A simple nutrition screening tool for hemodialysis nurses.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability of a nurse-performed nutrition screening tool (NST) for hemodialysis (HD) patients to identify nutritionally at-risk patients. DESIGN: Tool reliability assessment. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: The setting was nine non-hospital private (n = 3) and public (n = 6) HD units in Australia (two rural and seven metropolitan). Participants were 112 HD patients. RESULTS: A total of 112 HD patients (male = 65, female = 47) from 9 non-hospital HD units in Australia (seven metropolitan and two rural) were screened with the NST and the outcome of dietitian referral compared with Standard Dietitians Assessment. The mean age of patients was 57.6 years. Overall, the NST showed a sensitivity of 0.84 (range, 0.71 to 0.94; P < .05) and a specificity of 0.9 (range, 0.82 to 0.98; P < .05). The NST was more sensitive (sensitivity, 0.93 [range, 0.87 to 0.99; P < .05]) and was more specific for men (specificity, 0.92 [range, 0.85 to 0.99; P < .05]). Specificity was very strong in metropolitan patients (specificity, 0.94 [range, 0.87 to 1.01; P < .05]). CONCLUSIONS: The tool was more sensitive and specific than the NST previously reported by the same investigators. The tool is particularly specific in that it screens those patients not requiring dietitian intervention. The use of this tool may benefit HD units that do not have on-site or regular dietetic support to prioritize patients needing dietitian intervention.     

Effect of compressive follower preload on the flexion-extension response of the human lumbar spine.

Traditional experimental methods are unable to study the kinematics of whole lumbar spine specimens under physiologic compressive preloads because the spine without active musculature buckles under just 120 N of vertical load. However, the lumbar spine can support a compressive load of physiologic magnitude (up to 1200 N) without collapsing if the load is applied along a follower load path. This study tested the hypothesis that the load-displacement response of the lumbar spine in flexion-extension is affected by the magnitude of the follower preload and the follower preload path. Twenty-one fresh human cadaveric lumbar spines were tested in flexion-extension under increasing compressive follower preload applied along two distinctly different optimized preload paths. The first (neutral) preload path was considered optimum if the specimen underwent the least angular change in its lordosis when the full range of preload (0-1200 N) was applied in its neutral posture. The second (flexed) preload path was optimized for an intermediate specimen posture between neutral and full flexion. A twofold increase in flexion stiffness occurred around the neutral posture as the preload was increased from 0 to 1200 N. The preload magnitude (400 N and larger) significantly affected the range of motion (ROM), with a 25% decrease at 1200 N preload applied along the neutral path. When the preload was applied along a path optimized for an intermediate forward-flexed posture, only a 15% decrease in ROM occurred at 1200 N. The results demonstrate that whole lumbar spine specimens can be subjected to compressive follower preloads of in vivo magnitudes while allowing physiologic mobility under flexion-extension moments. The optimized follower preload provides a method to simulate the resultant vector of the muscles that allow the spine to support physiologic compressive loads induced during flexion-extension activities.     

Radiographic analysis of selective ligament sectioning at the carpal scaphoid: a cadaver study

Although scapholunate diastasis with rotatory subluxation of the scaphoid (stage I perilunar instability determined by Mayfield's classification) has been studied by several investigators, the exact contribution of the supporting ligaments is still being defined. We designed and executed an experimental study using six fresh-frozen cadaver specimens to demonstrate the radiographic changes seen on standard and stress wrist radiographs that correlate with the sequential sectioning of the scapholunate stabilizing ligaments. The radioscapho-lunate ligament, the palmar scapholunate interosseous ligament, the dorsal scapholunate interosseous ligament, and the radiocapitate ligament were sectioned sequentially to simulate a progressive wrist injury caused by an extension, intercarpal supination and ulnar deviation force. The results showed significant ligamentous injury must occur before commonly used radiographic limits are exceeded. The lateral scapholunate angle most closely reflected the progressive nature of this injury.     

Synthesis, antiproliferative, and antiviral activity of certain 4-aminopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazine nucleosides: an entry into a novel series of adenosine analogues.

