bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenology of a northern hardwood forest canopy
Authors: RICHARDSON ANDREW D. , BAILEY AMEY SCHENCK , DENNY ELLEN G. , MARTIN C. WAYNE , O'KEEFE JOHN
Published: May 2006

While commonplace in other parts of the world, long‐term and ongoing observations of the phenology of native tree species are rare in North America. We use 14 years of field survey data from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest to fit simple models of canopy phenology for three northern hardwood species, sugar maple (Acer saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis). These models are then run with historical meteorological data to investigate potential climate change effects on phenology. Development and senescence are quantified using an index that ranges from 0 (dormant, no leaves) to 4 (full, green canopy). Sugar maple is the first species to leaf out in the spring, whereas American beech is the last species to drop its leaves in the fall. Across an elevational range from 250 to 825 m ASL, the onset of spring is delayed by 2.7±0.4 days for every 100 m increase in elevation, which is in reasonable agreement with Hopkin's law. More than 90% of the variation in spring canopy development, and just slightly less than 90% of the variation in autumn canopy senescence, is accounted for by a logistic model based on accumulated degree‐days. However, degree‐day based models fit to Hubbard Brook data appear to overestimate the rate at which spring development occurs at the more southerly Harvard Forest. Autumn senescence at the Harvard Forest can be predicted with reasonable accuracy in sugar maple but not American beech. Retrospective modeling using five decades (1957–2004) of Hubbard Brook daily mean temperature data suggests significant trends (P≤0.05) towards an earlier spring (e.g. sugar maple, rate of change=0.18 days earlier/yr), consistent with other studies documenting measurable climate change effects on the onset of spring in both North America and Europe. Our results also suggest that green canopy duration has increased by about 10 days (e.g. sugar maple, rate of change=0.21 days longer/yr) over the period of study.
Caring and nursing: a dilemma
Authors: Radsma Jenny
Published: May 2006

The history of caring is intertwined with the history of women and thus with nursing Although nurses have a professional mandate to provide care, the significance, meaning and function of care and caring remains undefined and intangible within nursing Many factors contribute to a dilemma that requires the professional responsibility to care while withholding recognition from those who provide such care Caring is often hailed as the hallmark of nursing This paper considers some of the questions and permutations related to the concept of caring in nursing
Physical health status in young subjects after colectomy: an application of the Roy model
Authors: Brydolf Marianne , Segesten Kerstin
Published: May 2006

The aim of this study was to describe the long‐term physical health status after colectomy in 30 young subjects with ulcerative colitis, 11 of whom had ileostomies The subjects, aged between 14 and 31 years of age, were assessed post‐operatively for their physical health status In assessing physiological adaptation in these subjects four basic needs were the foci nutrition, elimination, activity and rest, and protection Adaptation problems related to nutrition, elimination, activity/rest and protection were found in four, 17, 17 and three subjects respectively Nine out of 30 had pain that influenced their daily life Six out of 30 subjects had no adaptation problems at all Nineteen subjects found their health to be‘excellent’or‘good’despite the adaptation problems reported
Nurses’attitudes towards termination of pregnancy
Authors: Marshall Sara L , Gould Dinah , Roberts Julia
Published: May 2006

This questionnaire study (n = 84) investigated several aspects of the attitudes of nurses of various grades and clinical settings towards termination of pregnancy (TOP) The majority of nurses had attitudes which lay within the undecided to positive range of the continuum, similar to findings from previous North American and British research Very few were found to have extremely positive or negative attitudes Several factors were significantly associated with negative attitudes towards TOP frequency of involvement in TOP, length of time spent working on a gynaecology ward, religious affiliation, and ethnicity Some discrepancy in nurses’attitudes was found with respect to both the length of a woman's gestation and the circumstances for which the procedure was being performed In view of these findings, the implications for nursing practice are discussed
Family burden in chronic mental illness: a review of research studies
Authors: Loukissa Dimitra A
Published: May 2006

Early research has established that burden exists and has identified certain behaviours of mentally ill relatives that family members find most distressing Further research has confirmed the accuracy of the early work and has focused on the severity of mental illness Recent research has stressed the importance of social support in the study of caregiver burden This paper explores the research literature that covers the concept of caregiver burden in the area of mental illness and also presents developed instruments for the study of caregiver burden
Some reflections on the use of repertory grid technique in studies of nurses and social workers
Authors: Rawlinson John W
Published: May 2006

This paper discusses the repertory grid technique, from its development by George Kelly as a means of demonstrating cognitive/perceptual systems in individuals, as postulated in his Personal Construct Theory, to its use in studies in nursing and social work The original concept having focused on the uniqueness of, and differences between, individuals' perceptions of the world, in recent years it has been applied to the examination of characteristics within groups The theoretical basis for this is discussed, with reference to a selection of studies of nurses and social workers, including a small comparative study of psychiatric nurses, general nurses and social workers The degree to which the findings of these studies may be generalized is discussed In retrospect, some of the applications are considered to be outside the paradigm of the Personal Construct Theory which underlies the repertory grid technique
From psychiatric science to folk psychology: an ordinary‐language model of the mind for mental health nurses
Authors: Holdsworth Nicholas
Published: May 2006

