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Biomedical subjects

C Scanlon

Publications and source records attributed to C Scanlon.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

End-of-life decisions: the role of the nurse.

Nurses confront the clinical realities and controversies of end-of-life decisions in all practice settings and professional roles. It is imperative that nurses consider these issues and understand the ethical and professional parameters of practice. A code of ethics and professional position statements can provide guidance and support as nurses attempt to fulfill their professional obligations and deliver competent and compassionate end-of-life care.

Decision Making↗
PubMed1996

Assisted suicide: clinical realities and ethical challenges.

The increasing attention to assisted suicide, as evidenced by recent legislation, initiatives, court decisions, and research, propels the issue to a new level of importance and urgency within society and the health professions. Nurses cannot help but be confronted by and struggle with the complex moral and professional quandaries related to assisted suicide. Critical care nurses must continue to evaluate the implications of the possible legalization of assisted suicide and to define the boundaries of morally acceptable professional practice. The challenges to the roles and responsibilities of critical care nurses that might occur if assisted suicide were legalized must be thoughtfully and responsibly explored.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1995

The cellular Na+ pump as a site of action for carbon monoxide and glutamate: a mechanism for long-term modulation of cellular activity.

Carbon monoxide (CO) induces a long-lasting alteration in cerebellar alpha 3-Na,K-ATPase independent of [Na+] but linked to cGMP synthesis and localized to Purkinje neurons. The action of CO is absent in Purkinje neuron-deficient mice, mimicked by 8-Br-cGMP, and blocked by inhibition of PKG. Glutamate (Glu) and metabotropic agonists mimic the action of CO, an effect that requires PKC and is associated with CO synthesis. These data suggest that CO regulates Na,K-ATPase through cGMP and PKG, and that Glu regulates CO through mGluRs. This system is also modulated by NMDA agonists and nitric oxide, possibly via Glu release, as well as by free radicals. These findings offer a mechanism by which CO, Glu, and free radicals can exert specific effects on synaptic transmission (relevant to long-term changes in cell excitability), as well as more general actions on energy metabolism (relevant to the pathophysiology of excitotoxicity).

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Priority ethical issues in oncology nursing: current approaches and future directions.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe ethical issues determined to be highly important to oncology nurses and to discuss strategies by which the Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) can address these priority concerns. DATA SOURCES: Survey on oncology nurses regarding ethical issues; nursing literature. DATA SYNTHESIS: Nine priority ethical issues of oncology nurses are identified. Past, current, and future ONS activities that address these priority issues are discussed. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: ONS must support activities to increase the knowledge, confidence, and involvement of oncology nurses in discussions and decision making related to the ethical issues. CONCLUSIONS: The top three priority ethical issues for oncology nurses are assisted suicide, end-of-life decisions, and pain management. Efforts should be made to increase ethics expertise among the ONS membership.

Bioethical Issues↗
PubMed1995

Atrial natriuretic peptide modulates sodium and potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase through a mechanism involving cyclic GMP and cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase.

Prior studies indicate that the natriuretic effects of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) are due, in part, to an inhibition of the passive movement of sodium ions from tubular lumen through apical cation channels into renal tubular epithelium. The present work demonstrates that ANP also exerts a potent inhibitory effect on the active pumping of sodium ions by renal tubular sodium and potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Na, K-ATPase). This action of ANP is relatively long lasting, is due to a change in enzyme Vmax and is specific for ouabain-sensitive activity. Enzyme modulation occurs with an EC50 for ANP of 0.1 nM, is independent of intracellular [Na+] and is associated with an increase in tissue cyclic GMP (cGMP), but not cyclic AMP (cAMP). Modulation of Na, K-ATPase by ANP is mimicked by 8-bromo-cGMP and okadaic acid (OA) and is blocked by KT 5823, a selective inhibitor of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG), but not by KT 5720, a selective inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA), which suggests that the action of ANP on the sodium pump involves cGMP-mediated changes in protein phosphorylation. Regulation of renal Na, K-ATPase activity also occurs with nitric oxide-generating compounds, such as nitroglycerin and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). However, the ability of ANP to modulate Na, K-ATPase does not appear to involve this latter pathway because the effects of ANP on the sodium pump cannot be blocked by either N omega-nitro-L-arginine, an inhibitor of NO synthase, or hemoglobin, which blocks NO through binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alkaloids↗