Why embodiment now?

Embodiment is a promising new area for theory development, but several issues impair its evolution, including confusion over terminology and a lack of organization of existing literature. Embodiment is defined, based on the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty. Works of scholars and current debate about embodiment are summarized. Embodied meanings of illness are explored in terms of their relevance for nursing.

Long-term indwelling urinary catheter care: conceptualizing the research base.

The traditional public health concepts of agent, host, and environment can provide a useful interdisciplinary model for analysing the current state of knowledge in long term indwelling urinary catheter care. A broad review of literature about urinary catheter care was carried out to identify major areas of research and gaps in knowledge. Most research in the past decade has focused on understanding how catheter encrustations develop and how such encrustations may contribute to leaking/blocking of the catheter and urinary tract infection. Two tables are presented which summarize research related to the development of sediment/encrustation of the catheter and to irrigation of the catheter. Nevertheless, many areas related to catheter care have not been studied extensively. The patient's perspective is one such area. Other areas that have not been studied in depth include care of the drainage bag and the role of fluid intake. These under-studied concerns relate to environmental factors with which the nurse is directly involved, namely, asepsis and hydrokinetic forces. Further conceptualization of the nursing role in long-term urinary catheter care might aid in the development of nursing theories that could be tested to understand how best to help people manage these catheters.

Foley catheter management at home.

Because so many home care clients have Foley catheters, nurses may overlook the emotional impact that the catheter has on the client. Nurses need sensitivity and knowledge to help clients establish satisfying patterns for catheter management.

The effects of cervical dilation on plasma PGFM, progesterone and the duration of luteal function in diestrous mares.

Transcervical diagnostic techniques may alter the length of the equine estrous cycle and affect subsequent luteal function. Therefore, nine mares were used to determine the effect of cervical dilation on plasma 13, 14-dihydro, 15-keto-prostaglandin F(2) (PGFM), progesterone (P(4)) and posttreatment duration of luteal function. Mares were given a daily score of 0 to 4 based on sexual receptivity. Five days following the end of receptivity, mares were randomly assigned to one of three, 3 x 3 latin squares. Control mares received no cervical dilation. Cervically stimulated mares recieved cervical dilation for 60 sec. Cervically stimulated plus inhibitor mares were dilated similarly to cervically stimulated mares, but received a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor 30 min prior to treatment. Each mare completed all three treatments in three consecutive estrous cycles. Plasma PGFM and P(4) were determined by RIA. Plasma PGFM was lower (P<0.05) in cervically stimulated plus inhibitor than control and cervically stimulated mares. In addition, plasma P(4) was lower (P<0.10) in cervically stimulated plus inhibitor than in control and cervically stimulated mares. Luteal function following treatments did not differ. These data indicate that neither plasma PGFM and P(4) nor the duration of luteal function were affected by cervical dilation. However, administration of a prostaglandin synthetase inhibitor prior to cervical dilation decreased plasma PGFM and P(4) concentrations.

Survival of small and large littermate blastocysts in swine after synchronous and asynchronous transfer procedures.

Thirty-two crossbred sows were assigned to synchronous and asynchronous embryo transfer procedures to determine if, within a litter, small blastocysts were as viable as large blastocysts. Synchronous embryo transfers were established when donors and recipients displayed the onset of estrus (Day 0) within 6 h of each other. Asynchronous transfers were established when recipients displayed the onset of estrus 18 to 24 h after that of donors. An equal number (four or five) of the smallest and largest diameter blastocysts, from a Day 7 donor, were transferred to separate uterine horns of a Day 7 (synchronous) or a Day 6 (asynchronous) recipient. Each recipient's uterine horns were ligated at the external bifurcation to prevent transuterine embryonic migration. The percentage of blastocysts surviving was determined 300 h (12.5 d) after donors exhibited estrus. Small as well as large Day 7 blastocysts survived following asynchronos transfer to a Day 6 recipient. However, fewer (P<0.01) small blastocysts survived synchronous transfer than large blastocysts. These data suggested that small blastocysts were lost due to asynchrony with the uterine environment; however, when transferred to a less advanced environment, small blastocysts were equally viable as large blastocysts.

