bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A TECHNIQUE FOR THE QUANTITATIVE SENSORY EVALUATION OF FARM‐RAISED CATFISH
Authors: JOHNSEN PETER B. , KELLY CAROL A.
Published: May 2007

A descriptive analysis panel was trained to use a refined lexicon of flavor descriptors to evaluate farm‐raised catfish flavor using a referenced intensity rating scale. To reduce variance due to within sample variability, a procedure using Blended Individual Fish Samples (BIFS) was developed. The reproducibility of the panel performance, utility of the BIFS and the sensitivity of the method to discriminate differences in fish flavor was demonstrated in three experiments.
GROUP TASTE CONCEPT MEASUREMENT: VERBAL AND PHYSICAL DEFINITION OF THE UMAMI TASTE CONCEPT FOR JAPANESE AND AMERICANS
Authors: ISHII R. , O'MAHONY M.
Published: May 2007

The umami taste concept for a group of judges was measured by a categorization task with food stimuli. The concept was defined to the judges in two ways: first, by verbal description and second, by presenting the judges with standard stimuli: broths made from kombu, katsuobushi and shiitake. The concepts obtained in both instances were close, both for Japanese and American judges. Thus, the umami term could be communicated relatively accurately in sales and marketing without the need for physical standards.
SENSORY ANALYSIS OF FIBER FORMULATED GROUND PORK PATTIES1
Authors: TODD S. L. , CUNNINGHAM F. E. , SCHWENKE J. R. , GOETSCH S. J.
Published: May 2007

Pure cellulose (Solka‐Floc), microcrystalline cellulose (Avicel), and a soluble gum (Nutriloid Fiberplus) were added to ground pork (25%± 2% fat) at 3.5% and 7.0% based on total dietary fiber content of each ingredient. Cooked samples of all treatments and a control were presented to a professional sensory panel and evaluated for the following six attributes: resistance to bite, juiciness, off flavor, pork flavor intensity, graininess/flouriness, and cohesiveness. Products containing Nutriloid Fiberplus at 3.5% and 7.0% had the least resistance to bite (softest), but no differences were detected between the two levels of these products. The Avicel and Solka‐Floc products were similar to the control products for resistance to bite. Products containing Nutriloid Fiberplus carried a significant off‐flavor, whereas products containing Avicel at 3.5% maintained a flavor similar to that of the control products. Products with Solka‐Floc or Nutriloid Fiberplus had distinct graininess/flouriness attributes. Solka‐Floc products and Nutriloid products were more cohesive (p < 0.05) than control products. Avicel products at 3.5% were not significantly different than control products for all attributes evaluated.
SENSORY OPTIMIZATION OF PROCESS VARIABLES FOR PREPARING ROASTED GRAIN POWDERS
Authors: SRIVASTAV PREM PRAKASH. , DAS HRISHIKES. , PRASAD SITARAM.
Published: May 2007

The quality of roasted grain powders is greatly affected bythe roasting process variables; viz., initial moisture content (IMC), grain‐to‐sand ratio (GSR), sand temperature (ST) and roasting time (RT). The sensory optimization for these variables was done in two phases. The IMC (12 ± 0.2%) and GSR (1:4) were standardized in the first phase, whereas ST (215C) and RT (1.5–2.0 min), in the second. The overall quality of the roasted grain powders was found to be greatly affected by ST followed by RT.
A COMPARISON OF PERFORMANCE OF PANELS SELECTED USING ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE AND CLUSTER ANALYSIS
Authors: MALUNDO THERESE MARIE M. , RESURRECCION ANNA V.A.
Published: May 2007

A comparison of one‐way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and cluster analysis as statistical methods for selecting members of a descriptive panel was conducted. Using 150–mm unstructured line scales, 10 panelists evaluated the performance in coffee of 2 whiteners on 14 sensory attributes. Factor analysis showed that 5 factors were adequate to model the data. The sensory ballot used had a reliability coefficient omega (Ω) equal to 0.93. One‐way ANOVA and cluster analysis resulted in 2 different panels consisting of 9 judges each. Means and standard deviations of the scores showed that greater variability among panelists’ ratings resulted when the panel was selected using one‐way ANOVA than when cluster analysis was used.
LIKING OF POPCORN CONTAINING DIFFERENT LEVELS OF SALT1
Authors: VICKERS ZATA , ROBERTS ANNA
Published: May 2007

Approximately 300 subjects participated in a test to determine whether the level of salt in popcorn affected the change in overall liking observed as a consequence of consuming a serving of popcorn. Subjects tasted and rated three samples of popcorn (low, medium, high salt levels), ate a serving of popcorn at one of the salt levels and then tasted and rated the three samples again. Subjects returned one or seven days later and tasted and rated the samples again. Overall liking, salt intensity and salt liking were measured. The subjects also completed a questionnaire about their liking and consumption of popcorn. Liking scores for the popcorns decreased after eating a 3‐cup serving; however, sensory specific satiety for the different levels of salt was not observed. Consuming low salt popcorn increased the rated saltiness of the popcorns, whereas consuming high salt popcorn decreased the rated saltiness — probably a frequency effect. When subjects retasted the popcorns one or seven days later, all liking ratings increased except the salt liking ratings for the high salt sample. There was also a trend for the overall liking of this high salt sample to increase less than for the medium and low salt samples. Questionnaire measures of liking or consumption were not related to the changes in liking observed.
SENSORY ANALYSIS PROCEDURES AND VIEWPOINTS: INTELLECTUAL HISTORY, CURRENT DEBATES, FUTURE OUTLOOKS1
Authors: MOSKOWITZ HOWARD R.
Published: May 2007

This paper presents the intellectual history of product testing (sensory analysis). It traces the history from two separate streams; the expert (and expert panelist), and the empiricist (sociologist, followed by experimental psychologist). Sensory analysis in the last decade of the 20th century is host to many of the same intellectual arguments in these two fields as were current a half century ago, or longer, in psychology.

