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Biomedical subjects

N Arnold

Publications and source records attributed to N Arnold.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Wound staging: can nurses apply classroom education to the clinical setting?

Traditionally, education on wound staging has been conducted in the classroom using drawings, photographs or slides to illustrate examples of wound stages. These methods portray wounds two-dimensionally, but clinically, wounds are three-dimensional. Seven home care nurses in central Florida were given a pre-test and post-test of 16 slides, four of each stage. Field visits with three of these nurses were then conducted by an ET nurse to evaluate the application of this education into clinical practice in the home setting. The questions studied were: Do nurses learn to accurately assess stages of wounds from classroom education? Does classroom ability to stage wounds equate to ability to stage correctly in the clinical setting? Test results showed Stage II and Stage III wounds to be most problematic in the classroom. The most improvement was seen in the staging of Stage II and Stage IV wounds two-dimensionally. In the field, one nurse consistently staged wounds correctly while two had problems with correct staging. Additional investigation is required to determine if these results can be generalized to other home health nurses and if changes in clinical ability will occur over time.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1995

OmpA fusion proteins for presentation of foreign antigens on the bacterial outer membrane.

The ompA genes of Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae have been used to construct a group of enterobacterial surface expression vectors for foreign genes. Linker oligonucleotides were inserted into the sequence corresponding to the third or fourth outer domain to allow in-frame sandwich fusion of foreign genes or epitopes into ompA. Influenza haemagglutinin was inserted without its leader peptide and anchor sequences and shown to be transferred as an ompA fusion protein to the bacterial surface in large amounts. The stability of this system depends on the stem structure (i.e. the bottom part) of the haemagglutinin unit which apparently initiates the folding process that extends into the ompA segment. This fusion construct can be used as a vector system and has been used to transfer to the bacterial surface several other proteins inserted into it, including beta-galactosidase, foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and malaria antigens. All are exported from the cytoplasm across both the inner and outer membranes to become exposed on the bacterial surface. Very hydrophobic segments or inserts with distinct secondary structures, such as the capsid protein, VP1 of FMDV, will, however, block this process.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

The origin of human chromosome 2 analyzed by comparative chromosome mapping with a DNA microlibrary.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of microlibraries established from distinct chromosome subregions can test the evolutionary conservation of chromosome bands as well as chromosomal rearrangements that occurred during primate evolution and will help to clarify phylogenetic relationships. We used a DNA library established by microdissection and microcloning from the entire long arm of human chromosome 2 for fluorescence in situ hybridization and comparative mapping of the chromosomes of human, great apes (Pan troglodytes, Pan paniscus, Gorilla gorilla, Pongo pygmaeus) and Old World monkeys (Macaca fuscata and Cercopithecus aethiops). Inversions were found in the pericentric region of the primate chromosome 2p homologs in great apes, and the hybridization pattern demonstrates the known phylogenetically derived telomere fusion in the line that leads to human chromosome 2. The hybridization of the 2q microlibrary to chromosomes of Old World monkeys gave a different pattern from that in the gorilla and the orang-utan, but a pattern similar to that of chimpanzees. This suggests convergence of chromosomal rearrangements in different phylogenetic lines.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

OmpA-FMDV VP1 fusion proteins: production, cell surface exposure and immune responses to the major antigenic domain of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

Exposure at the bacterial outer surface of the major antigenic epitope of the foot-and-mouth disease (FMDV) viral protein VP1 was studied using protein fusion with outer membrane protein A (OmpA) of Shigella dysenteriae for production and transport of the foreign polypeptide to the outer membrane of Escherichia coli. Fusion constructs with VP1 peptide insertions of up to 56 amino acids in the third outer domain of OmpA could be demonstrated on the bacterial surface by indirect immunofluorescence and immunogold labelling. OmpA fusion proteins with large insertions from sequences of the FMDV protein VP1 were shown to elicit virus-specific immune responses in rabbits.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Retrospective analysis of healing in wounds cared for by ET nurses versus staff nurses in a home setting.

