Gender and relationship differences in caregiving patterns and consequences among employed caregivers.

Gender and relationship differences in caregiving (i.e., for a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, other relative, or friend) are investigated among a sample of employed caregivers (N = 2,174). No gender differences were found in the provision of 7 of 13 caregiving tasks, but women devoted more time and were more likely to be primary caregivers. After controlling for other key variables, relationship added modestly to the ability to predict all five measures of caregiving consequences, and gender further added nominally to the ability to predict three of the measures. The findings lend support to the gender-role socialization hypothesis (Miller & Cafasso, 1992) and suggest the targeting of services to caregivers of spouses and parents, especially female caregivers.

Intermittent pneumatic compression improves venous ulcer healing.

The effects of intermittent pneumatic compression on the healing rates of ulcers in patients with chronic venous insufficiency were examined in a prospective, controlled study of 22 patients. Patients were randomly assigned to the experimental or the control group. Both groups received local wound care followed by application of an Unna boot. In addition, subjects in the experimental group received intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) twice weekly for one hour each session. Healing rates were reported in square centimeters per day. Data analysis revealed a mean healing rate of 0.08 cm2 per day for control subjects and 0.15 cm2 per day for experimental subjects. Statistical analysis, demonstrated the healing rates of the two groups to be statistically different. The results appear to indicate that intermittent pneumatic compression is beneficial in the management of venous insufficiency ulcers.

The effects of intergenerational experiences on adolescents and older adults.

We evaluated an intergenerational program bringing together older people and adolescents to examine assumptions underlying intergenerational programming and determine if either generation changed its attitudes toward the other. Program components allowed older people and adolescents to act as either intergenerational helpers or recipients of help. The amount of intergenerational contact prior to participating in the program was examined. Only one group's attitudes changed following participation in the program: adolescents who helped older people showed more enjoyment in being with older people, decreased social distance, and a more positive perception of older people's attitudes toward the young.

Use of isolated cold stress testing in determining normal lower extremity thermoregulation.

Isolated cold stress testing was performed on 72 healthy subjects in order to evaluate the normal thermoregulatory potential of vessel beds in the acral areas of the lower extremity. Two patterns of response were demonstrated: a cool response in approximately 80% of subjects, and a warm pattern in approximately 20%. In the former, the responses to cold stress were more active and the temperatures lower; in the latter, there was little change in temperature in response to the cold stress. Both patterns correlated strongly with initial temperature, and neither pattern correlated with age, sex, or smoking habits. No subjects reported pain, numbness, or discomfort during the test. This study demonstrated that wide variations in thermoregulatory flow were possible without clinical symptoms, and suggested that nutritional blood flow was adequate to meet metabolic demands despite thermoregulatory modulation.

Comparison of the in vitro myocardial depressant effects of isoflurane and halothane anesthesia.

The myocardial depressant effects of isoflurane and halothane were compared using feline right ventricular papillary muscles bathed in Krebs-bicarbonate solution. In experiment 1 muscles were stimulated by field electrodes (0.2 Hz) to obtain control measurements of developed tension (dt) and maximal rate of tension development (dF/dt) prior to exposing the papillary muscles to four concentrations of either isoflurane (4.0%, 2.0%, 1.0%, 0.5%) or halothane (2.0%, 1.0%, 0.5%, 0.25%). Repeat measurements of dt and dF/dt were recorded after 20 min at each concentration. Isoflurane and halothane both caused dose-dependent depression of dt and dF/dt, but at 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0%, halothane was significantly more depressant than isoflurane (P less than 0.01 for dt and dF/dt). Quadratic equations were fitted to the dose-response data by least squares analysis (R2 greater than .985 for both anesthetics), and the isoflurane and halothane concentrations that decreased dt to 90%, 70%, 50%, and 30% of control were determined to compare the relative myocardial depressant potency of isoflurane and halothane by linear regression analysis. This potency relationship is described by the equation: isoflurane concentration = -0.005 + 1.445 (halothane concentration). In experiment 2 papillary muscle responses at two similar cardiodepressant concentrations of isoflurane (1.25% and 2.0%) or halothane (0.80% and 1.35%) were compared at stimulus frequencies of 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1.0, and 2.0 Hz. The concentrations of isoflurane and halothane were selected from the data obtained in experiment 1 and represent the anesthetic concentrations that diminish muscle function to approximately 70% and 50% of control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The hemodynamic and cardiovascular effects of isoflurane and halothane anesthesia in children.

The hemodynamic and cardiovascular effects of isoflurane and halothane anesthesia were studied in 15 unpremedicated ASA I children using measurements of heart rate, blood pressure and M-mode echocardiography (echo). The children (ages 2 to 7.3 yr) were randomly assigned to receive either isoflurane (N = 8) or halothane (N = 7) with oxygen. End-tidal carbon dioxide concentrations (range 30-44 mmHg) were monitored throughout the study in each child. The experimental protocol was completed prior to intubation and the initiation of surgery. Within each anesthetic group, preinduction (control) hemodynamic and echo measurements were compared with measurements obtained at two sequential equipotent end-tidal anesthetic concentrations (0.74% and 2.22% isoflurane; or 0.5% and 1.5% halothane). We also compared the data of the isoflurane group with that of the halothane group at each equipotent end-tidal anesthetic concentration. Preinduction hemodynamic (heart rate, blood pressure) and echo measurements (left ventricular dimensions and function) were similar between the two anesthetic groups. With isoflurane or halothane administration, blood pressure decreased significantly, while heart rate remained essentially unchanged. The observed alterations in heart rate and blood pressure were similar in both study groups at each equipotent end-tidal anesthetic concentration. In contrast, there were marked differences in the echo measurements of the two anesthetic groups. Halothane was associated with a significant dose-dependent decrease in echo-measured left-ventricular shortening fraction and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening. These echo measurements were not significantly altered by isoflurane at either end-tidal anesthetic concentration. These alterations suggest halothane is associated with significant myocardial depression in normal children, while myocardial function is well preserved during isoflurane anesthesia.