In this paper it is argued that, if mental health nurses are to integrate the skills necessary to accomplish the diverse tasks that compnse their professional role, then what is required is a conception of mind independent of any particular paradigm in the biophysical and psychosocial sciences This is proposed as a necessary condition of articulating the professional autonomy of mental health nurses A four‐part model of mental functioning is presented and developed, drawing on the ordinary language of folk psychology Objections to this strategy are anticipated and answered The utility of the model is demonstrated by deploying it to analyse emotional states and to show how subjective experience is a necessary component of mental ill‐health, which is why empathie understanding is a necessary skill for mental health nurses Finally, the major research paradigms associated with scientific approaches to the care and treatment of mental ill‐health are aligned with the elements of the model to demonstrate the potential of that model for clarifying the rationale of theoretically divergent treatment approaches for the benefit of both nurses and their clients It is emphasized that the proposed model is ‘theory’ only in the weak sense of being a ‘systematic account’ of the mental life
Nursing as an emerging academic discipline
Authors: Oldnall Andrew S
Published: May 2006

During the past decade nurse theorists and educationalists have been attempting to establish nursing as an academic discipline Nurse education is rapidly moving away from monotechnic colleges of nursing into institutes of higher education This paper presents a discussion of some of the issues associated with the emergence of nursing as an academic discipline The definition of a discipline is ambiguous and, although nursing may be said to exhibit some of the desired elements required to be classified as a discipline, it is apparent that many of these elements have not been developed sufficiently Many attempts have been made to classify nursing as ‘art’ or ‘science’ or a combination of the two Nursing epistemologists, educationalists and practitioners appear unable to determine the essence and uniqueness of nursing in order to inform practice, which is still heavily weighted toward the established academic disciplines If nursing is to survive in the echelons of higher education and gain respect as an emerging academic discipline, these recurring arguments need to be resolved
A critical reflection on the personal impact of managerial hegemony within nurse education
Authors: Gordon Neil Scott , Wimpenny Peter
Published: May 2006

This paper, written by two male nurse teachers, describes and analyses their experience of working in a nurse education culture permeated by the philosophy of business management The introduction of business management practices to nurse education is discussed as a reflection of the current political hegemony of market forces and individualism The authors discuss the implications for nurse teachers of being continually exposed to these politically motivated forces which increasingly provide the paradigm for service developments within the United Kingdom health services In discussing the impact of this exposure it is argued that at the personal level individual teachers are experiencing a degree of apathy and personal dissonance which undermines their professional value system, resulting in emotional distress and a crisis of identity It provides a critical reflection on the way organizational dynamics and power relations influence the subjective sense‐making of individuals The authors use a multiplicity of perspectives, including those provided by individual psychology, power relations, feminism and personhood, to argue for the need to develop an alternative paradigm which is characterized by the valuing of individual persons, empathic sensitivity and the fostering of creativity been important to us from a personal and professional
Information needs and sources of information for women with breast cancer: a follow‐up study
Authors: Luker Karen A , Beaver Kinta , Lemster Samuel J , Owens R Glynn
Published: May 2006

This paper reports a study which examined the specific information needs and sources of information for 105 women with breast cancer at two time points, the time of diagnosis and a mean of 21 months from diagnosis At diagnosis the priority information needs concerned survival issues Further from diagnosis survival issues were still a concern, but information about the risk to family members of getting breast cancer showed a significant increase in importance Information about sexual attractiveness was ranked last at both the newly diagnosed and follow‐up stages Information sources at the time of diagnosis centred around the specialist breast care service, while further from diagnosis few professional or voluntary sector sources were utilized, with women receiving most of their information from media sources such as women's magazines The relevance of these findings for nurses and other health care professionals is discussed
Perceptions of physical fitness and exercise activity among older adults
Authors: Melillo Karen Devereaux , Futrell May , Williamson Eileen , Chamberlain Claire , Bourque Anne Marie , MacDonnell Marilyn , Phaneuf Julie P
Published: May 2006

The purpose of this research was to examine older adults' perceptions of physical fitness and exercise This qualitative study was divided into four stages as described by Berg (1989) identification of the concept of the study, development of the interview guide, collection of data, and data analysis Twenty‐three older adults, aged 63–82 years (9 females, 14 males), participated in the interviews Transcripts were analysed using content analysis Three major themes emerged as the participants viewed physical fitness in terms of functional independence (‘being able to do’), holism (‘mmd‐body works together’), and age reference (‘for people my age’) Nine elements which impeded or enhanced physical activity were identified Implications for education, research and practice are discussed
The research basis of health care decision making
Authors: Ingram Nigel
Published: May 2006

