Successful Aging

This issue's Works in Progress department presents six abstracts for projects that are developing interesting solutions to the elderly's quality of life challenges. The first two abstracts discuss projects that will help provide the elderly with freedom and independence by instrumenting their environments with supportive technology. The next two abstracts discuss projects building specialized user interfaces for addressing some of the challenges associated with aging, such as vision impairment. The final two abstracts present projects that will aid independence for the elderly by providing remote monitoring and assistance.     

Pulmonary carcinogenicity of relatively low doses of beta-particle radiation from inhaled 144CeO2 in rats

This study was conducted to examine the carcinogenic effects of inhaled beta-particle-emitting radionuclides, particularly in lower dose regions in which there were substantial uncertainties associated with available information. A total of 2751 F344/N rats (1358 males and 1393 females) approximately 12 weeks of age at exposure were used. Of these, 1059 rats were exposed to aerosols of 144CeO2 to achieve mean desired initial lung burdens (ILBs) of 18 kBq (low level), 247 rats to achieve mean ILBs of 60 kBq (medium level) and 381 rats to achieve mean ILBs of 180 kBq (high level). Control rats (total of 1064) were exposed to aerosols of stable CeO2. Based on the 95% confidence intervals of the median survival times and the cumulative survival curves, there were no significant differences in the survival of groups of female and male exposed rats relative to controls. The mean lifetime beta-particle doses to the lungs of the rats in the four groups were: low level, 3.6 +/- 1.3 (+/-SD) Gy; medium level, 12 +/- 4.5 Gy; and high level, 37 +/- 5.9 Gy. The crude incidence of lung neoplasms increased linearly with increasing doses to the lungs (controls, 0.57%; low level, 2.0%; medium level, 6.1%; and high level, 19%). The estimated linear risk coefficients for lung neoplasms per unit of dose to the lung were not significantly different for the three dose levels studied. The risk coefficient at the lower level was 39 +/- 14 (+/-SE) excess lung neoplasms per 10(4) rat Gy; at the medium level the risk was 47 +/- 12; and at the higher level the risk was 50 +/- 9.0. The relationship of beta-particle dose to the lung and the crude incidence of lung neoplasms was described adequately by a linear function. We concluded that the risk of lung neoplasms in rats per unit of radiation dose did not increase with decreasing mean beta-particle dose to the lung over the range of 3.6 to 37 Gy. The weighted average of these three values was 47 +/- 6.4 (+/-SE) excess lung neoplasms per 10(4) rat Gy. To extend the risk coefficients for lung neoplasms to lower doses by experimentation will require much larger numbers of rats than used in this study.     

Psychological stress and blood glucose regulation in Type I diabetic patients.

Investigated whether psychological stress (PS) predicted blood glucose levels (BGLs), independent of self-management, in 15 Type I diabetic patients. Ss self-monitored daily mean BGLs, PS, diet, exercise, and insulin injections for 8 wks. Considerable individual variability in findings was evident, with PS predicting BGLs in a statistically significant manner in 7 Ss. PS had a significant effect on BGLs independent of the effects of diet, exercise, and insulin administration for the 7 Ss. Discussion focuses on the problems of measuring the key self-management behaviors influencing BGLs and on the possibility that a subgroup of diabetic patients may be BGL stress responders. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

An unusual presentation of a nasal septal abscess

Nasal septal abscess is a rare complication of septal haematoma. Nasal obstruction and, less frequently, pain are the usual presenting features. We report a case of a nasal septal abscess in a 21-year-old female patient who developed a naso-oral fistula. To our knowledge this is the first report of such an unusual presentation of a septal abscess. The aetiology, pathogenesis and management of septal abscesses are discussed.     

Rostering: placing the nurse in the picture

The aim of the study was to find out whether methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains (MRSA) are tolerant in a higher degree to disinfectants, and whether a correlation exists between lower sensitivity to these agents and resistance to gentamicin. The study was carried out on 30 strains of MRSA and 20 of MSSA isolated from various clinical materials in various regions of the country. Among the studied MRSA 24 strains were resistant and 6 were sensitive to gentamicin, and in MSSA 3 strains were resistant and 17 sensitive to this antibiotic. The sensitivity to four disinfectants: Manusan, Sterinol, Septyl R and Lysoformin Spezial was determined by measurement of MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration) in agar medium. Most MRSA in Poland showed decreased sensitivity to these disinfectants. Among gentamicin-sensitive and resistant MRSA strains the proportions of strains with higher tolerance of three disinfectants (Manusan, Sterinol and Lysoformin Spezial) were very similar. Reduced sensitivity to disinfectants was found in all gentamicin-resistant MSSA. These data indicate that S. aureus strains possess various mechanisms of tolerance of disinfectants. Nearly half the studied strains (46%) had decreased sensitivity to all three preparations (Manusan, Sterinol and Lysoformin Spezial) belonging to various chemical groups this seems to indicate that increased tolerance to these disinfectants is a non-specific feature of S. aureus strains.     

Induction of CD4 expression and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication by mutants of the interferon-inducible protein kinase PKR

Replication of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is inhibited by interferons (IFNs), and the IFN-inducible protein kinase PKR is thought to mediate this effect by regulating protein synthesis. Here we report that ectopic expression of dominant negative PKR mutants in Jurkat cells induces HIV-1 replication. Specifically, expression of CD4 is upregulated by the PKR mutants, and this correlates with an induction of HIV-1 binding and proviral DNA synthesis upon HIV-1 infection. Moreover, activation of NF-kappaB was induced by an RNA binding-defective mutant of PKR. Thus, it appears that PKR, in addition to translational control, is involved in HIV-1 replication by modulating virus binding through the regulation of CD4 expression and virus gene expression through the activation of NF-kappaB.     

Kinetics of the humid aging of magnetic recording tape

The kinetics of the hydrolysis of polyester urethane binders of magnetic recording tape is described. Kinetic data were generated from measurements of acetone-extractable hydrolyzed binder products versus time for various humidity-temperature environments. These data can be described by a linear, single product, reversible rate equation. This equation, coupled with measurements on the effect of hydrolysis on recorded tape performance, is used to predict proper environmental storage conditions for magnetic tape.