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Banerjee S, Yassin M, Dyer WT, Thomas TW, Rodriguez LA, Schmittdiel J. Hospital Readmissions Among Patients Experiencing Homelessness: An Electronic Health Record Data Study. Perm J 2024; 28:55-61. [PMID: 38108331 PMCID: PMC10940252 DOI: 10.7812/tpp/23.075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Population-level tracking of hospital use patterns with integrated care organizations in patients experiencing homelessness has been difficult. A California law implemented in 2019 (Senate Bill 1152) aimed to ensure safety for this population after discharge from the hospital by requiring additional documentation for patients experiencing homelessness, which provides an opportunity to evaluate hospital use by this population. METHODS In a large integrated health system in California, patients experiencing homelessness were identified through documentation change requirements associated with this law and compared with a matched group from the general population. RESULTS Patients experiencing homelessness had increased rates of hospital readmission after discharge compared to the general population matched on demographics and medical comorbidity in 2019 and 2020. Any address change in the prior year for patients was associated with increased odds of emergency department readmission. Patients experiencing homelessness, both enrolled in an integrated delivery system and not, were successfully identified as having higher readmission rates compared with their housed counterparts. CONCLUSION Documentation of housing status following Senate Bill 1152 has enabled improved study of hospital use among those with housing instability. Understanding patterns of hospital use in this vulnerable group will help practitioners identify timely points of intervention for further social and health care support.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maher Yassin
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Wendy T Dyer
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Tainayah W Thomas
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Luis A Rodriguez
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Julie Schmittdiel
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland, CA, USA
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Thomas TW, Hooker SA, Schmittdiel JA. Principles for Stakeholder Engagement in Observational Health Research. JAMA Health Forum 2024; 5:e240114. [PMID: 38488777 DOI: 10.1001/jamahealthforum.2024.0114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
This Viewpoint advocates for the inclusion of patients and other stakeholders in interpreting data for observational research studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tainayah W Thomas
- Stanford University, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Palo Alto, California
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research, Oakland
| | - Stephanie A Hooker
- HealthPartners Institute, Research and Evaluation Division, Minneapolis, Minnesota
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Rodriguez LA, Thomas TW, Finertie H, Wiley D, Dyer WT, Sanchez PE, Yassin M, Banerjee S, Adams A, Schmittdiel JA. Identifying Predictors of Homelessness Among Adults in a Large Integrated Health System in Northern California. Perm J 2023; 27:56-71. [PMID: 36911893 PMCID: PMC10013725 DOI: 10.7812/tpp/22.096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Introduction Homelessness contributes to worsening health and increased health care costs. There is little published research that leverages rich electronic health record (EHR) data to predict future homelessness risk and inform interventions to address it. The authors' objective was to develop a model for predicting future homelessness using individual EHR and geographic data covariates. Methods This retrospective cohort study included 2,543,504 adult members (≥ 18 years old) from Kaiser Permanente Northern California and evaluated which covariates predicted a composite outcome of homelessness status (hospital discharge documentation of a homeless patient, medical diagnosis of homelessness, approved medical financial assistance application for homelessness, and/or "homeless/shelter" in address name). The predictors were measured in 2018-2019 and included prior diagnoses and demographic and geographic data. The outcome was measured in 2020. The cohort was split (70:30) into a derivation and validation set, and logistic regression was used to model the outcome. Results Homelessness prevalence was 0.35% in the overall sample. The final logistic regression model included 26 prior diagnoses, demographic, and geographic-level predictors. The regression model using the validation set had moderate sensitivity (80.4%) and specificity (83.2%) for predicting future cases of homelessness and achieved excellent classification properties (area under the curve of 0.891 [95% confidence interval = 0.884-0.897]). Discussion This prediction model can be used as an initial triage step to enhance screening and referral tools for identifying and addressing homelessness, which can improve health and reduce health care costs. Conclusions EHR data can be used to predict chance of homelessness at a population health level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A Rodriguez
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Tainayah W Thomas
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Holly Finertie
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Deanne Wiley
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Wendy T Dyer
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Perla E Sanchez
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | - Maher Yassin
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
| | | | - Alyce Adams
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Julie A Schmittdiel
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA
