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Biomedical subjects

D E Allen

Publications and source records attributed to D E Allen.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Attitudes toward certification. A pilot study.

The CNOR certification is a voluntary commitment that individual perioperative nurses make after considering financial, professional, and personal issues. The results of this survey indicate that CNOR certification is sought to fulfill personal and professional goals. A vital component in the delivery of quality perioperative patient care is the individual nurse. This is true whether or not the perioperative nurse is certified. One question is the value of the CNOR process in the validation of nurses for the delivery of perioperative patient care. It is easy to assume that if knowledge is present, the knowledge will be applied. Assumptions, however, can be misleading. These findings suggest that several nursing traits interact to promote quality perioperative patient care delivery, and CNOR certification is only one of those traits. Claims of CNOR outcomes should be based on documented support rather than assumption and speculation. Further investigation on a much larger and more inclusive scale is needed before suggesting specific changes to the present certification process. This project substantiates the process and the feasibility of conducting future studies. Using a modification of this survey tool in future studies would provide support to the reliability of these findings. This investigation shows that CNOR certification is an important topic to perioperative nursing. With current NCB:PNI proposals and other national considerations, CNOR certification will continue to be an important issue.

Adult

Hemodynamic responses to leukotriene receptor stimulation in conscious rats.

We evaluated the effects of leukotrienes (LTs) C4 and D4 on systemic and renal hemodynamics in conscious rats. Intravenous injections of LTC4 or LTD4 (0.5-10 micrograms/kg) caused dose-dependent decreases in cardiac output (CO), renal blood flow (RBF), and heart rate (HR). Flow alterations were accompanied by increased systemic and renal vascular resistances (SVR and RVR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP). No secondary hypotensive effect was observed. The HR response was biphasic, with tachycardia replacing the initial brief bradycardia. The changes in RBF and CO were not concurrent; the maximum RBF decrease (47.6 +/- 9.5%, P less than 0.05) occurred when CO was down only by 9.1 +/- 3.6% (P less than 0.05) and RBF had fully recovered in 3-4 min, while CO was still down by 26.3 +/- 3.5% (P less than 0.001). Hematocrit (HCT) increased after the injection of 5 and 10 micrograms/kg doses of LTC4 or LTD4, and its time course of recovery to basal level (30-60 min) paralleled that of CO. Sustained intravenous infusion of the selective LT receptor antagonist, SK&F 104353, dose-dependently inhibited the immediate hemodynamic changes after LTD4 injections. SK&F 104353 also attenuated the increase in vascular permeability and the prolonged decrease in CO, suggesting that the observed cardiac and vascular effects of LTs were mediated by stimulation of LT receptors.

Animals

Effect of sympathectomy on renal and circulatory action of atrial natriuretic peptide.

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) involvement in cardiovascular (CV) and renal actions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) was examined in eight chronically instrumented rats. Responses to 90-min atriopeptin II infusion (0.03 then 0.3 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) were compared with those to sodium nitroprusside (NP; 2 + 20 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) before and after sympathectomy (SX) with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA). The NP-induced drop in blood pressure (BP) was greater after SX (-12 +/- 1% before vs. -24 +/- 2% after SX). In contrast, 6-OHDA altered (blunted) only the bradycardic response to high dose of ANP (-23 +/- 5% before vs. -3 +/- 4% after SX). The decreased BP (-18 +/- 1% before vs. -12 +/- 2% after), depressed cardiac output (CO; -29 +/- 1% before vs. -22 +/- 3% after), and elevated systemic vascular resistance (SVR; 16 +/- 2 vs. 16 +/- 6%) were unchanged (paired t test, P greater than 0.05). The high dose of ANP increased urine flow by 43.2 +/- 7.2 microliters.min-1.100 g body wt-1 and sodium excretion by 1.76 +/- 0.56 mu eq.min-1.100 g body wt-1 but had no effect after SX. These results suggest that while withdrawal of SNS activity contributes to the CO-lowering effect of ANP, it does not mediate its action to elevate SVR. Attenuation of the capacity for reflex sympathoexcitation by SX did not reveal a vasodilator action. The lack of response after SX suggests that ANP's renal excretory actions are mediated in part by withdrawal of SNS activity.

Animals

Epidemiologic study of deaths and injuries due to tornadoes.

