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Biomedical subjects

S Fisher

Publications and source records attributed to S Fisher.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

CD4+ cell oligoclonality in Crohn's disease: evidence for an antigen-specific response.

To identify disease-specific T cell changes that occur in Crohn's disease (CD) the T-cell receptor (TCR) BV repertoires of lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL) from both disease-active and disease-inactive colonic tissue of three CD patients were compared by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and CDR3 length analysis. It was observed that the BV repertoires of LPL isolated from the disease-active and disease-inactive parts of the colon of the same individual were different, and most of the differences occurred in CD4+ LPL with very few differences in the CD8+ populations of LPL. Although the pattern of BV segments that was increased in disease-active relative to disease-inactive tissue was different for all three CD patients, there was an increase in the levels of BV11, 13S2, 15, 16, and 17 segments in the disease-active tissue of all three patients. Standard CDR3 length analysis of BV11, 13S2, 15, 16, and 17 segments revealed that in two of the three CD patients there was a striking degree of TCR oligoclonality in the disease-active tissue that was absent from disease-inactive tissue of the same individual. Additional differences between the disease-active and disease-inactive tissues were observed using a more refined method of CDR3 length analysis, which employs BV- and BJ-specific primers. These observations suggest that at least some of the inflammation in CD is the result of responses by CD4+ T cells to specific antigens.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Identifying video game addiction in children and adolescents.

There is a current trend of thought among some scholars of gambling that arcade video game playing in some adolescents may develop into a behavior which resembles a gambling addiction. A scale, developed to identify arcade video game addiction in adolescents, was administered to 467 secondary school children in a coastal town in the UK. Initial psychometric tests show that the scale has acceptable internal consistency reliability and factorial validity, and is significantly related to alternative means of assessing excessive video game play. The implications of the study findings are discussed together with its limitations and suggestions for future research.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adhesive interactions in peri-implantation morphogenesis and placentation.

Antibody perturbation and gene knockout studies show that adhesion receptor modulation plays a critical role in peri-implantation mouse embryo and human cytotrophoblast differentiation. Deletion of beta 1 integrins leads to cell death in the inner cell mass of mouse embryos shortly after implantation in vivo or blastocyst outgrowth in vitro. In F9 embryonal carcinoma cells, deleting beta 1 also affects migration of parietal endoderm even on substrates for which the mutant cells express alternative receptors. Human cytotrophoblasts switch their integrin repertoire as they differentiate and invade the uterine interstitium and vasculature. Interestingly, cytotrophoblasts also transform their cell-cell adhesion molecule phenotype, expressing additional cadherins and immunoglobulin family members as they differentiate. Many of these modulations in adhesion phenotype are initiated early in the pre- and/or peri-implantation periods in human and mouse embryos. Therefore, they constitute important markers of normal progression for evaluating effects of environmental stress and for testing the hypothesis that abnormal switching of adhesion molecules characterizes a significant proportion of conceptuses that fail early in development.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Stomach symptoms and up-down metaphors and gradients.

Previous work demonstrated a relationship in an ulcer patient between stomach pain during psychotherapy sessions and preoccupation with up-down themes. The generality of this phenomenon was investigated by determining in normal males the relationship of number of stomach symptoms to various up-down parameters. A significant positive correlation was found between stomach symptoms and the shifting of horizontal upward. Stomach positive correlation was found between stomach symptoms and the shifting of horizontal upward. Stomach symptoms were also significantly positively correlated with an up-down physiology index (hand minus foot temperature). Finally, a borderline positive correlation was found between stomach symptoms and relative awareness of the upper as compared to lower sectors of one's body. The data suggest that the occurrence of stomach symptoms is linked to up-down sets or gradients at perceptual, physiological, and perhaps body image levels.

Abdomen↗
PubMedDate not supplied

No need for pain.

