Willingness to provide care and treatment for patients with HIV/AIDS

This paper is derived from the findings of a larger study which examines nurses' and doctors' attitudes towards mainstreaming of hospital inpatient services for individuals with HIV/AIDS in general hospital wards. The aim of this paper is to discuss the factors which influence nurses' and doctors' willingness to provide care and treatment for patients with HIV/AIDS. Two methods of study are used in this research--a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The findings of this study provide several themes about the positive attributes associated with caring for and treating patients with HIV/AIDS. These include: that caring for and treating is personally and professionally rewarding; the need to be non-judgemental and accepting of others; that previous work or social experience is related to willingness to work with patients; the influence of family and colleague support in the work environment; and having a duty of care.     

Artificially induced suppurative diseases

128 cases of artificially caused purulent diseases have been analysed. All the cases were masked as chronic septicemia, recurrent abscesses, nonhealing wounds and fever of the unclear origin. The specific features of artificial diseases have been pointed out: social status, occupation, provoking factors, specific clinical signs--multiple hospitalizations, dominating location of postoperative scars and abscesses. Diagnostic principles, including psychological ang psychiatric testing are discussed. The neuro-psychiatric disorders were detected in most cases. Prevention of such diseases is analysed.     

Lateralized lexical decisions and the effects of hemifield masks: a study of interhemispheric inhibition and release

A lateralized tachistoscope experiment using 40 normal, right-handed men tested the predictions of three different theories of interhemispheric interactions. Lexical decision for function words was measured for each visual field under several conditions of simultaneous stimulation in the contralateral hemifield. When a nonsense word was presented simultaneously to the contralateral hemifield, performance decreased, especially for words in the weaker field, an effect which is inconsistent with the predictions of the direct access model. When the contralateral nonsense word was immediately masked, there was a significant improvement in performance over the nonmasked condition. Analysis of the masking effect showed that the data are inconsistent with a callosal relay model, but are consistent with a model of transcallosal inhibition.     

Penicillin resistance in laboratory isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, in Western Australia, 1990-1994

Increasing frequency of penicillin resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae has been reported worldwide. We report on clinical isolates of penicillin-resistant pneumococci (PRP) in Western Australia (WA) from 1990-1994. A retrospective survey of laboratories performing susceptibility testing, or receiving isolates referred from rural areas found resistant on oxacillin disc screening, was undertaken. Four of 11 laboratories could provide data for the five year time period inclusive. Information was provided on susceptibility to penicillin, type of specimen, date of isolation and; age, sex and race of individuals with PRP. Penicillin resistance increased from 1.3% to 9.0% over the five year period. PRP were rarely invasive. Highest age specific rates per 100,000 were found in children < 5 years (19.4) and adults > or = 60 years (5.1). Aboriginal ethnicity was associated with resistance. The increasing frequency of PRP in WA indicates the need for surveillance systems for their detection.     

Photoinduced self-developing relief gratings in thin filmchalcogenide As2S3 glasses

Experimental observation and study of light induced relief gratings in chalcogenide glasses is presented. Holographic exposure of the glass film by near bandgap light leads to a real-time periodic thickness self-expansion without further processing. The dynamics of surface modulation is not monotone with respect to the exposition. These modulations demonstrate a strong memory effect, but can be erased by heating near the glass transition temperature     

Hygienic aspects of organic compound transformation in the atmospheric air

Transformation of organic substances in ambient air was studied. Qualitative and quantitative changes of organic substances composition under the influence of meteorological factors (temperature, humidity, ultraviolet radiation) and nitrogen dioxide were observed.     

Effect of entopeduncular nucleus and reticular part of substantia nigra on the antiepileptic activity of the caudate nucleus in the neocortex

Experiments carried out on rats show that inhibiting influences from striatal electrostimulation on the cortical epileptic activity are removed under conditions of destruction of entopeduncular nucleus (EPN). They decrease under conditions of lesion of substantia nigra pars retieulata (SNR). It is found that both EPN and SNR destruction resulted in antiepileptic effect on the development of the neocortex epileptic activity complexes. Possible mechanisms realizing inhibition of the caudate nucleus effects on the neocortex epileptic activity are discussed.     

Tricuspid valve replacement after orthotopic heart transplantation

Atrioventricular valvular regurgitation is a known complication after cardiac transplantation. In this communication, we describe a case of progressively severe tricuspid insufficiency that ultimately necessitated tricuspid valve replacement. The patient has done well clinically since valve replacement, and a postoperative cardiac catheterization demonstrated normal right heart hemodynamics. A discussion of proposed causes and a review of the literature are provided.     

The critical care of the severely injured patient--II. Pulmonary and renal support

The management of pulmonary support in trauma patients is a balance of risk versus benefit. Decisions must be based upon the patient's physiologic needs, with constant attention to the potential complications of the therapy. The avoidance of renal failure by volume replacement, careful attention to the use of potentially nephrotoxic agents, and close monitoring of renal function can reduce the incidence and severity of this serious complication of trauma. If renal failure does occur, aggressive renal replacement therapy with either intermittent hemodialysis or CRRT should be tailored to the clinical situation.