Biomedical subjects

S M Irvin

Publications and source records attributed to S M Irvin.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Endocannabinoids protect cerebral cortical neurons from in vitro ischemia in rats.

The endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) anandamide and 2-arachidonylglycerol increased cell viability in cerebral cortical neuron cultures subjected to 8 h of hypoxia and glucose deprivation. This effect was observed at nanomolar concentrations, was reproduced by a non-hydrolyzable analog of anandamide, and was unaltered by CB1 or CB2 cannabinoid receptor antagonists. Like synthetic cannabinoids, endocannabinoids can protect neurons from hypoxic injury, and may represent endogenous neuroprotective molecules in cerebral ischemia.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Comparison of the oral thermometer versus the tympanic thermometer.

After the use of tympanic thermometers replaced the use of oral thermometers at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Memphis, the nursing staff initiated a comparison study of the two instruments, monitoring 160 temperature readings. Current studies demonstrate that tympanic thermometers give presumably higher temperature readings than do oral thermometers. The study question asked was: Is there a clinically statistical difference between the measures of the two instruments? A statistically significant difference was found between the readings of the two instruments. Despite published results that infrared thermometers provide readings closer to core temperature than oral thermometers, the oral thermometer registered higher in 69% of the subjects. It may be premature to conclude that the oral thermometer is not as accurate as the tympanic thermometer. Removal of this proven oral system may need to be evaluated, and further comparison studies should be conducted before the tympanic thermometer is unconditionally embraced as the more accurate of the two.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Hypoxic induction of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) protein in astroglial cultures.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) couples hypoxia to angiogenesis in ischemic tissues, including brain. Since hypoxia induces VEGF mRNA in astroglial cultures, we examined its effect on VEGF protein, measured by ELISA, in medium from cultures exposed to 95% N2/5% CO2 for up to 24 h. Levels increased with increasing durations of hypoxia, but not glucose deprivation, reaching approximately 30-fold elevation by 24 h. Co2+ and desferrioxamine also increased VEGF levels, while inhibitors of RNA or protein synthesis blocked induction. These findings support a role for astroglia in the hypoxic induction of VEGF expression and release-and potentially angiogenesis-in the ischemic brain.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Treatment of depression with outpatient electroconvulsive therapy.

Depression is a common condition that often responds to a variety of treatment modalities. Concerns about antidepressant medications' safety and efficacy and individuals' lack of response or their problems complying with medication regimens have prompted a resurgence in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for specific mental health conditions. Outpatient maintenance ECT, performed under general anesthesia, is a safe, effective follow-up treatment for individuals with major depression who have undergone inpatient ECT. Individuals with bipolar disorders, catatonia, mania, and schizophrenia and those with Parkinson's disease also can benefit from outpatient ECT. Perioperative nursing care for individuals who undergo outpatient ECT is similar to the care provided to patients scheduled for ambulatory surgery. Successful performance of outpatient ECT requires collaboration by skilled perioperative nurses, psychiatrists, anesthesia care providers, affected individuals, and family members.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Case study: high acuity to long-term.

High acuity nursing involves caring for clients who have potentially life-threatening conditions. This care is described as required, due to a disruption in one or more principal organ systems. How high acuity care is differentiated from acute or long term care may be dependent on the client's initial overall condition and/or predicted outcome. The client discussed has sustained a spinal cord injury at the C5 level. This presentation will demonstrate how clients may continually pass through high acuity care circumstances, acute care, to ultimately a long term care situation. Description of this client in a case study format may result in a learning experience for practitioners concerned with the physiological and the psychosocial aspects of their clients who require high acuity, acute and/or long term care. Car or motorcycle accidents account for at least half of all spinal cord injuries. Most are injuries involving cervical segments number 5 and 6. Cord damage can ascend or descend as much as three levels above or below the injury, due to edema or cord compression post trauma (Woll, 1986). Accidents with severe damage to the spinal cord at the C5 level can result in quadriplegia. Injuries of this magnitude can be either complete or incomplete. Complete injuries cause a "... loss of all conscious motor and/or sensory function below the level of injury" while incomplete injury spares some function, motor and/or sensory (Zejdlik, 1992, p.66). The purpose of this article is to present a client case study as a model for practitioners who practice in high acuity, acute, and long term situations. Two nursing theories (self-care deficit and adaptation) will be used as a framework for the case study. An assessment of the client's physical findings, including history, physical examination, and psychosocial status will be described. Nursing diagnoses and nursing interventions for two specific clinical problems will be presented. Recommendations for future research, nursing care and/or referrals will be outlined.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1995

Can advance directives assure that patients' decisions will be considered?

When the Patient Self-Determination Act of 1990 was enacted, health care facilities were mandated to question all patients regarding their choices in health care matters. Since that time, advance directives have received mixed reviews from health care providers, patients, and families. Much of the controversy results because advance directives vary from state to state, are poorly understood by health care providers and patients, and the laws are stated in vaguely defined terms. Understanding the laws at the state and local level can help educate professionals, who can share this information with other staff members, family, and patients.

Advance Directives↗

PubMed1995

Identification of potential problems for elderly outpatients after preoperative medication: a case study.

Meperidine and promethazine are preoperative medications ordered frequently for outpatient and inpatient surgical procedures in this facility. Although all medications have the potential to cause adverse reactions, the case studies presented in this article suggest a relationship between the use of one or both of these drugs and the cancellation of surgery, ie, two surgical procedures were cancelled because of the patients' behavior after administration of preoperative medication. Nurses are advised of the potential for reactions, especially in the elderly patient. Further examination of this topic is essential to prevent other episodes of adverse drug reaction or cancellation of surgical procedure and to add to the current knowledge base of effective preoperative medications.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Creative teaching strategies.

Today's nursing students feel pressured to complete research-based professional papers. Reasons that these assignments cause feelings of anxiety may be due to learners' poor writing/thinking skills, low literacy levels, lack of attention when traditional strategies are used, or expectations of entertaining teaching methods. Creative teaching strategies, using a story-telling and personification approach, may assist nurse educators to improve students' attention, retention and comprehension of primary concepts in their nursing courses.

Creativity↗