Digital Commons Network^™

Hepatitis C: Knowledge, Attitudes And Practices Among Orthopedic Trainee Surgeons In Pakistan, J S. Rana, A R. Khan, A A. Haleem, F N. Khan, A Gul, A R. Sarwari

Section of Gastroenterology

No abstract provided.

Euphemistic Codes And Tell-Tale Hearts: Human Assistance In End-Of-Life Cases, George P. Smith Ii

Scholarly Articles

A euphemism is defined as the substitution of an agreeable or inoffensive word or expression for one that is harsh, indelicate, or otherwise unpleasant taboo; allusion to an offensive thing by an inoffensive expression. This article deals with medical euphemisms used commonly through medical codes in hospitals for end-of-life patient care. It examines the extent to which fear shapes decision making in critical care units - fear of medical failure, and fear of litigation if not "everything" is done to prolong life, no matter how agonizing. Furthermore, being trained to save lives, health care providers often lack the courage to …

Acute Adenolymphangitis Due To Bancroftian Filariasis In Rufiji District, South East Tanzania, D.B. Gasarasi, Zul Premji, P.G.M. Mujinja, R. Mpembeni

Pathology, East Africa

A longitudinal prospective surveillance for acute adenolymphagitis (ADL) was carried out in three villages in Rufiji district. A sample population of 3000 individuals aged 10 years and above was monitored fortnightly for a period of 12 months. The annual incidence of ADL was found to be 33 per 1000 population and was significantly higher in males than females (52.7/1000 and 18.7/1000 respectively). ADL episodes were more frequent in the age group of 40 years and above. Individuals with chronic manifestations seemed to be more vulnerable to ADL attacks with 62.2% of the total episodes occurring in this group. Furthermore, individuals …

Assessment Of Prothrombotic Tendency In Humans Using Functional And Genomic Determinants, Pádraig O'Sullivan

Theses

Thrombophilia describes the familial or acquired disorders of the haemostatic mechanism that are likely to predispose to thrombosis. Venous thrombosis and its associated complications account for a significant number of hospital admissions and deaths annually having a significant health-economic impact on the heath-care industry globally. Mutations in genes that code for proteins involved directly (or indirectly) in blood coagulation have been associated with prothrombotic states. The majority of inherited genetic defects were attributed to polymorphisms in Antithrombin III, Protein C, and Protein S genes until 1994. Together these accounted for only 5-10% of individuals with thrombosis. Subsequently the Factor V …

Learning Approaches And Academic Performance Of Undergraduate Medical Students In Pakistan, Zoon Naqvi, Rashida Ahmed

Department for Educational Development

Objective: To classify undergraduate medical students according to their learning approaches and to correlate the learning approaches with their academic achievements.
Materials and Methods: A questionnaire to appraise learning approaches of undergraduate medical students was administered and collected at the end of the regular certifying examinations. The responses were analysed through the principal component factor analysis.
Results: The results did not depict formation of demonstrable learning approaches during academic years. However, increased self-awareness about the approaches was indicated by the responses of final year students as compared to the third year students. The correlation of the learning approaches with the …

Comparison Of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners' And Pediatric Residents' Care Of Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants, M. Gary Karlowicz, Jennifer L. Mcmurray

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Objective: To compare outcomes and charges of health care delivery to extremely low-birth-weight infants by neonatal nurse practitioners (NNP) and pediatric residents.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A 56-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a university teaching hospital.

Methods: Study population included all infants with birth weights less than 1000 g who were admitted to the NICU during the 2-year period between September 1, 1994, and August 31, 1996. Infants who died earlier than 12 hours of age, or who were admitted after 1 week of age or with major malformations, chromosomal abnormalities, or congenital infections were excluded. There …

Increasing Readiness To Change Among Smokers In A Primary Care Setting, Sheila F. Collicott