Regarding health care services, the decision‐making process occurs at three primary levels macro (national), mid‐range (hospital) and micro (individual practitioner) The research basis for this process at each of these levels is briefly discussed, with an emphasis concerning which type of data is and/or should be utilized The paradigm assumptions behind data generation are also explored with reference to methodologies which seek to combine different types of data The nursing profession, within the changing structure of the NHS, needs to take account of data generation if it is to play an active research role, and therefore be able to influence the health care decision‐making process
Abortion: the antithesis of womanhood?
Authors: Timpson Joanne
Published: May 2006

The debate regarding the practice and role of abortion has been an enduring and problematic area of discourse within the nursing literature, with a tendency towards a polarized and inevitably simplistic analysis of what, for many practitioners, women and families, remains a highly complex and morally fraught concept This paper attempts to explore the concept of abortion from within a feminist epistemology, to present a review of the literature as regards women's reproductive health and responsibilities, and thereby to contribute to the process of better understanding the role of abortion within contemporary health care practice In order to facilitate the study it has been necessary to explore the wide spectrum of historical, philosophical, legal, moral and political imperatives pertaining to the meaning of abortion as represented within contemporary society, not only in relation to women and then‐reproductive health, but to feminism, women's well‐being and self‐determinismper se
Caring for a parent with Alzheimer's disease: process of daughter caregiver stress
Authors: McCarty Ellen F
Published: May 2006

This study aimed to explore the process of caregiver stress associated with the care of a parent with Alzheimer's disease, the perception of the relationship with the parent, the image of the caregiver role, and the contextual aspects of coping and social support relationships The grounded theory method was used to analyse the daughter caregiving process for 17 women Findings included substantive theory and 13 hypotheses This study provides an expanded awareness of the interrelationship between caregiver stress and the contextual aspects of social support, coping, and the nature of the prior filial relationship
Considering nursing resource as ‘caring time’
Authors: Milne Harry A , McWilliam Carol L
Published: May 2006

The present constrained economic climate faced by health care agencies underscores the need for nurse administrators to have an in‐depth appreciation of how nursing services are being used The purpose of this investigation was to increase the understanding of nursing as a resource Using phenomenological research methodology, the investigator purposefully selected six patients and a chain sample of 14 professionals responsible for their care, including nurses, nurse managers and physicians Data collection methods included in‐depth interviews, document reviews, and participant observation The inductive interpretation depicts the nature of nursing resource to be ‘caring time’ Caring was understood primarily in terms of time and was experienced by all participants as ‘spending time’ Caring time was spent through ‘being with’ and ‘doing to/doing for’ the patient Study participants experienced tension with regard to how best to spend precious ‘caring time’ Nursing resource was inextricably linked to both quantitative and qualitative expressions of nursing, and ‘being with’ patients was a highly valued, under‐allocated, and unintentionally provided component of nursing resource The researcher concluded that nursing administrators, nurse managers and practitioners all have leadership roles to play in achieving recognition, allocation and promotion of caring time within their agencies
Adjustment and social behaviour in older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the family's perspective
Authors: Leidy Nancy Kline , Traver Gayle A
Published: May 2006

This study employed secondary data analysis to explore family perceptions of adjustment and social behaviour in older adults (n = 51) with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their relationship to published norms and patient self‐report According to the Katz Adjustment Scale for Relatives, these COPD patients had significantly higher levels of belligerence, negativism, helplessness, withdrawal, psychopathology, nervousness and confusion than reports from relatives of older adults from the general population No differences were found in performance, expectation or dissatisfaction with socially expected activities, or performance of free‐time activities However, family members of COPD patients were significantly more dissatisfied with their relative's free‐time activities Although family perceptions of socially expected activities corresponded to patient descriptions of general and physical functioning (Sickness Impact Profile), patient perceptions of psychosocial functioning were independent of the family's The results supported the tenet that older adults with COPD have difficulties with adjustment that may adversely affect social relationships, but were not consistent with the belief that the performance of socially expected or free‐time activities is more impaired than in others of this age group The data also suggested there may be some perceptual discrepancy between family and patient views of social behaviour
Training hospice nurses to elicit patient concerns
Authors: Heaven Cathy M. , Maguire Peter
Published: May 2006

Patient assessment underpins every aspect of nursing care However, there is much evidence to suggest that many nurses lack the skills necessary to communicate effectively with their patients, and so assess their individual problems and concerns Communication studies to date have been descriptive, or have concentrated on acquisition of skills without addressing the impact this has on patient care This paper reviews a study of 44 hospice nurses who were taught assessment skills It discusses the impact of training not only on their skill level, but also on their ability to elicit their patients’ concerns It concludes that simple skills training is insufficient to change clinical behaviour, and discusses other factors which should be addressed in future training programmes
‘Coffee & condoms’: the implementation of a sexual health programme in acute psychiatry in an inner city area
Authors: Woolf Lesley , Jackson Bernard
Published: May 2006