What has been absent is a set of worldviews and organizing principles around which the field can grow and mature more rapidly. The paper presents three major organizing subject areas for sensory analysis: individual differences (sensory segmentation), sensory‐instrumental analysis (reverse engineering), and cognitive approaches (mixed modeling and optimization of physical and conceptual variables). These three subject areas and their organizing principles provide sensory analysis with a vision of future research and application that accord with the scientific heritage and extend current procedures.
THE POWER OF SENSORY DISCRIMINATION METHODS
Authors: ENNIS DANIEL M.
Published: May 2007

Difference testing methods are extensively used in a variety of applications from small sensory evaluation tests to large scale consumer tests. A central issue in the use of these tests is their statistical power, or the probability that if a specified difference exists it will be demonstrated as a significant difference in a difference test. A general equation for the power of any discrimination method is given. A general equation for the sample size required to meet Type I and Type II error specifications is also given. Sample size tables for the 2‐alternative forced choice (2‐AFC), 3‐AFC, the duo‐trio and the triangular methods are given. Tables of the psychometric functions for the 2‐AFC, 3‐AFC, triangular and duo‐trio methods are also given.
CLASSIFICATION OF CHEESES ACCORDING TO THEIR CLOSENESS TO THE CHEDDAR CHEESE CONCEPT1
Authors: DACREMONT CATHERINE , VICKERS ZATA
Published: May 2007

An important issue in consumer oriented studies is to measure how closely a specific product or perception matches the representation people have of it. We used a concept matching technique to assess the degree to which a variety of different cheeses matched subjects’ concepts of Cheddar cheese. Eighteen subjects made their judgments using their own past experiences with Cheddar cheeses. They made judgments in three separate conditions: only the odor, only the taste and texture and normal eating. This technique provided valid and reliable information on the extent to which the cheeses matched the subjects’ concept of Cheddar cheese. Agreement between classifications of cheeses based on taste and texture only and based on normal eating was high (R=0.90). Agreement between classifications based only on odor and those based on normal eating was weaker (R‐0.59). Thus, the taste and texture of the cheeses were more useful than the odor for classifying cheeses as Cheddar.
EVIDENCE OF AN ADSORPTION‐DESORPTION MODEL FOR HUMAN IRRITANT PERCEPTION
Authors: CLIFF MARGARET A. , HEYMANN HILDEGARDE
Published: May 2007

The temporal irritant response was evaluated for six concentrations of capsaicin, cinnamaldehyde, andpiperine, using time‐intensity (TI) methodology. TI curves were evaluated using six TI parameters: maximum intensity (Imax), time‐to‐maximum (Tmax), plateau time (Tplat), total time (Ttot), maximum rate of onset (Monset) and maximum rate of decay (Mdecay) of perception. Maximum intensity was used to evaluate the appropriateness of the Beidler taste equation, calculate the degree of affinity of the stimuli for the receptor (Kb), Gibbs free energy values, and the other TI parameter were used to quantify the adsorption desorptionprocesses. For cinnamaldehyde and capsaicin, correlation coefficients for the proposed Beidler taste model were 0.999, and 0.996, respectively. The large association constants (Kb) for cinnamaldehyde (25 M−1) and capsaicin (5.2 × 104 M−1), compared to taste compounds, were consistent with their steep psychophysical functions and their persistent aftertastes. Concentration dependencies of Tmax Tplat, Ttot, Monset and Mdecay, fit linear and semi‐hyperbolic functions and were congruous with the proposed adsorption‐ desorption model for irritant perception.
A STUDY OF SAMPLE AND ASSESSOR VARIATION: A MULTIVARIATE STUDY OF WINE PROFILES
Authors: SIVERTSEN HANNE K. , RISVIK EINAR
Published: May 2007

Thirty French red wines, selected from the main regions of France, were chosen as objects for an expert panel to be trained in Descriptive Analysis. Seventeen attributes were chosen to describe the wines. Principal Component analysis showed a good separation of the wines among regions of origin. The results were verified by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Generalized Procrustes analysis was included to analyze the panelist performance, such as individual differences in attribute ratings.
INFLUENCE OF COMPUTERIZED PANEL TRAINING ON CONTEXTUAL EFFECTS
Authors: KUESTEN C.L. , McLELLAN M.R. , ALTMAN N.
Published: May 2007