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study compared the effectiveness of two brief interventions, direct advice and motivational interviewing, for increasing motivation to quit among male smokers in the pre-contemplation and contemplation stages of change who were primary care patients at an Eastern urban VA medical center. Contrary to expectations, participants receiving motivational interviews did not increase more in readiness to change, motivation, and actions to quit, than those receiving direct advice or a control conversation, nor did they smoke fewer cigarettes per day. As expected, contemplators reported more cutting down and quit attempts than pre-contemplators. Factors that may have limited the effectiveness of interventions …

Telomerase Activity In Human Preimplantation Embryos, Diane Lynne Wright

Theses and Dissertations in Biomedical Sciences

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein, has been described as an essential component of highly proliferative cells, which stabilizes the telomeres and avoids cellular senescence. Telomerase has been identified in various embryonic cell stages, hematopoietic cells, and in >85% of tumor tissue biopsies analyzed. The ability to measure the potential to proliferate successfully could provide an objective measure of an embryo's quality. The objectives of this study were to modify the telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay system for increased sensitivity to allow detection of telomerase activity in the single cell of an oocyte and embryo, obtain telomerase activity levels for the oocyte …

Detection And Modeling Of Radiation Induced Effects In Tissues By Dielectric Spectroscopy, Dorin A. Todor

Physics Theses & Dissertations

The work presented here is applied physics research in the field of radiation treatment. We address the development of a new and innovative method, in vivo and possibly non-invasive, for tumor and healthy tissues control during and after the radiation treatment. The radiation treatment is delivered in an almost standardized manner for particular classes of tumors. The large variance in the individual radio sensitivity of healthy tissues and tumors often leads to local recurrence of neoplastic growth and/or distant metastatic disease which often remains untreated. The method is based on the measurement and analysis of electrical impedance data in …

Risk Of Imported Filariasis In Pakistan, M A. Beg

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

No abstract provided.

Lds Life Tables: A Comparison Of Long-Lived Populations, Christopher R. Layton

Theses and Dissertations

This research estimates the life expectancy of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) in Utah. We create gender-specific life tables for four groups: total Utah, active LDS, less-active LDS, and non-LDS. Male life tables are based on data from 1991-1995; female life tables are based on data from 1994-1998. Life expectancy at birth is 75 years for all utah males, 79.8 years for active LDS Utah males, 71.6 years for less active LDS Utah males, and 71.5 years for non-LDS Utah males. Female life expectancy at birth is 80.4 years for all Utah females, 83.9 …

Ethical Issues In Dementia, Peter J. Whitehouse

Faculty Scholarship

The growing number of individuals affected by dementia will intensify the ethical issues that emerge in clinical practice and research, issues early in disease relate to genetic testing, use of medications in mildly affected persons, and diagnostic disclosure. Research issues relate to appropriate informed consent processes, conflict of interests, and research design issues, such as the use of placebos and the use of biological tissues. In the later stages of disease concern about appropriate therapeutic goals and end-of-life care is appropriate.

Medical Education Digest, Vol. 1 No. 3 (December 15, 1999), Nova Southeastern University

Medical Education Digest

No abstract provided.

Implantable Controlled Release Device To Deliver Drugs Directly To An Internal Portion Of The Body, Paul Ashton, Paul A. Pearson

Ophthalmology and Visual Science Faculty Patents

A simple and implantable sustained release drug delivery device with an inner core containing an effective amount of a low solubility agent covered by a non-bioerodible polymer coating layer that is permeable to the low solubility agent is disclosed. A method for treating a mammal to obtain a desired local or systemic physiological or pharmacological effect by surgically implanting such a sustained release drug delivery device into a mammal in need of treatment is also disclosed.

Sterilization In The United States: Prevalence And Controversies, Carey Brown

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

There have been many breakthroughs in birth control technologies, many of which have been beneficial for women. However, many feminists who advocate reproductive freedom also warn that freedom for some might lead to further oppression for others. The case in point is the practice of tubal ligation in the United States. Conflict theory indicates that the field of medicine is a social structure that is based upon capitalistic ideology and serves to perpetuate inequality. Feminist theory argues that medicine systematically disempowers women and that notions of family are very narrowly defined. This study examined the prevalence of tubal ligation among …

