Knowledge of pressure ulcer prevention: a cross-sectional and comparative study among nurses

Background  

Pressure ulcers are a common, painful and costly condition. Results of a 1991 study into the knowledge among Dutch hospital nurses on the usefulness of measures to prevent pressure ulcers showed moderate knowledge. Results were confirmed by subsequent studies. In recent years, Dutch guidelines have been updated and the attention given to pressure ulcer care has been increased. This was expected to improve pressure ulcer care and to increase nurses' knowledge. The aims of the current study were to investigate (1) how much nurses employed in Dutch hospitals know about the usefulness of 28 preventive measures considered in the most recent national pressure ulcer guideline; (2) whether differences in knowledge exist between nurses working in hospitals that audit pressure ulcers and those employed in hospitals that do not; and (3) to study whether knowledge among Dutch hospital nurses regarding the usefulness of preventive measures had changed between 1991 and 2003.     

Regulation by FK506 and rapamycin of Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in vascular smooth muscle: the role of FK506 binding proteins and mTOR

Background and purpose:

The sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), regulates the cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_cyto) in vascular smooth muscle. Release from the SR is controlled by two intracellular receptor/channel complexes, the ryanodine receptor (RyR) and the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP₃R). These receptors may be regulated by the accessory FK506-binding protein (FKBP) either directly, by binding to the channel, or indirectly via FKBP modulation of two targets, the phosphatase, calcineurin or the kinase, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR).

Experimental approach:

Single portal vein myocytes were voltage-clamped in whole cell configuration and [Ca²⁺]_cyto measured using fluo-3. IP₃Rs were activated by photolysis of caged IP₃ and RyRs activated by hydrostatic application of caffeine.

Key results:

FK506 which displaces FKBP from each receptor (to inhibit calcineurin) increased the [Ca²⁺]_cyto rise evoked by activation of either RyR or IP₃R. Rapamycin which displaces FKBP (to inhibit mTOR) also increased the amplitude of the caffeine-evoked, but reduced the IP₃-evoked [Ca²⁺]_cyto rise. None of the phosphatase inhibitors, cypermethrin, okadaic acid or calcineurin inhibitory peptide, altered either caffeine- or IP₃-evoked [Ca²⁺]_cyto release; calcineurin did not contribute to FK506-mediated potentiation of RyR- or IP₃R-mediated Ca²⁺ release. The mTOR inhibitor {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"LY294002","term_id":"1257998346","term_text":"LY294002"}}LY294002, like rapamycin, decreased IP₃-evoked Ca²⁺ release.

Conclusions and implications:

Ca²⁺ release in portal vein myocytes, via RyR, was modulated directly by FKBP binding to the channel; neither calcineurin nor mTOR contributed to this regulation. However, IP₃R-mediated Ca²⁺ release, while also modulated directly by FKBP may be additionally regulated by mTOR. Rapamycin inhibition of IP₃-mediated Ca²⁺ release may be explained by mTOR inhibition.     

Effects of acute and chronic apomorphine on sex behavior and copulation-induced neural activation in the male rat

Apomorphine is a non-selective dopaminergic receptor agonist. Because of its pro-erectile effects, apomorphine is clinically used for treatment of erectile dysfunction. We investigated the effects of subcutaneous apomorphine administration (0.4 mg/kg rat) on sexual behavior and mating-induced Fos-expression following acute (day 1) or chronic apomorphine treatment (days 8 and 15) in sexually experienced male rats. Consistent facilitatory effects of apomorphine were observed in the reduced numbers of mounts and intromissions over time and an increased ejaculation frequency on day 1. The first post-ejaculatory interval, however, was lengthened, while other behavioral parameters were unaffected. Fos-immunoreactivity induced by acute apomorphine administration (barrel cortex, paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, central amygdala and locus coeruleus) was strongly reduced after chronic administration. After mating, induction of Fos-immunoreactivity was observed in well-known areas like medial preoptic nucleus and the posterodorsal medial amygdaloid area. Apomorphine, however, reduced mating-induced Fos-immunoreactivity in the nucleus accumbens shell and prevented its occurrence in its core area. This remarkable apomorphine effect was not observed in any other brain area. We conclude that the behavioral (pro-erectile) effects of apomorphine are consistent over time, and that the diminished accumbens-Fos-immunoreactivity and the elongated post-ejaculatory interval may reflect a decreased response to remote cues from the estrus female.