Biomedical subjects

M Schuurmans

Publications and source records attributed to M Schuurmans.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Meeting the challenges for gerontological nursing in Europe: The European Nursing Academy for Care of Older persons (ENACO).

In order to support the urgent need for proactive and targeted investments in care for older persons a group of geriatric nurse specialists from different European countries convened in Leuven (Belgium) in November 2002 to launch the European Nursing Academy for Care of Older persons (ENACO). The mission of ENACO is to enhance outcomes of older persons and their caregivers through strengthening gerontological clinical nursing care, education, research and health policy within an interdisciplinary context. Specific objectives of ENACO are: 1) providing up-to-date education and training by "teaching the teachers". More specifically, the target groups are master's prepared nurses specialized in gerontology who can contribute and guide the development of gerontological/geriatric nursing care in their own country; 2) developing a core curriculum for basic gerontological nursing education in Europe and; 3) developing an European network of gerontological nursing expertise. More specifically, a web page providing opportunities for interactive communication as well as a mentoring program will be developed for nurses interested in the deepening and fine-tuning of their professional experience in care for older persons. The fact that care for older persons is high on the European agenda, the collaboration with the European Academy for Medicine of Ageing (EAMA), and other professional organizations in Europe and other parts of the world, are promising elements in the development of ENACO.

Academies and Institutes↗

PubMed2001

Crystal structure of an ACh-binding protein reveals the ligand-binding domain of nicotinic receptors.

Pentameric ligand gated ion-channels, or Cys-loop receptors, mediate rapid chemical transmission of signals. This superfamily of allosteric transmembrane proteins includes the nicotinic acetylcholine (nAChR), serotonin 5-HT3, gamma-aminobutyric-acid (GABAA and GABAC) and glycine receptors. Biochemical and electrophysiological information on the prototypic nAChRs is abundant but structural data at atomic resolution have been missing. Here we present the crystal structure of molluscan acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP), a structural and functional homologue of the amino-terminal ligand-binding domain of an nAChR alpha-subunit. In the AChBP homopentamer, the protomers have an immunoglobulin-like topology. Ligand-binding sites are located at each of five subunit interfaces and contain residues contributed by biochemically determined 'loops' A to F. The subunit interfaces are highly variable within the ion-channel family, whereas the conserved residues stabilize the protomer fold. This AChBP structure is relevant for the development of drugs against, for example, Alzheimer's disease and nicotine addiction.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed2000

Correlation between age at neutering and age at onset of hyperadrenocorticism in ferrets.

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence of hyperadrenocorticism in ferrets in The Netherlands and evaluate age, sex, and age at neutering in affected ferrets. DESIGN: Prevalence survey and retrospective study. ANIMALS: 50 ferrets with hyperadrenocorticism and 1,267 ferrets without hyperadrenocorticism. PROCEDURE: A questionnaire was sent to 1,400 members of a ferret-owners organization in The Netherlands; 492 (35%) owners returned the questionnaire, providing usable data on 1,274 ferrets. Seven of these ferrets developed hyperadrenocorticism during the survey period; medical records for these ferrets and 43 ferrets with confirmed hyperadrenocorticism were reviewed. Hyperadrenocorticism was confirmed by histologic examination of an excised adrenal gland (92% of ferrets) or clinical improvement after excision. RESULTS: Prevalence of hyperadrenocorticism in the survey population was 0.55%. Sex was not associated with prevalence of disease. Median time interval between neutering and diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism was 3.5 years. A significant linear correlation between age at neutering and age at time of diagnosis was detected. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Age at neutering may be associated with age at development of hyperadrenocorticism in ferrets.

Adrenocortical Hyperfunction↗

PubMed1999

19F-MRI of perfluorononane as a novel contrast modality for gastrointestinal imaging.

19F-Magnetic resonance imaging in conjunction with perfluorononane provides a new modality for gastrointestinal (GI) imaging as is demonstrated here with an animal model. Perfluorononane was found to be an ideal oral contrast agent since it is biologically inert, immiscible with water, and since it has a low viscosity and surface tension. Furthermore, its high fluorine content, together with the high sensitivity of 19F-MRI, allowed highly selective MR images of the GI tract of mice to be acquired. Due to the lack of 19F background signals, the contrast of the GI tract was only limited by the signal-to-noise ratio of the 19F-MR images. 19F-RARE images of 1-mm slices with an in-plane resolution of 0.23 x 0.23 mm2 were obtained from the GI tract after oral perfluorononane administration. The passage of perfluorononane through the entire GI tract was monitored by repetitive MR measurements with a maximal time resolution of 38 s. The three-dimensional surfaces of the GI tract were reconstructed and superimposed on corresponding 1H-MR images, which provided complementary anatomical information.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1994

[Acute confusion].

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Acute Disease↗