A sexual health programme was set up specifically to target mentally ill individuals, providing a distinct group of interventions designed to assist this specialist cohort in acquiring knowledge, skills, and attitudes that will directly contribute to their mental health The programme consisted of gender‐specific and mixed groups, a drop‐in service, condom provision and a full‐time programme coordinator Areas covered were safer‐sex, knowledge of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, assertiveness and practical skills of condom use Mental health nurses possessed the skills to offer sexual health advice to mentally ill individuals Mentally ill individuals were enthusiastic to attend groups, and were able to participate in the programme
The factors influencing organ donation: a review of the research
Authors: Gibson Vanessa
Published: May 2006

Transplantation of organs has become the treatment of choice for many conditions, yet there remains a worldwide shortage of donor organs This paper reviews the factors which influence organ procurement It concentrates on the public's and the professional's attitudes and examines the potential role research could play in overcoming these difficulties and thus increasing donor referrals
Exploring the process of data acquisition: methodological challenges encountered and strategies employed
Authors: Roberts Julia , While Alison E , Fitzpatrick Joanne
Published: May 2006

Data acquisition marks the first phase of the problem‐solving process Little research exists, however, on data acquisition amongst nurses despite its centrahty in the problem‐solving process In part, this is a reflection of the inherent challenges and difficulties posed by this area of research This paper discusses methodological issues raised during a recent study exploring the process of data acquisition amongst student nurses The research forms part of a larger comparative study of the outcomes of preregistration nurse education programmes, funded by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting
A study of nurses’ attitudes towards research: a factor analytic approach
Authors: Hicks Carolyn
Published: May 2006

Despite considerable top‐down pressure on nurses to undertake research, the available evidence suggests that relatively few nursing studies are submitted for publication Given the need to increase the degree to which research informs practice, this shortfall in output must of necessity constitute a cause for concern Therefore, it seems timely that a full‐scale investigation into the possible reasons for non‐submission is conducted This study, therefore, in an attempt to meet this aim, used factor analysis on the scores from an attitude‐to‐research scale completed by 230 nurses The results suggested that five coherent factors underpinned the sample's general attitudes to research These were labelled ‘nurses’ subjective barriers to research’, ‘organizational/structural barriers to research’, ‘doctors’ reactions to Nursing Research’, ‘health care professionals’ reactions to research’ and ‘impact of Nursing Research’ The variables clustering on two of these factors suggested a predictive relationship with two relevant outcome behaviours relating to research When this was tested, the predictions were supported, indicating that these factors could be used as a quick and simple screening tool to highlight individuals or groups of nurses who might benefit maximally from specific attitude change programmes In this way, it might be possible to increase Nursing Research activities and output
Virginia Henderson and her timeless writings*
Authors: Halloran Edward J
Published: May 2006

This paper provides a reflection on the written works of Miss Virginia Avenel Henderson Miss Henderson is a nurse, a scientist, an artist and a quintessential human being — all traits which informed her written output Nursing practice, research and education were all subjects of her extensive chronicle The four‐volume Nursing Studies Index is her contribution to nursing research The Index was sandwiched between two revisions of Principles and Practice of Nursing (5th and 6th eds), the placement of which caused the Index to focus on practice and the Principles (6th ed) to be based on research The sixth edition of Principles, written with Gladys Nite and 17 contributors, is considered the most important single professional document written in the twentieth century The book synthesizes nursing practice, education, theory and research in an age when many nurses are challenged by the seeming incongruity in these essential professional functions
Employed Mexican women as mothers and partners: valued, empowered and overloaded
Authors: Ibrahim Meleis Afaf , Douglas Marilyn K , Eribes Carmen , Shih Fujin , Messias DeAnne K
Published: May 2006

This study was designed to explore the daily lived experiences of a group of employed, low‐income Mexican women in their maternal and spousal roles The participants were 41 auxiliary nurses recruited from two large urban hospitals in Mexico Data were collected through the Women's Roles Interview Protocol (WRIP), which solicited the participants' perceptions of the satisfactions and stresses they experienced in then: roles as mothers and spouses, and their descriptions of the coping strategies and the resources they used to deal with stressful life experiences related to these roles Data analysis consisted of a qualitative thematic analysis of the narrative responses to open‐ended questions in the WRIP Satisfying aspects of the maternal and spousal roles, as identified by the participants, included giving to and receiving from their children and being valued and supported by their partners Spousal approval of their work was also satisfying These employed mothers, however, experienced many stressful aspects of functioning in multiple roles, including lack of resources, being absent from their children, self‐doubt about their maternal role functioning, role overload and spousal absences The women coped by juggling priorities and utilizing family resources From the data analysis, the investigators developed a conceptual framework for understanding these women's experiences with parenting and marriage The centrality of the family, a sense of value and empowerment as women in maternal and spousal roles, and the reality of role overload are discussed within the Mexican cultural
Terms of address: implications for nursing
Authors: Bowie Iain
Published: May 2006

