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Biomedical subjects

M Baier

Publications and source records attributed to M Baier.

105 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1979

Immunotitration of alkaline phosphatase isozymes in normal and pathological urine.

Isoenzyme patterns of alkaline phosphatase are determined quantitatively in extracts of human kidney as well as in human urine by means of immunotitration technique. Both media contain two types of AP isoenzymes: liver and intestinal like AP. Intestinal AP is located as a minor component of total AP activity (1-4%) in particle-free fraction of the kidney. Urinary AP activity is found after high speed centrifugation in supernatant (100,000 Xg) as well as in the 100,000 Xg sediment and can only be made soluble from the latter by n-butanol treatment. Intestinal AP in urine is concentrated in the supernatant while in sediment the isoenzyme pattern resembles to that of kidney. Urine of normal persons contains most of AP activity in the sediment and consists mainly of liver type AP. Urinary AP of patients with renal diseases or after application of cytotoxins contains little sedimentable activity, mainly intestinal AP.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

An observational study of attending rounds.

The authors conducted an observational study of attending rounds to determine the current status of this form of clinical teaching in a university-based internal medicine department. Using two forms of measurement, questionnaires and timed observations, we found that 63% of attending physician time was spent in the conference room, 26% in hallways, and only 11% at the bedside. Significant differences were found between estimated and actual times, particularly in discussing previously admitted patients, patient interactions, data reviews, topic presentations, and the category of "other" activities. These results provide a framework for appraising attending rounds and identifying areas that may be improved with a teaching workshop intervention.

Arizona↗
PubMedDate not supplied

King's conceptual framework applied to a transitional living program.

TOPIC: How Imogene King's theory of Goal Attainment was used as a theoretical framework for conceptualizing the role and function of a Transitional Residential Program for severely and persistently mentally ill homeless individuals. PURPOSE: To demonstrate how a nursing theory can be applied in the development of mental health services. SOURCE: King's theory and associated concepts of personal system, perception, communication, interaction, transaction, role, time, space, growth, and development. CONCLUSION: Achievement of client goals is possible within a social system characterized by mutual goal setting between clients and staff.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Uncertainty of illness for persons with schizophrenia.

This qualitative research report presents an illustration of Mishel's (1990) reconceptualization of uncertainty in illness theory applied to persons with schizophrenia. The researcher interviewed 6 persons with schizophrenia and 5 family members. The informants reported being uncertain about whether their medicine would keep working, whether they would be able to provide for their children, whether they could stay on their medicine, whether their symptoms would improve, when the next relapse would be, and even whether they would survive. They appeared to be experiencing differing degrees of uncertainty and a variety of manifestations of probabilistic thinking. For some, uncertainty provided the opportunity for hope. For others, the uncertainty was perceived as a danger. For all of them, their view of life had changed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of completers and noncompleters in a transitional residential program for homeless mentally ill.

Two groups of clients in a transitional residential program, designated as completers and noncompleters, were compared to evaluate program effectiveness. Clinical records of 228 former clients were examined for demographics, needs on admission, participation in activities, length of stay, psychiatric diagnosis, and type of discharge. This program discharged 48% (110) of the residents according to the contract established on admission. Mean length of stay for program completers was 143 days; length of stay varied for noncompleters. Subjects who completed the program were more likely to obtain permanent housing than noncompleters. Participation in at least two activities while in residence was significantly related to program completion. Type of discharge or length of stay did not vary significantly by Axis 1 psychiatric diagnosis, including chemical dependence, or gender.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Practice patterns of family physicians in practice-based research networks: a report from ASPN. Ambulatory Sentinel Pratice Network.

BACKGROUND: Practice-based research networks are growing and undertaking larger and more complex studies to inform the clinical practice of family physicians. We describe a study that compares clinical behaviors of physicians in the Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network (ASPN), a large national practice-based research network, with those from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS). METHODS: A survey, replicating NAMCS, was conducted among 129 family physician members of ASPN. Nested logistic regression was used to determine which services could predict ASPN membership after adjustment for common and easily observed patient and physician characteristics. RESULTS: Of 20 specific patient services, only 4 were predictive of membership in ASPN. Of these 4, 2 were screening or diagnostic services; ASPN physicians were 1.18 times more likely to obtain a blood pressure measurement and 0.60 times as likely to order a culture for streptococcal pharyngitis. ASPN physicians were 2.30 times more likely to provide family planning counseling and 1.66 times more likely to provide smoking cessation counseling after adjusting for patient smoking status. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that there are minimal differences in the practice patterns of family physicians participating in a large national practice-based research network and those included in the probability sample of NAMCS. Additional work is needed to examine further those characteristics of the phenomena observed in practice-based research network research that might affect generalizability of results to the larger community of practicing family physicians.

