Anatomical variations in pressures generated by pressure garments.

Pressure therapy is the predominant means for prophylaxis and treatment of hypertrophic scar. Despite this, there is little scientific evidence to support its use. This study examines the pressures generated by pressure garments in four subjects at 36 different anatomical sites chosen to represent the varying body geometry.

Nursing knowledge, theory and method revisited.

With the approach of the 21st century, nursing is having to respond to diverse influences which are remoulding the professional landscape. Not least of these is the changing status of western economies which underpins a drive towards evidence-based practice and an increased emphasis on multidisciplinary approaches to health care delivery. Certainty in health care is now a thing of the past.

The brachial plexus in the chacma baboon (Papio ursinus).

The brachial plexus in each of ten embalmed, mature chacma baboons was dissected to document the structure and branching pattern of this nerve plexus in this increasingly used research animal. In general, the brachial plexus in the chacma baboon was similar to the plexuses in the vervet and other Old World monkeys. However, several aspects were comparable to those observed in domestic animals.

Partially mismatched blood cell transplants for high-risk hematologic malignancy.

Eleven patients with high-risk hematologic malignancy received cryopreserved but otherwise unmanipulated blood cell transplants (BCT) from partially mismatched family members in whom progenitor cells had been mobilized by G-CSF. Donors were mismatched by up to one antigen in the GVH direction and up to three antigens in the rejection direction. Outcomes were compared with those of 22 patients receiving BCT from fully matched donors.

Prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus infection and drug use in pregnant women: a critical review of the literature.

Many studies have been undertaken in the last 10 years to determine the prevalence of both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and drug use in pregnant women. These studies could have a serious impact on the delivery of health care as well as the development of health policy. We provide an overview of the key findings from these studies and a critical review of their strengths and weaknesses.

Second allogeneic transplants for leukemia using blood instead of bone marrow as a source of hemopoietic cells.

There is increasing interest in blood cell transplants (BCT) from normal donors as an alternative to BMT. Ten patients with relapsed or persistent leukemia after BMT received intensive cytotoxic conditioning followed by allogeneic BCT. Three BCT were from single-antigen mismatched donors; two of the corresponding recipients had rejected a BMT from the same donor.

Perceived professional support and the use of blocking behaviours by hospice nurses.

A prospective study of the impact of training 41 hospice nurses in assessment skills was used to test hypotheses that blocking behaviours would be used more when patients disclosed feelings and used less when nurses perceived that they had satisfactory professional support. Each nurse was asked to assess a patient's current problems before and after feedback training and 8 months later. Audiotape recordings of these interviews were rated by trained raters.

Helping health professionals involved in cancer care acquire key interviewing skills--the impact of workshops.

To assess the impact of workshops on key interviewing skills, 169 health professionals involved in cancer care interviewed a simulated patient immediately before and after the workshops and 6 months later. Each interview was audiotaped, transcribed and rated by trained raters using a newly developed rating system which permits an utterance by utterance analysis. The workshops led to significant increases in the use of three behaviours which promote patient disclosure of key concerns.

Cryopreservation of an attenuated vaccine strain of the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that infects birds and mammals, including humans. T. gondii T-263 is an attenuated mutant strain that is being developed as a live vaccine to protect cats from shedding oocysts.

Allogeneic blood cell transplants for haematological malignancy: preliminary comparison of outcomes with bone marrow transplantation.

Twenty-six patients with haematological malignancy received cryopreserved but otherwise unmanipulated blood cell transplants (BCT) from five- or six-antigen matched siblings in whom progenitor cells had been mobilized by G-CSF. Outcomes were compared with a historical control group of 26 BMT patients matched for age and disease status. Granulocyte counts recovered to 0.

Quantification of Toxoplasma gondii bradyzoites.

A simple 2-step method to selectively quantify functional bradyzoites of Toxoplasma gondii is described. The method was developed to quantify bradyzoites produced in cell cultures that also contain tachyzoites. The selection step comprises incubation of bradyzoites and tachyzoites in 0.

Helping cancer patients disclose their concerns.

Health professionals are reluctant to enquire actively about cancer patients' concerns and feelings. They fear that probing will damage patients psychologically and believe they have had insufficient training in the relevant interviewing skills. In considering how their interviewing skills might be improved, the key question is which interviewing behaviours promote patient disclosure and which inhibit it.

Professional support within hospices.

During a prospective study in two hospices, 41 nurses were interviewed about recent critical incidents at work. Questionnaires based on the work of House (1985) were used to measure their perceptions of professional support. At each interview, nurses detailed an average of four recent occasions when work-related support had been received.

Toward comprehensive obesity prevention programs in Native American communities.

Obesity is a particularly important challenge to the health status of Native Americans. This challenge is manifest in the increasing rates of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus among Native Americans. Most studies of Native American infants, preschool children, schoolchildren, and adults have confirmed a high prevalence of overweight.

Top-bottom and front-behind decisions on rotated objects.

Human adults decided whether a dot was nearer the top or bottom of rotated drawings of objects in a top-bottom task, and whether a dot was at the front of or behind rotated objects in a front-behind task. These two tasks were performed with the head upright and with the head tilted clockwise and counterclockwise in separate blocks of trials in order to dissociate retinal from environmental perceptual frames of reference. Response times increased approximately linearly with increasing departure from the orientation of the perceptual reference frame in both tasks and the magnitude of the effect was similar across tasks.

Common epitope on HIV p24 and human platelets.

Mimicry of human antigen by HIV may underlie the autoreactivity seen in AIDS. A mouse monoclonal antibody (VIC8) raised against HIV p24 cross-reacted with human platelets; binding could be abolished by recombinant p24 antigen. VIC8 bound less well to platelets from patients with HIV than to those from healthy individuals.

A comparative study of the thickness of the tunica muscularis in the forestomach and abomasum of grey, white and black Karakul lambs.

Homozygous grey Karakul lambs are born with a lethal genetic factor responsible for death and weaning age. When put on a high roughage diet under field conditions they develop distended, thin-walled rumens and sand impacted abomasa. Homozygous white Karakul lambs have a similar factor but survive for a longer period.

A comparative histological study of the number and size of the myenteric ganglia and neurones in the fore-stomach and abomasum of grey, white and black Karakul lambs.

Homozygous grey Karakul lambs are born with a lethal genetic factor responsible for death at weaning age. When put on a high roughage diet under field conditions they develop distended, thin-walled rumens and sand impacted abomasa. Homozygous white Karakul lambs have a similar factor but survive for a longer period.