Amyloid deposits in senile vertebral arteries, immunohistological and ultrastructural findings.

In a study on amyloid deposits in vertebral arteries, many elderly patients showed amyloid deposits in the perivascular tissue. These proved to be senile systemic amyloidosis of the transthyretin-type by immunohistochemistry. Amyloid deposits were also found in the arterial wall. These intramural amyloid deposits showed significant affinity to elastic material of the arterial wall. The intramural amyloid deposits did not react with any of the known or available antibodies to amyloid subtypes. Only a polyclonal antibody to human elastin could mark this type of amyloid. It may therefore be assumed that the precursor protein of this amyloid is derived from elastin molecules. By electron microscopy, the light microscopic amyloid deposits were of fibrillary structure, typical for amyloid with a direct contact to elastic material.

Burnout in hospital nurses: a comparison of internal, surgery, psychiatry and burns wards.

INTRODUCTION: Burnout is a phenomenon in which the cumulative effects of a stressful work environment gradually overwhelm the defenses of staff members, forcing them to withdraw psychologically. This study compared the levels of burnout among nurses in different nursing specialties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample of the study consisted of all the nurses working in all public hospitals in Shiraz, Iran who were graduates of either technological educational institutions or universities and had experienced clinical nursing practice for at least 1 year. Using Maslach Burnout Inventory and General Health Questionnaire (28-item version), we identified the psychiatric morbidity and burnout among nurses. RESULTS: Study results indicated that nurses of psychiatry wards showed significantly higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization in comparison with nurses working in other wards, and burn wards nurses showed significantly higher levels of personal accomplishment. Also, nurses who were single were more emotionally exhausted. CONCLUSION: Different clinical working environments appear to have an impact on the development of nurses' burnout.