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N Garcia

Publications and source records attributed to N Garcia.

90 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Nutritional risk screening: development of a standardized protocol using dietetic technicians.

The development of a standardized screening mechanism for identifying patients in compromised nutritional status is beneficial for prompt initiation of nutrition care. A pilot screening study was conducted at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital over a 3-month period to determine the prevalence of patients meeting defined nutritional risk criteria. Dietetic technicians screened each nursing unit once, in random order, until the entire hospital had been screened. Results indicated that one-third of the 225 patients screened were at nutritional risk. From those results, a standardized screening protocol and charting form were developed. The current screening procedure includes the original pilot study parameters of height, weight, albumin, diagnosis, and type of nutritional support, as well as additional parameters. Dietetic technicians also collect data on weight changes, appetite status, number of surgical procedures, and length of hospital stay. Criteria are listed under a severe risk or a moderate risk category. Patients meeting one severe or two moderate risk criteria are considered at nutritional risk. Recent data verify that more than one-third of patients screened are at nutritional risk. Through the utilization of technical support personnel, the standardized protocol has helped to identify patients who meet nutritional risk criteria.

Aged↗
PubMed1985

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in New York City. Evaluation of an active surveillance system.

In January 1983, the New York City Department of Health initiated an active surveillance program for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in 19 hospitals and a modified-active surveillance program in the remaining 69 hospitals. We reviewed hospital laboratory and autopsy records in 12 active surveillance hospitals and three modified-active surveillance hospitals six months later. Patients who had opportunistic diseases characteristic of AIDS diagnosed in 1982 (before active surveillance) and 1983 (after implementation of active surveillance) were matched against health department AIDS surveillance reports. For the 16 months we evaluated, 96% of patients identified with AIDS in the 12 active surveillance hospitals and 100% of those in the three modified-active surveillance hospitals had been reported to the health department. The delay between diagnosing a case and reporting it to the health department significantly decreased between 1981 and the first six months of 1983 in all hospitals. The proportion of cases reported within one month of diagnosis increased from 45% to 69% during this period. We conclude that the current surveillance program for AIDS in New York City is effective and that case reporting is sufficiently complete for accurate analysis of disease trends.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1985

Experimental reproduction of leprosy in seven-banded armadillos (Dasypus hybridus).

Four autochthonous seven-banded armadillos (Dasypus hybridus) from Argentina which developed disseminated leprosy are reported. The average time from inoculation to death was 14.6 months. Acid-fast bacilli (AFB) were found in the skin, nerves, spleen, lymph nodes, lungs, meninges, and striated muscle. Several tests were used to prove that the AFB found in the infected animals were Mycobacterium leprae: a) failure to grow in standard culture media for mycobacteria, b) extraction of acid-fastness with the pyridine test, c) patterns of growth in the mouse foot pad, and d) histopathologic features.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Structural study of tetragonal-ordered aggregates of phage phi 29 necks.

A new class of two-dimensional tetragonal aggregates of phage phi 29 necks has been studied by electron microscopy and a combination of Fourier filtering procedures and detailed rotational analysis. The results confirm the main features of the head-to-tail connecting region previously observed in hexagonal aggregates. There are several differences in the resulting pictures that can be attributed to the different way in which the aggregates are organized and stained.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1983

Cancer clusters: a myth or a method.

Historically, cluster reports have been considered to be only marginally productive and generally discouraged as statistical artifacts. This report presents the results of a three year study involving in excess of 100 cancer cluster reports. The majority of these investigations represented statistical events; there were, however, some exceptions. Several of these reports were the basis for larger and more productive studies. A survey of the types of reports received, their sources and outcomes is presented. Examples of productive and nonproductive studies are highlighted to indicate decision points for selecting the most promising reports. Investigators are encouraged to consider cancer cluster reports from lay individuals as well as from more authoritative sources (i.e., tumor registries, physicians, medical-social workers). Investigators are also urged to perform actual field investigations of those reports choosing statistically promising and/or provocative circumstances for the greatest likelihood of identifying new environmental risk factors for cancer.

