A Neuroanatomical Construct for the Amnesic Effects of Propofol

Background: This study was designed to identify neuroanatomical locations of propofol's effects on episodic memory by producing minimal and maximal memory impairment during conscious sedation. Drug-related changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were located in comparison with rCBF increases during a simple word memory task.

Methods: Regional cerebral blood flow changes were assessed in 11 healthy volunteers using H215O positron emission tomography (PET) and statistical parametric mapping (SPM99) at 600 and 1,000 ng/ml propofol target concentrations. Study groups were based on final recognition scores of auditory words memorized during PET scanning. rCBF changes during propofol administration were compared with those during the word memory task at baseline.

Results: Nonoverlapping memory effects were evident: low (n = 4; propofol concentration 523 +/- 138 ng/ml; 44 +/- 13% decrement from baseline memory) and high (n = 7; 829 +/- 246 ng/ml; 87 +/- 6% decrement from baseline) groups differed in rCBF reductions primarily in right-sided prefrontal and parietal regions, close to areas activated in the baseline memory task, particularly R dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 46; x, y, z = 51, 38, 22). The medial temporal lobe region exhibited relative rCBF increases.     

Self‐Neglect: A Proposed New NANDA Diagnosis

PURPOSE. To propose a new NANDA diagnosis, self‐neglect. DATA SOURCES. Research studies and literature published from a variety of disciplines including nursing as well as primary research. DATA SYNTHESES. This diagnosis can be used to describe a constellation of self‐care problems of varying severity and impact on the health and well‐being of people who self‐neglect. Included are two subtypes of self‐neglect based on the degree of intentionality. Clarification of self‐neglect is long overdue because self‐neglect presents conceptual, identification, and intervention problems for nurses, healthcare workers, and for medicolegal systems across settings and in many countries. CONCLUSION. The proposed diagnosis, self‐neglect, fills a gap in current standardized terminology. This diagnosis will contribute significantly to nurses leading the way in the explication of an interdisciplinary and international health concern. PRACTICE AND POLICY IMPLICATIONS. Developing self‐neglect as a recognized nursing label is vital to clinicians and policy makers within and across countries. Appreciating less serious/non‐life‐threatening presentations will give nurses a care perspective to improve the health and well‐being of those in earlier stages of self‐neglect. Definitions for this phenomenon will contribute to care planning and interventions, leading to consistency in practice and research.     

Dual effects of spinally delivered 8-bromo-cyclic guanosine mono-phosphate (8-bromo-cGMP) in formalin-induced nociception in rats

Interactions are known to occur in the brain between serotonin (5-HT) and substance P (SP). To investigate whether SP can directly influence serotonergic neurons, double immunohistochemical labelings were performed on rat brain sections with NK1 or NK3 affinity-purified antibodies and a 5-HT monoclonal antibody. It was found that the vast majority of serotonergic cell bodies do not colocalize NK1 or NK3 labeling. Only in the central linear nucleus and ventral part of the dorsal raphe nucleus were a few serotonergic neurons double-labeled for NK1 receptors (15 and 0.8% of serotonergic neurons, respectively). It is suggested that serotonergic neurons are not major direct targets for SP in the rat brain.     

Increased circulating interleukin-7 levels in HIV-1-infected women

Sex-based differences in CD4 T-cell (CD4) counts are well recognized, but the basis for these differences has not been identified. Conceivably, homeostatic factors may play a role in this process by regulating T-cell maintenance and repletion. Interleukin (IL)-7 is essential for normal T-cell production and homeostasis. We hypothesized that differences in IL-7 might contribute to sex-based differences in CD4 counts. Circulating IL-7 levels were analyzed in 299 HIV-1-infected women and men. Regression analysis estimated that IL-7 levels were 40% higher in women than in men (P = 0.0032) after controlling for CD4 count, age, and race. Given the important role of IL-7 in T-cell development and homeostasis, these findings suggest that higher IL-7 levels may contribute to higher CD4 counts in women.     

Genetic and Environmental Causes of Tracking in Explosive Strength during Adolescence

Purpose: To determine whether the observed phenotypic stability in explosive strength during adolescence, as measured by inter-age correlations in vertical jump (VTJ), is mainly caused by genetic and/or environmental factors. Methods: Subjects are from the Leuven Longitudinal Twin Study (LLTS) (n = 105 pairs, equally divided over five zygosity groups). VTJ data were aligned on age at peak height velocity (APHV) to attenuate the temporal fluctuations in inter-age correlations caused by differences in timing of the adolescent growth spurt. Simplex models were fitted using structural equation modelling. Results: After aligning the data on APHV, the annual inter-age correlations show a clear simplex structure over a 4 year interval. The best fitting models included additive genetic and unique environmental sources of variation. Heritability estimates ranged between 60.8% (CI 37.7%–77.2%) and 87.3% (CI 74.2%–94.0%) for boys and between 76.5% (CI 56.7%–89.0%) and 88.6% (CI 77.8%–94.1%) for girls. Up to 56.4% and 62.8% of the total variation at the last measurement occasion is explained by additive genetic factors that already explained a significant amount of variation at previous measurement occasions in boys and girls respectively. It thus can be concluded that the observed stability of explosive strength during adolescence is mainly caused by a stable genetic influence in boys and girls. Conclusions: Additive genetic factors seem to be the main cause of the observed phenotypic stability in VTJ performance in boys and girls during adolescence.