Computerized panel training with graphic feedback showed significant feedback effects for magnitude estimation judgments of sweet and sour taste intensities. Context effects still existed but were reduced after training with or without feedback for both line scale and magnitude estimation scaling methods. Following a 2‐week period of inactivity, context effects tended to increase. These results suggest implications for current descriptive panel training and maintenance activities.
RESEARCH OF SELECTIVE TESTS FOR DISCERNING “AN EFFICIENT ASSESSOR” IN TEXTURE PROFILING
Authors: ROUSSET‐AKRIM SYLVIE , MARTIN JEAN‐FRANCOIS , PILANDON CARINE , TOURAILLE CHRISTIAN
Published: May 2007

To find selective and predictive tests in texture profiling, a series of 20 tests and 2 texture profiles were submitted to 25 subjects. Selection was carried out according to ranking, scoring and a texture property knowledge questionnaire. Two profiles were then done on 5 Bolognese sauce and 8 rice samples. Assessors were assessed by Spearman correlation coefficients for ranking tests, F values for scoring, average square canonical correlation coefficients for measuring the dimensionality of individual sample space, product discrimination and response repeatability for both Bolognese sauce and rice samples.

Characterization test results showed that subject ability varied widely according to the test and the profile. Only one significant relationship between the texture property knowledge test and rice profile performances was found. More tests were successfully related to one or several texture attributes of both profiles. The ability to complete a complex profile could be discerned, albeit with difficulty, through simple selection tests.
COMPARISON OF FLOWISE AND SIPWISE METHODS OF TASTING
Authors: NONAKA RYUICHI , O'MAHONY MICHAEL
Published: May 2007

Sipwise and flowise presentation of taste stimuli were compared and better taste discrimination was noted for flowise presentation. Using a model system, discrimination between NaCl solutions and purified water, analysis with atomic absorption spectrophotometry indicated that the superiority of flowise presentation was due to reduction in stimulus variance. Flowise presentation was also superior for discrimination between commercially available natural spring waters.
QUALITATIVE EVALUATION OF TASTE STIMULI BY CROSS‐MODALITY MATCHING WITH A COLOR SYSTEM: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY
Authors: GUINARD JEAN‐XAVIER , ROSS LISA , DE GUTIERREZ ANGELITA MARIN
Published: May 2007

The taste quality of 27 stimuli equi‐intense to 100 mM NaCl was described by 10 subjects using cross‐modality matching with Munsell colors. Subjects were instructed to use one color for each perceived taste quality. An initial set of 9 stimuli covering the range of taste qualities was used by the subjects to build their own spectrum of colors to match taste qualities. Subjects then used their system to describe the quality of 18 sweet and/or bitter stimuli. All subjects were able to develop and consistently use Munsell colors to describe taste quality. This psychophysical method for taste description could allow for a better discrimination among taste stimuli than the traditional use of five adjectives. Three‐dimensional plots in L, a, b coordinates of the color spaces produced by the subjects suggest sweetness and bitterness may not be unitary qualities, and that semantics may not be sufficient to describe taste quality.
Nurse Practitioner Intervention to improve Postpartum Appointment Keeping in an Outpatient Family Planning Clinic
Authors: Buckley Holly B.
Published: May 2007

A nurse practitioner (NP) program to improve postpartum appointment keeping in an outpatient family planning clinic is described and evaluated. The subjects (N= 59) were non‐high‐risk obstetric patients prescheduled to be seen at 6 weeks postpartum by the NP. Two groups were identified by convenience sampling: Group A (n= 25), the nonintervention group, and Group B (n= 34), the intervention group. Two types of intervention were used: a postpartum telephone call after discharge (n= 11), or a predischarge postpartum visit (n= 23). Results suggest that those in the intervention group were more likely to keep their appointments (p < .02); only the postpartum visit increased the probability of appointment keeping (p < .05).
Herpes Zoster Etiology, Clinical Course, and Suggested Management
Authors: RN Theresa Boley , MD Jack Curtis
Published: May 2007

Herpes zoster is an acute viral infection that results from reactivation of a latent varicella‐zoster virus often acquired as chickenpox during childhood. Fifty percent of all people living to the age of 85 will have an attack of zoster. The goal of intervention is to reduce associated pain and discomfort. A prompt diagnosis and appropriate management can best be achieved by understanding the disease and treatment options. While herpes zoster occurs with greater frequency in the geriatric population, it can occur throughout an individual's life span. The nurse practitioner working in any setting is likely to see patients present with herpes zoster. A protocol for patient management is included in this article as a resource for the nurse practitioner who encounters this diagnosis.
Report of the National Survey of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Part III: Comparison of Nurse Practitioner Characteristics According to Education
Authors: Towers Jan
Published: May 2007

This report examines the national characteristics of nurse practitioners according to educational preparation. Geographic distribution, distribution by specialty, practice setting, and employment arrangements are included.
Geropharmacology: An Individualized Approach
Authors: Wright Gwen
Published: May 2007

Pharmacologic care of the elderly is a multifaceted problem. This article approaches geropharmacology from an individualized perspective. The practitioner should plan and prescribe health care for the aged, with a knowledge of physiologic changes in the elderly, an understanding of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms of iatrogenic drug reactions, and an awareness of the social and ethical issues related to geropharmacology.
Adolescent Health Concerns: A Comparison of Adolescent and Health Care Provider Perceptions
Authors: Kowpak Marcine
Published: May 2007

The purpose of this study was to ascertain adolescent perceptions of health concerns and to contrast the health care provider perceptions of adolescent concerns. The student sample consisted of 179 students from the 9th, 10th, and 11th grade in a 2,000‐student suburban high school. The health care provider sample consisted of 74 physicians, nurse practitioners, and school nurses.

