Communicating the functional applicability of a conceptual framework to nursing students can be a challenge of considerable magnitude. Nurse educators are convinced that nursing practice and process should stem from theory. However, when attempting to teach this, many educators have struggled with the expressions of confused, skeptical students. To provide a better understanding of a nursing model, the author uses a visual representation of the Neuman Systems Model variables. The student can then visualize application of the Model to nursing practice.

Curriculum↗

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Hepatic abscesses associated with diabetes mellitus in two dogs.

Two diabetic dogs were presented for anorexia, persistent fever, and poor control of hyperglycemia. Both had neutrophilia with left shift, hypoalbuminemia, and increased serum alkaline phosphatase (SAP) activity. Radiography indicated intrahepatic gas densities in 1 dog and a hepatic mass in the other. Abdominal sonography demonstrated multiple well-demarcated hypoechoic hepatic lesions consistent with abscesses. Both dogs were successfully treated by surgical resection of the abscessed liver lobes in conjunction with antibiotics and supportive therapy. Good control of hyperglycemia was achieved in both dogs after recovery. Intracellular and extracellular Gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria were abundant in the abscesses from both dogs. These cases suggest an association between diabetes mellitus and hepatic abscessation.

Animals↗

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Endoscopically guided balloon dilatation of benign esophageal strictures in 6 cats and 7 dogs.

Benign esophageal strictures in 6 cats and 7 dogs were treated with endoscopically guided balloon dilatation. Six of 13 had a history of anesthesia within 3 weeks prior to the onset of signs; 8 animals had a single stricture, and 5 had multiple strictures, for a total of 19 strictures. Four of the 19 strictures were in the upper esophagus, 11 were in the middle esophagus, and 4 were in the lower esophagus. The luminal diameters ranged from 1 to 18 mm, with a mean of 5.1 mm. Twelve animals survived the immediate postprocedure period and had a total of 50 dilatation procedures performed; the mean number of procedures per animal was 4.2 (range, 2 to 8). Complications included mild bleeding and tearing (11 of 13), moderate bleeding (1 of 13), and esophageal perforation (1 of 13). The cat with the perforation was subsequently euthanized. Follow-up information was available on the 12 remaining animals; 9 were known to be alive 6 to 59 months (mean, 28.2 months) after dilatation. Two were euthanized, 1 for persistence of signs and the other for unrelated causes. One animal died of possible aspiration pneumonia. Three of 13 animals had complete and 9 had partial resolution of signs. Of the 9 animals with partial resolution, 7 were substantially better with dietary modification, 1 was moderately better, and 1 had minimal improvement. Eleven of 13 animals (85%) had a successful outcome with moderate to complete resolution of signs. Thus, it is concluded that endoscopically guided balloon dilatation is an effective and relatively safe treatment for benign esophageal strictures in dogs and cats.

Animals↗

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Baculovirus expression, purification and evaluation of recombinant pneumococcal surface adhesin A of Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Pneumococcal surface adhesin A (PsaA), with a molecular mass of approximately 37 kD by SDS-PAGE, is a common surface protein expressed by all 90 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae. S. pneumoniae serotype 6B genomic DNA was amplified to generate a DNA fragment carrying the full-length psaA sequence and was cloned into a baculovirus expression system. We expressed either cell-associated or cell-free nonfusion PsaA polypeptides using two insect cell lines, Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf9) and Trichoplusia ni 5B1-4 (High-Five). Recombinant PsaA (rPsaA) polypeptides were partially purified by partitioning in PBS/Triton X-114 buffers and by weakly basic ion exchange filter chromatography. Membrane-bound 'hydrophobic rPsaA' (hrPsaA) expressed by either Sf9 or High-Five cells had a molecular mass of approximately 38 kD by SDS-PAGE and partitioned in a Triton X-114 phase, it reacted with both rabbit polyclonal and five monoclonal anti-PsaA antibodies by dot blot or Western blot analysis. High-Five-cell-expressed 'soluble rPsaA' (srPsaA) with a molecular mass of approximately 37 kD by SDS-PAGE, was isolated from the serum-free culture medium and did not partition in the Triton X-114 phase; it reacted with anti-PsaA rabbit polyclonal and mouse monoclonal antibodies by ELISA and Western blot analysis. Both rPsaA polypeptide forms were immunogenic in Swiss-Webster adult female mice. In an infant mouse model of bacteremia, survival rates for mice given mouse anti-rPsaA immune serum (from mice immunized with High-Five-expressed srPsaA; 20 microl, 1:50,000 titer) 24 h before bacteremic challenge were greater than for the control group (48 h postchallenge, 20 vs. 90% survival rates) when challenged with S. pneumoniae serotype 6B. These results indicate that rPsaA is immunogenic and elicits protective antibody in mice similar to native protein.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗

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Transient cerebral ischemic attacks in the young and middle aged. A population study.

