The development of nurse executive leadership: an interview with Marjorie Beyers. Interview by Jeffrey M. Adams

This department highlights nursing leaders who have demonstrated the ability to inspire and lead change. This competency is seen in the ability to create, structure, and implement organizational change through strategic vision, risk taking, and effective communication. In this article, the author showcases the work of Marjorie Beyers, PhD, RN, FAAN.     

Time to detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in BACTEC systems as a viable alternative to colony counting

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether time to detection (TTD) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in BACTEC Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) 960 and BACTEC 460 TB systems can be used as an alternative to colony-forming unit (cfu) counting. DESIGN: A single sputum sample recovered from each of 22 patients with tuberculosis (TB) was cultured on Middlebrook 7H11 agar and in BACTEC MGIT 960 and BACTEC 460 to investigate the relationship between cfu/ml and TTD. The relationship between TTD and treatment response was investigated by culturing a single sputum sample from each of 125 patients with TB in the BACTEC 460 system and comparing TTD values with their treatment response. RESULTS: An inverse correlation between TTD and bacterial number, as assessed by inoculum size and cfu/ml, was observed. For the 125 patients followed up during treatment, TTD values at diagnosis correlated with smear conversion rates at 2 months and treatment outcomes. Drug resistance of the infecting strain was associated with decreased killing, as indicated by the delayed increase in TTD during the first few days of treatment. CONCLUSION: The TTD of M. tuberculosis in BACTEC MGIT 960 and BACTEC 460 TB systems is a viable alternative to colony counting. TTD in liquid culture will facilitate mycobacterial quantification, especially in the evaluation of early bactericidal activity.     

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil Enhances the Blood–Brain Barrier Function in Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are characterized by blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown leading to abnormal BBB permeability ahead of brain atrophy or dementia. Previous findings in AD mouse models have reported the beneficial effect of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) against AD, which improved BBB and memory functions and reduced brain amyloid-β (Aβ) and related pathology. This work aimed to translate these preclinical findings to humans in individuals with MCI. We examined the effect of daily consumption of refined olive oil (ROO) and EVOO for 6 months in MCI subjects on BBB permeability (assessed by contrast-enhanced MRI), and brain function (assessed using functional-MRI) as the primary outcomes. Cognitive function and AD blood biomarkers were also assessed as the secondary outcomes. Twenty-six participants with MCI were randomized with 25 participants completed the study. EVOO significantly improved clinical dementia rating (CDR) and behavioral scores. EVOO also reduced BBB permeability and enhanced functional connectivity. While ROO consumption did not alter BBB permeability or brain connectivity, it improved CDR scores and increased functional brain activation to a memory task in cortical regions involved in perception and cognition. Moreover, EVOO and ROO significantly reduced blood Aβ₄₂/Aβ₄₀ and p-tau/t-tau ratios, suggesting that both altered the processing and clearance of Aβ. In conclusion, EVOO and ROO improved CDR and behavioral scores; only EVOO enhanced brain connectivity and reduced BBB permeability, suggesting EVOO biophenols contributed to such an effect. This proof-of-concept study justifies further clinical trials to assess olive oil’s protective effects against AD and its potential role in preventing MCI conversion to AD and related dementias.