The success of long term maintenance therapy for diabetes, as for persons with any chronic illness, depends largely on the extent to which they comply with their specific therapeutic regimen. Based on comprehensive reviews (Blackwell, 1976), no more than 50 percent of patients on long-term medication adhere to their prescribed regimen. For the diabetic this can result in severe complications or death. / In order to better understand the compliance process, researchers suggest that attention needs to be given to a variety of psychological factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the predictor variables of stress, health locus of control, social support, and health attitudes and beliefs and the criterion variable of compliance by Type I diabetics. / Eighty-seven Type I diabetics participated in this study. These subjects completed a series of self-report instruments to measure the predictor variables. The instruments used to measure these specific variables included the Hassles Scale (Kanner, Coyne, Schaefer, & Lazarus, 1981), the Schedule of Recent Events (Holmes & Rahe, 1967), the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (Wallston & Wallston, 1978), the Diabetes Family Behavior Checklist (Schafer, McCaul, & Glasgow, 1986), and the Diabetes Health Belief Scale (Harris, Linn, Skyler, & Sandifer, 1987). The Three Day Inventory (Brogdon, Peterson, & Gill, 1987) and the Diabetes Compliance Instrument (Schlenk & Hart, 1984) was used to assess the criterion variable of compliance. / Canonical correlations were conducted to test whether a multivariate relationship existed between the predictor variables (stress, health locus of control, family support, and health beliefs and attitudes) and the three criterion variables (compliance to diet, medication, and exercise). These analyses revealed significant relationships between all sets of predictor and criterion variables with the exception of the health locus of control variable. Post hoc multiple regression analyses were conducted for each hypothesis that was found to be statistically significant. The results of the multiple regression analyses indicated that the following predictor variables were most important in predicting compliance: (a) perceived benefits (health beliefs and attitudes), (b) stress (as measured by the Hassles Scale) and, (c) negative family support. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-01, Section: A, page: 0099. / Major Professor: Gary W. Peterson. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

In some studies, it is not possible to observe directly the time at which an event of interest occurs, instead each experimental unit is examined at one time only, and it is noted whether or not the event of interest has occurred. This type of data is known as current status data. We study the problem of nonparametric regression estimation when we have current status data on the outcome variable. We propose and study three methods for the estimation of the regression. In the local nonparametric maximum likelihood (LNPML) method we modify Groeneboom's (1991) estimator of the distribution function to estimate the conditional distribution function and use its mean as an estimate of the regression. The local self-consistent (LSC) estimation method is an iterative method that applies Efron's (1967) idea of "self-consistency". The pseudo-EM method is also an iterative method similar to the EM method. / We show that the estimate of the conditional distribution function from the LNPML method can be characterized as a solution to an isotonic regression problem and hence easily computed. This estimate does well in our simulation studies. We derive heuristically an asymptotic distribution for the LNPML estimate of the distribution function in a particular case, and an expression for the optimal band-width. We show that the LSC estimate gives the same estimate as that obtained by the EM algorithm (applied locally). We explain why the pseudo-EM method is not an EM algorithm. The resulting estimate does not do well in our simulation studies. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-05, Section: B, page: 2708. / Major Professor: Deborah Burr Doss. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.

The experimental design of the study utilized each subject as his or her own control. Each subject listened to three stimuli. The subjects' pulse rate and peripheral finger temperature were measured immediately prior to the onset of each stimulus and immediately following each stimulus. Each stimulus lasted twenty minutes followed by a five minute rest period. The subjects began listening to the stimuli thirty minutes after the onset of Hemodialysis treatment. / The null hypotheses stated: H$\sb0$--There will be no statistically significant decrease between the beginning and ending pulse rates of the participants for any of the three conditions and H2$\sb0$--There will be no statistically significant increase between the beginning and ending peripheral finger temperatures of the participants for any of the three conditions. The study failed to reject either null hypothesis. There were no statistically significant differences for pulse rate finger temperature under any stimulus. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.) / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 30-02, page: 0183. / Thesis (M.M.)--The Florida State University, 1991.

