Computer-based information systems models

A synthesis of theories from the management information systems (MIS) field provided the conceptual framework to describe how to design and develop effective computer-based information systems. An analysis of activities and interviews with nurse managers in a tertiary care medical center provided the basis for describing five major nursing department functions and the information requirements arising from those functions. The MIS framework was applied to the nursing department information requirements in order to derive MNIS, a normative model of a nursing information system, which was then used to “bench mark” the current status of commercially available nursing information systems. The researchers compared the MNIS with 28 nursing information systems that vendors are currently developing or marketing. The comparison revealed large gaps between nursing department needs and vendor-provided solutions.     

The Acute Retinal Necrosis Syndrome: Part 1: Clinical Manifestations

The acute retinal necrosis syndrome is characterized by necrotizing retinitis, vitritis, and retinal vasculitis occurring in otherwise healthy patients. Experience with 11 cases and the review of 30 additional cases in the literature are presented. In this series, 50% of the affected eyes developed retinal detachments, and 64% had a final visual acuity of less than 20/200. The natural history, diagnosis, postulated etiology, and suggestions for management will be discussed.     

Effects of dietary cadmium on mallard ducklings

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) ducklings were fed cadmium in the diet at 0, 5, 10, or 20 ppm from 1 day of age until 12 weeks of age. At 4-week intervals six males and six females from each dietary group were randomly selected, bled by jugular venipuncture, and necropsied. Significant decreases in packed cell volume (PCV) and hemoglobin (Hb) concentration and a significant increase in serum glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) were found at 8 weeks of age in ducklings fed 20 ppm cadmium. Mild to severe kidney lesions were evident in ducklings fed 20 ppm cadmium for 12 weeks. No other blood chemistry measurement, hematological parameter, or tissue histopathological measurement indicated a reaction to cadmium ingestion. Body weight, liver weight, and the ratio of the femur weight to length were not affected by dietary cadmium. Femur cadmium concentration in all ducklings 12 weeks of age declined from the values detected at 4 and 8 weeks of age. Liver cadmium concentrations were significantly higher in relation to the increased dietary levels and in relation to the length of time the ducklings were fed the cadmium diets. At 12 weeks of age the cadmium concentration in liver tissue was twice that in the diet.     

lN VITRO REDIX SALVIA MILTIORRHIZAE 丹参 ACTION ON BLOOD ANTICOAGULATION AND FIBRINOGENOLYSIS

Coronary heart disease is a frequently encountered disease in China. Radix salviae miltiorrhizae (RSM). a xvell-known traditional Chinese medicinal herb traditionally used to improve circulation and disis.olve blood clots. is xvidcly used by many cliniorms and phar- macologists in our country in corontuy hcart. disease with angma poctoris. myocardial in- farction, etc. It is clinically eliicacious. Although a certain amnunt of experimontal work has been done the actual mdde of its action still remains unclarified. In order to eiucidate its mechanism of action. we have done some experiments on its anticoagulant effect. This paper pivswnts tho results of our Work.     

Evaluation of antibiotic therapy and surgical techniques in cases of homicidal wounds of the colon

Infectious morbidity associated with colonic trauma was evaluated with respect to the specific site of the colonic injury, the surgical method used, and the antibiotic treatment prescribed. Septic complications were more frequent among patients who had left-sided colon injuries (P = less than 0.01) and among those who received antibiotics known to be ineffective against anaerobic bacteria (P = less than 0.01). A statistical analysis of the different surgical methods used, i.e., primary repair of the colon, primary repair with loop exteriorization, or colostomy, was indeterminable.     

Cytotoxic and antitumor effects of the norepinephrine analogue meta-iodo-benzylguanidine (MIBG)

Summary Meta-iodo-benzylguanidine (MIBG) is an analogue of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. In its radio-iodinated form, MIBG is clinically used as a tumor-targeted radiopharmaceutical in the diagnosis and treatment of adrenergic tumors. The potential cytotoxicity of the unlabeled drug was tested. MIBG appeared cytotoxic in a large panel of histogenetically different cell lines without preference against tumor cells of neural origin. The cytotoxicity of MIBG was higher than of the related mono-amine precursor, meta-iodo-benzylamine (MIBA). Drugs that block adrenergic receptors and inhibitors of tyrosinase or tyrosine hydroxylase had no effect on the cytostatic properties of MIBG. However, its activity was potentiated by the pharmacological inhibition of catecholamine degradation and by inhibitors of intracellular storage. MIBG had antitumor effects on L1210 leukemia and N₁E115 neuroblastoma, grown as subcutaneous tumors in animals treated with MIBG in non-toxic schedules. The observations suggest that MIBG is cytotoxic in its native form and may contribute by this property to the clinical responses obtained with the radiolabeled drug at high concentrations.