Interleukin-2 increases the oxidative activity and induces migration of murine polymorphonuclear leukocytes in vivo.

Since recombinant human interleukin-2 (IL-2) can protect mice from a lethal bacterial challenge and can induce a vascular leak, we investigated the effects of IL-2 on the oxidative metabolism and migration of murine polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) in vivo. To assess oxidative activity of PMN, we used luminol-dependent chemiluminescence (CL) to measure oxygen radical formation after stimulation of the PMN with phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). We demonstrated that single IP doses of IL-2, from 0.2-3 mg/kg, could significantly increase CL from peripheral blood PMN obtained after IL-2 treatment. The increase of PMN-CL induced by IL-2 in vivo reached a maximum 4.5 fold increase at 3 and 6 h after IL-2 treatment. At 1, 12, and 24 h after rIL-2 treatment, there were no changes in CL and PMN activity remained within normal limits. Intraperitoneally administered IL-2 also caused a significant influx of PMN into the peritoneal cavity. IL-2 increased the percentage of PMN among the peritoneal exudate cells from a control baseline level of less than 1% to 18% PMN after IL-2 treatment. These data that demonstrate the capacity of IL-2 to augment the function and metabolism of PMN in vivo and illustrates the broad range of effects of IL-2 on the immune system in vivo and may explain in part the protective effects of IL-2 in experimental bacterial infections and the possible role of PMN in the systemic toxicities induced by IL-2.

Specialization in adult health/medical surgical nursing: what does it mean?

In this descriptive study, all NLN-accredited master's programs in the United States were surveyed to describe the content and form of the Adult Health/Medical Surgical (AH/MS) Nursing component of the curricula. An 82% response rate was achieved. The study confirmed a high degree of diversity in the AH/MS Nursing component of master's degree programs. It revealed a lack of consensus on the amount and kind of content necessary for specialization in AH/MS Nursing. Few curricula were based on an identified nursing model/theoretical framework, although students in most programs were required to utilize a nursing model as a framework for advanced or specialty practice. The structure of class and clinical learning activities varied markedly. Ideas about graduate faculty's role in clinical instruction were dissimilar. Findings from the study could guide decision making for the AH/MS Nursing component of master's-level curricula. Curriculum revision seems to be inherent in the nurse-faculty role, yet curriculum decision making can be an onerous task. This is especially true in today's master's nursing programs where clinical specialty areas are not well defined and diversity and ambiguity abound. As faculty members in a master's nursing program where numerous specialty areas had been developed, we became increasingly frustrated in our attempts to identify specific knowledge and skills that should be acquired by students specializing in adult health nursing. Traditionally, this rather broad specialty area has been a "catch-all" for the study of a wide variety of age groups and health alterations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)