Nurses are in a position of power over their clients Power is reflected by status and clients, like all other people, have status relative to their social situation Terms of address are one of the ways that status and solidarity are demonstrated They are selected on the basis of the perceived status of the nurse and client, and the solidarity of the relationship There is a tension between solidarity and status that can cause nurses to select inappropriate terms of address or referring pronouns The nurse may choose terms of address to increase solidarity in the relationship, for example, to show empathy with the client's apparent vulnerable condition By increasing solidarity the client's status may seem to be diminished Clients may have to submit to many invasive, painful, embarrassing or humiliating experiences at the nurse's request Many of these situations are beyond ordinary acceptable behaviour outside the clinical context Distress to clients is minimized if they retain as much control as possible and one way keeping a certain amount of control is by maintaining their status In making a selection of terms of address and pronouns, the nurse must consider the delicate nuances of the options available so that the status of the client is not compromised This paper discusses the options available in selecting terms of address and referring pronouns, and the sociological implications of those choices
A B‐lectin receptor kinase gene conferring rice blast resistance
Authors: Chen Xuewei , Shang Junjun , Chen Dexi , Lei Cailin , Zou Yan , Zhai Wenxue , Liu Guozhen , Xu Jichen , Ling Zhongzhuan , Cao Gang , Ma Bingtian , Wang Yuping , Zhao Xianfeng , Li Shigui , Zhu Lihuang
Published: May 2006

Rice blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe grisea, is one of the most devastating diseases in rice worldwide. The dominant resistance gene, Pi‐d2 [previously named Pi‐d(t)2], present in the rice variety Digu, confers gene‐for‐gene resistance to the Chinese blast strain, ZB15. Pi‐d2 was previously mapped close to the centromere of chromosome 6. In this study, the Pi‐d2 gene was isolated by a map‐based cloning strategy. Pi‐d2 encodes a receptor‐like kinase protein with a predicted extracellular domain of a bulb‐type mannose specific binding lectin (B‐lectin) and an intracellular serine–threonine kinase domain. Pi‐d2 is a single‐copy gene that is constitutively expressed in the rice variety Digu. Transgenic plants carrying the Pi‐d2 transgene confer race‐specific resistance to the M. grisea strain, ZB15. The Pi‐d2 protein is plasma membrane localized. A single amino acid difference at position 441 of Pi‐d2 distinguishes resistant and susceptible alleles of rice blast resistance gene Pi‐d2. Because of its novel extracellular domain, Pi‐d2 represents a new class of plant resistance genes.
Histological and genotypical characterization of feline cutaneous mycobacteriosis: a retrospective study of formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissues
Authors: Davies Jennifer L. , Sibley Jennifer A. , Myers Sherry , Clark Edward G. , Appleyard Greg D.
Published: May 2006

Twenty‐nine cases presumptively diagnosed as feline cutaneous mycobacteriosis were evaluated microscopically with haematoxylin and eosin and modified Fite's stained sections using archived formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissue specimens. Lesions were characterized histologically as feline leprosy (7 cases lepromatous and 16 cases tuberculoid) or atypical mycobacteriosis (3 cases); three cases did not fit these criteria and were classified as ‘miscellaneous’. Actinomycetales‐specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of variable regions 1, 2 and 3 of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and subsequent sequence analysis of the amplicons were performed to identify the species of mycobacteria associated with each case. Together, this study identified 10 different Actinomycetales organisms with greater than 98% nucleotide sequence identity to named species, nine were of the genus Mycobacterium and eight were associated with feline leprosy (both lepromatous and tuberculoid). Based on this study, we conclude that feline cutaneous mycobacteriosis should be considered as a syndrome with varied clinical and histological presentations associated with a variety of different Mycobacterium species, organisms other than Mycobacterium sp. may be associated with feline cutaneous mycobacteriosis lesions, and molecular diagnostic techniques can be an important tool for identifying agents associated with lesions of feline cutaneous mycobacteriosis.
Otoscopic, cytological, and microbiological examination of the equine external ear canal
Authors: Sargent Sandra J. , Frank Linda A. , Buchanan Benjamin R. , Donnell Robert L. , Morandi Federica
Published: May 2006