The largest number of students reported concerns about AIDS, schoolwork, making friends, sex, discrimination, and dental problems. Additionally, menstruation, violence, rape, abuse, pregnancy, sadness, and obesity were of concern to a greater number of female than male students. Homosexuality, sex, auto accidents, and low weight were of concern to a greater number of male than female students.

The findings of this study support the following conclusions: (a) Adolescents have more diverse health concerns with greater magnitude than expected by health care providers; (b) health care providers underestimate adolescent psychological and social health concerns; (c) female adolescents were more concerned about their health and more concerned about gender‐specific and violent issues than males; (d) women's health care providers are unaware of female adolescent concern about violent acts against women.
Controlling the Spread of Varicella Zoster in the Hospitalized Patient
Authors: Gerner Hope Miles , Staab Angela Simon , Ivey Faye Dalton , Robinson Edward N.
Published: May 2007

In the health care setting, knowledge of communicable diseases is critical in the prevention of transmission. Communicable diseases transmitted by the respiratory route pose several difficult problems for control. One such disease, frequently overlooked in adults, because it is considered a childhood disease, is varicella zoster (chickenpox). Recognition of the disease and knowledge about its epidemiology, control, treatment, and follow‐up care are necessary for the health care provider to prevent the spread of disease.
The Games of Politics
Authors: Dempster Judith S.
Published: May 2007

Understanding and learning to play the games of politics can increase the political efficiency of nurse practitioners (NPs) and assist them in advancing their roles and functioning in the crowded health care arena. One framework that can be applied to the political process is Allison's Governmental Political Model. Allison's model approaches the process of politics as competitive games. This article presents Allison's political model and demonstrates how understanding and learning to play political games has potential to promote NP political effectiveness.
Pharmacology Education and the Acquisition of Prescriptive Authority
Authors: Fullerton Judith T. , Pickwell Sheila
Published: May 2007

A 30‐hour pharmacology course designed for master's of science in nursing nurse practitioner (NP) students was made available to community NPs as a continuing education (CE) offering to assist them in meeting new state requirements for prescribing authority. Fifty‐seven of 74 course graduates responded to a survey conducted 1 to 4 years after they completed the course. Responses showed that most NPs in clinical practice did initiate orders for drug therapy, although only 11 had obtained prescriptive authority. No differences in drug prescribing patterns were found between master's‐ and non‐master's‐prepared NPs, or between NPs who received pharmacology content while enrolled in the basic graduate program or a CE course.
Nominations for Excellence: Collegial Advocacy for Nurse Practitioners
Authors: Hanson Charlene M. , Hodnicki Donna R. , Boyle Joyceen S.
Published: May 2007

This study examined physician nomination data submitted for Syntex Nurse Practitioner of the Year Awards for 1988, 1989, and 1990. The physicians identified nurse practitioner contributions to patient care, community service/outreach, and education and research. A content analysis of the text data yielded themes within four major domains that described outstanding nurse practitioners in mutual practice relationships with physicians. The domains were clinical expertise, holistic caring, patient‐centered activism, and leadership. The findings in this study indicated that physicians value the contributions of nurse practitioners that enhance the quality and scope of health care for patients within a mutual practice.
Diagnosing and Managing Unstable Angina
Authors:   Angina Guideline Panel
Published: May 2007

This Quick Reference Guide for Clinicians contains recommendations on the care of patients with unstable angina based on a combination of evidence obtained through extensive literature reviews and consensus among members of a private‐sector, expert panel. Many patients suspected of having unstable angina can be discharged home after adequate initial evaluation. Further outpatient evaluation may be scheduled for up to 72 hours after initial presentation for patients with clinical symptoms of unstable angina judged at initial evaluation to be at low risk for complications. Patients with acute ischemic heart disease judged to be at intermediate or high risk of complications should be hospitalized for careful monitoring of their clinical course. Intravenous thrombolytic therapy should not be administered to patients without evidence of acute myocardial infarction. Assessment of prognosis by noninvasive testing often aids selection of appropriate therapy. Coronary angiography is appropriate for patients judged to be at high risk for cardiac complications or death based on their clinical course or results of noninvasive testing. Coronary artery bypass surgery should be recommended for almost all patients with left main disease and many patients with three‐vessel disease, especially those with left ventricular dysfunction. The discharge care plan should include continued monitoring of symptoms; appropriate drug therapy, including aspirin; risk‐factor modification; and counseling.

