Ann Mitchell | PubMed Health

PubMed2002

Nurses' experience with vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE).

The emergence and spread of resistant organisms, in particular vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), is an issue facing all staff in acute hospitals. This study explored how nurses coped with the responsibility of halting further spread of this organism during an outbreak. VRE-positive patients were cohorted with nurses who cared for them in an endeavour to contain the spread of VRE. The majority of nurses found the situation extremely stressful because of the need to act as 'gatekeepers' responsible for educating and monitoring the practices of staff and visitors. The nurses reported that they felt they were inadequately supported, were blamed for the outbreak, and that they had an increased workload as they took on duties of other staff. The results reinforce the need for a multidisciplinary team approach to education and control of VRE, more support for nursing staff cohorted with VRE-positive patients, and stringent adherence to infection control measures by all hospital staff.

Communicable Disease Control↗

PubMed2002

Methyl jasmonate alters polyamine metabolism and induces systemic protection against powdery mildew infection in barley seedlings.

Treatment of the first leaves of barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Golden Promise) seedlings with methyl jasmonate (MJ) led to small, but significant increases in levels of free putrescine and spermine 1 d later and to significant increases in levels of free putrescine, spermidine and spermine by 4 d following treatment. MJ-treated first leaves also exhibited significant increases in the amounts of soluble conjugates of putrescine and spermidine 1, 2 and 4 d after treatment. In second leaves of plants where the first leaves had been treated with MJ, no significant changes in levels of free polyamines were observed, but significant increases in levels of soluble conjugates of putrescine and spermidine were detected. These changes were accompanied by increased activities of soluble ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), soluble and particulate arginine decarboxylase (ADC), and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC), in first and second leaves following treatment of the first leaves with MJ. Activities of soluble and particulate diamine oxidase (DAO) were also higher in first and second leaves following treatment of the first leaves with MJ. Treatment of the first leaves with MJ led to a significant reduction in powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei) infection on the second leaves and also resulted in significant increases in activities of the plant defence-related enzymes, phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) and peroxidase.

Acetates↗