Otoscopic examination and cytology of the equine ear would be beneficial in diseases such as head trauma, headshaking, otitis externa secondary to otitis media, vestibular disease, aural neoplasia and aural pruritus secondary to parasites. In practice, otic examinations of horses are rarely done due to the perceived difficulty in visualizing the equine external ear canal and tympanic membrane, as well as the need for chemical restraint. In this study, the proximal external ear canal was examined in live horses using a handheld otoscope and in cadaver heads using video otoscopy. Visualization of the proximal ear canal of the sedated horse could be done with a handheld otoscope, but more sedation or general anaesthesia and a video otoscope would be required to adequately visualize the tympanic membrane in the live horse. The proximal ear canals of 18 horses were examined cytologically and cultured aerobically. In three horses, both ears were sampled. No cells or organisms were seen on cytological examination of 11/21 ears. Nine of the 21 ears were sterile when cultured. Ten of the 21 ears had mixed growth with low numbers of organisms (Corynebacteriumsp. being most common). Two of the 21 ears had heavy growth of a single organism (Corynebacteriumsp. andStaphylococcus intermedius, respectively). Equine cadaver heads were examined in cross‐section by computed tomography (CT) imaging and histopathology in order to further understand the anatomy of the equine external ear canal. Equine practitioners should be aware that otic examination is possible and may provide important diagnostic information.
A randomized comparative clinical trial of recombinant canine interferon‐γ (KT‐100) in atopic dogs using antihistamine as control
Authors: Iwasaki Toshiroh , Hasegawa Atsuhiko
Published: May 2006

Recombinant canine interferon‐γ (KT‐100) or topical antihistamine (diphenhydramine: DH) was administered to dogs with atopic dermatitis (AD) for 4 weeks and their efficacies were compared using pruritus, excoriation, erythema and alopecia as evaluation criteria. Clinical studies on 92 atopic dogs (KT‐100 group: 63, DH group: 29) were conducted at 18 animal hospitals in Japan. KT‐100 was administered subcutaneously once a day three times a week on alternating days for 4 weeks. DH was administered topically twice daily for 4 weeks. The efficacy rates of the KT‐100 group on day 28 were 72.1% for pruritus, 73.8% for excoriation, 75.4% for erythema and 60.7% for alopecia, which were significantly higher than those of the DH group (20.7% for pruritus, 27.6% for excoriation, 24.1% for erythema and 24.1% for alopecia).
Specific activity of cell‐surface acid phosphatase in different bacterioplankton morphotypes in an acidified mountain lake
Authors: Nedoma Jir̆í , Vrba Jaroslav
Published: May 2006

Activity of extracellular acid phosphatases was measured at single‐cell level in bacterioplankton groups defined by their morphology and size, in acidified mountain Lake C̆ertovo, during the 2003 season, with a method based on use of the substrate ELF97 phosphate which provides fluorescent precipitates upon hydrolysis by phosphatases. The bacterial cell‐associated precipitates were quantified by image analysis. A specific, conspicuous, apparently homogeneous morphotype of curved cells of ∼5 µm average length, despite its low total biomass (average of 4%), contributed significantly (in average by 31%) to the total bacterioplankton phosphatase activity in Lake C̆ertovo (ranging from 1.0 to 12.7 µmol l−1 h−1, using ELF97 phosphate as a substrate). Bacterial filaments (> 10 µm), although comprising in average 85% of bacterioplankton biomass, contributed to the total bacterioplankton activity only by 45%. Biomass‐specific activity of extracellular (cell‐surface) phosphatases of the main bacterioplankton morphotypes increased in the order filaments < cocci and rods < curved cells. The biomass‐specific activity of bacterioplankton extracellular phosphatases (0–300 nmol µgC−1 h−1) was generally highest in the spring and decreased gradually during summer. These changes could result from seasonal changes in the phosphorus status of the lake and from subsequent regulation of enzyme expression by bacteria.
Characterization of outer membrane vesicles released by the psychrotolerant bacterium Pseudoalteromonas antarctica NF3
Authors: Nevot Maria , Deroncelé Víctor , Messner Paul , Guinea Jesús , Mercadé Elena
Published: May 2006

Pseudoalteromonas antarctica NF3 is an Antarctic psychrotolerant Gram‐negative bacterium that accumulates large amounts of an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) with high protein content. Transmission electron microscopy analysis after high‐pressure freezing and freeze substitution (HPF‐FS) shows that the EPS is composed of a capsular polymer and large numbers of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). These vesicles are bilayered structures and predominantly spherical in shape, with an average diameter of 25–70 nm, which is similar to what has been observed in OMVs from other Gram‐negative bacteria. Analyses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), phospholipids and protein profiles of OMVs are consistent with the bacterial outer membrane origin of these vesicles. In an initial attempt to elucidate the functions of OMVs proteins, we conducted a proteomic analysis on 1D SDS‐PAGE bands. Those proteins putatively identified match with outer membrane proteins and proteins related to nutrient processing and transport in Gram‐negative bacteria. This approach suggests that OMVs present in the EPS from P. antarctica NF3, might function to deliver proteins to the external media, and therefore play an important role in the survival of the bacterium in the extreme Antarctic environment.
HOW DO BUILDINGS MEAN? SOME ISSUES OF INTERPRETATION IN THE HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE1
Authors: WHYTE WILLIAM
Published: May 2006

Architectural history as we know it has been written tacitly adhering to the crudest version of the paradigm of communication: all the attention has been focussed on the design of the new forms, none on their interpretation. It is time to realize, that even within the limits of the paradigm of communication, there should be a history of meaning, not only a history of forms.2