This guideline describes principles of patient care derived from systematic analysis of scientific literature and from opinions of the expert panel when evidence was lacking. Diagnostic and management strategies recommended are as reasonable and safe as possible, given the current state of medical knowledge. Descriptions of usual approaches to care are expected to provide starting points for management of individual patients. However, adherence to this or any other guideline will not ensure perfect medical outcomes. Even the most careful application of current medical knowledge and procedures cannot eliminate all risk in the management of patients with unstable angina. This Quick Reference Guide for Clinicians contains excerpts from the Clinical Practice Guideline, Unstable Angina: Diagnosis and Management. Practitioners should review the Clinical Practice Guideline carefully to become familiar with the diagnosis and treatment options for patients with unstable angina and then use the Quick Reference Guide to help them remember major decision points.
The Role of the Nurse Practitioner in Promoting Sexuality in the Institutionalized Elderly
Authors: Lyder Courtney H.
Published: May 2007

This article examines sexuality in the institutionalized elderly. It also reviews current research on nursing home staff members and their perceptions of sexuality in nursing homes. Interventions by the nurse practitioner to promote sexuality in nursing homes are explored. Recommendations for future research are discussed.
Nurse Practitioners: Need for and Willingness to Hire as Viewed by Nurse Administrators, Nurse Practitioners, and Physicians
Authors: Louis Margaret , Sabo Carolyn E.
Published: May 2007

The problem investigated in this project was the identification of need for and desire to hire nurse practitioners in a rural western state. Participants included licensed nurse practitioners, nurse administrators of licensed agencies, and licensed physicians in the state of Nevada. The survey examined the participant groups' views of the need for and their desire to hire nurse practitioners. The findings showed differences among the groups in relation to their education levels and whether they were practicing in rural or urban areas. The most pronounced finding was the indicated need for more information related to the role and functions of nurse practitioners before hiring them. Recommendations for future study are also included.
Choosing an Antibiotic
Authors: Fitzgerald Margaret
Published: May 2007

This article marks the beginning of a regular feature in the Journal. “Pharmacologic Highlights” will provide information an the latest in pharmacologic intervention, as well as stressing the importance of appropriate use of “tried and true” standard pharmacologic products. Reader input is most welcome. If you have suggestions for topics to be covered in this column or wish to contribute to this column, please contact Column Editor Margaret Fitzgerald (Simmons College, C‐216, 300 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115‐5898).
Leadership Development: Educating Nurse Practitioners for the Future
Authors: Busen Nancy H. , Jones Mary Elaine
Published: May 2007

The development of leadership potential is recognized to be an essential component of nurse practitioner education to prepare graduates for a dynamic health care system, Leadership potential refers to those skills that enable a nurse practitioner to function as a change agent and to effectively resolve conflict. The purpose of the study was to examine personal variables (personality type, self‐esteem, and learning style) with respect to the leadership potential of pediatric nurse practitioner graduates over a 3‐year period. The research study was descriptive, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The subjects consisted of 21 female students who completed five instruments used to measure the relationships between variables and leadership potential Significant results were found between those students who learned abstractly and the ability to function effectively as a change agent post‐program.
Raynaud's Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Authors: Hodges Heidi
Published: May 2007

Raynaud's disease is a common vasospastic disorder affecting the digits of both hands. Women are most commonly affected. This disorder occurs in two forms: Raynaud's disease and Raynaud's phenomenon. Raynaud's phenomenon is associated with a secondary etiology, most commonly scleroderma. Symptoms may precede the onset of connective tissue disease by a number of years. The pathophysiology, differential diagnosis, recommendations for referral, and treatment of Raynaud's disease are presented. A protocol for use by the nurse practitioner in the primary care setting is provided.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Authors: Belmonte Kathleen
Published: May 2007

The incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) appears to be increasing since the advent of computers in the workplace. People performing repetitive wrist movements over periods of time appear to be at particular risk for this syndrome. Prevention of this common entrapment neuropathy can increase the productivity of the workplace as well as avoid needless human suffering. Nurse practitioners play a key role in the education of the client who is at risk, and in the diagnosis and treatment of CTS itself. The author addresses these issues in this overview of diagnosis, treatment, and education of the client with CTS.
An Ethnographic Assessment of an Academic Nursing Center
Authors: Adams Jeanette , Kotarba Joseph A. , Wardell Diane , Sherwood Gwenn , Engebretson Joan , Salmon Lynette
Published: May 2007

Establishment of nursing centers is one of the most important and most exciting trends in the profession of nursing. Nurse practitioners have been taking the lead in the management and staffing of nursing centers. The purpose of this study was to provide a description and an analysis of an academic nursing center. Through a series of observations and interviews, an interdisciplinary team investigated the history and organizational development of the center; the everyday delivery of services; staffing; and participants' assessment of the efficiency and quality of its services and recommendations for improving the services provided in the examined nursing center.
Nurse Practitioner Descriptions for Primary Care Centers: Opportunities for Ownership
Authors: Sherwood Gwen D.
Published: May 2007

The drastic shift in health care delivery and the accompanying emphasis on health care outcomes has contributed to a rapid proliferation of nurse practitioner services. Prepared as advanced practice nurses with specific assessment skills, primary care nurse practitioners have the opportunity to be participant players rather than observers in business negotiations. To gain a market share of the expanding field, these nurses must assert their position on establishing primary care centers. This qualitative study focused on nurse practitioner descriptions of their needs in a university primary care group practice. Four major response patterns, Vision, Structure, Incentives, and Significance, were clarified by multiple themes defined by explanatory elements for a research‐based topology to guide nurse practitioners and schools into positions of ownership of primary care centers in interdisciplinary partnerships.
Restrictive Practice Environment and Nurse Practitioners' Prescriptive Authority
Authors: Pan Shihua , Straub LaVonne A. , Geller Jack M.
Published: May 2007