The continually growing home car market is seeing a higher percentage of patients with wounds. The findings of this investigation may assist the industry in determining whether the higher cost of employing ET nurses is justified. This study compared the outcome of wound care in the home setting provided by ET nurses with outcomes of wound care provided by staff nurses in the same setting. The investigation was a retrospective study of the total population of patients with wounds (n = 519) admitted to five home care agencies in central and south Florida over an 18-month period. The sample consisted of 344 wounds cared for by ET nurses and 464 wounds cared for by staff nurses. The following data were collected through retrospective review of the records: stage of wounds, descriptions of the wounds, types of wounds, number of nursing visits, number of healed wounds, and time to heal each wound. Only 36.3% of the wounds not cared for by ET nurses healed in the time the patients were seen for skilled-nursing services by the home health care agencies. Of the ET-nursed wounds, 78.5% healed. The average number of skilled-nursing visits for patients not nursed by ET nurses was less than 17. ET-nursed patients were seen an average of 31.6 visits.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Clinical study: the relationship between patient perceived risk and actual risk for the development of pressure ulcers.

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the risk perceived by a patient and that patient's actual risk for the development of pressure ulcers. The nonprobability convenience sample consisted of 20 caucasian individuals who had suffered traumatic spinal cord injuries and were all living in noninstitutional settings. Perceived risk was measured using Gosnell's Risk Assessment Tool, rewritten for self-administration. Actual risk was measured using a skin assessment tool developed by the investigator. The data obtained on perceived risk and on actual risk was analyzed using frequency distributions and Spearman's Rank Order Correlations. The majority of subjects in this study (85%) were determined to be at risk for pressure ulcer development. No significant relationship between the client perceived risk and the actual risk for the development of pressure ulcers was discovered. Significant relationships were discovered between nine of the factor pairs (p = 0.05), two of which were marginally significant. The pairs, in order of significance from greatest to least, were moisture/circulation, circulation/color, perceived mobility/circulation (the only intertool pair to achieve significance), sensation/circulation, color/Total Actual Risk score, continence/Total Actual Risk score, activity/Total Perceived Risk score, circulation/Total Actual Risk score, and sensation/Total Actual Risk score. The overall conclusion is that the self-perception of risk by the subjects in this study was representative of their true potential for pressure ulcer development.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Comparative high-resolution mapping of human and primate chromosomes by fluorescence in situ hybridization.

A molecular cytogenetic approach that facilitates high-resolution comparative mapping of defined human genes in different primate species is presented. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and digital imaging microscopy were used to visualize human DNA probes on simultaneously banded or "painted" metaphase chromosomes of great apes (Pan troglodytes, Gorilla gorilla, Pongo pygmaeus), hylobatids (Hylobates lar and Hylobates syndactylus), and Old World monkeys (Macaca fuscata and Cercopithecus aethiops). Using a series of DNA probes, chromosomal rearrangements in the karyotypes of primates were readily detected at the molecular cytogenetic level. This approach should contribute considerably to the understanding of primate phylogeny and evolution.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Reconstruction of genomic rearrangements in great apes and gibbons by chromosome painting.

The homology between hylobatid chromosomes and other primates has long remained elusive. We used chromosomal in situ suppression hybridization of all human chromosome-specific DNA libraries to "paint" the chromosomes of primates and establish homologies between the human, great ape (chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan), and gibbon karyotypes (Hylobates lar species group, 2n = 44). The hybridization patterns unequivocally demonstrate the high degree of chromosomal homology and synteny of great ape and human chromosomes. Relative to human, no translocations were detected in great apes, except for the well-known fusion-origin of human chromosome 2 and a 5;17 translocation in the gorilla. In contrast, numerous translocations were detected that have led to the massive reorganization of the gibbon karyotype: the 22 autosomal human chromosomes have been divided into 51 elements to compose the 21 gibbon autosomes. Molecular cytogenetics promises to finally allow hylobatids to be integrated into the overall picture of chromosomal evolution in the primates.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Nonradioactive in situ hybridization with digoxigenin labeled DNA probes.