—Juan Pablo Bonta

You think philosophy is difficult enough, but I can tell you it is nothing to the difficulty of being a good architect.3

—Ludwig Wittgenstein

Despite growing interest from historians in the built environment, the use of architecture as evidence remains remarkably under‐theorized. Where this issue has been discussed, the interpretation of buildings has often been likened to the process of reading, in which architecture can be understood by analogy to language: either as a code capable of use in communicating the architect's intentions or more literally as a spoken or written language in its own right. After a historiographical survey, this essay, by contrast, proposes that the appropriate metaphor is one of translation. More particularly, it draws on the work of Mikhail Bakhtin to suggest that architecture—and the interpretation of architecture— comprises a series of transpositions. As a building is planned, built, inhabited, and interpreted, so its meaning changes. The underlying logic of each medium shapes the way in which its message is created and understood. This suggests that the proper role of the historian is to trace these transpositions. Buildings, then, can be used as a historical source, but only if the historian takes account of the particular problems that they present. In short, architecture should not be studied for its meaning, but for its meanings. As historians we are always translating architecture: not reading its message, but exploring its multiple transpositions.
THE INELUCTABLE LURE AND RISKS OF EXPERIENCE
Authors: Bernstein Richard J.
Published: May 2006

Songs of Experience: Modern American and European Variations on a Universal Theme. By Martin Jay
Activity patterns of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Slovenia and Croatia
Authors: Kaczensky P. , Huber D. , Knauer F. , Roth H. , Wagner A. , Kusak J.
Published: May 2006

In most of Europe, true wilderness areas do not exist and brown bears Ursus arctos generally have to cope with human disturbance and infrastructure. The few studies in Europe that have investigated brown bear activity have demonstrated a predominantly nocturnal and ‘shy’ behaviour in bears. There is still quite a debate on whether the shy, nocturnal bears of Europe are the result of centuries of persecution by men (genetically fixed trait) or whether hunting and the high disturbance potential in the multi‐use landscapes are the driving force (individually learnt trait). We analysed the activity pattern of 16 individual bears monitored for 3372 h between May and October 1982–1998 in the Dinaric Mountains of Slovenia and Croatia. The data were collected via time sampling and basically analysed using two approaches: a general linear model with seasonal component to delineate the most important variables influencing the activity pattern and level and cluster analysis to group bears according to their 24‐h activity pattern. Time of day and age were the most important variables predicting activity. Although individual variation in the activity pattern was high among individual bears, in general, yearlings were more diurnal and had a less distinct difference between day‐ and night‐time activity levels than adult bears. Subadults were somewhat intermediate to adults and yearlings. We believe that nocturnal behaviour is most likely driven through negative experiences with humans, giving space for much individual variation. More research is needed to prove the causal relationship of nocturnal behaviour and the degree of disturbance that an individual bear is exposed to.
Abstract no.: 1 Statins and oxysterol‐induced vascular smooth muscle cell death
Authors: Schrijvers D. , Fret H. , Martinet W. , Bult H.
Published: May 2006

Objective  The strength of the fibrous cap of an atherosclerotic plaque is maintained by smooth muscle cells (SMCs). 7‐Ketocholesterol (7‐KC), and other oxysterols formed inside plaques, are known to induce SMC death, thereby increasing the risk of rupture and myocardial infarction (MI). Statins are known to protect patients from MI, but paradoxically they induce apoptosis in vascular SMCs as well. The aim of this study was to investigate the cell death effects of statins in 7‐KC‐treated SMCs.

Methods  Rabbit aorta SMCs (50 000; passage 2–6) were seeded in 24 well plates in HAM F10 with 10% foetal bovine serum (FBS). The next day, they were exposed to 25 μM 7‐KC and 10−8–10−4 M of fluvastatin (fluva), simvastatin (simva) or pravastatin (prava) in the presence of 2% FBS. Uptake of neutral red (0.01%, added 16 h later) was measured for 2 h as viability index.

Results  SMC viability decreased from 100% to 55 ± 3% (n = 28) upon 18 h exposure to 25 μM 7‐KC. High concentrations of fluva (≥ 10 μM) or simva (≥ 1 μM) also induced a concentration‐dependent loss of SMC viability; prava was always without effect. Interestingly, fluva and simva partly reversed the viability loss evoked by 7‐KC. Similar effects were seen when mitochondrial function was assessed using the succinate dehydrogenase substrate MTT. Fluva and simva alone were without effect, but they attenuated the mitochondrial dysfunction induced by 7‐KC. In contrast, both statins and 7‐KC enhanced the conversion of the caspase substrate DEVD‐R110 by SMC monolayers.