This study analyzes the impacts of several variables, including a restrictive practice environment, on a nurse practitioner's level of autonomy with respect to prescribing selected categories of medicines. A general linear model is applied to data from the 1992 national sample of nurse practitioners. Results show that among the significant independent variables, a restrictive environment of imposed state laws and regulations reduces nurse practitioners' level of autonomy in prescribing medications and acts as a barrier to their practicing to full potential. Results and policy implications are discussed.
Family Stress Theory: Implications for Family Health
Authors: Robinson Denise L.
Published: May 2007

The Resiliency Model of Family Stress, Adjustment and Adaptation explains variations in how families respond to stressful situations and crisis. Key concepts of the model and supporting research are presented. Suggestions for ways to use the Resiliency Model in practice are provided. This article demonstrates the value of theory‐based nurse practitioner practice by describing how assessment and interventions based on the Resiliency Model can assist the family nurse practitioner in supporting and guiding a family in crisis.
Development of a Competency‐Based Curriculum for Training Women in Breast Self‐Examination Skills
Authors: Leight Susan Bragg , Leslie Nan S.
Published: May 2007

It is expected that there will be 178,700 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in American women during 1998. This corresponds to a new breast cancer diagnosis every 3 minutes. In the absence of any preventive measures at this time, control of breast cancer morbidity and mortality must be sought through early detection and treatment. A competency‐based training curriculum in breast self‐examination was developed that incorporated three specific skill components: a systematic pattern of search; palpation topography discrimination training; and use of appropriate finger pressure for examination. A computer‐assisted breast model was built and piloted for use in this study. The design, implementation, and validation of this program as a platform to train women and advanced practice nurses in breast self‐examination is described.
Risk factors associated with allergic and non‐allergic asthma in adolescents
Authors: Janson Christer , Kalm‐Stephens Pia , Foucard Tony , Alving Kjell , Nordvall S. Lennart
Published: May 2007

Introduction:  Risk factors for asthma have been investigated in a large number of studies in adults and children, with little progress in the primary and secondary prevention of asthma.

The aim of this investigation was to investigate risk factors associated with allergic and non‐allergic asthma in adolescents.

Methods:  In this study, 959 schoolchildren (13–14 years old) answered a questionnaire and performed exhaled nitric oxide (NO) measurements. All children (n = 238) with reported asthma, asthma‐related symptoms and/or increased NO levels were invited to a clinical follow‐up which included a physician evaluation and skin‐prick testing.

Results:  Asthma was diagnosed in 96 adolescents, whereof half had allergic and half non‐allergic asthma. Children with both allergic and non‐allergic asthma had a significantly higher body mass index (BMI) (20.8 and 20.7 vs. 19.8 kg/m2) (p < 0.05) and a higher prevalence of parental asthma (30% and 32% vs. 16%) (p < 0.05). Early‐life infection (otitis and croup) [adjusted odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 1.99 (1.02–3.88) and 2.80 (1.44–5.42), respectively], pets during the first year of life [2.17 (1.16–4.04)], window pane condensation [2.45 (1.11–5.40)] and unsatisfactory school cleaning [(2.50 (1.28–4.89)] was associated with non‐allergic but not with allergic asthma.

Conclusion:  This study indicates the importance of distinguishing between subtypes of asthma when assessing the effect of different risk factors. While the risk of both allergic and non‐allergic asthma increased with increasing BMI, associations between early‐life and current environmental exposure were primarily found in relation to non‐allergic asthma.

Please cite this paper as: Janson C, Kalm‐Stephens P, Foucard T, Alving, K and Nordvall SL. Risk factors associated with allergic and non‐allergic asthma in adolescents. The Clinical Respiratory Journal 2007;1:16–22.
Superoxide dismutase mimetic tempol inhibits hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in rats independently of nitric oxide production
Authors: Hodyc Daniel , Šnorek Michal , Brtnický Tomáš , Herget Jan
Published: May 2007

Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV), an important physiological mechanism, is regulated by changes in the production of and interactions among reactive oxygen species (ROS). There is controversy, however, over whether HPV is mediated by an increase or a decrease in ROS production. Also, the role of NO in HPV remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the inhibition of HPV by the antioxidant tempol was dependent on the concentration of NO, and how its effect was influenced by increased basal pulmonary vascular tone. In isolated rat lungs, we measured vasoconstrictor responses to acute ventilatory hypoxia before and after administration of tempol during perfusion with or without l‐NAME. We found that tempol abolished HPV independently of NO production. When we increased basal vascular tone by K+‐induced depolarization, we also found that tempol completely inhibited HPV. Our results indicate that inhibition of HPV by the superoxide dismutase mimetic tempol does not depend on either NO production or a decrease in basal vascular tone.
Viral Abundance, Decay, and Diversity in the Meso- and Bathypelagic Waters of the North Atlantic
Authors: Parada Verónica , Sintes Eva , van Aken Hendrik M. , Weinbauer Markus G. , Herndl Gerhard J.
Published: May 2007

