Morphoanatomical studies of Uncaria tomentosa and Uncaria guianensis bark and leaves.

The genus Uncaria Schreber (Rubiaceae) includes species that are widely distributed in tropical areas. The inner bark of the stems and leaves of two native species of South America, Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Roemer & Schultes) DC., and Uncaria guianensis (Aublet) J. F. Gmelin, "cat's claw" are used in either folk medicine or in procuring phytotherapeutic drugs. These species contain about sixty active substances which are being tested widely for possible medicinal value. The following applications are considered: peptic ulcer, rheumatism, tumours, antiinflammatory effect, inflammation, diabetes and as general tonic. Currently, Uncaria tomentosa is in demand as tea, tablets or capsules in more than 30 countries outside Perú, as well as inside the country. Pharmacognosy studies are required to determine the comparative morphoanatomical and micrographic features for identification and quality control purposes. Several microscopic parameters, including phloem fibers, calcium oxalate crystals, starch granules, trichomes, and foliar architecture should be considered. The aim of our work is to analyse comparative morphoanatomical and micrographic features which might provide assistance in the identification, analysis and standardization of Uncaria tomentosa (Willd. ex Roemer & Schultes) DC. and Uncaria guianensis (Aublet) J. F. Gmelin stem bark and leaves in order to obtain phytotherapeutic drugs, and of the crude drug as well.

Structure and ultrastructure of the secretory glands in the genus, Polygonum (L.), section Persicaria (Polygonaceae).

The aim of this paper is to present the structure of exocrine glands in P. glabrum, P. amphybium, P. minus, P. persicaria and P. punctatum, of them from section Persicaria, family Polygonaceae. The observations were performed with light, scanning and transmission electron microscope, using routine techniques for sample preparation. The structures observed at superficial view are composed of four cells flanking a small pore in the middle, and surrounded by a number of rather small cells, followed by normal epidermic cells. In the cross section the structure is composed of a great cavity filled with secretion, and communicated with the external side of the pore. The cavity is internally surrounded by a flat cell epithelium separated from the mesophyll by a layer of parenchymatic cells.

Structure and ultrastructure of the secretory glands in the genus, Polygonum (L.), section Persicaria (Polygonaceae).

The aim of this paper is to present the structure of exocrine glands in P. glabrum, P. amphybium, P. minus, P. persicaria and P. punctatum, of them from section Persicaria, family Polygonaceae. The observations were performed with light, scanning and transmission electron microscope, using routine techniques for sample preparation. The structures observed at superficial view are composed of four cells flanking a small pore in the middle, and surrounded by a number of rather small cells, followed by normal epidermic cells. In the cross section the structure is composed of a great cavity filled with secretion, and communicated with the external side of the pore. The cavity is internally surrounded by a flat cell epithelium separated from the mesophyll by a layer of parenchymatic cells.

Mother, daughter, patient, nurse: women's emotion work in aged care.

This paper examines emotion work within the predominantly female environment of aged-care nursing, identifying phenomena which must be accounted for in a theory of emotional labour. These phenomena include the blurring of public and private in women's experiences and maternal models of care. Initial findings demonstrate the high levels of stress experienced by staff, related to emotional labour and to conflicts around the erosion of care standards. Sixteen women, from rural Australia, participated in the first stage of the research. The oldest was in her sixties, the youngest in her thirties. Length of aged-care experience ranged from 2 to 33 years. Although most of the women expected to still be in aged care in 5 years' time, they were negative in their attitudes to personal ageing, suggesting an ambivalence in their feelings about working in aged care. Three women nurses are the particular focus of this paper. Their narratives illustrate the intersection of private and public caring in nurses' lives and the implications of this for emotional labour. Phenomena such as dual caring, conflicts in insider-outsider roles, and transference are revealed in their narratives. We argue that the welfare of the recipient of gerontic nursing is linked to the well-being of the nurse-carer but that a cultural change is needed so as to recognize and value emotion work. However, endorsing Staden, we agree that such a change is dependent on the politicization of 'caring'. There is also need for further and broader research concerning the nature of emotional labour and the ethics of care.

In vitro antifungal evaluation and studies on mode of action of eight selected species from the Argentine flora.