In an attempt to promote as pain free an experience as possible for patients and to improve how pain is managed in all settings, this 500-bed teaching hospital embarked on a hospital-wide quality improvement (QI) initiative. Initial measurement of clinicians' knowledge and attitudes related to pain and surveys on patient satisfaction identified improvement opportunities. Highlights of these findings and the major interventions taken are described. Education of all clinical staff on the major principles of pain management became the primary focus. Major outcomes realized to date have been: (a) a significant increase (p = .01) in physicians and nurses discussing with their patients the importance of managing their pain, (b) development of processes for documenting pain as the fifth vital sign, and (c) a 26% decrease in the use of meperidine. The next steps will be comprehensive monitoring of the effectiveness of pain management by clinical service, increased patient and family education on pain, and development of a formalized pain management competency program for clinical staff.

Benchmarking↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Small relief.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Analgesia, Patient-Controlled↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Postmarketing surveillance of adverse drug reactions: patient self-monitoring.

BACKGROUND: This report summarizes our experience with a new approach to postmarketing drug surveillance using a pharmacy-based patient self-monitoring strategy, developed in collaboration with Eckerd Drug Company, the American Association of Retired Persons Pharmacy Service, and other pharmacies nationwide. METHODS: Patients presenting prescriptions to collaborating pharmacies for a targeted drug or a standard drug used as a control received an entry form asking them to register and then call a toll-free telephone number to report possible drug reactions. When contacted by patients, study staff conducted a standardized, computer-driven interview. Two brief mail questionnaires were also employed. RESULTS: Original validation data gathered from 1984 through 1986 indicated that the most commonly expected adverse drug reactions caused by antibiotic and tricyclic antidepressants reported by 162 self-monitoring patients closely matched those elicited from a comparable control sample of 1109 patients who were independently interviewed by our staff. Results from subsequent studies are also described. CONCLUSIONS: We believe this method has great promise for providing not only a cost-effective, complementary, early alerting mechanism for detecting adverse drug reactions, but also the additional possibility for discovering unsuspected therapeutic benefits of newly marketed drugs.

Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting Systems↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Central venous access devices in children.

Central venous access devices are used with increasing frequency in children with chronic illnesses that require long-term parenteral treatment. Nurses are often responsible for taking care of the device and teaching the family home maintenance.

Cardiac Tamponade↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Women and preventive health care: an exploratory study of the use of Pap smears in a potentially high-risk Appalachian population.

In the United States, medical services are organized to provide acute and chronic care. In such a system, people may not receive the routine preventive care necessary for the maintenance of their health. This study, conducted in the model family practice clinic of a residency training program, reports on the use of a preventive health measure (i.e., Pap smears) in a potentially high-risk population. The odds of receiving the Pap smear were calculated for selected variables for 253 patients. The most important variables for distinguishing the outcome (Pap/no Pap) were age and the medical reason for the visit. Although there was some indication that high-risk women were targeted for screening, our findings most strongly supported the claim that Pap smears were performed in this setting when they were requested, required, or convenient.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The significance of the extracellular matrix in intracranial aneurysms.

To what extent might change sin the extracellular matrix proteins in intracranial aneurysms (IA) or parent artery (PA) wall contribute to enlargement? Using IA specimens obtained from the coroner's office, the wall structure by light (Trichrome and Actin stains) and immunofluorescent microscopy (IF) (collagen I and fibronectin) have been studied in 18 specimens. It is well known that IA only arise when there is a deficiency in the internal elastic membrane and some breakdown in the media. The results show a normal three layer structure of intima, media, (muscularis), and adventitia in the PA extending out into the neck of the aneurysm. Immunofluorescent stains (IS) show collagen I and fibronectin limited to the adventitia and muscularis, respectively, of the PA and control arteries. The enlarging IA wall shows almost complete loss of this architecture. By IF stain, collagen I and fibronectin are intermingled throughout the IA wall. It is postulated that loss of structure and the confining muscularis layer permit easier elastic enlargement from a more or less homogeneous wall structure.

Actins↗