A case-control study, using both matched and unmatched controls, was carried out on individuals who were injured or killed by a series of tornadoes that passed through Ontario, Canada, on May 31, 1985. Many serious injuries (25%) and almost all (83%) deaths were the result of becoming airborne, while most minor injuries (94%) were due to being struck by objects. Head injury was the most common injury type. Few (21%) of those in buildings chose the recommended location, and most (61%) were not in the least damaged part. Most (91%) had less than one minute's warning, and only 47% had a functioning radio at the time the tornado hit. The following risk factors for injury and death were identified: poor building anchorage; location other than in a basement, especially outdoors; age over 70 years; and high wind strength. These findings support previous findings and point to measures which have potential for preventing death or serious injury in future tornadoes: adequate warning systems and public education to ensure that individuals understand the warning and respond by seeking appropriate shelter. Those in adequately anchored buildings should shelter in an interior room or basement. Those who are outdoors, in poorly anchored buildings, mobile homes, or portable classrooms require access to an adequately anchored building, preferably with a basement, during severe storm warnings. This should be arranged by local authorities.

Adolescent

Cardioinhibitory effect of atrial peptide in conscious rats.

The hemodynamic and renal excretory responses to 150-min atriopeptin II (AP II) infusion (330 ng X kg-1 X min-1) were assessed in five chronically instrumented rats with (FR protocol) and without (NR protocol) replaced urinary fluid losses. The observed changes were compared with those obtained by vehicle in the same rats. The hypotension seen with AP II infusion (120-min value: -27 +/- 2%, FR and NR responses combined) was due solely to a decreased cardiac output (CO; 120-min combined value: -34 +/- 3%). Total peripheral resistance remained unchanged or slightly elevated. A drop in stroke volume plus a later-developing (by 75-90 min) decrease in heart rate contributed to the CO decline. This latter bradycardic component, the opposite response to that typically produced reflexly by hypotension, was reversed by atropine sulfate treatment at 120 min and may thus be neural in origin. The finding of similar hemodynamic changes in the FR and NR rats and the lack of a significant effect of AP II on hematocrit suggest that volume depletion or a plasma extravasation were not contributors to the cardioinhibitory effect of the peptide.

Animals

An investigation of managerial characteristics of health care managers: a comparison study.

This study compared the managerial trait profiles of health care managers with hospital administrators and managers in the general business community. It focused on two central issues: (1) the preparedness of health care managers for managerial responsibility as compared with managers in other occupations; and (2) the impact of gender differences on the trait profiles. Results indicated that, while differences existed between the groups studied, health care managers exhibited characteristics associated with managerial success. Additionally, gender differences were evidenced, inasmuch as women had stronger managerial profiles than their male counterparts.

Administrative Personnel

Contrasting views on the action of atrial peptides: lessons from studies of conscious animals.

In a rather short time, a consensus seems to have emerged among researchers regarding the mechanisms of the natriuretic and hypotensive actions of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF). According to the by now classic view, the natriuresis induced by ANF is mediated by changes in renal hemodynamics; vasorelaxation is proposed as the primary mechanism of its hypotensive action. Recent evidence, mostly from experiments with conscious animals, does not support this view. Results from experiments performed with chronically instrumented spontaneously hypertensive rats and normotensive (Wistar-Kyoto and Wistar) rats show that the natriuresis induced by a synthetic ANF is not accompanied by increases in glomerular filtration rate or renal blood flow. Measurement of cardiac output (CO) and blood pressure indicate that a decrease in CO, not a fall in total peripheral resistance, is the cause of the decrease in blood pressure. Based on this and other available evidence, a hypothetical scheme for the biological role of ANF is proposed.

Animals

Ludwig's angina. The anaesthetic management of nine cases.

We reviewed nine patients with Ludwig's angina who required surgical drainage over a 24-month period. This represents the largest series reported in world literature. All of these patients were managed successfully by a combination of tracheal intubation and early surgical intervention. None required tracheostomy, which is the previously recommended procedure of choice for airway management.

Adult

Generalized microsporum audoninii infection and depressed cellular immunity associated with a missing plasma factor required for lymphocyte blastogenesis.

Described herein is a 15 year old girl with a generalized, possibly systemic Microsporum audouinni infectin associated with anergy and defective lymphocyte transformation as a consequence of a deficiency of an uncharacterized plasma factor. Intravenous administration of plasma, obtained from normal donors, has produced consistent although incomplete clinical improvement. Defective lymphocyte transformation to M. audiouinii antigen cultured in autologous plasma became normal after infusions of normal plasma were instituted. Systemic administrations of griseofulvin, clotrimazole and miconazole produced transient and incomplete clinical improvement. Clearing of the cutaneous infection and stabillization of the neurologic status was finally achieved with plasma infusions combined with parenterally administered amphotericin B.

Adolescent

Dr. Ward's Case.

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Animals