Colonic Neoplasms↗
PubMed1983

Ectopic left atrial rhythm that produces QRS changes in absence of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

In an 18-year-old patient without manifest or concealed Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, spontaneous and paced left atrial impulses penetrated a left-sided AV nodal input and thereafter activated the ventricles in a normal fashion exclusively through the His-Purkinje system. On the other hand, sinus and paced right atrial impulses entered a right-sided atrioventricular nodal input that was completely dissociated from the left-sided input to subsequently activate the ventricles partly through Mahaim fibers and partly through the His-Purkinje system. The Mahaim fibers, which acted as "bystanders" during episodes of atrioventricular nodal reciprocating tachycardia, seemed to have extended from a "distal," common (right-sided) intranodal pathway (or "proximal" His bundle) to the right ventricle or, although this is less likely, to the right bundle branch. More studies are necessary to determine whether the association on the surface electrocardiogram of an ectopic slow left atrial rhythm with changes in QRS morphology (but not in QRS duration) always reflects the existence of Mahaim fibers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

Ovarian activity in the mare between latitude 15 degrees and 22 degrees N.

Ovarian activity, as measured by the presence of small (10-15 mm diam.), medium (15-30 mm) and large (greater than 30 mm) follicles, corpora haemorrhagica and corpora lutea (CL), was determined in a total of 3584 ovaries during 1 year using post-mortem specimens. There were significant correlations of the incidence of ovulated follicles (ovulations), large and medium follicles (P less than 0 . 001) and of the mean number of small follicles (P less than 0 . 05) per mare with respect to season. The yearly averages of ovulated, large and medium follicles were 30 . 1, 13 . 9 and 73 . 9%, respectively, and the mean number of small follicles per mare was 2 . 0. The mean incidence of inactive ovaries throughout the year was 21 . 2%. The adjusted sinusoidal curves remained above their own yearly average from April to October (ovulations), March to September (large follicles), February to September (medium follicles) and January to July (small follicles), and below its yearly average from March to September (inactive ovaries). The mean incidence of multiple ovulations was 11 . 9%. No significant differences were found between the activities of the right and left ovaries. It was concluded that the mare shows a seasonal reproductive pattern near the equator in the northern tropical zone.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Pattern of melanoma incidence in Miami, Florida.

Although melanoma causes only 1.4 percent of cancers nationally, it accounts for 3.6 percent of cancers in southern Flordia. The authors conducted an incidence survey to determine if the distribution of melanoma was a function of population density, an outdoors lifestyle, or the presence of an older population.

Florida↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fine needle aspiration cytology of pulmonary carcinoid tumors.

Twenty-four cases coded as pulmonary carcinoid tumors initially sampled by fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy were reviewed in order to determine the cytologic features most useful in making the FNA diagnosis. The diagnosis of carcinoid tumor had been confirmed in 23 cases; the remaining case, though closely resembling a carcinoid tumor on the FNA specimen, proved to be a sclerosing hemangioma of the lung. Comparison of the original and review interpretations of the FNA specimens revealed that all typical spindle cell carcinoids and all atypical carcinoids were correctly diagnosed and classified. Of the 15 typical round cell carcinoids, the original cytologic diagnosis was lymphoma in 2 cases and benign bronchial lining cells in 2 cases. Thus, it appears that diagnostic errors are most likely in "typical" carcinoids. Review of the FNA findings suggests that the frequently stripped cytoplasm (with resulting non-cohesive bare nuclei), coupled with the almost universal plexiform vascularity (seen in 21 of 23 cases), should allow an accurate cytologic diagnosis in virtually all cases.

Biopsy, Needle↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quality of life in breast cancer.

PURPOSE: Currently, 1,721,700 women are living with breast cancer in the United States. As the number of survivors of breast cancer continues to rise, so must our knowledge about unique quality-of-life concerns. This article reports the results of a study on quality of life in women with breast cancer and validates the model of quality of life in this population. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY: To explore these concerns and to validate a breast cancer quality-of-life model, 21 survivors of breast cancer, across three age strata (younger than 40 years, 40 to 60 years, and older than 60 years), were interviewed and asked to complete quantitative surveys on pain and quality of life. RESULTS: Across all age groups, unique issues of survivorship include those related to physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being. In the domain of physical well-being, the areas of worst outcome were in menstrual changes and fertility, fatigue, and pain. In the domain of psychological well-being, predominant needs were in the areas of fear of the spread of cancer, distress from surgery, recurrence, fear of second cancer, impact on self-concept, and fear of future tests. The social well-being subscale identified the greatest disruption in the area of family distress. The spiritual well-being subscale showed greatest disruption in the area of uncertainty, although other aspects of this domain were usually rated in a positive direction (e.g., importance of religious activities). CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The data demonstrated the need for further research, assessment, and intervention across each of the quality-of-life domains. There is a significant need to address physical problems; however, the psychological domain demonstrated the greatest area of distress. The multidimensional needs of breast cancer survivors emphasize the need for multidisciplinary collaboration.

Adult↗