Investigating the informed consent process, therapeutic misconception and motivations of Egyptian research participants: a qualitative pilot study

Few studies have explored the informed consent process among research participants in developing countries. This study aimed to evaluate the informed consent process, therapeutic misconception and motivation for participation among Egyptians participating in clinical trials. In a cross-sectional qualitative pilot study 103 participants in 10 clinical trials responded to a questionnaire. Over 90% agreed they had time to ask questions and received adequate information about the risks prior to consenting. All participants thought the research and the drug would improve their condition; only 46.1% were aware of receiving a non-approved experimental drug and 21.3% of being randomized. Reasons for participation included: better treatment [100%], to benefit society and advance science [85.4%], to receive free drugs [42.6%] and medical care [43.6%], to get hospitalized [15.8%] and to receive money or gifts [4.9%]. Investigators need to emphasize the distinction between research and clinical care to address the high rate of therapeutic misconception

Critical thinking skills in nursing process applied to the field of psychiatric nursing

The psychiatric professional nurse will encounter different client with uniquely different types of health care problems. Critical thinking can not be learned overnight. It is a process that can only be acquired through hard work commitment, and an active curiosity toward learning. Thinking and learning are interrelated lifelong process, the person should be more a ward and skilled in thinking, the knov/ledge and practical experiences gained help individuals to broaden their ability to make thoughtful observations and judgments. Assessing the student's ability to incorporate critical thinking in application of nursing process; develop, implement and evaluate the educational training program with psychiatric patient". Aquasi experimental design was utilized. The study included all psychiatric nursing students at faculty of nursing Benha university [85] students. Data was collected through using following tools 1-critical thinking disposition inventory before and after the program .2- questionnaire sheet to assess knowledge and concept about critical thinking and it's relation to nursing process before and after the program.3- clinical performance competence tool before and after the program to assess the student competence in planning, implement and evaluation of nursing process incorporating critical thinking. The main findings were improvement in student knowledge about critical thinking skills and it's relation to nursing process after implement the educational program. According to critical thinking dispositional inventory, after the program implemented there was significant 'improvement at total score of scale with study group at positive disposition toward critical thinking. According to clinical performance of nursing care plan, the result showed that significant improvement in performance nursing care plan among study group after implementing the programs Critical thinking as a process involved in the learning process, should be integrated in psychiatric nursing curriculum

Effects of different environmental factors on the identification of fetal and adult hemoglobin in bloodstains

The forensic scientist is confronted with many problems in the identification of bloodstains. These problems may be due to the aging of the stain or some environmental factors to which the stain was exposed. The aim of this work is to determine the effects of different environmental factors [age, temperature, pH, light, dark, humidity, open air and burn] on fetal hemoglobin [HbF] and adult hemoglobin [HbA] identification. The study aims also to determine the recommended conditions for collection and preservation of bloodstains. The research was carried out on 20 blood samples of healthy adult volunteers and 20 fetal human blood samples. Fetal hemoglobin [HbF] was measured in fetal blood samples and total adult hemoglobin [HbA] was measured in adult blood samples by cyanomethemoglobin method and their patterns were detected by cellulose acetate electrophoresis method. The results demonstrated that fetal and adult hemoglobin concentration decreased with the advance of the age of the stain. The percent of decrease due to aging was more in fetal hemoglobin. The minimal effect of temperature was after exposure to -4°C [the percent of decrease was 29.49% for fetal and 21.99% for adult]. Fetal hemoglobin appeared to be more resistant to alkalis and acids; more affected by both light and dark than adult hemoglobin. The study of the pattern of cellulose acetate electrophoresis revealed that the studied environmental factors had great destructive effects on blood stains but fetal hemoglobin [HbF] was more affected than adult hemoglobin [HbA]. The study recommended that bloodstains must be preserved in a dry condition at -4°C without addition of any chemicals or just in open air where analysis must be done as early as possible