Prognostic Indicators Of Childhood Acute Viral Encephalitis, E Bhutto, M Naim, M Ehtesham, M Rehman, M A. Siddique, I Jehan

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To devise a set of clinical signs and laboratory parameters that would help clinicians assess prognosis in patients and plan appropriate management.Methods: Medical records of 147 paediatric cases (with a discharge diagnosis of acute viral encephalitis) admitted over a ten year period from 1987 to 1997 were reviewed and relevant information collected on a data extraction form.Results: Of 147 patients, 24 (16.3%) died and 48 (32.7%) were left with severe neurological deficits. A GCS (Glasgow Coma Scale) score between 6-10 had an association with poor outcome (OR = 2.62, Chi-square = 5.57, p-value = 0.018) and that a GCS …

Update - December 1999, Loma Linda University Center For Christian Bioethics

Update

In this issue:

-- John and Alice Wong establish bioethics endowment
-- Richard Rice receives Templeton Award
-- "Humans" and "Persons" in Christian Bioethics (Commentary)
-- Mechanically Restraining the Ill and Elderly: Ethical Problems and Proposals
-- Clinical Ethics Consultation
-- Learn to minister in the clinical setting

Oncolog, Volume 44, Number 12, December 1999, Margaret E. Goode, Dawn Chalaire, John Mendelsohn Md

OncoLog MD Anderson's Report to Physicians (All issues) Archives

• Collaboration Between Scientists, Clinicians Moves Apoptosis Studies Forward
• Answering the Who, What, and How of Medical Physics
• USHERING IN NEW TECHNOLOGIES: Medical Physicists Focus on IMRT, Ultrasound-Guided Brachytherapy
• DiaLog: Building Better Patient Care on the Foundation of Scientific Research, by John Mendelsohn, MD, President, Professor of Clinical Investigation
• House Call: Make Cancer Prevention Part of Your New Year's Resolutions

Gastric Carcinoma With Lymphoid Stroma: Association With Epstein Virus Genome Demonstrated By Pcr, Irshad N. Soomro, Samina Noorali, Syed Abdul Aziz, Suhail Muzaffar, Shahid Pervez, Akbar S. Hussainy, Tariq Moatter

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

No abstract provided.

A Preclinical Model Of Ionizing Radiation And Tnf-Alpha Gene Therapy For Cancer, Jun Li

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Long term control of high-grade brain tumors is rarely achieved with current therapeutic regimens. This study sought to determine if pretreatment with plasmid DNA expressing Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) could enhance the effect of ionizing radiation in an aggressive, rapidly growing glioma tumor (C6) model. Plasmid DNA is an attractive vector system for delivery of foreign genes into eukaryotic cells due to its advantages including low immunogenicity in vivo, lesser toxicity and relatively low cost. We have constructed a plasmid-based mammalian expression vector (pGL1-TNF) to secrete human TNF-α from cancer cells. Plasmid DNA was successfully transfected into C6 cells …

Self-Reported Feeding Advice By Physicians For Common Childhood Illnesses, S Q. Nizami, Z A. Bhutta

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: A nutritious diet is important for recovery during illnesses. Dietary advice by physicians and consumption of food by the patients are often based upon their hot and cold concepts and beliefs about various foods rather than on scientific basis.
Objectives: To look at the food-advising behaviour of physicians during illnesses and to know the maternal concepts about various foods being hot or cold.
Methods: A questionnaire was served to the physicians participating in a continuous medical education session held at the Aga Khan University and Hospital, asking them to write the foods they advise or restrict during different illnesses …

Evaluation And Management Of Gout, N S. Ali

Department of Family Medicine

No abstract provided.