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Rodriguez LA, Thomas TW, Finertie H, Turner CD, Heisler M, Schmittdiel JA. Psychosocial and diabetes risk factors among racially/ethnically diverse adults with prediabetes. Prev Med Rep 2022; 27:101821. [PMID: 35656212 PMCID: PMC9152808 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Psychosocial factors such as self-efficacy may be important in helping high-risk adults prevent diabetes. We aimed to describe psychosocial and diabetes risk factors in adults with prediabetes and evaluate if these varied by demographic characteristics. Cross-sectional data came from baseline surveys and electronic health records (2018-2021) of adults with prediabetes enrolled in a randomized study of peer support for diabetes prevention at Kaiser Permanente Northern California and Michigan Medicine. Linear regression was used to compare differences between racial/ethnic groups, adjusting for age, sex, and clinic. Of 336 participants in the study, 62% were female; median age was 57; 41% were White, 35% African American, 9% Hispanic. Mean autonomous motivation was 6.6 and self-efficacy to prevent diabetes was 6.0 (1-7 scale); mean perceived social support was 47 (12-72 scale). Hispanic adults reported higher autonomous motivation and African American adults reported higher self-efficacy compared to White adults. Hispanic and African American adults had more diabetes risk factors than White adults, including greater family history of diabetes, hypertension, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, physical inactivity and food insecurity. In conclusion, participants reported high levels of autonomous motivation and self-efficacy at baseline, with Hispanic and African American adults reporting higher levels of some psychosocial factors related to behavior change, suggesting a significant opportunity to engage a diverse population of adults with prediabetes in diabetes prevention strategies. However, Hispanic and African American participants showed greater diabetes risk factors levels. Diabetes prevention efforts should address both to reduce diabetes incidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis A. Rodriguez
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, 2000 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Tainayah W. Thomas
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, 2000 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Holly Finertie
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, 2000 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612, USA
| | - Cassie D. Turner
- University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Internal Medicine, 1301 Catherine St. Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, VA Center for Clinical Management Research, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Bld. 16/300N-07, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Michele Heisler
- University of Michigan Medical School, Department of Internal Medicine, 1301 Catherine St. Ann Arbor, MI, USA
- VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, VA Center for Clinical Management Research, 2800 Plymouth Rd, Bld. 16/300N-07, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Julie A. Schmittdiel
- Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Division of Research, 2000 Broadway Oakland, CA 94612, USA
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Thomas TW, Golin CE, Kinlaw AC, Kirkman MS, Golden SD, Lightfoot AF, Samuel-Hodge CD. Did the 2015 USPSTF Abnormal Blood Glucose Recommendations Change Clinician Attitudes or Behaviors? A Mixed-Method Assessment. J Gen Intern Med 2022; 37:15-22. [PMID: 33826060 PMCID: PMC8738814 DOI: 10.1007/s11606-021-06749-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In 2015, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) revised clinical recommendations to more broadly recommend abnormal blood glucose screening and more clearly recommend referral to behavioral interventions for adults with prediabetes. OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of the 2015 USPSTF recommendation changes on abnormal blood glucose screening and referral to behavioral interventions, and to examine physicians' perceptions of the revised recommendation. DESIGN We utilized a sequential, dependent mixed-methods triangulation design. PARTICIPANTS A total of 33,444 patients meeting USPSTF abnormal blood glucose screening criteria within 15 health system-affiliated primary care practices and 20 primary care physicians in North Carolina. MAIN MEASURES We assessed monthly abnormal blood glucose screening rate and monthly referral rate to behavioral interventions. To estimate trend changes in outcomes, we used segmented linear regression analysis of interrupted time-series data. We gathered physicians' perspectives on the 2015 USPSTF abnormal blood glucose recommendation including awareness of, agreement with, adoption of, and adherence to the recommendation. To analyze qualitative data, we used directed content analysis. KEY RESULTS There was a slight significant change in trend in abnormal blood glucose screening rates post-recommendation. There was a slight, statistically significant decrease in referral rates to behavioral interventions post-recommendation. Physicians were generally unaware of the revisions to the 2015 USPSTF abnormal blood glucose recommendation; however, once the recommendations were described, physicians agreed with the screening recommendation but felt that the behavioral intervention referral recommendation was hard to implement. CONCLUSION The 2015 USPSTF abnormal blood glucose guideline had little to no effect on abnormal blood glucose screening or referral to behavioral interventions in North Carolina practices. Potential interventions to improve these rates could include clinical decision tools embedded in the electronic health record and better referral systems for community-based diabetes prevention programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tainayah W Thomas
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA, USA. .,Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. .,Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA. .,Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Carol E Golin
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Division of General Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alan C Kinlaw
- Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Division of Pharmaceutical Outcomes and Policy, University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - M Sue Kirkman
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Shelley D Golden
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexandra F Lightfoot
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Health Behavior, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Carmen D Samuel-Hodge
- Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.,Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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Thomas TW, Dyer WT, Yassin M, Neugebauer R, Karter AJ, Schmittdiel JA. Is Shelter-in-Place Policy Related to Mail Order Pharmacy Use and Racial/Ethnic Disparities for Patients With Diabetes? Diabetes Care 2021; 44:e113-e114. [PMID: 33849937 PMCID: PMC8247521 DOI: 10.2337/dc20-2686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tainayah W Thomas
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA
