Using online and scenario-based learning to improve nurse-patient interaction and enhance patient experience.

In this article, we describe our project to initiate an online learning course, using real-world scenarios to help nurses enhance their communication skills with patients so as to improve the patient experience. The philosophy behind our project is 'a complaint is a gift'. We discuss how patient's complaints are incorporated into our curriculum and the use of HEART language to provide patients a better hospital experience.

On the mechanisms of bananin activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.

In a previous study, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) was cultured in the presence of bananin, an effective adamantane-related molecule with antiviral activity. In the present study, we show that all bananin-resistant variants exhibit mutations in helicase and membrane protein, although no evidence of bananin interference on their mutual interaction has been found. A structural analysis on protein sequence mutations found in SARS-CoV bananin-resistant variants was performed.

Kinetics and synergistic effects of siRNAs targeting structural and replicase genes of SARS-associated coronavirus.

SARS-associated coronavirus was identified as the etiological agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome and a large virus pool was identified in wild animals. Virus generates drug resistance through fast mutagenesis and escapes antiviral treatment. siRNAs targeting different genes would be an alternative for overcoming drug resistance.

Synthetic peptides outside the spike protein heptad repeat regions as potent inhibitors of SARS-associated coronavirus.

A novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has been identified as the aetiological agent of SARS. We previously isolated and characterized SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-like viruses from human and animals, respectively, suggesting that SARS could be transmitted from wild/farmed animals to humans. Comparison of the viral genomes indicated that sequence variation between animal and human isolates existed mainly in the spike (S) gene.

The adamantane-derived bananins are potent inhibitors of the helicase activities and replication of SARS coronavirus.

Bananins are a class of antiviral compounds with a unique structural signature incorporating a trioxa-adamantane moiety covalently bound to a pyridoxal derivative. Six members of this class of compounds: bananin, iodobananin, vanillinbananin, ansabananin, eubananin, and adeninobananin were synthesized and tested as inhibitors of the SARS Coronavirus (SCV) helicase. Bananin, iodobananin, vanillinbananin, and eubananin were effective inhibitors of the ATPase activity of the SCV helicase with IC50 values in the range 0.

Prophylactic and therapeutic effects of small interfering RNA targeting SARS-coronavirus.

Objectives: To identify and characterize the siRNA duplexes that are effective for inhibition of SARS-CoV infection and replication in the non-human primate cells. This in vitro study will serve as the foundation for development of novel anti-SARS therapeutics.

Methods: 48 siRNA sequences were designed for targeting regions throughout entire SARS-CoV genome RNA including open-reading frames for several key proteins.

SARS-related virus predating SARS outbreak, Hong Kong.

Using immunofluorescence and neutralization assays, we detected antibodies to human severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and/or animal SARS-CoV-like virus in 17 (1.8%) of 938 adults recruited in 2001. This finding suggests that a small proportion of healthy persons in Hong Kong had been exposed to SARS-related viruses at least 2 years before the recent SARS outbreak.