Oncolog, Volume 44, Number 11, November 1999, Beth Notzon, Dawn Chalaire, Rhonda L. Moore Phd

OncoLog MD Anderson's Report to Physicians (All issues) Archives

• Overcoming Side Effects: Department of Internal Medicine Specialties Finds Ways to Continue Critical Treatments
• Partners in Knowledge, News in Cancer: P.I.K.N.I.C. Program Brings Physicians, Patients Together
• House Call: CIS: Answering the Call for Help
• Advances in Control of Nausea, Vomiting Aim to Reduce 'Misery Quotient'
• DiaLog: Finding Meaning in Stories of Pain and Suffering, by Rhonda L. Moore, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Epidemiology
• Protocols: Side Effects of Cancer and Cancer Treatments Are the Subject of Clinical Investigations

Immune Cd8+ T Cells Prevent Reactivation Of Toxoplasma Gondii Infection In The Immunocompromised Host, Imtiaz A. Khan, William R. Green, Lloyd H. Kasper, Kathy A. Green, Joseph D. Schwartzman

Dartmouth Scholarship

Toxoplasma gondii remains a serious cause of morbidity and mortality in individuals that are immunosuppressed, patients with AIDS in particular. The cellular immune response, especially by gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing CD8⁺ T cells, is an essential component of protective immunity against the parasite. In the present study the role of CD8⁺ T cells during the reactivation of Toxoplasma infection in an immunocompromised murine model was evaluated. Chronically infected mice were challenged with LP-BM5 virus, and the kinetics of CD8⁺ T-cell function was studied. At 10 weeks after viral infection, mice showed obvious signs of systemic illness and began …

Ethnic Variability In The Treatment Of Pain, Rafael A. Ortega, Benjamin A. Youdelman, Richard C. Havel

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Ethnicity has been shown to be an important determinant of behavior during illness, particularly when a painful condition is present. Studies have shown that pain may be undertreated among different ethnic groups of patients. Whereas individual variations in the reaction to pain occur, available data do not support racial and/or ethnic differences in the perception of pain, leaving no justification for this discrepancy in treatment. Regardless of ethnicity, inadequate treatment of pain has been known for some time and has been referred to in recent literature as "oligoanalgesia." Lack of understanding of different ethnic and cultural groups can lead to …

Arthritis And Rosai-Dorfman Disease Of The Skin: A Diagnostic Dilemma, Irshad Nabi Soomro, Kamran Hameed

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

No abstract provided.

Increased Matrix Synthesis Following Adenoviral Transfer Of A Transforming Growth Factor Beta1 Gene Into Articular Chondrocytes, Franklin D. Shuler Md, Phd, Helga I. Georgescu, Christopher Niyibizi, Rebecca K. Studer, Zhibao Mi, Brian Johnstone, Paul D. Robbins, Christopher H. Evans

Orthopaedics

Monolayer cultures of lapine articular chondrocytes were transduced with first-generation adenoviral vectors carrying lacZ or transforming growth factor β₁ genes under the transcriptional control of the human cytomegalovirus early promoter. High concentrations of transforming growth factor β₁ were produced by chondrocytes following transfer of the transforming growth factor β₁ gene but not the lacZ gene. Transduced chondrocytes responded to the elevated endogenous production of transforming growth factor β₁ by increasing their synthesis of proteoglycan, collagen, and noncollagenous proteins in a dose-dependent fashion. The increases in collagen synthesis were not accompanied by alterations in the collagen phenotype; …

Medical Education Digest, Vol. 1 No. 2 (October 15, 1999), Nova Southeastern University

Medical Education Digest

No abstract provided.

Vital Signs, Fall 1999, Boonshoft School Of Medicine

Vital Signs

A twenty four page newsletter created by the Boonshoft School of Medicine to document the current affairs of the school. This issue includes a variety of feature articles, alumni profiles, class notes, and more.

Oncolog, Volume 44, Number 10, October 1999, Dawn Chalaire, Alison Ruffin, Vickie J. Williams

OncoLog MD Anderson's Report to Physicians (All issues) Archives

• Stereotadic Unit Expands Treatment Options for Patients with Brain Tumors
• New Center Teams With Community Physicians to Treat Patients With Advanced Cancer
• IRS Deduction Gives Smokers One More Reason to Quit
• Accuracy Essential in Stereotactic Radiosurgery
• House Call: Vitamins and Cancer Risk: Why You Should Eat Your (Fruits and) Vegetables
• Protocols: Brain Tumor Protocols Include Stereotactic Treatments, Surgery, and Radiation Therapy