Community Networks↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Competing demands in the office visit: what influences mammography recommendations?

BACKGROUND: The multiple competing demands of the busy office visit have been shown to interfere with delivery of preventive services. In this study we used physician recommendations for screening mammography to examine the relative importance of physician, patient, and visit characteristics in determining on which patient visits this preventive service will be provided. METHODS: Physicians in the Ambulatory Sentinel Practice Network (ASPN) completed a questionnaire describing their knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about screening mammography. They also described the content of a series of nonacute care visits with women aged 40 to 75 years with regard to making a recommendation when the patient was due for screening mammography. The data were linked, and univariate and multivariate logistic regression methods were used to examine the relative importance of physician, patient, and visit characteristics on making a recommendation for mammography. RESULTS: Ninety-three physicians reported making a recommendation for screening mammography on 53.1% of nonacute visits. When modeling physician, patient, and visit characteristics separately, 70% of the variability in the model is explained by physician characteristics only, 63% by patient characteristics only, and 73% by visit characteristics only. A combined model using all characteristics explained 85% of the variability. CONCLUSIONS: Although characteristics of physicians and patients can predict frequency of recommendations for mammography, the specific characteristics of the visit are equally important. Efforts to improve delivery of preventive services in primary care that emphasize physician education and performance feedback are unlikely to increase rates of mammography recommendation. Effective strategies must consider the multiple competing demands faced by patients and physicians during each office visit and seek ways for assisting them in setting rational priorities for services.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Antiproliferative effect of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs against human colon cancer cells.

Several lines of evidence suggest that nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs may be effective in preventing colorectal cancer. These include animal experiments, case-control studies, and clinical experience with sulindac in promoting the regression of adenomatous colon polyps in adenomatous polyposis coli. We determined the antiproliferative activity of various nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, including two sulindac derivatives, against human colon cancer cells in vitro. Ht-29, SW480, and DLD-1 cells were continuously incubated with serial drug dilutions for 6 days prior to fixation. Cell number was determined using the sulforhodamine B assay, and drug concentrations which inhibited cell growth by 50% were estimated for each agent by interpolation. All drugs exhibited antiproliferative activity against Ht-29 and DLD-1 cells, and most inhibited SW480 cells. For Ht-29 cells, the 50% inhibitory concentration varied from 55 microM for diclofenac to 2100 microM for 5-aminosalicylic acid, with three drug groups of high, intermediate, and low potency evident. Inhibition of cell growth by sulindac sulfide was reversible following drug removal. Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs exert an antiproliferative effect against human colon cancer cells with a wide range of potencies. A cytostatic response was demonstrated with sulindac sulfide. These data further support the potential role of these agents for chemoprevention of colorectal neoplasia.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Micronutrient concentrations in paired skin and plasma of patients with actinic keratoses: effect of prolonged retinol supplementation.

Much of our knowledge about the relationship between micronutrients and cancer comes from studies in which plasma (serum) micronutrient levels have been correlated with cancer incidence; however, the relationship between the concentrations of micronutrients in the plasma and in the target tissues has not been established. Ninety-three subjects (62 males and 31 females ages 42-86, median age 69) with actinic keratoses were recruited for investigation of this relationship. The subjects were randomly assigned and received placebo or retinol (25,000 IU/day) intervention for 48 to 65 months as part of a skin cancer chemoprevention trial. Shortly before the end of the trial, three fasting plasma samples and one skin biopsy were obtained from each subject. The concentrations of lutein, zeaxanthin, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, cis-beta-carotene, retinol, retinyl palmitate, alpha-tocopherol and gamma-tocopherol in the plasma and skin were simultaneously measured using HPLC. The profiles of the eleven micronutrients in the plasma and skin were similar. Lycopene, beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol were the predominant micronutrients in both plasma and skin, but the ratio of retinyl palmitate to retinol was much greater in the skin than plasma. The three fasting plasma concentrations from the same subject during a one-month period were very consistent; however, the between-person variations were very large. The retinol supplementation caused a significant increase in the plasma concentrations of retinol, retinyl palmitate, lutein and alpha-tocopherol, especially retinyl palmitate as well as the skin concentrations of retinol and retinyl palmitate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