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Biomedical subjects

A Raya

Publications and source records attributed to A Raya.

18 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1995

Formulation and testing of a nursing assessment form for mental patients as a basis for individualized nursing care.

The study described here was designed to develop and test a form of nursing assessment of mental patients for use as a basis for individualized holistic nursing care in any setting. Nursing assessment was made of 581 mental patients receiving care in either mental hospitals, psychiatric departments of general hospitals or in mental health centres. Subjects were observed, interviewed and asked to complete a structured assessment form. Major variables studied were physical nursing problems/needs with nine categories, psychosocial nursing problems/needs with nine categories, sex, age, and physical and psychiatric disorders. Data were analysed with frequency distribution and comparative techniques, correlational procedures, and the multiple linear regression statistical procedure. The frequency distribution of psychiatric diagnoses showed that schizophrenic disorders were the most frequent in the total sample. However, there were more depressive patients in the general hospital group. Physical nursing problems/needs were significantly related with psychosocial nursing problems/needs, affective-depressive disorders, sex and age as well as negatively related with psychotic and anxiety disorders. Psychosocial nursing problems/needs were significantly related with schizophrenic and psychotic disorders, physical disorders and with the younger age groups. It was concluded that the psychiatric nursing assessment should encompass the areas of personal characteristics, and physical and psychological problems of the patient, and thus lead to practicing psychiatric nursing, that is, holistic psychosomatic nursing.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Lipoic acid improves nerve blood flow, reduces oxidative stress, and improves distal nerve conduction in experimental diabetic neuropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether lipoic acid (LA) will reduce oxidative stress in diabetic peripheral nerves and improve neuropathy. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We used the model of streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathy (SDN) and evaluated the efficacy of LA supplementation in improving nerve blood flow (NBF), electrophysiology, and indexes of oxidative stress in peripheral nerves affected by SDN, at 1 month after onset of diabetes and in age-matched control rats. LA, in doses of 20, 50, and 100 mg/kg, was administered intraperitoneally five times per week after onset of diabetes. RESULTS: NBF in SDN was reduced by 50%; LA did not affect the NBF of normal nerves but improved that of SDN in a dose-dependent manner. After 1 month of treatment, LA-supplemented rats (100 mg/kg) exhibited normal NBF. The most sensitive and reliable indicator of oxidative stress was reduction in reduced glutathione, which was significantly reduced in streptozotocin-induced diabetic and alpha-tocopherol-deficient nerves; it was improved in a dose-dependent manner in LA-supplemented rats. The conduction velocity of the digital nerve was reduced in SDN and was significantly improved by LA. CONCLUSIONS: These studies suggest that LA improves SDN, in significant part by reducing the effects of oxidative stress. The drug may have potential in the treatment of human diabetic neuropathy.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Interferon decreases serum lipid peroxidation products of hepatitis C patients.

Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration in serum has been determined in healthy subjects and in patients suffering acute hepatitis and chronic cases of hepatitis C. Treatment with interferon of the chronic active hepatitis C patients, 5 x 10(6) U three times a week during 2 months, led in those patients whose SGPT activity normalized in serum, to a concomitant decrease in serum TBARS content. The possible theoretical involvement of peroxidation and antioxidants in this beneficial effect of interferon in hepatitis C patients is discussed. The results presented confirm the value of TBARS as laboratory test in the management of liver diseases and as a useful tool for the study of pathogenic and/or therapeutic mechanisms of this viral infection.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1994

4-Hydroxynonenal, a lipid peroxidation product, induces relaxation of human cerebral arteries.

The relaxant effect of 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), a lipid peroxidation product, on human cerebral arteries was studied. Addition of 4-HNE to artery rings promoted no contraction, and after stimulation with prostaglandin F2 alpha (PFG2 alpha; 10(-7)-3 x 10(-6) M), 100% relaxation was obtained with 3 x 10(-5) M 4-HNE. Inhibition of nitric oxide formation with NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME; (10(-4) M), as well as prostaglandin synthesis with indomethacin (3 x 10(-6) M), partially prevented 4-HNE-induced relaxation, but each of these substances separately failed to inhibit complete relaxation. Addition of both inhibitors together reduced 4-HNE-induced relaxation to approximately 50%, but relaxation could not be abolished. When the endothelium was removed, 4-HNE did not promote relaxation after PGF2 alpha stimulation. The possible roles of different intracellular signaling systems in the vascular effect of 4-HNE are discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Decreased glutathione peroxidase activity in sciatic nerve of alloxan-induced diabetic mice and its correlation with blood glucose levels.