Cardiovascular effects of meloxicam

Non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are among the most commonly used drugs all over the world in treatment of a variety of rheumatic disorders and are commonly used in patients with cardio-vascular disorders. The present work, aimed to study the cardiovascular modulatory effects of meloxicam [selective COX-2 inhibitor] through in vitro experiments [isolated rabbits heart and aortic strip] and in vivo study that was done on albino rats, through which we investigated the effect of meloxicam on the blood pressure, by blood pressure transducer, and blood flow to different vascular beds and hence different organs as gastrointestinal tract and kidney, using doppler flowmetry. This work was also accompanied by biochemical studies [Liver and kidney functions]. The results revealed a cardio-stimulatory effect of meloxicam in a dose ranging from 0.03-0.3 micro mol/ml on the heart in vitro, but no change in aortic basal tone. Also, interaction of meloxicam, in dose ranging from 0.03-0.3 micro mol/ml, with different vasopressor agonists [noradrenaline, angiotensin and serotonin] showed no change in aortic basal tone. There was a statistically significant dose dependant increase in the blood pressure upon acute intravenous injection of meloxicam in a dose ranging from 0.03-0.3 micro gram/kg, while chronic intra-peritoneal administration produced no significant changes. Acute intravenous injection of meloxicam in a dose ranging from 0.03 - 0.3 micro g/kg produced an increase in both renal blood flow to the values of 14 +/- 1.3, 17 +/- 3.0 and 21 +/- 2.0 cm/sec and mesenteric blood flow giving values of 21 +/- 2.0, 25 +/- 1.5 and 30.0 +/- 3.0 cm/sec. while chronic administration produced no significant changes. There was no effect of meloxicam on the hindquarter or carotid blood flow in neither acute nor chronic administration. The results of the biochemical studies showed no alteration of the biochemical parameters within therapeutic doses. In conclusion, meloxicam was found to have a positive inotropic effect on the heart and safe towards the kidney and gastrointestinal system, increasing the blood flow to these beds

Chronic zinc administration improves endothelial cell function and vascular reactivity in experimentally induced diabetes mellitus in rats

An exaggerated oxidative stress has been postulated as the link between diabetes mellitus [D.M] and endothelial dysfunction. This study aimed to investigate the possible therapeutic effect of chronic zinc administration [0.5% in drinking water] on renal artery vascular reactivity and oxidative stress indices viz serum oxidized to reduced glutathione ratio [GSH/GSSG], trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity [TEAC] and lipohydroperoxides [LPO] in experimentally-induced D.M by streptozotocin [STZ] [60 mg/kg i.p single dose] in rats. Using Doppler technique in this study indicated that chronic zinc administration significantly [p<0.05] improved renal artery vascular reactivity to acetylcholine [Ach]. Such an effect which seemed to be mediated by two mechanisms: [1] Zinc restored plasma antioxidant defenses as it significantly [p<0.05] increased the GSH/GSSG ratio, the [TEAC] and significantly [Sp<0,05] decreased LPO. This resulted in lowering the quenching effect of free radicals on nitric oxide [NO] [2] Chronic zinc administrarion significantly [p<0.05] increased intracelular Mg 2+ concentration and significantly [p<0.05] decreased intracellular Ca 2+ content, thus protecting against oxidative cell damage and improving smooth vascular cell relaxation respectively

Immune alterations of morphine on phagocytic power and serum interleukin [IL] in rats

In spite of the evidence suggesting that many morphine addicts are victims ofdiseases and infections, yet there is little information about the extend ofimmune alterations and whether it is uniform on all immunologic parameters ornot. In order to clarify these issues, morphine [10 mg/kg] was administeredto Sprague Dawley rats in acute and chronic manners to have models foraddictive

Purification and characterization of bacillus cereus beta-lactamase

The crude preparation of Bacillus cereus beta-lactamase was fractionated by ammonium sulphate and purified [305.6 fold] by chromatography on CM-sephadex C50 and DEAE-sephadex A50. The purified enzyme had specific activity of 109.90 units /mg protein with a yield of 49.69%. The enzyme was found to be homogenous when electrophoresed by polyacrylamide gel in both absence and presence of sodium dodecyle sulphate since it showed a single distinctive band. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the purified enzyme had a relative electrophoretic mobility of 0.86 and molecular weight of 23,400. The enzyme was found to be rich in glyciny, glutamic acid and serine, However, it contained low amount of methionine. The apparent Km and Vmax values of the purified enzyme were 128.20 [micro Mole and 76 micro Mole/mg protein /ml /min respectively, Maximum beta-lactamase activity was obsrved when incubated with the substrate at pH 8 for 15 min. at 30 °C