Serine proteases such as furin and prostasin have been shown to activate epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) in the collecting duct. Inhibition of apical proteases with aprotinin decreases Na+ current (Ieq), and subsequent application of the protease trypsin increases Ieq. However, transepithelial resistance (Rte) in M-1 mouse cortical collecting duct cells also decreases with aprotinin and increases with trypsin; Rte effects are opposite to those expected with inhibition and activation respectively of ENaC. The purpose of present studies was to characterize the regulation of Na+ transport and transepithelial permeability by proteolytic systems in the cortical collecting duct, the site of final regulation of Na+ excretion by the kidney Prostasin knockdown M-1 cells had no significant decrease in baseline Ieq and Rte. However, prostasin or trypsin significantly increased Rte in prostasin knockdown cells. These results suggest that prostasin is essential for resistance, but may be not critical for Na + current. Apical addition of ENaC inhibitory peptides LPHPLQRL (alpha-8) or PRFLNLIPLLVFNEN (gamma-15) abruptly inhibited Ieq. In contrast to trypsin and aprotinin, alpha-8 or gamma-15 had little or no effect on Rte. Apical addition of aprotinin after application of alpha-8 or gamma-15 inhibited Rte just as in cells untreated with inhibitory peptides. To elucidate if effects on Rte require Na+ transport, M-1 cells were treated with basolateral ouabain or apical amiloride (in the latter case after aprotinin pretreatment). Subsequent addition of trypsin increased Rte in both cases even in absence of transport. Basolateral application of TGF-beta1 significantly decreased Ieq. TGF-beta1 also increased paracellular permeability (indicated by the decrease in Rte), a response that is not expected based on an effect solely on ENaC. The lack of response to trypsin in TGF-beta1 treated cells implies that the downregulation of prostasin is not a major factor in the inhibition of Ieq by TGF-beta1 In conclusion, these studies indicate that proteolytic enzymes including endogenous prostasin alter Na+ transport in collecting duct cells both via the release of ENaC inhibitory peptides and in addition via the effects on Rte, probably reflecting paracellular permeability, independent of the effects on Na+ channels and Na+ transport / acase@tulane.edu

acase@tulane.edu

Cystic fibrosis is the most commonly occurring lethal genetic disease among the Caucasian population. Despite many years of extensive research, the biochemical defect in cystic fibrosis is still unknown, and there is no acceptable method for carrier detection. Abnormal glycoproteins or abnormalities in glycoprotein metabolism have been suggested as the underlying defect in cystic fibrosis In the present study, the elution patterns of normal and cystic fibrosis plasma glycoproteins from immobilized concanavalin A were compared. The results revealed highly significant differences in the elution profiles of (alpha)(,2)-macroglobulin, immunoglobulin G, and immunoglobulin M between normal and cystic fibrosis samples. These experiments demonstrated that the carbohydrate moieties of at least three plasma glycoproteins from cystic fibrosis patients were altered. These results were confirmed by comparison of the plasma glycoproteins in normal and cystic fibrosis samples by the novel technique of lectinofixation with concanavalin A The electrophoretic mobilities of the plasma glycoproteins eluted from immobilized concanavalin A were studied using immunoelectrophoresis. Striking differences in the electrophoretic mobilities of (alpha)(,2)-macroglobulin from normal and cystic fibrosis fractions were found. Differences in the electrophoretic mobilities of cystic fibrosis and normal immunoglobulin M were also observed. Since the polypeptide structures of purified normal and cystic fibrosis (alpha)(,2)-macroglobulin are known to be very similar, it was postulated that the differences in the electrophoretic mobilities of the cystic fibrosis plasma glycoproteins must be the result of alterations in their carbohydrate component. A difference in the number of charged sugar residues (or sialic acid) in the carbohydrate moieties could result in alterations of the electrophoretic mobilities of these glycoproteins With this possibility in mind, the relative sialic acid contents of normal and cystic fibrosis plasma glycoproteins were compared by measuring the binding ratios of the glycoproteins to limulin, a sialic acid-specific lectin. The (alpha)(,2)-macroglobulin and immunoglobulin M from cystic fibrosis plasma had significantly higher binding ratios to limulin than did normal plasma glycoproteins. Therefore, it was concluded that the higher sialic acid content of the cystic fibrosis glycoproteins results in a difference in their electrophoretic mobilities when compared to normal glycoproteins In summary, alterations in the carbohydrate moieties of cystic fibrosis glycoproteins were demonstrated by differences in binding and elution patterns of the glycoproteins from immobilized concanavalin A, differences in electrophoretic mobilities of glycoproteins in the eluted fractions, and alterations in binding ratios of the glycoproteins to limulin. The results indicate that there are alterations in the primary structures of the carbohydrate moieties of cystic fibrosis plasma glycoproteins. The alterations in primary carbohydrate structures may result in conformational changes in the glycoprotein molecules as well, which could cause altered functional properties in cystic fibrosis glycoproteins. This work supports the theory that abnormal glycoproteins and/or abnormalities in glycoproteins metabolism are closely related to the biochemical defect in cystic fibrosis / acase@tulane.edu

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