The preparation of novel heterocyclic base modified adenosine analogues, the 4-aminopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazine nucleosides, is described. Crucial to their successful preparation was the use of the pyrrole glycoside intermediates 3-cyano-2-formyl-1-(2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrrole (11) and 3-cyano-2-formyl-1-(2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)pyrrole (17). Treatment of 11 and 17 with hydrazine dihydrochloride followed by treatment with boron trichloride provided 4-amino-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylpyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazine (2) and 4-amino-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylpyrrolo[2,3-d]pyridazine (3), respectively. 4-Amino-3-bromo-1-beta-D-ribofuranosylpyrrolo[2,3-d]-pyridazine (4) was prepared by a bromination of 4-amino-1-(2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyri daz ine (12) and subsequent removal of the benzyl groups with boron trichloride. Compounds 2-4 were evaluated for antiproliferative and antiviral activity. The tubercidin analogue (2) and its arabinosyl derivative (3) were virtually inactive in all assays. In contrast, the 3-bromo analogue 4 inhibited growth of L1210 and H. Ep. 2 cells. Compound 4 was also active against human cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus type 1, but the antiviral activity was not completely separated from cytotoxicity.     

Gemfibrozil reduces plasma prothrombin fragment F1 + 2 concentration, a marker of coagulability, in patients with coronary heart disease.

The effects of gemfibrozil on several indices of haemostatic activity were explored in male patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Sixty-three of 71 patients completed a crossover study in which gemfibrozil 1,200 mg/day and matching placebo were each taken in randomised order for 2 months in a double-blind manner, separated by a 2-month washout period. Serum cholesterol decreased by an average (95% confidence interval) of 12 (9 to 15)% and non-fasting triglyceride concentration by 43 (34 to 51)% during active treatment. Plasma prothrombin fragment F1 + 2 concentration, a marker of the in vivo rate of generation of thrombin, was 25 (12 to 37)% lower on average while on gemfibrozil than during the placebo phase. Factor VII coagulant activity (VIIc) and antigen concentration, and fibrinopeptide A concentration were not influenced by gemfibrozil in the group overall. However, the VIIc response appeared to be dependent upon the untreated cholesterol level. Hypercholesterolaemic men (cholesterol greater than 6.5 mmol/l) experienced a significant reduction in VIIc averaging 6% of standard during active therapy. Other effects of gemfibrozil were a 5 (2 to 9)% increase in plasma fibrinogen by a gravimetric method, an 11 (8 to 13)% increase in platelet count, and a 6 (2 to 10)% reduction in white cell count. The reduced incidence of CHD following gemfibrozil therapy in hyperlipidaemic patients may arise in part through a reduction in procoagulant activity and thus the risk of an occlusive coronary thrombosis.     

Involvement of plasma fibrinogen in coronary artery disease.

Over a period of 12 years, two cases of pulmonary arterial aneurysms were encountered in our autopsy data of 13 cases of congenital heart defects with right-sided infective endocarditis. Pulmonary arterial aneurysms are rare lesions and may be categorized as central or peripheral. Although early reports implicated tuberculosis as a major aetiologic factor, pulmonary arterial aneurysms are generally associated with congenital heart disease.     

Epstein-Barr virus latent and replicative gene expression in oral hairy leukoplakia

Oral hairy leukoplakia is an epithelial lesion of the tongue associated with productive infection by Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). However, no data concerning the pattern of EBV latent gene expression have been reported, and it remains unresolved whether true latent infection occurs in basal cell layers of oral hairy leukoplakia. We have studied six cases of oral hairy leukoplakia using monoclonal antibody immunohistology for EBV latent--EB nuclear antigen (EBNA) 1, EBNA 2 and latent membrane protein 1 (LMP 1); immediate-early (BZLF1); and replicative (EA, VCA, MA) proteins, and for the EBV-receptor (CD21 antigen). EBV DNA was demonstrated by nucleic acid in situ hybridization. Mid- to upper-zone keratinocytes contained EBV DNA and co-expressed EBNA 1, EBNA 2 (5 of 6 cases), LMP 1, BZLF1 protein, EA, VCA and MA. No EBV genome or gene expression could be demonstrated in basal or parabasal cells. Spinous keratinocytes were labelled by anti-CD21 antibodies HB5 and B2, but did not express the EBV-receptor as defined by reactivity with OKB7. The co-expression of latent and replicative infection-associated antigens is striking, indicating possible functional roles for latent proteins during the productive cycle. Our results suggest that oral hairy leukoplakia is caused by repeated direct infection of upper epithelial cells with virus from saliva or adjacent replicatively infected cells, rather than by a latent EBV infection of basal epithelial cells with a differentiation-dependent switch to productive infection as previously proposed.     

Assessment of Women for Partner Abuse

Nearly 4 million women in the United States were physically hurt by their husbands or boyfriends in 1994. The health and well-being of these women and their children, as well as the women who are overlooked in these statistics, are jeopardized by past and current experiences with abuse within intimate relationships. Strategies for nurses in women's health care settings to screen women for current or past abuse within their intimate personal relationships, guidelines for effective responses to disclosure of abuse, and supportive interventions are described.