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Biomedical subjects

S Ripich

Publications and source records attributed to S Ripich.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

The impact of active herpes simplex virus infection on human immunodeficiency virus load.

The effect of a concurrent herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) load was evaluated. Sixteen subjects were identified with an active HSV infection and had pre-outbreak, acute-phase, and post-outbreak plasma (n = 16) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) (n = 8) samples for evaluation. All subjects were treated for an acute HSV outbreak with acyclovir for 10 days, followed by chronic prophylaxis. HIV-1 plasma RNA levels were determined by branched DNA, and intracellular HIV gag mRNA copy numbers were determined by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction ELISA. Plasma virus load increased a median of 3.4-fold during the acute outbreak (range, 0- to 10-fold; P = .002), while post-outbreak levels (30-45 days after the appearance of lesions) remained above pre-outbreak, baseline levels in some subjects. Intracellular HIV gag mRNA increased during the outbreak as well. Thus, an acute HSV episode can result in increased HIV transcription and plasma virus load.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1994

Use of a home-care computer network by persons with AIDS.

Computer networks serve as convenient, efficient, and enduring vehicles for delivering nursing services to patients at home. The ComputerLink, a specialized computer network, provided nurse-supervised information, decision support, and communication services to home-dwelling persons living with AIDS (PWAs). During a 26-week randomized field experiment, 26 PWAs accessed the ComputerLink on more than 8,664 occasions. The communications area was used most often; the public communication area functioned like a support group. Multiple behavioral measures of use provide a rich picture of how these PWAs, none of whom had had prior computer experience, adopted and adapted to this innovative nursing care delivery system. Meeting the needs of a rapidly growing and diverse population of home-care clients demands that nurses make effective use of existing technologies such as cable television and telephone triage systems. Computer networks combine the best features of cable television and telephone systems--broadcast distribution and interaction; therefore, computer networks represent an ideal technology for the delivery of certain nursing services to the home.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

A new nursing medium: computer networks for group intervention.

The PLWAs and the caregivers of persons with AD were similar in their adaptation to this new technology as a communication medium with nurses. Both groups availed themselves of the resources, both technological and personal, on the computer network. Although different in demographics, they also were similar in their ability to form and work in a traditional group structure. Nurses have historically intervened with groups, and this article demonstrates that nurses can intervene on a computer network with groups. Yalom's therapeutic factors exist in both non-face-to-face groups and traditional groups. The benefits of this technology to nurses are numerous: they can access clients in an efficient yet supportive manner; they can respond to multiple levels of need in multiple clients; and they can attend to emotional as well as more concrete needs of clients. The benefits to clients are also numerous: they can use the system at a time, frequency, and duration of their choice; they have the opportunity to be supported in self-care efforts versus being in a more dependent role; and they can engage in a normalization of their experiences. Computer networks can enhance nursing's ability to intervene with clients experiencing clinical problems.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

The use of home-based computers to support persons living with AIDS/ARC.

Care of the patient at home challenges nurses with both the quantity and diversity of services required. New technologies such as computer networks may provide mechanisms to relieve the burden on traditional services, while opening new ways to meet the unique needs of home-based patients in a timely and effective manner. Capitalizing on an existing, free, public-access computer network, we developed the ComputerLink, a computer network designed to provide home-care support to persons living with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex (ARC) in the community. In the pilot study presented here, we demonstrate the feasibility of using home-based computer networks to provide information, communication, and decision assistance to persons living with AIDS (PLWA). The success experienced with this particular group of patients provides sufficient encouragement to further test this intervention with PLWAs and to extent this nursing intervention to other groups of community-based patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Offset potential of commercial ECG electrodes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the offset potential characteristics of commercially available disposable electrocardiograph (ECG) electrodes. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: Laboratory. SAMPLE: Four hundred twenty-eight (214 pairs) disposable ECG electrodes representing 11 manufacturers/types. OUTCOME MEASURES: Direct current offset potential. RESULTS: The maximum offset potential for any electrode pair of a given type ranged from 0.2 mV to 21.6 mV. Of the 11 types of electrodes studied, three had a mean offset potential of < 0.1 mV and one type had a mean offset potential of > 1.0 mV. CONCLUSIONS: Although all of the ECG electrodes studied meet applicable standards, the differences found may be important when measuring biologic signals other than the electrocardiogram.

Disposable Equipment↗