Twenty nine extracts belonging to eight species of the Argentine flora reported as antifungal in folk medicine, were assayed for antifungal properties by using the agar dilution method, against a panel of yeasts, filamentous fungi as well as dermatophytes. Nine extracts belonging to six species, exhibited a broad spectrum of activity against Microsporum cants, Microsporum gypseum, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum and Epidermophyton floccosum, with MICs ranging from 25 to 900 µg/ml. A dichloromethanis extract of Polygonum ferrugineum was the most active extract with MICs from 25-50 µg/ml. To gain an insight into the mode of action of the active extracts they were evaluated for their inhibitory activities toward the fungal cell wall, using the whole cell Neurospora crassa hyphal growth inhibition agar diffusion assay. A hazy zone around the paper disk strongly suggested that the dichloromethane extracts from aerial parts of Polygonum punctatum, Polygonum ferrugineum and the bark of Luehea divaricata acted by inhibiting polymer synthesis or assembly of the cell wall. The clear zone of inhibition produced by the dichloromethane and methanol antifungal extracts of Xanthium spinosum could be ascribed to the fact that these extracts have another effect on fungal cells in addition to inhibition of cell walls.

Recent Outbreak of Stem Canker (Diaporthe phaseolorum var. meridionalis) of Soybean in Santa Fe, Argentina.

This disease was first noted in the area in February 1993 (2), when a soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) disease survey was conducted in several localities of southern Santa Fe province, the core soybean region of Argentina. At that time, its incidence ranged from 5 to 8% in isolated fields. However, in March 1997, stem canker reached a dramatic 70 to 100% incidence, probably helped by the extensive use of susceptible cultivars, favorable climatic conditions, and inoculum availability from no-till fields. Observed symptoms on stems consisted of V-shaped longitudinal lesions at petiole insertion, with reddish brown margins and discolored centers, where the pycnidia of the anamorph Phomopsis phaseoli (Desmaz.) Sacc. meridionalis Morgan-Jones were found. The lesions coalesced and consequently the main stem and branches died. Foliage symptoms started as yellow blotches, later developing into interveinal chlorosis and necrosis. Perithecia of the teleomorph Diaporthe phaseolorum (Cooke & Ellis) Sacc. var. meridionalis F. A. Fernandez (1) were obtained from infected stems in several crop seasons. Once ripe, the ascospores were cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) acidified with lactic acid (0.2%), amended with streptomycin (100 mg/liter), and maintained in darkness at 20 to 25°C. Yellowish white colonies were obtained, later becoming tan and developing perithecia. Perithecia had a beak length of 868 ± 183 µm, neck width of 126.2 ± 17 µm, the asci of 36.7 ± 4.7 µm length and bicellular biguttulate ascospores of 10.2 ± 1 µm length and 3 ± 0.13 µm width. All features match the available descriptions of the pathogen (1). Pathogenicity trials were performed on seedlings of resistant and susceptible cultivars up to second trifoliar leaf stage; these cultivars were classified according to inoculations and field behavior. Plants were wounded with a scalpel in the cotyledonary node and inoculated with a 3-mm-diameter PDA mycelial plug, covered with vaseline. Control seedlings were either not wounded or similarly wounded and covered with vaseline but no PDA plugs were applied. Symptom development was observed within 4 days from inoculation in the top leaf, and in 7 days most seedlings of susceptible cultivars were dead. Resistant cultivars survived and showed only reddish discoloration in wounds. The control seedlings were symptomless and the pathogen was not isolated from them. Conversely, inoculated seedlings with visible symptoms consistently yielded D. phaseolorum var. meridionalis from stem sections at different distances from the inoculation point.When cultured on water agar, alpha conidia from pycnidia and ascospores from the perithecia were obtained. References: (1) F. A. Fernandez and R. T. Hanlin. Mycologia 88:425, 1996. (2) R. N. Pioli et al. Comun. Biol. 11:156, 1993.

Coping with gastrointestinal endoscopy: self-efficacy enhancement and coping style.

Forty-eight men scheduled for endoscopy were assessed for preferred coping style and assigned to one of four preparation conditions: (a) relaxation plus coping self-efficacy (SE) enhancement, (b) relaxation only, (c) procedural information, and (d) no preparation. It was hypothesized that increases in SE would be associated with better behavioral and self-report assessments of coping with endoscopy, and that coping style would moderate effects of SE enhancement. Hypotheses were largely confirmed. Ss in SE enhancement preparation experienced greater increases in coping SE and greater decreases in distress before and during endoscopy than did other Ss. Changes in coping SE were negatively correlated with changes in anticipatory anxiety, and SE ratings were significantly related to distress during endoscopy. Ss classed as monitors fared most poorly with no-preparation, whereas blunters did most poorly with procedural information.