| | - Wendy T Dyer
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA
| | - Maher Yassin
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA
| | - Romain Neugebauer
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA
| | - Andrew J Karter
- Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Northern California, Oakland, CA
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Hall WJ, Chapman MV, Lee KM, Merino YM, Thomas TW, Payne BK, Eng E, Day SH, Coyne-Beasley T. Implicit Racial/Ethnic Bias Among Health Care Professionals and Its Influence on Health Care Outcomes: A Systematic Review. Am J Public Health 2015; 105:e60-76. [PMID: 26469668 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2015.302903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1168] [Impact Index Per Article: 129.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the United States, people of color face disparities in access to health care, the quality of care received, and health outcomes. The attitudes and behaviors of health care providers have been identified as one of many factors that contribute to health disparities. Implicit attitudes are thoughts and feelings that often exist outside of conscious awareness, and thus are difficult to consciously acknowledge and control. These attitudes are often automatically activated and can influence human behavior without conscious volition. OBJECTIVES We investigated the extent to which implicit racial/ethnic bias exists among health care professionals and examined the relationships between health care professionals' implicit attitudes about racial/ethnic groups and health care outcomes. SEARCH METHODS To identify relevant studies, we searched 10 computerized bibliographic databases and used a reference harvesting technique. SELECTION CRITERIA We assessed eligibility using double independent screening based on a priori inclusion criteria. We included studies if they sampled existing health care providers or those in training to become health care providers, measured and reported results on implicit racial/ethnic bias, and were written in English. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We included a total of 15 studies for review and then subjected them to double independent data extraction. Information extracted included the citation, purpose of the study, use of theory, study design, study site and location, sampling strategy, response rate, sample size and characteristics, measurement of relevant variables, analyses performed, and results and findings. We summarized study design characteristics, and categorized and then synthesized substantive findings. MAIN RESULTS Almost all studies used cross-sectional designs, convenience sampling, US participants, and the Implicit Association Test to assess implicit bias. Low to moderate levels of implicit racial/ethnic bias were found among health care professionals in all but 1 study. These implicit bias scores are similar to those in the general population. Levels of implicit bias against Black, Hispanic/Latino/Latina, and dark-skinned people were relatively similar across these groups. Although some associations between implicit bias and health care outcomes were nonsignificant, results also showed that implicit bias was significantly related to patient-provider interactions, treatment decisions, treatment adherence, and patient health outcomes. Implicit attitudes were more often significantly related to patient-provider interactions and health outcomes than treatment processes. CONCLUSIONS Most health care providers appear to have implicit bias in terms of positive attitudes toward Whites and negative attitudes toward people of color. Future studies need to employ more rigorous methods to examine the relationships between implicit bias and health care outcomes. Interventions targeting implicit attitudes among health care professionals are needed because implicit bias may contribute to health disparities for people of color.
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Affiliation(s)
- William J Hall
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Mimi V Chapman
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Kent M Lee
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Yesenia M Merino
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Tainayah W Thomas
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - B Keith Payne
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Eugenia Eng
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Steven H Day
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
| | - Tamera Coyne-Beasley
- At the time of the study, William J. Hall, Mimi V. Chapman, and Steven H. Day were with the School of Social Work; Kent M. Lee and B. Keith Payne were with the Department of Psychology; Yesenia M. Merino, Tainayah W. Thomas, and Eugenia Eng were with the Gillings School of Global Public Health; and Tamera Coyne-Beasley was with the School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
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Thomas TW, DiMilla PA. Spreading and motility of human glioblastoma cells on sheets of silicone rubber depend on substratum compliance. Med Biol Eng Comput 2000; 38:360-70. [PMID: 10912355 DOI: 10.1007/bf02347059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Although there is a substantial quantity of experimental data examining the effects of adhesion on the morphology and migration of tissue cells, little attention has been focused on how changes in substratum mechanical properties affect these cellular behaviours. To determine whether the ability of a substratum mechanically to support traction influences cell morphology and motility, measurements are taken of the spreading, the fraction of a population with pseudopodia, the number of pseudopodia and the translocation of human SNB-19 glioblastoma cells cultured on films of poly(methylphenyl)siloxane possessing a range of mechanical compliances. Cells cultured on these films generate deformations (i.e. 'wrinkles') that are used as a basis to estimate effective substratum compliances. The average projected cell area decreases by over 60%, with a two-orders-of-magnitude increase in compliance. Time-lapse videomicroscopy reveals that cell migration also decreases with increasing compliance: the average cell speed decreases from approximately 8 microns h-1 on the most rigid substrata to 1.2 microns h-1 on the most compliant substrata examined. Changes in compliance do not alter mean directional persistence time. These results are interpreted in terms of the predictions of mathematical models for the effects of substratum compliance on motility.
