89 research outputs found
Ca2+-induced fusion of Golgi-derived secretory vesicles isolated from rat liver
During the transport of plasma proteins from the
cytoplasma of hepatocytes to the extracellular fluid
srnall vesicles may act as shuttles between the Golgi
complex and the plasma membrane. This type of
intracellular transfer is weil established for various
secretory cells and may be adopted also for the
hepatocyte. Recent investigations have shown that
secretory vesicles fuse with each other during
secretion in mast cells [4] exocrine [5,6] and
endocrine pancreatic tissue [7]. The intervesicular
fusion provides a tool for studies on membrane fusion,
since Golgi-derived vesicles can be isolated from the
hepatocyte and their interaction with various agents,
suggested to trigger membrane fusion, can be
monitored by freeze-cleaving
Does a colour-coded blood pressure diary improve blood pressure control for patients in general practice: The CoCo trial
BACKGROUND: Insufficient blood pressure control is a frequent problem despite the existence of effective treatment. Insufficient adherence to self-monitoring as well as to therapy is a common reason. Blood pressure self-measurement at home (Home Blood Pressure Measurement, HBPM) has positive effects on treatment adherence and is helpful in achieving the target blood pressure. Only a few studies have investigated whether adherence to HBPM can be improved through simple measures resulting also in better blood pressure control. OBJECTIVE: Improvement of self-monitoring and improved blood pressure control by using a new colour-coded blood pressure diary. OUTCOME: Primary outcome: Change in systolic and/or diastolic blood pressure 6 months after using the new colour-coded blood pressure diary.Secondary outcome: Adherence to blood pressure self-measurement (number of measurements/entries). METHODS/DESIGN: Randomised controlled study.Population: 138 adult patients in primary care with uncontrolled hypertension despite therapy. The control group uses a conventional blood pressure diary; the intervention group uses the new colour-coded blood pressure diary (green, yellow, red according a traffic light system). EXPECTED RESULTS/CONCLUSION: The visual separation and entries in three colour-coded areas reflecting risk (green: blood pressure in the target range 140/>90 mmHg, red: blood pressure in danger zone > 180 mmHg/>110 mmHg) lead to better self-monitoring compared with the conventional (non-colour-coded) blood pressure booklet. The colour-coded, visualised information supports improved perception (awareness and interpretation) of blood pressure and triggers correct behaviour, in the means of improved adherence to the recommended treatment as well as better communication between patients and doctors resulting in improved blood pressure control. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT01013467
Generalized empty-interval method applied to a class of one-dimensional stochastic models
In this work we study, on a finite and periodic lattice, a class of
one-dimensional (bimolecular and single-species) reaction-diffusion models
which cannot be mapped onto free-fermion models.
We extend the conventional empty-interval method, also called
{\it interparticle distribution function} (IPDF) method, by introducing a
string function, which is simply related to relevant physical quantities.
As an illustration, we specifically consider a model which cannot be solved
directly by the conventional IPDF method and which can be viewed as a
generalization of the {\it voter} model and/or as an {\it epidemic} model. We
also consider the {\it reversible} diffusion-coagulation model with input of
particles and determine other reaction-diffusion models which can be mapped
onto the latter via suitable {\it similarity transformations}.
Finally we study the problem of the propagation of a wave-front from an
inhomogeneous initial configuration and note that the mean-field scenario
predicted by Fisher's equation is not valid for the one-dimensional
(microscopic) models under consideration.Comment: 19 pages, no figure. To appear in Physical Review E (November 2001
Entanglement in spin chains with gradients
We study solvable spin chains where either fields or couplings vary linearly
in space and create a sandwich-like structure of the ground state. We find that
the entanglement entropy between two halves of a chain varies logarithmically
with the interface width. After quenching to a homogeneous critical system, the
entropy grows logarithmically in time in the XX model, but quadratically in the
transverse Ising chain. We explain this behaviour and indicate generalizations
to other power laws.Comment: 16 pages, 11 figures, 2 references adde
Qualität der Arzt-Patienten-Beziehung – Evaluation der deutschen Version des Patient Reactions Assessment Instruments (PRA-D)
The improving care in chronic obstructive lung disease study: CAROL improving processes of care and quality of life of COPD patients in primary care: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Self-efficacy instruments for patients with chronic diseases suffer from methodological limitations - a systematic review
BACKGROUND: Measurement of self-efficacy requires carefully developed and validated instruments. It is currently unclear whether available self-efficacy instruments for chronic diseases fulfill these requirements. Our aim was to systematically identify all existing self-efficacy scales for five major chronic diseases and to assess their development and validation process. METHODS: We conducted a systematic literature search in electronic databases (MEDLINE, PSYCHINFO, and EMBASE) to identify studies describing the development and/or validation process of self-efficacy instruments for the five chronic diseases diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, arthritis, and heart failure. Two members of the review team independently selected articles meeting inclusion criteria. The self-efficacy instruments were evaluated in terms of their development (aim of instrument, a priori considerations, identification of items, selection of items, development of domains, answer options) and