Effect of electrocautery of nonovulated day 1 follicles on subsequent morphological variation among day 11 porcine embryos.

One hundred and thirteen crossbred gilts were used in three experiments to examine the relationship between the pattern or sequence of ovulation and subsequent variation in the morphology of Day 11 embryos. In the first experiment, the percentage of follicles that had ovulated was determined in individual gilts at 26, 30, 34, or 38 h after the onset of estrus (n = 20) and 39, 41, 43, 45, or 47 h post-injection of human chorionic gonadotropin (n = 25; hCG, 1000 IU). The second experiment consisted of observing the percentage of follicles ovulated in 52 additional gilts at 34 h after the onset of estrus (Day 0). In the third experiment, the morphological variation among littermate embryos was compared on Day 11 between sham-operated control gilts (n = 8) and gilts whose nonovulated follicles were destroyed by electrocautery (n = 8) on Day 1. Results of these experiments indicated that the pattern of ovulation in gilts was skewed (p less than 0.01). Ovulation, induced with hCG, appeared to occur in a majority of follicles during a short period of time, whereas the remaining ovulations occurred over a longer interval. Of the 57 gilts observed at 34 h after natural estrus, ovaries of 25 gilts contained corpora hemorrhagica (CH) and follicles; one gilt had 1 CH and 17 follicles, and 24 others had 10-17 CH with 1-4 follicles remaining. Destruction of these nonovulated follicles resulted in a more (p less than 0.01) uniform group of Day 11 embryos and with fewer (p less than 0.05) small embryos. These data demonstrated that the pattern of ovulation may affect morphological variation in embryonic development such that some of the later ovulating follicles may represent smaller embryos within a litter.

A uterine cell mitogen distinct from epidermal growth factor in porcine uterine luminal fluids: characterization and partial purification.

Uterine luminal fluids (ULF) from early (Days 10 and 12)-pregnant sows contain factors that stimulate DNA synthesis in a variety of cell lines. The major growth factor component in these fluids has been partially purified 200-fold by heat treatment, anion-exchange chromatography, and gel filtration using mouse embryo-derived AKR-2B fibroblasts as an indicator cell line. The ULF mitogen (ULFM) is a polypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 4800; it is extremely heat stable and resistant to treatment with urea. This mitogen is also present in ULF from cycling sows but is not detectable in uterine cytosolic extracts or in serum isolated from pigs at Day 12 of pregnancy. The addition of this factor to medium containing 0.5% calf serum results in a 50% increase in final cell density of AKR-2B cells. ULFM appears biologically distinct from mouse and human epidermal growth factor (EGF), since its activity is not inhibited by antibody to mouse EGF and it does not compete for binding to human (A431) EGF receptors. In addition, the ULF factor stimulates DNA synthesis in human A431 epidermoid carcinoma cells, whereas EGF is inhibitory. Partially purified ULFM also stimulates DNA synthesis in primary cultures of pig uterine stromal cells. This mitogen activity is dose-dependent and is not inhibited by antibody to mouse EGF. Thus ULFM may act in concert with other peptide growth factors in regulating uterine growth and/or differentiation.

Antioxidant and antitranspirant protection of apple foliage against ozone injury.

Visible injury to apple foliage from exposure to ozone includes brown stippling on lower leaf surfaces and a light yellow mosaic on upper surfaces. Histologically, chlorophyll is destroyed and palisade and spongy mesophyll cells collapse following disintegration of their protoplasm. Foliar spray applications of the antioxidant, diphenylamine (DPA) or the antitranspirant, Wilt Pruf offer protection against this visible and histological injury. Superior protection results from application of both agents in combination.