Adolescent↗