The effect of alloxan-induced diabetes on glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in sciatic nerve of mice has been studied. We have found, 7 days after alloxan treatment, a significant decrease in this enzymatic activity in the cytosol of sciatic nerve of diabetic mice, and moreover, that these changes remained unaltered up to 21 days after alloxan injection. No modification in the glutathione content of sciatic nerve of diabetic mice was observed throughout the experiment when compared with controls. The decrease in GSH-Px activity in this tissue shows a good correlation with the increase of blood glucose levels throughout the experiment. It is hypothesized whether a combination of mechanisms could be involved in this decrease of GSH-Px activity and if oxygen radicals might be the common mediators of these processes.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Glutathione system of human retina: enzymatic conjugation of lipid peroxidation products.

The major aspects of the glutathione (GSH)-related antioxidant defense of human retina are presented. These include concentration of GSH and activities of some GSH-dependent enzymes: glutathione peroxidase, glutathione disulfide reductase, and glutathione S-transferase toward a broad spectrum substrate 1-chlor-2,4-dinitrobenzene and a toxic product of lipid peroxidation (4-hydroxynonenal). The presence of a relatively high GSH concentration, GSH peroxidase activity, and GSH S-transferase specific activity toward 4-hydroxynonenal in human retina might constitute a central defense mechanism in inflammation-promoted oxidative stress and subsequent lipid peroxidation. The use of different substrates for the determination of the GSH peroxidase activity showed no statistically significant difference, thus suggesting the lack of Se-independent GSH peroxidase in human retina. Large individual variations were obtained for GSH concentration and the different activities tested; the apparent correlation with age of these findings is currently under investigation.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed1992

Prevention of the acute neurotoxic effects of phenytoin on rat peripheral nerve by H7, an inhibitor of protein kinase C.

The neurotoxic effects of a single dose of phenytoin (150 mg/kg body weight) alone or 30 min after H7 (a protein kinase C inhibitor) injection (20 mg/kg body weight) were investigated in terms of peripheral neuromuscular function and Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity of the sciatic nerve. This intraperitoneal injection of phenytoin induced complete blockade of muscle action potentials in the dorsal segmental muscles of the rat tail evoked by electric stimulation of the caudal nerve and a 40% decrease in the Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity of the rat sciatic nerve when compared with control values, measured as the difference between total and ouabain-insensitive ATPase activity. Prior administration of H7 resulted in the complete prevention of both effects. Implications of protein kinase C inhibition in phenytoin neurotoxicity are discussed.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗
PubMed1991

Psychosomatic nursing assessment of psychiatric patients.

This article presents the results of a research study on 547 mental patients testing a form of nursing assessment of mental patients in psychiatric and in general hospitals, as a means to assess their nursing needs and as a basis for planning, implementation and evaluation of their personalized holistic nursing care. The study showed that more depressive than schizophrenic patients went to the general hospital for help. The reverse was observed in the psychiatric hospital. The psychological nursing needs of the patients were significantly correlated with their somatic nursing needs. The psychological as well as the somatic nursing needs of the patients were significantly correlated with sex, age, somatic health state and mental health state in general, and not with their concrete psychiatric diagnosis. It is concluded that the psychiatric nursing assessment should be oriented towards the investigation of the patient's psychosomatic nursing needs rather than be based on his medical diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Can knowledge be promoted and values ignored? Implications for nursing education.