Nonradioactive in situ hybridization techniques are becoming increasingly important tools for rapid analysis of the topological organization of DNA and RNA sequences within cells. Prerequisite for further advances with these techniques are multiple labeling and detection systems for different probes. Here we summarize our results with a recently developed labeling and detection system. The DNA probe for in situ hybridization is modified with digoxigenin-labeled deoxyuridine-triphosphate. Digoxigenin is linked to dUTP via an 11-atom linear spacer (Dig-[11]-dUTP). Labeled DNA probes were hybridized in situ to chromosome preparations. The hybridization signal was detected using digoxigenin-specific antibodies covalently coupled to enzyme markers (alkaline phosphatase or peroxidase) or to fluorescent dyes. Color reactions catalyzed by the enzymes resulted in precipitates located on the chromosomes at the site of probe hybridization. This was verified by hybridizing DNA probes of known chromosomal origin. The signals were analyzed by bright field, reflection contrast and fluorescence microscopy. The results indicate that the new technique gives strong signals and can also be used in combination with other systems (e.g., biotin) to detect differently labeled DNA probes on the same metaphase plate.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Hypoglycemic activity of Salvia fruticosa Mill. from Cyprus.

Salvia fruticosa Mill. has a folk reputation in the eastern Mediterranean region as a hypoglycemic agent. In order to confirm this claim, a 10% infusion of its leaves was tested, at an oral dose of 0.250 g/kg b.w.t., on normoglycemic rabbits and in rabbits made hyperglycemic by alloxan administration. This oral dose caused a statistically significant reduction in blood glucose levels in alloxanhyperglycemic rabbits, but not in normoglycemic animals, only after repeated administrations of the infusion (once a day for 7 consecutive days). Instead, the hypoglycemic effect was evoked by single oral doses of infusion in both normoglycemic and alloxanhyperglycemic rabbits orally loaded with glucose. However, in these animals S. fruticosa infusion did not modify plasma insulin levels. Moreover, the hypoglycemic effect of the drug was not evoked in rabbits which received the glucose load intravenously. These data strongly suggest that S. fruticosa treatment produces hypoglycemia mainly by reducing intestinal absorption of glucose.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1991

Comparative study on essential oil of some Teucrium species from Cyprus.

A comparative study on the essential oil of Teucrium cyprium ssp. cyprium, T. micropodioides, T. divaricatum ssp. canescens and T. kotschyanum has been carried out. The four specimens are found in Cyprus and were used in the traditional medicine of the island. The first three are endemic to Cyprus. The essential oil was extracted by steam distillation of the dried flowers, leaves and stems and analyzed by GLC and GC-MS. The percentage of the essential oil obtained varies in the different parts of the plants from 0.07 to 1.3%. Forty-eight components have been identified. Some of them were present in all the species which have been investigated, others were characteristic of one species only.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed1991

Study of the anatomy and of the essential oil of Origanum cordifolium, an endemic of Cyprus.

A study was made of the anatomy and of the essential oil of Origanum cordifolium (Aucher-Eloy et Montbret ex Benth.) Vogel, an endemic subshrub of Cyprus. The anatomical study revealed the typical features of the different parts of the plant. The leaves and the flowers of this aromatic species bear glandular and non-glandular hairs on both sides of the epidermis. Gas chromatography and mass spectrometry showed that the main component of the essential oil of O. cordifolium is alpha-terpineol followed by gamma-terpinene, p-cymene and carvacrol.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed1990

Non-radioactive labeling and detection of nucleic acids. III. Applications of the digoxigenin system.

The digoxigenin-based non-radioactive DNA labeling and detection system was applied in various hybridization protocols using digoxigenin-labeled probes obtained by enzymatic incorporation of Dig-[11]-dUTP. In genomic blots single-copy genes (human tissue-type plasminogen activator, constant part of immunoglobulin kappa light chain) can be detected with only 0.5 to 5 micrograms human DNA depending on the type of probe and the length of the hybridizing region. Due to its high sensitivity and specificity, the digoxigenin system is also appropriate for colony-, plaque-, and in situ hybridizations with metaphase chromosome spreads and fixed cells. Especially in the latter applications it is of great advantage, that with the digoxigenin system any significant background or unspecific side reactions with biological materials are avoided.

Blotting, Southern↗