To elucidate the potential importance of deep-water viruses in controlling the meso- and bathypelagic picoplankton community, the abundance, decay rate, and diversity of the virioplankton community were determined in the meso- and bathypelagic water masses of the eastern part of the subtropical North Atlantic. Viral abundance averaged 1.4 × 10
6
ml
−1
at around 100 m of depth and decreased only by a factor of 2 at 3,000 to 4,000 m of depth. In contrast, picoplankton abundance decreased by 1 order of magnitude to the Lower Deep Water (LDW; 3,500- to 5,000-m depth). The virus-to-picoplankton ratio increased from 9 at about 100 m of depth to 110 in the LDW. Mean viral decay rates were 3.5 × 10
−3
h
−1
between 900 m and 2,750 m and 1.1 × 10
−3
h
−1
at 4,000 m of depth, corresponding to viral turnover times of 11 and 39 days, respectively. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis fingerprints obtained from the viral community between 2,400 m and 4,000 m of depth revealed a maximum of only four bands from 4,000 m of depth. Based on the high viral abundance and the low picoplankton production determined via leucine incorporation, we conclude that the viral production calculated from the viral decay is insufficient to maintain the high viral abundance in the deep North Atlantic. Rather, we propose that substantial allochthonous viral input or lysogenic or pseudolysogenic production is required to maintain the high viral abundance detected in the meso- and bathypelagic North Atlantic. Consequently, deep-water prokaryotes are apparently far less controlled in their abundance and taxon richness by lytic prokaryotic phages than the high viral abundance and the virus-to-picoplankton ratio would suggest.
Unexpected Mechanism of Symbiont-Induced Reversal of Insect Sex: Feminizing
Wolbachia
Continuously Acts on the Butterfly
Eurema hecabe
during Larval Development
Authors: Narita Satoko , Kageyama Daisuke , Nomura Masashi , Fukatsu Takema
Published: May 2007

When the butterfly
Eurema hecabe
is infected with two different strains (
w
HecCI2 and
w
HecFem2) of the bacterial endosymbiont
Wolbachia
, genetic males are transformed into functional females, resulting in production of all-female broods. In an attempt to understand how and when the
Wolbachia
endosymbiont feminizes genetically male insects, larval insects were fed an antibiotic-containing diet beginning at different developmental stages until pupation. When the adult insects emerged, strikingly, many of them exhibited sexually intermediate traits in their wings, reproductive organs, and genitalia. The expression of intersexual phenotypes was strong in the insects treated from first instar, moderate in the insects treated from third instar, and weak in the insects treated from fourth instar. The insects treated from early larval instar grew and pupated normally but frequently failed to emerge and died in the pupal case. The dead insects in the pupal case contained lower densities of the feminizing
Wolbachia
endosymbiont than the successfully emerged insects, although none of them were completely cured of the symbiont infection. These results suggest the following: (i) the antibiotic treatment suppressed the population of feminizing
Wolbachia
endosymbionts; (ii) the suppression probably resulted in attenuated feminizing activity of the symbiont, leading to expression of intersexual host traits; (iii) many of the insects suffered pupal mortality, possibly due to either intersexual defects or
Wolbachia
-mediated addiction; and hence (iv) the feminizing
Wolbachia
endosymbiont continuously acts on the host insects during larval development for expression of female phenotypes under a male genotype. Our finding may prompt reconsideration of the notion that
Wolbachia
-induced reproductive manipulations are already complete before the early embryonic stage and provide insights into the mechanism underlying the symbiont-induced reversal of insect sex.
Probiotics Affect Virulence-Related Gene Expression in
Escherichia coli
O157:H7
Authors: Medellin-Peña Maira Jessica , Wang Haifeng , Johnson Roger , Anand Sanjeev , Griffiths Mansel W.
Published: May 2007

The attachment of enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 (EHEC O157) to host intestinal epithelial cells is essential for the development of hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome in humans. Genes involved in attachment are carried within a pathogenicity island named the locus of enterocyte effacement (
LEE
), known to be directly activated by quorum sensing (QS). In the present study, we investigated autoinducer-2 (AI-2) production and the expression of several virulence-related genes in EHEC O157 grown in the absence and presence of a
Lactobacillus acidophilus
-secreted molecule(s). Transcription of important EHEC O157 virulence-related genes was studied by constructing promoter-reporter fusions and reverse transcriptase PCR. Shiga toxin (Stx) production was assayed by an enzyme immunoassay. When EHEC O157 was grown in the presence of chromatographically selected fractions of
L. acidophilus
La-5 cell-free spent medium, we observed a significant reduction of both extracellular AI-2 concentration and the expression of important virulence-related genes, although no significant difference in Stx production was observed. We show here that
L. acidophilus
La-5 secretes a molecule(s) that either acts as a QS signal inhibitor or directly interacts with bacterial transcriptional regulators, controlling the transcription of EHEC O157 genes involved in colonization.
Effective Heat Inactivation of
Mycobacterium avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
in Raw Milk Contaminated with Naturally Infected Feces
Authors: Rademaker Jan L. W. , Vissers Marc M. M. , te Giffel Meike C.
Published: May 2007