During an investigation of coronary risk factors, a population 20 to 54 years old in Tromsø, Northern Norway was screened for transient ischemic cerebral attacks. Three simple screening questions were used. Sixteen thousand six hundred and twenty-one subjects participated in the study. Among the responders, a sample of 501 were evaluated neurologically and 10 men and 16 women identified as TIA cases. Mean age for men was 41.3 years, for women 33 years. Five women (mean age 24.4) had the events during pregnancy, pointing to pregnancy as a period of risk. Five-year incidence was found to be 2.5. per 1000. Clinical expressions and ratio carotid to vertebral-basilar TIA hardly differed from that found in materials of older patients. All 26 remained stroke-free during a mean observation period of 55 months. Known risk factors like hypertension, carotid stenosis and cardiac disease were found in only a few. Five women had low blood pressure. It is suggested that TIA in younger age groups may constitute a separate entity where, among other, haemodynamic factors and pregnancy play a role.

Adult↗

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Physaloptera infection in 18 dogs with intermittent vomiting.

Physaloptera infections were diagnosed endoscopically in 18 dogs. Each case had vomiting as the primary clinical sign, and four cases had regurgitation as a concurrent sign. Fecal flotations, using magnesium sulfate solution, were performed in 12 of the 18 cases and were negative for Physaloptera eggs. In 12 of the 18 cases, only one worm was seen during endoscopic examination. Fifteen of 18 cases were treated with pyrantel pamoate, and 10 of 12 cases with follow-up had resolution of their vomiting.

Animals↗

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The antiviral activity of tumor necrosis factor in HeLa cells is not mediated by interferons. Studies with TNF-resistant variants.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has a relatively modest antiviral activity in HeLa cells, when compared to that of interferon (IFN). Addition of antisera neutralizing IFN-alpha or beta did not reduce the antiviral activity of TNF. Furthermore, we determined with a sensitive hybridization assay that less than one molecule of IFN-beta 1 mRNA could be present per TNF-treated cell. HeLa cell variants resistant to the TNF cytocidal activity were selected. These variants had TNF receptors with a dissociation constant similar to that of parental cells. Three cloned variants tested did not respond to the antiviral activity of TNF, but responded to IFN-alpha. Surprisingly, two of the variants did not respond to IFN-gamma. This suggests that the pathways mediating the cytocidal activity of TNF and the response to IFN-gamma share some common step. TNF induced transcription of IFN-beta 2 in resistant variants, indicating that this cytokine does not contribute to the antiviral activity of TNF.

Antiviral Agents↗

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Experience with monovalent and bivalent influenza vaccines in Canada 1976. Clinical evaluation of vaccines from four sources.

Clinical trials in adults of monovalent (200 CCA Units per dose) and bivalent (400 CCA Units per dose) inactivated influenza whole virus A/Swine and A/Victoria vaccines from different sources resulted in variations in clinical reactivity which may not be significant because of lack of controls and observer bias. In adults with no pre-vaccine antibody (HI less than 1/10) the A/Swine Monovalent vaccine from one source evoked significantly lower response than did the A/Swine component of the Bivalent vaccine from another source. Serologic response to A/Victoria antigen was comparable for vaccines prepared with material from two sources. In medically high risk children two doses of Bivalent A/Swine A/Victoria influenza vaccine, with the dosage adjusted according to age, stimulated acceptable serologic response without an unacceptable frequency of local and general reactions. The response was higher in the youngest and older age groups included in the clinical trial than in the seven to twelve year old group implying a dose to age relationship.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Susceptibility of the Lyme disease spirochete to seven antimicrobial agents.

The antimicrobial susceptibility of five Lyme disease spirochete strains (two human and three tick isolates) was determined. A macrodilution broth technique was used to determine on three separate test occasions the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of seven antibiotics. The Lyme disease spirochete was most susceptible to erythromycin with a MIC of less than or equal to 0.06 micrograms/ml. The spirochete was also found to be susceptible to minocycline, ampicillin, doxycycline, and tetracycline-HCL with respective mean MICs of less than or equal to 0.13, less than or equal to 0.25, less than or equal to 0.63, and less than or equal to 0.79 micrograms/ml. The spirochete was moderately susceptible to penicillin G with a mean MIC of 0.93 micrograms/ml. All strains were resistant to rifampin at the highest concentration tested (16.0 micrograms/ml).

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