HIV-Related Concerns and Educational Needs of Public Health Nurses in a Rural State

Abstract An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 369 nurses in public health departments in a rural Southeastern state to examine the relationship between nurses' prior HIV training and their HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, concerns, and perceived training needs. The survey was conducted in three predominantly urban counties with the highest number of AIDS cases and in 38 rural counties with two or fewer reported AIDS cases. Knowledge answers were generally 70%-90% correct and attitudes more favorable than unfavorable. Attitude was more frequently associated with HIV training level than was knowledge. Concerns about working with persons with high-risk behaviors were expressed by more than half the nurses and were more prevalent in rural areas. Nurses with more training had more concerns about client care and fewer fears about HIV work. Almost all (85%) were concerned about lack of community resources. Most nurses wanted more training of the client-sensitive type provided by the state. With the increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS in rural areas, planning continuing education for staff not only on new developments and current therapies (desired by 98%) but on managing feelings about clients with high-risk behaviors seems especially important not only for the staff, but for their significant others and communities.     

Postoperative pulmonary toxicity associated with mitomycin-C therapy.

As more patients survive cancer, and as more sophisticated multidrug antineoplastic protocols are developed, the chances of an anesthesiologist's coming into contact with patients who have been treated with such protocols are increasing. The anesthesiologist who must administer anesthesia to a patient who has had chemotherapy must be cognizant of the particular antineoplastic agents that have the potential for producing occult pulmonary dysfunction. Anesthetic management of these cases must be carefully planned and titrated to prevent further lung injury.     

Surface area estimation: pocket calculator v nomogram.

Three sheets of 10 surface area determinations were completed by 10 subjects using a nomogram and a formula. The formula was faster to calculate, 4.27 v 7.6 minutes for each sheet, and resulted in fewer serious errors (three v 30 errors).     

Effects of ephedrine and atenolol on the development of obesity and diabetes in ob/ob mice

To investigate the involvement of adrenergic mechanisms in the development of obesity, hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia in Aston ob/ob mice, the sympathomimetic agent ephedrine (12 mg/kg/day) and the predominantly beta 1-adrenergic antagonist atenolol (12 mg/kg/day) were administered alone and in combination to weanling ob/ob mice for 40 days. Excessive weight gain in ob/ob mice was reduced (15-20%) by ephedrine, exacerbated (8-10%) by atenolol, but not significantly altered by a combination of these agents. The effects of ephedrine and atenolol were lost rapidly (within 5 days) when these agents were withdrawn. Ephedrine slightly reduced the hyperphagia in ob/ob mice, and food intake was transiently increased above that of untreated ob/ob mice when this agent was withdrawn. The development of basal hyperglycaemia and hyperinsulinaemia was not significantly altered by any of the treatments studied. None of the treatments significantly altered body weight, food intake, plasma glucose or plasma insulin concentrations in lean (+/+) mice. The results indicate that a defective adrenergic mechanism involving beta 1-adrenergic receptors contributes to the development of obesity in ob/ob mice.     

Phaeohyphomycotic cutaneous disease caused by Pleurophoma in a cardiac transplant patient

A 56-y-old female cardiac transplant patient treated with cyclosporine and prednisone noted the onset of three nontender red nodules on the legs and arms after gardening. Biopsy of all lesions revealed inflammatory cells and hyphal elements in the dermis. The dematiaceous fungus cultured from biopsy tissue was a pycnidial-forming organism of the genus Pleurophoma. The lesions responded to the topical application of miconazole.     

Resistance of urinary tract isolates of Escherichia coli to cotrimoxazole, sulphonamide, trimethoprim and ampicillin: an 11-year survey

The susceptibility of urinary tract Escherichia coli isolates to cotrimoxazole, sulphonamide, trimethoprim, and ampicillin was monitored over an 11-year period. A trend in increasing resistance to cotrimoxazole and trimethoprim was observed, but there was no comparable alteration in sulphonamide resistance. Ampicillin resistance was high at the beginning of the survey period and continued to rise.