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Affiliation(s)
- T W Thomas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, USA
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Abstract
Increases in the intracellular free calcium concentration are of great importance to the initiation of development in deuterostomes. Their involvement has not yet been clearly defined in protostomes. We used endogenous ligands (IP3, cADPR, ryanodine and NAADP) and pharmacological agents (thapsigargin [Tg], thimerosal, caffeine and heparin) to study smooth endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump and release mechanisms in eggs of an annelid, Chaetopterus. Oocyte homogenates effectively sequestered Ca2+ and released it in response to IP3 in a concentration-dependent manner. Repeated additions of IP3 were unable to cause further release. Heparin inhibited Ca2+ release in response to IP3. The homogenates also released Ca2+ in response to thimerosal, and this release was sensitive to heparin. Two antibodies to IP3 receptors recognized an appropriate band in Chaetopterus egg lysates. These results indicate that the oocytes possess type-1 IP3-gated Ca2+ channels. Neither calcium itself, nor strontium, cADPR, ryanodine, caffeine nor NAADP released appreciable Ca2+. At low concentrations, Tg caused a slow release of Ca2+; at higher concentrations, it elicited a rapid release. Release of Ca2+ by Tg activated development. Since one theory of fertilization invokes the introduction of a Ca2+ releasing soluble protein into the egg upon sperm-egg fusion, we also tested whether soluble extracts of Chaetopterus sperm could stimulate Ca2+ release in Chaetopterus egg homogenates. There was no Ca2+ release when the sperm extract was added to the homogenate; however, homogenates exposed to sperm extract became refractory to IP3. Thus, Ca2+ release at fertilization in these oocytes occurs through IP3-gated channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- T W Thomas
- Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USA
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Jenkins RD, Stevens SL, Craythorn JM, Thomas TW, Guinan ME, Matsen JM. False susceptibility of enterococci to aminoglycosides with blood-enriched Mueller-Hinton agar for disk susceptibility testing. J Clin Microbiol 1985; 22:369-74. [PMID: 4044795 PMCID: PMC268412 DOI: 10.1128/jcm.22.3.369-374.1985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Disk diffusion susceptibility tests for enterococci are frequently modified by adding 5% sheep blood (SB) to Mueller-Hinton agar; the performance standards from the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards sanction this addition. Susceptibility testing of aminoglycoside antibiotics is not recommended for enterococci; in actual practice, however, some laboratories do include aminoglycoside antibiotics routinely, and others may test upon request or in selected situations. In examining 50 clinical isolates of enterococci, SB-enriched Mueller-Hinton agar frequently gave enlarged zone sizes that falsely indicated susceptibility (72% for gentamicin and tobramycin), with the average increase in zone size being 6.3 and 7.6 mm, respectively. Comparison agar dilution MICs demonstrated uniform resistance, with or without added SB. The effect was shown to be caused by heme in concentrations as low as 0.03 micrograms/ml, which, when combined with aminoglycoside antibiotics, caused a synergistic growth inhibition of the enterococci, resulting in larger aminoglycoside antibiotic zones. We postulate that the heme effect is related to a catalytic cleavage of intracellular H2O2 and resultant lipid peroxidation. No other organism or antimicrobial agent tested demonstrated a similar effect, although other investigators have shown a similar phenomenon with the broad-spectrum cephalosporins. Because enterococci grow well and give accurate susceptibility results on Mueller-Hinton agar without SB supplementation and because of the spectrum of definable problems with a number of antimicrobial agents, we recommend that enterococci routinely be tested without SB.
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Thomas TW. Hospital's liability for exposing patients to extraneous infection or contagion. Med Leg Bull 1967; 16:1-3. [PMID: 6079158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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