Adult body size and survivorship in a field population of Aedes triseriatus

Aedes triseriatus pupae, host-seeking, and ovipositing females were collected at a southern Wisconsin site endemic for La Crosse encephalitis virus. The host-seeking and ovipositing females were age-graded by the Detinova and Polovodova techniques, respectively. Wing lengths were determined for all mosquitoes. Wing lengths of the mosquitoes collected as pupae were predicted from pupal weight by a simple regression equation. There was significant seasonal variation in body size of adult females, but no strong evidence that increased size was advantageous to survival. It is concluded therefore that the potential length of infective life is not affected by the size of the adult female.     

Detection of the carrier state of X-linked retinoschisis

We determined the extent of suppressive rod-cone interaction in 11 obligate carriers and eight potential carriers of X-linked retinoschisis from eight families. Despite otherwise normal ophthalmoscopic and functional testing, all of the obligate heterozygous carriers demonstrated a complete absence of normal rod-cone interaction. Of the potential heterozygous carriers, three had normal rod-cone interactions, two had no detectable interaction, and two yielded technically unsatisfactory results. This lack of rod-cone interactions allows heterozygous individuals to be identified clinically and has implications concerning the origin of this inherited disorder.     

Comparison of airway pressure-triggered and airflow-triggered ventilation in very immature infants

Failure of patient-triggered ventilation in very immature infants may be due to the use of inappropriate triggering systems. Two types of airflow trigger were therefore compared consecutively to an airway pressure (SLE) triggering system. Each comparison was made in 10 infants, ≤28 weeks of gestation. Comparison was made of the delivered volume, trigger performance and blood gases using each system for 1 h. Both comparisons showed that the airflow triggering systems performed better: one (Draeger Babylog 8000) had a higher sensitivity ( p < 0:01) and the other (Bird VIP airflow trigger), in which inflation was terminated by sensing a reduction in inspiratory flow, had a lower degree of asynchrony ( p < 0:01) and a tendency to deliver higher volumes. These results suggest that triggering systems sensing airflow changes may be superior to those sensing airway pressure changes in very immature infants. The use of a mechanism to synchronize the termination of inflation to the end of the patient's inspiration may offer further advantages.     

Antioxidant enzyme activities and total nitrite/nitrate levels in the collar model. Effect of nicardipine.

There is a large body of literature describing the causative role of oxidative stress mediated by increased levels of reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease such as atherosclerosis, hypertension, and restenosis after angioplasty. The positioning of a soft silicone collar around the rabbit carotid artery elicits intimal thickening. The findings from recent studies demonstrated that both intimal thickening and atherosclerosis lead to synthesis of inducible nitric oxide synthase, resulting in abundant amounts of nitric oxide. We investigated the effects of collaring and nicardipine treatment on the activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase, and total nitrite/nitrate levels, stable products of nitric oxide. Placing the collar increased the total nitrite/ nitrate levels and decreased superoxide dismutase activity in collared arteries. Treatment with nicardipine (20 mg/kg/day, s.c.) prevented enhanced nitric oxide degradation without affecting superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Our results suggest that enhanced nitric oxide production and superoxide anion are generated in response to the collaring, resulting in oxidative stress within the segment in this model.     

School nursing today: a search for new cheese.

The practice of school nursing must change with the times. School nurses must develop new leadership and collaborative skills to work within the interdisciplinary school and community teams that will be required to put changes in place. This article defines current trends and their implications for the search for the most efficient and appropriate school health services. It explores preparation and competencies for school nurses, legal and ethical concerns, and financing needed to provide adequate school health services. Many support systems exist today, and new ones are being developed to expand the range of health services provided in schools. The National Association of School Nurses encourages strategic planning for the new school health environment, and the Office of School Health at the University of Colorado provides extensive resources to help school nurses develop and put their plans in place.     

High alveolar surface tension increases clearance of technetium 99m diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid.

The effect of high alveolar surface tension on alveolar epithelial permeability was studied in anesthetized closed-chest mongrel dogs. Alveolar surface tension was elevated by displacement of pulmonary surfactant from the alveolar hypophase by the aerosolized detergent dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate (OT). After measurement of baseline hemodynamics, arterial blood gases, and airway pressure, the dogs were separated into groups: Group I inhaled a 1% solution of OT (15 mg/kg) in a vehicle of equal parts saline and ethanol; group II inhaled the same volume of vehicle without OT. The pulmonary clearance of technetium 99m diethylenetriamine-pentaacetic acid (99mTc-DTPA) (half-time in minutes) was studied immediately after aerosol (OT and vehicle) delivery and compared with that of historical control values. No change was seen in arterial blood gases and airway pressure after vehicle inhalation, whereas OT caused a marked fall in arterial oxygen tension and increase in airway pressure. Vehicle inhalation effected only a slight increase in DTPA clearance, whereas OT significantly reduced half-time over control and group II. These data suggest that high alveolar surface tension increases alveolar epithelial permeability.