Dehydro-brachylaenolide: an eudesmane-type sesquiterpene lactone.

The three-ring eudesmanolide, C(15)H(16)O(3), is a natural product isolated from Dicoma anomala Sond. (Asteraceae). The compound contains an endo-exo cross conjugated methyl-enecyclo-hexenone ring with an envelope conformation trans-fused with cyclo-hexane and trans-annelated with an α-methyl-ene γ-lactone. The absolute structure was assigned by optical rotation measurements compared to those from the synthetic compound with known stereochemistry. The crystal packing is consolidated by C-H⋯O interactions.

Professional nurses' attitudes towards providing termination of pregnancy services in a tertiary hospital in the north west province of South Africa.

The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act (no 92 of 1996) was implemented during 1997. This study attempted to investigate professional nurses' attitudes towards rendering termination of pregnancy (TOP) services at a tertiary hospital in the North West Province of South Africa. A quantitative descriptive research design was used to study professional nurses' attitudes towards providing TOP services. The research results, obtained from questionnaires completed by professional nurses, indicated that most professional nurses' attitudes included that women should be at least 16 years of age to access these services; women should not be able to access repeated TOPs; nurses would prefer to administer pills rather than to use vacuum aspirations; nurses should work in TOP services by choice only. TOP centers should have better equipment, more resources and more staff members. Nurses working in TOP services would appreciate receiving more support from their families, friends, managers and communities. Some professional nurses experienced guilt, depression, anxiety and religious conflicts as a result of providing TOP services. Despite the legalisation of TOPs, these services remained stigmatised. Professional nurses did not want to work in these services and also did not want to be associated with them.

Nurses' perceptions of their psychiatric nursing competencies in the Kwa-Zulu Natal Province.

This research report discusses the results of a quantitative exploratory descriptive survey which investigated specific psychiatric competencies of nurses who completed the R425 diploma programme and who were working in psychiatric clinical units in and around Durban and Pietermaritzburg during 2003. Forty-five nurses completed questionnaires, indicating their perceptions of their psychiatric nursing competencies on Likert scales and by responding to open-ended questions. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences, (SPSS) was used to analyse the data from the 45 completed questionnaires. Findings revealed that nurses who completed the R425 programme, and who were working in psychiatric clinical units, perceived themselves to be competent in performing some of the psychiatric clinical competencies contained in the questionnaires, but not all.

A study of ignition of metal impregnated carbons: the influence of oxygen content in the activated carbon matrix.

A study of the reason for the early ignition of coconut-based impregnated carbon in comparison with the peat-based impregnated carbon was conducted. The surface features of carbons were evaluated using various physicochemical methods. The metal analysis of the initial carbon indicated that the content of potassium was higher in the coconut-based carbon. The surface functional group analysis revealed the presence of similar surface species; however, the peat-based carbon was more acidic in its chemical nature. Since the oxygen content was higher in the peat-based carbon, the early ignition of the coconut-based material was attributed to its higher affinity to chemisorb oxygen, which leads to exothermic effects. This conclusion was confirmed by performing oxidation of coconut-based carbon prior to impregnation. This process increased the ignition temperature for Cu/Cr impregnated coconut-based material from 186 to 289 degrees C and for the Cu/Zn/Mo impregnated carbon from 235 to 324 degrees C.

A needs assessment of persons suffering from schizophrenia.

This quantitative exploratory descriptive survey attempted to identify the needs of persons suffering from schizophrenia who live in the Mogoto Village, Zebediela District, Limpopo Province. Data obtained from 60 completed questionnaires indicated that these persons continued to be regarded as valued community members by their care-givers. Despite the apparent lack of community mental health services, the vast majority of the respondents reportedly took their medications regularly and would know when to seek help in case their symptoms deteriorated. Their greatest need related to a lack of employment opportunities. They could also benefit from counselling services for themselves and their families.

Radiation doses obtained from 99mTc-labelled human milk fat globule monoclonal antibodies.

Human milk fat globule (HMFG) monoclonal antibodies labelled with 123I and 111In are used for the diagnosis of ovarian and breast cancer. Methods have been developed to label HMFG with 99mTc and this study reports on the subsequent radiation dose delivered. The 99mTc HMFG1 distribution was obtained in 5 normal female baboons up to 71 h after administration. The liver, kidneys, bladder and whole body were identified as source organs and total absorbed doses for the target organs were 0.054 (kidneys), 0.013 (liver), 0.140 (bladder), 0.010 (ovaria), 0.004 (bone marrow), 0.002 (thyroid), 0.003 (heart wall), 0.017 (uterus) and 0.005 mGy/MBq (whole body). The effective dose was 0.014 mSv/MBq.