The change process in alcoholics: client motivation and denial in the treatment of alcoholism within the context of contemporary nursing

Despite being constantly cited as a critical intervening variable in the recovery from alcohol problems, there is a paucity of literature on client motivation. This paper reviews the current literature which impacts on motivation and its importance in treatment and develops in a stepwise manner the revised expectancy/motivation hypothesis, tentatively explaining both motivation and denial as a natural process in behavioural change. Because of the revised expectancy/motivation hypothesis' distinctly defined stages which closely relate to the process of nursing and the qualitative and quantitative measurement it entails which the nursing process demands, it offers a particularly appropriate model for treatment within nurse practice.     

Modulation of high-dose methotrexate toxicity by a non-toxic level of 5-fluorouracil

High-dose methotrexate (MTX) toxicity is reduced by a non-toxic dose of 5-fluorouracil (FU) when these agents are used in combination. Changes in the hematopoietic system (platelets, erythrocytes, leukocytes, hemoglobin, and hematocrit), ileal tissue, body weight, and mean survival were used as parameters to assess toxicity. For all parameters studied, there were no significant differences between the scheduling of MTX (245 mg/kg) after a priming dose of FU (25 mg/kg), simultaneous MTX and FU, FU alone, and control. However, sequential treatment with MTX followed by FU, and MTX alone resulted in: a marked decrease in the hematopoietic parameters; significant morphological changes in ileal tissue; a reduction of body weight; and increased mortality of animals. Hence, this study suggests that FU, a cytotoxic agent, may protect against MTX toxicity and improve its therapeutic index when FU administration precedes MTX or when these agents are given simultaneously.     

Using a dense PTFE membrane without primary closure to achieve bone and tissue regeneration.

The most common types of barrier membranes used for bone or tissue regeneration are made of expanded-polytetrafluoroethylene (e-PTFE) or resorbable materials, such as collagen. Both the e-PTFE and resorbable membranes require primary soft tissue coverage. This article explores the use of a dense-polytetrafluoroethylene (d-PTFE) membrane, which does not require primary soft tissue coverage. The advantages of d-PTFE in contrast to the other more commonly used types of barrier membranes and the clinical significance of these advantages for implant surgical and restorative treatment are discussed.     

Amphetamine impairs the discriminative performance of rats with dorsal noradrenergic bundle lesions on a 5-choice serial reaction time task: New evidence for central dopaminergic-noradrenergic interactions

A series of experiments examined the effects of lesions of the dorsal noradrenergic bundle (DNAB), induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), on the behavioural response to systemic and intra-accumbens amphetamine, using a rat analogue of Leonard's 5-choice serial reaction time task for humans. Although the 6-OHDA DNAB lesion produced a profound depletion of cortical noradrenaline (NA) (to around 5% of control levels) it did not impair any aspect of performance on this task. Both systemic and intra-accumbens amphetamine increased behavioural measures of impulsivity of responding, but neither impaired discriminative accuracy in the sham-operated control rats. However, the DNAB lesioned rats did show a discriminative impairment following both low doses of systemic amphetamine, and intra-accumbens amphetamine. The latter effect was antagonised by systemic administration of the specific dopaminergic (DA) antagonist alpha-flupenthixol. The DNAB lesion did not alter the effect of amphetamine on any other behavioural measure, including speed and impulsivity of responding. These results suggest that although DA and NA participate in qualitatively different behavioural processes, the effects of DNAB lesions on attentional processes depend on the level of DA activity within the nucleus accumbens.     

Antennular projections to the midbrain of the spiny lobster. I. Sensory innervation of the lateral and medial antennular neuropils

The organization of sensory afferents in the antennular nerve (AN) of the spiny lobster and the central arborization of the afferents in the lateral and medial antennular neuropils (LAN, MAN) were analyzed by backfilling the AN with biocytin. The MAN receives primarily thick afferents (diameter ≥ 10 μm) with a consistent pattern of arborization from the medial of the three major divisions of the AN. The LAN, in contrast, receives many thin to medium-sized afferents (diameter ≤ 0.3–5 μm), in addition some with diameters ≥ 5 μm, from the lateral and dorsal divisions of the AN. In contrast to the consistent pattern of arborization in the MAN, afferents projecting to the LAN arborize in widely different patterns. Serially arranged, orthogonal side branches that are suggestive of topographical representation of the serially arranged sensilla on the antennule contribute to the stratification of the LAN. Together with existing electrophysiological data, these morphological findings are consistent with the idea that the MAN receives primarily mechanosensory (largely statocyst) input, as previously thought, but that the LAN receives chemosensory as well as mechanosensory input. The chemosensory input to the LAN would represent a novel pathway for processing chemosensory input from the antennule.     

The relationship between subtalar and knee joint function as a possible mechanism for running injuries

The purposes of the study were: (1) to evaluate the effects of different surfaces on the relationship between subtalar and knee joint function, and (2) to examine/explore alternative approaches to the evaluation of these relationships. Five subjects ran under four different surface conditions of various hardness, while both rear and sagittal view kinematic data were collected (200 Hz). Critical parameters describing the knee angle and rearfoot motion were examined in conjunction with a curve analysis technique which incorporated slope differences and curve correlations. A repeated measure ANOVA design (surface × subject) was used along with single subject procedures. The results of the study support a strong inter-relationship between pronation and knee joint function via tibial rotation and underlined it as a possible mechanism for injury. Moreover, discrete point analysis might not be the most appropriate methodology for evaluating dynamic functions such as rearfoot motion and knee angle. Extreme methodological care must be exercised when evaluating these functions to avoid oversmoothing and/or masking correlations and differences due to differential subject responses and individual variability. The fact that increased impact force facilitated timing discrepancies between subtalar and knee joint function resulting in a transition of the pronation curve from a unimodal to bimodal configuration, is hypothesized as a possible explanation to better understand the inter-relationships among these lower extremity functions and their relationship to running injuries.