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Biomedical subjects

A Hales

Publications and source records attributed to A Hales.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

IL-10-mediated suppression of TNF-alpha production is independent of its ability to inhibit NF kappa B activity.

IL-10 has a well-characterized anti-inflammatory role that includes the suppression of inflammatory cytokine (e.g. TNF-alpha) production by monocytic/macrophage cells. Both transcriptional and post-transcriptional/translational mechanisms have been proposed to explain this process. In this study we observed that IL-10 inhibited nuclear NF kappa B DNA binding activity without affecting I kappa B degradation or translocation of NF kappa B subunits to the nucleus. While the suppression of NF kappa B in 70Z/3 pre-B cells correlated with suppression of NF kappa B transcriptional activity and expression of surface IgM, it did not correlate with the production of TNF-alpha mRNA or protein in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Similar observations in the macrophages were made with a second anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL-4. Therefore we conclude that although IL-10 or IL-4 can suppress NF kappa B activity, this appears to have little effect on the expression of the TNF-alpha gene and is unlikely to be the basis of the anti-inflammatory effects of these cytokines.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Preparing for prescriptive privileges: a CNS-physician collaborative model. Expanding the scope of the psychiatric-mental health clinical nurse specialist.

Advanced practice nurses throughout the United States have been successful in securing prescriptive privileges and the related accountability for independent practice. As their authority for the medication management of patients increases, opportunities for practice in expanded nursing roles also increase. When the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is able to undertake medication management of patients in addition to providing specialized nursing care, continuity is enhanced and cost is reduced. Assuring that the CNS is prepared to provide comprehensive patient services and has the competence to efficiently assess the need for medication, prescribe specific drugs, implement patient teaching, and monitor patients' responses to the medication regimen are key factors if this extended role is to be successful. This article focuses on the CNS in psychiatric mental health nursing. It outlines a collaborative CNS-physician model that addresses the challenges of developing the necessary knowledge and skills to manage patients' medication.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1998

Bowen's family systems theory. A useful approach for a nurse administrator's practice.

Two concepts from Bowen's family systems theory are differentiation of self and triangles. These concepts are presented and recommended as useful tools for the nurse a administrator. By using the principles from differentiation of self, nurse administrators may improve the work environment by distinguishing between their own thoughts and feelings. Once a nursing administrator identifies and changes triangulation processes, healthy relationship patterns may occur and staff absenteeism and low morale may be improved.

Anxiety↗
PubMed1997

Role of the psychiatric clinical nurse specialist in the emergency department.

Effective management of psychiatric emergencies has emerged as an important area in the field of mental illness. Psychiatric clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), with their advanced training in psychodynamics, pathophysiology, physical assessment, pharmacology, crisis intervention, and psychotherapy, are the ideal practitioners to respond to the treatment needs of the individual and family experiencing a psychiatric emergency. This article outlines the practice domain of the psychiatric CNS in such a setting. The psychiatric CNS brings a level of expertise to the emergency department that allows for comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment, effective crisis intervention, medication management, inclusion of family dynamics, and consideration of environmental influences in treatment and follow-up.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed1995

Interleukin-4 inhibits kappa light chain expression and NF kappa B activation but not I kappa B alpha degradation in 70Z/3 murine pre-B cells.

The murine pre-B cell line 70Z/3 responds to lipopolysaccharide by up-regulating the surface expression of kappa (kappa) light chain through activation of the transcription factor NF kappa B. Interleukin-4 (IL-4), a T cell cytokine, is a known inhibitor of some LPS-mediated events. We investigated whether IL-4 could inhibit the up-regulation of kappa light chain and activation of NF kappa B by LPS in 70Z/3. IL-4 partially inhibited both the LPS-induced expression of kappa light chain and also the activation of NF kappa B as judged by an NF kappa B reporter gene assay. Additionally, electrophoretic mobility shift assays confirmed this effect on LPS-induced NF kappa B DNA binding activity in the nucleus. Surprisingly, proteolytic degradation of I kappa B alpha (MAD3), a prerequisite for NF kappa B activation, was unaffected by IL-4, implying that this cytokine inhibits some subsequent undefined event in the activation of NF kappa B. IL-4 was also found partially to inhibit NF kappa B activity induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1-beta (IL-1 beta). These results indicate that there may be a common mechanism for the well-documented anti-inflammatory effects of IL-4 and that this mechanism involves the transcription factor NF kappa B.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The murine T cell line CT6 provides a novel bioassay for interleukin-7.