Conclusions  The results confirm that 7‐KC and high concentrations of lipophilic statins induce SMC death and activate caspases. Yet, in 7‐KC treated SMCs statins paradoxically attenuated viability loss and mitochondrial dysfunction. This clearly illustrates that drug effects seen in normal SMCs are not necessarily predictive of their action in an atherosclerotic setting.
Abstract no.: 3 Vitreous– a barrier to non‐viral ocular gene therapy
Authors: Peeters L. , Sanders N.N. , Braeckmans K. , Boussery K. , Van de Voorde J. , De Smedt S. C. , Demeester J.
Published: May 2006

Purpose  Intravitreal injection of therapeutic DNA, complexed to non‐viral carriers like cationic liposomes, may be promising to treat many severe retinal eye diseases. However, after intravitreal injection such DNA/cationic liposome complexes, so called lipoplexes, which are typically some hundreds of nanometers in size, must first diffuse through the vitreous before they can reach the retina. The aim of this study was both to elucidate whether vitreous is a barrier for the lipoplexes as well as to evaluate strategies to overcome this barrier.

Methods  Fluorescent polystyrene nanospheres and lipoplexes were mixed with vitreous and their mobility was monitored by fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), a microscopy based technique. The stability of lipoplexes and naked pDNA in vitreous was studied by gel electrophoresis.

Results  We showed that polystyrene nanospheres, in our first experiments used as a model for the lipoplexes, do not diffuse freely into the vitreous but adhere to fibrillar structures in the vitreous, most likely to collagen fibers. Making the surface of the polystyrene nanospheres hydrophillic by attaching hydrophillic polyethyleneglycol (PEG) chains at their surface circumvented the binding to fibrillar structures in the vitreous. FRAP revealed that ‘pegylated’ polystyrene nanospheres, as long as they are smaller than 500 nm in size, are indeed mobile in the vitreous. It was further demonstrated that lipoplexes severely aggregate in vitreous and strongly bind to biopolymers in the vitreous which immobilizes them completely. However, as observed for the polystyrene nanospheres, coating of the lipoplexes with PEG avoided both their aggregation in the vitreous as well as their binding to fibrillar structures.

Conclusions  Modifying the surface of lipoplexes with hydrophylic PEG chains prevents them from aggregation in vitreous. In this way lipoplexes are obtained which can freely move in vitreous, an absolute request to be able to reach the retina after intravitreal injection.
A Competency‐Based Approach to Public Health Nursing Performance Appraisal
Authors: Kalb Kate Bracy , Cherry Nancy M. , Kauzloric Jayne , Brender Annette , Green Kathy , Miyagawa LeaAnn , Shinoda‐Mettler Anne
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACT
Objectives: To integrate public health nursing (PHN) competencies into a comprehensive performance review instrument for nurses at multiple practice levels in an urban public health department.

Design: Based on thorough review of PHN competency literature, the tool evaluates performance for 5 nursing practice classifications (Staff RN, Public Health Nurse, Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Nursing Supervisor) in eight PHN domains (assessment, policy development/program planning, evaluation, communication, cultural competency, partnership/collaboration, disease prevention/health promotion, leadership/systems thinking).

Sample: Tool was piloted with over 50 nurses from PHN workforce (n>400) of Public Health‐Seattle & King County (Washington).

Method: Pilot testing includes all components of the performance appraisal system: Public Health Competency Grid, statement of general workplace expectations, Nursing Performance Appraisal Tool, and supporting documents defining performance elements by job classification.

Results: Supervisors find the tool easy to use and report that it provides opportunity for real communication between employee and supervisor. Nurses at all practice levels report that it effectively describes/evaluates their practice.

Conclusions: This tool is an efficient performance appraisal instrument providing meaningful feedback to nursing employees within a framework of PHN competencies. Adopting such tools in PHN practice can help nurses to better understand their role in population‐based public health efforts.
Use of PHN Competencies and ACHNE Essentials to Develop Teaching–Learning Strategies for Generalist C/PHN Curricula
Authors: Carter Kimberly Ferren , Kaiser Katherine Laux , O'Hare Patricia A. , Callister Lynn Clark
Published: May 2006

ABSTRACT
This paper provides a useful tool for the undergraduate community/public health nursing (C/PHN) faculty member to design courses and learning activities, and to interpret C/PHN education needs to undergraduate curriculum committees and administrators. Specifically, this paper provides a tangible bridge between the Public Health Nursing Competencies (Quad Council of Public Health Nursing Organizations, 2004) and the Association of Community Health Nursing Educators (ACHNE) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education (2000) for both didactic and clinical learning experiences. The tables may be used in multiple ways, including curriculum monitoring and improvement, course development and instructional design, clinical practice planning, and as a foundation for evaluation of conceptual learning and practice competence for the C/PHN generalist. Because C/PHN experiences in undergraduate education are unique and context based, the tables exemplify how two key guiding documents mutually frame the C/PHN educational experience supported by specific learning activities. Further, at a minimum, MSN preparation as a C/PHN specialist is clearly necessary for the teaching and learning of baccalaureate curricular components of C/PHN.