Effects of Ro 15-4513 on schedule-controlled responding of pigeons

The partial inverse benzodiazepine agonist Ro 15-4513 has been found to antagonize some of the behavioral and physiological effects of ethanol, but relatively little is known about the behavioral effects of the drug alone. In the present study, pigeons responding under a multiple fixed-ratio 25 interresponse-time-greater-than-6-sec schedule of food delivery were exposed acutely and chronically to Ro 15-4513. Acute administrations of the drug (1.0, 1.8, 3.2, and 5.4 mg/kg) reduced response rates under the fixed-ratio component at some doses, although two birds were more sensitive to the drug than the third subject. Response rates under the interresponse-time-greater-than-6-sec component were not affected by acute administrations of Ro 15-4513. When 5.4 mg/kg Ro 15-4513 was administered prior to 15 consecutive sessions, tolerance developed to the rate-reducing effects of the drug under the fixed-ratio component. These findings, in contrast to those of early investigations in which gross measures of behavior were employed, suggest that Ro 15-4513 is behaviorally active at relatively low doses.     

RN-BSN programs: associate degree and diploma nurses' perceptions of the benefits and barriers to returning to school.

The nursing profession is facing a serious shortage in all areas including BSN completion programs. The purpose of this study was to explore associate degree and diploma nurses' perceptions of the benefits and barriers to RN-BSN programs. In addition, factors that would facilitate degree completion in academia and work environments were examined.     

Cerebral radioprotection by pentobarbital: dose-response characteristics and association with GABA agonist activity

Pentobarbital reduces cerebral radiation toxicity; however, the mechanism of this phenomenon remains unknown. As an anesthetic and depressant of cerebral metabolism, pentobarbital induces its effects on the central nervous system by stimulating the binding of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to its receptor and by inhibiting postsynaptic excitatory amino acid activity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of these actions as well as other aspects of the radioprotective activity of pentobarbital. Fischer 344 rats were separated into multiple groups and underwent two dose-response evaluations. In one set of experiments to examine the relationship of radioprotection to pentobarbital dose, a range of pentobarbital doses (0 to 75 mg/kg) were given intraperitoneally prior to a constant-level radiation dose (70 Gy). In a second series of experiments to determine the dose-response relationship of radiation protection to radiation dose, a range of radiation doses (10 to 90 Gy) were given with a single pentobarbital dose (60 mg/kg intraperitoneally). Further groups of animals were used to evaluate the importance of the timing of pentobarbital administration, the function of the (+) and (-) isomers of pentobarbital, and the role of an alternative GABA agonist (diazepam). In addition, the potential protective effects of alternative methods of anesthesia (ketamine) and induction of cerebral hypometabolism (hypothermia) were examined. Enhancement of survival time from acute radiation injury due to high-dose single-fraction whole-brain irradiation was maximal with 60 mg/kg of pentobarbital, and occurred over the range of all doses examined between 30 to 90 Gy. Protection was seen only in animals that received the pentobarbital before irradiation. Administration of other compounds that enhance GABA binding (Saffan and diazepam) also significantly enhanced survival time. Ketamine and hypothermia were without protective effect. Protection from acute radiation-induced mortality by pentobarbital in the rat model is a reproducible phenomenon and is associated with the GABA agonistic activity of the compound. This property of GABA agonists offers the potential for a novel approach to enhancement of the efficacy of radiation therapy in the treatment of brain tumors.     

Calming an Escalated Psychiatric Milieu

On inpatient psychiatric units, nurses control the tone, pace, and activity level of the environment. But under the influence of factors such as high patient acuity and negative group contagion, a milieu can become unacceptably loud and chaotic. A volatile milieu is a potentially dangerous environment because patients' anxiety and agitation can quickly lead to acting out and aggression. This article focuses on how nurses can regain control of a milieu spiralling into chaos by tightening the structure of the routine, anticipating potential problems, and maintaining a confident calm manner. The charge nurse orchestrates the staff group's response to escalation through detailed planning, decisive interventions, and strategic use of every available resource.