This paper aims to reflect upon the educational task of the university, to consider whether knowledge can be promoted and values ignored, and thus to explore the implications for nursing education. The university is the cradle which nurtures intellectuals, professionals and scientists as whole human beings. Paced by the spirit and the ideals of paideia, it cannot be limited merely to developing the student's mind. It should also inspire the student with a belief in the higher values of life, as a compass in his profession. (Paideia is an ancient Greek conception of the ideal human education. It includes modern notions such as civilization, culture, tradition, literature, philosophy and education. It means formation of the human being of any age, as an independent, free and virtuous whole person.) Values, when transmitted by all teachers of all subjects within the educational structures of the university, can increase the student's respect for truth, for the worth and the rights of other persons, his appreciation of his own worth, assets and limitations, his love of wisdom and desire to serve humanity, his outlook about man's position in the world and his inquiring mind in order to discover higher perspectives of life. Only in this way does university become a worthy centre of paideia for educating nurses committed and aspiring to provide holistic, personalized, quality nursing care to people, as well as to determine and shape the future of nursing education in the midst of our technological, computerized, and some would say dehumanized era, propelling itself into the twenty-first century.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1990

The effects of cyclophosphamide on the gonadotrophic cells of the normal rat.

The effects of the administration of cyclophosphamide to male rats at doses of 400 mg/m2 for a period of 5 days and of 200 mg/m2 over two five-day cycles interrupted by a 21-day break reveal differences in the ultrastructural morphology of gonadotrophic cells between treated animals and normal controls. The ultrastructural data obtained coincide with the results obtained from the measurement of serum FSH and LH levels, indicating hypofunction. A significant fall was also recorded in blood testosterone levels. The two types of treatment did not give rise to morphological or functional differences.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

The effects of cyclophosphamide on the prolactin cells of the normal rat.

Cyclophosphamide administered at doses of 400 mg/m2/5 days with sacrifice two days later, and 200 mg/m2/5 days with a 21-day break and a further five days of treatment, with sacrifice two days later, provokes similar effects. Functional activity is less marked in untreated and control animals than in treated ones, as the hormone data shows. But the ultrastructure of PRL cells in treated animals indicates the existence of clear hormone synthesis activity, evident in the fusion and clustering of granules at differing stages of maturity, etc.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Temperature dependence of the toxic effects of phenytoin on peripheral neuromuscular function of the rat tail.

We studied the acute effects of a single dose of phenytoin (250 mg/kg) on peripheral neuromuscular function. The evoked muscle action potentials of the dorsal segmental muscles in the rat tail, and the conduction velocity of the dorsal nerve trunk which innervates them, were measured before and after the intraperitoneal injection of phenytoin. The experiments were performed at different temperatures, 27 (physiological tail temperature), 36 and 37 degrees C (physiological central temperature) in different groups of animals. The amplitudes of the evoked muscle action potentials in the treated groups showed no significant modifications at 27 degrees C, at 36 degrees C a small nonsignificant decrease could be observed, and a complete block occurred at 37 degrees C. The mean blocking time was approximately one hour. No significant variations of conduction velocity were observed at 27 and 36 degrees C, whereas it decreased significantly after 30 minutes at 37 degrees C. The results presented confirm phenytoin toxicity. How far these results, especially the decrease of nerve conduction velocity observed at 37 degrees C, confirm a previous hypothesis which supported that peripheral and central nervous system are affected by phenytoin by similar mechanisms, is discussed.

Action Potentials↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Nerve conduction velocity decrease and synaptic transmission alterations in caffeine-treated rats.

The action of caffeine on peripheral neuromuscular function was studied by means of in vivo determinations of electrophysiological parameters, i.e., amplitude of extracellularly recorded muscle action potentials and nerve conduction velocity in the dorsal skeletal muscle and caudal nerve of the rat tail, respectively. Repeated exposure of the rats was carried out by adding caffeine to the drinking water for 10 days. Here we report the novel finding that motor nerve conduction velocity showed a significant decrease in caffeine-treated animals, whereas no change was observed in the amplitude of indirectly evoked extracellular muscle action potentials. The physiological recovery of the amplitude of the compound muscle action potential observed in nonintoxicated rats after high-frequency stimulation (10 Hz) was not observed in intoxicated animals and is also discussed.

Action Potentials↗