Patient satisfaction: care of the elderly

A small pilot study concerned with elderly patients' feelings about their stay in hospital was carried out, the purpose being to discover how satisfied patients were with the facilities and certain aspects of care in a modern geriatric assessment unit within one of the largest, most recently opened hospitals in one of the major cities in the country. Information was collected by means of a questionnaire and interview following the patients' discharge from hospital. Satisfaction with hospital stay was high amongst both male and female patients. Certain aspects in the provision of 'modern' facilities seemed particularly pleasing to the patients interviewed. Interesting differences were demonstrated between male and female patients with regard to mobility patterns before discharge and also satisfaction with communications between male and female patients and those involved with their care. It is anticipated that following this pilot study the areas of difference and of dissatisfaction can be looked at more specifically in a future study of elderly patients.     

The theory/practice 'gap': taking issue with the issue

Theory/practice issues have a long-standing history in nurse education, and are a chronic source of controversy to which there is no easy or perfect solution We have argued that it is the tension between theory and practice and research which can be usefully exploited in teaching and research Students need to be introduced to the debates surrounding the genesis and generation of nursing knowledge They need to gain an appreciation of what counts as nursing knowledge at different points in time and the politics which drive the legitimation of nursing theory and practice Such an approach has much to offer in helping students deal with reality shock and make sense of their experience as they confront the ambiguities, uncertainties and contradictions that characterize the stock-in-trade of professional life     

Maternal origin of inv dup(15) chromosomes in infantile autism

Six male patients with infantile autism and an extra inverted duplicated chromosome 15[inv dup(15)] were reported in a previous study. These patients had four copies of the chromosome region 15pter-q13, or an inv dup(15)(pter>ql3; >q13->pter). In this new study, DNA from the families of four of the patients were analysed using Southern based RFLPs and microsatellite polymorphisms from the region. In all four cases the inv dup(15) chromosome was of maternal origin. Furthermore, the data suggests that it originated in the maternal meiotic process rather than in an early mitosis in the developmental process of the embryo. The extra chromosome contained material from both of the maternally derived 15-chromosomes. Based on the molecular data presented here, a model for the origin of chromosome markers of this type is proposed.     

Nurse teacher's clinical work: a survey report

This paper reports on the results of a survey of nurse teachers in four colleges of nursing in England (n = 126) Data were collected using a questionnaire survey In this survey a five-point Likert scale was developed from an earlier study, to explore nurse teachers' perception of their clinical role The findings indicate that a number of factors may be influential in the way in which nurse teachers approach their clinical activity This includes personal factors such as age, educational grade and the length of time spent working in nurse education Organizational factors also appear to make a difference in the teacher who worked in an organizational model which ensured a smaller number of link ward areas were more likely to exhibit a positive orientation towards clinical work Factor analysis of the clinical scale resulted in loading of items relating to confidence in clinical role, preparation for the role, influence in clinical area and supervision of students in clinical areas The implications of these findings are discussed     

A preliminary study of users' and nursing students' views of the role of the mental health nurse

This paper is a preliminary study, part of a larger project which is endeavouring to ascertain the views of both users of mental health services and those of mental health branch students as to their perceived and desired role of the mental health nurse Four groups of users (n = 28) and four groups of students (n=44) were contacted, and recorded group discussions took place in gaining qualitative data that would feed into the main body of research The views expressed by both users and students are interestingly convergent, but much concern was expressed as to the needed changes in the provision of the service and the danger for students on qualifying to become quickly incorporated into the prevailing dominant culture     

Relaxing and Metabolic Actions of ACTH in Rabbit Colan

Andersson , R., E. Mohme -Lundholm , N. Svedmyr and N. Vamos , Relaxing and metabolic actions of ACTH in rabbit colon. Acta physiol. scand. 1971. 81. 11–17. ACTH in the dose range of 0.15–4.60 IU/ml relaxed the circular muscular layer of rabbit colon contracted by carbacholine. The content of cyclic AMP was doubled. There was an activation of phosphorylase a which gave the same dose-effect and time-effect curves as thc relaxing action. The hexose phosphate and creatine phosphate contents of the muscle also increased. The relaxing and metabolic actions of ACTH were completely blocked by an adrenergic β-receptor blocking agent (sotalol). The type of inhibition was competive. The relaxing action of ACTH was potentiated by theophylline and puromycin, agents which inhibit the enzymatic hydrolysis of cyclic AMP. The relaxing and metabolic actions of ACTH were similar to those of isoprenaline. They could be reproduced by cyclic AMP. In contrast to cyclic AMP and isoprenaline, ACTH did not decrease the adenosine triphosphate contcnt of thc muscle. It is suggested that the relaxing action of ACTH is mediated by thc adcnyl cyclase-cyclic AMP system.     

Introduction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis> transcribed <Emphasis Type="Italic">ENO1</Emphasis> mRNA into neuroblastoma cells induces cell death

Background  

Neuroblastoma is a solid tumour of childhood often with an unfavourable outcome. One common genetic feature in aggressive tumours is 1p-deletion.     

Revised curriculum on cardiothoracic radiology for diagnostic radiology residency with goals and objectives related to general competencies

This document is a revision of a previously published cardiothoracic curriculum for diagnostic radiology residency, and reflects interval changes in the clinical practice of cardiothoracic radiology and changes in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements for diagnostic radiology training programs. The revised ACGME Program Requirements for Residency Education in Diagnostic Radiology went into effect December 2003.     

Almonds in the diet simultaneously improve plasma alpha-tocopherol concentrations and reduce plasma lipids

The objective of this study was to assess the dose-response effect of almond intake on plasma and red blood cell tocopherol concentrations in healthy adults enrolled in a randomized, crossover feeding trial. Participants were 16 healthy men and women, aged 41+/-13 years. After a 2-week run-in period, participants were fed three diets for 4 weeks each: a control diet, a low-almond diet, and a high-almond diet, in which almonds contributed 0%, 10%, and 20% of total energy, respectively. Changes in blood tocopherol levels were assayed by high pressure liquid chromatography. Incorporating almonds into the diet helped meet the revised Recommended Dietary Allowance of 15 mg/day alpha-tocopherol and increased lipid-adjusted plasma and red blood cell alpha-tocopherol concentrations. A significant dose-response effect was observed between percent energy in the diet from almonds and plasma ratio of alpha-tocopherol to total cholesterol.