validation (test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, validity, responsiveness) process. RESULTS: Of 584 potentially eligible papers we included 25 (13 for diabetes, 5 for asthma, 4 for arthritis, 3 for COPD, 0 for heart failure) which covered 26 different self-efficacy instrument versions. For 8 instruments (30.8%), the authors described the aim before the scales were developed whereas for the other instruments the aim was unclear. In one study (3.8%) a priori considerations were specified. In none of the studies a systematic literature search was carried out to identify items. The item selection process was often not clearly described (38.5%). Test-retest reliability was assessed for 9 instruments (34.6%), validity using a correlational approach for 18 (69.2%), and responsiveness to change for 3 (11.5%) instruments. CONCLUSION: The development and validation process of the majority of the self-efficacy instruments had major limitations. The aim of the instruments was often not specified and for most instruments, not all measurement properties that are important to support the specific aim of the instrument (for example responsiveness for evaluative instruments) were assessed. Researchers who develop and validate self-efficacy instruments should adhere more closely to important methodological concepts for development and validation of patient-reported outcomes and report their methods more transparently. We propose a systematic five step approach for the development and validation of self-efficacy instruments
Justified Concern or Exaggerated Fear: The Risk of Anaphylaxis in Percutaneous Treatment of Cystic Echinococcosis—A Systematic Literature Review
Percutaneous treatment (PT) emerged in the mid-1980s as an alternative to surgery for selected cases of abdominal cystic echinococcosis (CE). Despite its efficacy and widespread use, the puncture of echinococcal cysts is still far from being universally accepted. One of the main reasons for this reluctance is the perceived risk of anaphylaxis linked to PTs. To quantify the risk of anaphylactic reactions and lethal anaphylaxis with PT, we systematically searched MEDLINE for publications on PT of CE and reviewed the PT-related complications. After including 124 publications published between 1980 and 2010, we collected a total number of 5943 PT procedures on 5517 hepatic and non-hepatic echinococcal cysts. Overall, two cases of lethal anaphylaxis and 99 reversible anaphylactic reactions were reported. Lethal anaphylaxis occurred in 0.03% of PT procedures, corresponding to 0.04% of treated cysts, while reversible allergic reactions complicated 1.7% of PTs, corresponding to 1.8% of treated echinococcal cysts. Analysis of the literature shows that lethal anaphylaxis related to percutaneous treatment of CE is an extremely rare event and is observed no more frequently than drug-related anaphylactic side effects
Population-based reference values for the 1-min sit-to-stand test
OBJECTIVES: To determine reference values for the 1-min sit-to-stand (STS) test in an adult population.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study nested within a nationwide health promotion campaign in Switzerland. Adults performed the STS test and completed questions on demographics and health behavior.
RESULTS: 6,926 out of 7,753 (89.3 %) adults were able to complete the STS test. The median number of repetitions ranged from 50/min (25-75th percentile 41-57/min) in young men and 47/min (39-55/min) in young women aged 20-24Â years to 30/min (25-37/min) in older men and 27/min (22-30/min) in older women aged 75-79Â years.
CONCLUSIONS: The reference values support the interpretation of 1-min STS test performance and identification of subjects with decreased lower body muscular strength and endurance
Hyper-IgG4 disease: report and characterisation of a new disease
BACKGROUND: We highlight a chronic inflammatory disease we call 'hyper-IgG4 disease', which has many synonyms depending on the organ involved, the country of origin and the year of the report. It is characterized histologically by a lymphoplasmacytic inflammation with IgG4-positive cells and exuberant fibrosis, which leaves dense fibrosis on resolution. A typical example is idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis, but the initial report in 2001 was of sclerosing pancreatitis. METHODS: We report an index case with fever and severe systemic disease. We have also reviewed the histology of 11 further patients with idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis for evidence of IgG4-expressing plasma cells, and examined a wide range of other inflammatory conditions and fibrotic diseases as organ-specific controls. We have reviewed the published literature for disease associations with idiopathic, systemic fibrosing conditions and the synonyms: pseudotumour, myofibroblastic tumour, plasma cell granuloma, systemic fibrosis, xanthofibrogranulomatosis, and multifocal fibrosclerosis. RESULTS: Histology from all 12 patients showed, to varying degrees, fibrosis, intense inflammatory cell infiltration with lymphocytes, plasma cells, scattered neutrophils, and sometimes eosinophilic aggregates, with venulitis and obliterative arteritis. The majority of lymphocytes were T cells that expressed CD8 and CD4, with scattered B-cell-rich small lymphoid follicles. In all cases, there was a significant increase in IgG4-positive plasma cells compared with controls. In two cases, biopsies before and after steroid treatment were available, and only scattered plasma cells were seen after treatment, none of them expressing IgG4. Review of the literature shows that although pathology commonly appears confined to one organ, patients can have systemic symptoms and fever. In the active period, there is an acute phase response with a high serum concentration of IgG, and during this phase, there is a rapid clinical response to glucocorticoid steroid treatment. CONCLUSION: We believe that hyper-IgG4 disease is an important condition to recognise, as the diagnosis can be readily verified and the outcome with treatment is very good
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