The effectiveness of high-temperature, short holding time (HTST) pasteurization and homogenization with respect to inactivation of
Mycobacterium avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
was evaluated quantitatively. This allowed a detailed determination of inactivation kinetics. High concentrations of feces from cows with clinical symptoms of Johne's disease were used to contaminate raw milk in order to realistically mimic possible incidents most closely. Final
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
concentrations varying from 10
2
to 3.5 × 10
5
cells per ml raw milk were used. Heat treatments including industrial HTST were simulated on a pilot scale with 22 different time-temperature combinations, including 60 to 90°C at holding (mean residence) times of 6 to 15 s. Following 72°C and a holding time of 6 s, 70°C for 10 and 15 s, or under more stringent conditions, no viable
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
cells were recovered, resulting in >4.2- to >7.1-fold reductions, depending on the original inoculum concentrations. Inactivation kinetic modeling of 69 quantitative data points yielded an

E
a

of 305,635 J/mol and an ln
k
0
of 107.2, corresponding to a
D
value of 1.2 s at 72°C and a
Z
value of 7.7°C. Homogenization did not significantly affect the inactivation. The conclusion can be drawn that HTST pasteurization conditions equal to 15 s at ≥72°C result in a more-than-sevenfold reduction of
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
.
Identification of the Biosynthetic Gene Cluster and an Additional Gene for Resistance to the Antituberculosis Drug Capreomycin
Authors: Felnagle Elizabeth A. , Rondon Michelle R. , Berti Andrew D. , Crosby Heidi A. , Thomas Michael G.
Published: May 2007

Capreomycin (CMN) belongs to the tuberactinomycin family of nonribosomal peptide antibiotics that are essential components of the drug arsenal for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Members of this antibiotic family target the ribosomes of sensitive bacteria and disrupt the function of both subunits of the ribosome. Resistance to these antibiotics in
Mycobacterium
species arises due to mutations in the genes coding for the 16S or 23S rRNA but can also arise due to mutations in a gene coding for an rRNA-modifying enzyme, TlyA. While
Mycobacterium
species develop resistance due to alterations in the drug target, it has been proposed that the CMN-producing bacterium,
Saccharothrix mutabilis
subsp.
capreolus
, uses CMN modification as a mechanism for resistance rather than ribosome modification. To better understand CMN biosynthesis and resistance in
S. mutabilis
subsp.
capreolus
, we focused on the identification of the CMN biosynthetic gene cluster in this bacterium. Here, we describe the cloning and sequence analysis of the CMN biosynthetic gene cluster from
S. mutabilis
subsp.
capreolus
ATCC 23892. We provide evidence for the heterologous production of CMN in the genetically tractable bacterium
Streptomyces lividans
1326. Finally, we present data supporting the existence of an additional CMN resistance gene. Initial work suggests that this resistance gene codes for an rRNA-modifying enzyme that results in the formation of CMN-resistant ribosomes that are also resistant to the aminoglycoside antibiotic kanamycin. Thus,
S. mutabilis
subsp.
capreolus
may also use ribosome modification as a mechanism for CMN resistance.
Glutathione Reductase from
Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis
DSM20451
T
: Contribution to Oxygen Tolerance and Thiol Exchange Reactions in Wheat Sourdoughs
Authors: Jänsch André , Korakli Maher , Vogel Rudi F. , Gänzle Michael G.
Published: May 2007

The effect of the glutathione reductase (GshR) activity of
Lactobacillus sanfranciscensis
DSM20451
T
on the thiol levels in fermented sourdoughs was determined, and the oxygen tolerance of the strain was also determined. The
gshR
gene coding for a putative GshR was sequenced and inactivated by single-crossover integration to yield strain
L. sanfranciscensis
DSM20451
T
Δ
gshR
. The gene disruption was verified by sequencing the truncated
gshR
and surrounding regions on the chromosome. The
gshR
activity of
L. sanfranciscensis
DSM20451
T
Δ
gshR
was strongly reduced compared to that of the wild-type strain, demonstrating that
gshR
indeed encodes an active GshR enzyme. The thiol levels in wheat doughs fermented with
L. sanfranciscensis
DSM20451 increased from 9 μM to 10.5 μM sulfhydryl/g of dough during a 24-h sourdough fermentation, but in sourdoughs fermented with
L. sanfranciscensis
DSM20451
T
Δ
gshR
and in chemically acidified doughs, the thiol levels decreased to 6.5 to 6.8 μM sulfhydryl/g of dough. Remarkably, the GshR-negative strains
Lactobacillus pontis
LTH2587 and
Lactobacillus reuteri
BR11 exerted effects on thiol levels in dough comparable to those of
L. sanfranciscensis
. In addition to the effect on thiol levels in sourdough, the loss of GshR activity in
L. sanfranciscensis
DSM20451
T
Δ
gshR
resulted in a loss of oxygen tolerance. The
gshR
mutant strain exhibited a strongly decreased aerobic growth rate on modified MRS medium compared to either the growth rate under anaerobic conditions or that of the wild-type strain, and aerobic growth was restored by the addition of cysteine. Moreover, the
gshR
mutant strain was more sensitive to the superoxide-generating agent paraquat.