Like interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-4, IL-7 can act as a growth factor for activated T lymphocytes. Upon screening a panel of growth factor-dependent T cell lines, we found that only the cell line CT6 responded to IL-7, indeed as vigorously as to IL-2. Obviously, these findings challenge the validity of previous results on IL-2 production obtained using the CT6 cell line. However, they also demonstrate a novel and sensitive system for the bioassay of IL-7. The ability of the surveyed T cell lines to proliferate to IL-7 corresponded with the expression of IL-7 receptors (IL-7R) on the cell surface. The murine IL-7R on CT6 was shown to bind IL-7 with dual affinity and was visualized as an affinity cross-linked complex of 93 kDa. This IL-7R appears similar to that seen on murine splenic T cells and on 70Z/3, the pre-B cell line from which the murine IL-7R was cloned.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

The homeless: help from hotels and restaurants.

Specific examples and information are given to service providers to address the needs of homeless people. Together nurses and restaurant and hotel managers combined their expertise to assist local agencies in their community kitchens and shelters.

Community Health Services↗
PubMed1991

Feeding the homeless.

Nurses have a unique role in addressing homelessness, an issue of vital national concern. The management and organizational expertise of nurses can be key elements to coordinating community resources to assist the homeless. The authors describe the design and implementation of a community meal program for the homeless.

Community Health Nursing↗
PubMed1980

Antibody-mediated neutralization of virus is abrogated by mycoplasma.

The ability of a mouse mammary tumor cell line to abrogate antibody neutralization of vesicular stomatitis virus was shown to be due to the presence of mycoplasma. The mycoplasma was isolated from the cell line and typed as Mycoplasma orale. Colonies of this mycoplasma were used to deliberately infect cell cultures which then gained the capacity to reactivate antibody-neutralized virus. The extent of the reactivation depended on the source of neutralizing antiserum. Other species of mycoplasma were tested and were found to reactivate neutralized virus, indicating that this may be a general phenomenon of mycoplasma contamination.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

A procedure for the fusion of cells in suspension by means of polyethylene glycol.

The nuclei of chick and human fibroblasts are readily distinguishable in Leishman stained heterokaryons. The use of these two types of cell has allowed development of a method for fusion in suspension based on the use of polyethylene glycol (PEG) of MW 1000 in Dulbecco's medium containing 15% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).

Cell Fusion↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Service-learning within the nursing curriculum.

Students at all levels are being encouraged to offer public service in their communities. Yet, including service-learning courses in a nursing education program is rare. The author outlines why and how one department of nursing successfully incorporated a service-learning course into their curriculum.

Altruism↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Using standards of practice and key clinical points for teaching psychiatric--mental health nursing.

To optimize opportunities for clinical experiences in psychiatric-mental health nursing education, it is essential that the approach be directed to the student-patient interaction. Clinical experiences, which rely on the assumption that spending time in a facility prepares students for practice, is unacceptable. One approach to correcting the problem is to develop comprehensive clinical guidelines that direct student experiences and assure mastery of identified outcomes. The authors focus on the use of key clinical points to direct student experiences in psychiatric-mental health nursing.

Case Management↗
PubMedDate not supplied

West African beliefs about mental illness.

TOPIC: Traditional West African beliefs about the cause and treatment of mental illnesses. PURPOSE: To demonstrate how learning about West Africa's cultural beliefs allowed the instructor to teach psychiatric nursing in a way that integrated, rather than dismantled, the students' cultural beliefs. SOURCE: Content analysis of West African students' written assignments. CONCLUSION: Psychiatric/mental health nurses must understand the client's culture in order to understand the client.

Attitude to Health↗