bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Perceived Knowledge of Blood‐Borne Pathogens and Avoidance of Contact With Infected Patients
Authors: Kagan Ilya , Ovadia Karin Lee , Kaneti Tami 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Purpose: To examine the relationship between nurses' knowledge of blood‐borne pathogens (BBPs), their professional behavior regarding handwashing, compliance with standard precautions (SPs), and avoidance of therapeutic contact with BBP‐infected patients. Design: This cross‐sectional design study took place in a regional medical center in Central Israel during 2003. Methods: Of the 180 participants, 159 (88.3%) were women with an average educational level of 16.40 years (SD=2.66). The mean age of the sample was 39.41 (SD=10.1). Data were collected using a structured questionnaire including sociodemographic information, level of knowledge concerning three BBPs (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], hepatitis B virus [HBV], and hepatitis C virus [HCV]), level of compliance with SPs, understanding of SP principles, and avoidance of therapeutic contact with BBP‐infected patients. Findings: Levels of HIV‐related knowledge were significantly higher than were those of HBV‐ and HCV‐related knowledge. Only 96 participants (54.5%) stated that all patients should be treated as BBP‐carriers. The understanding of the basic principle of SPs did not influence the relationship between perceived knowledge and self‐reported compliance with SPs; 77.3% of the sample reported that they avoid therapeutic contact with BBP‐infected patients. The level of perceived knowledge did not contribute to the nurses' avoidance of care of BBP carriers. Conclusions: Perceived knowledge of BBPs has a weak effect on compliance with SPs and willingness to care for BBP‐infected patients.Recommendations: Nurses must identify their preconceptions when caring for BBP‐carriers. Further research on this issue is needed to attempt to understand the forces acting on our nursing staff, in order to ensure appropriate care of BBP‐infected patients. Clinical Relevance: Our study indicated some reluctance among nurses to care for patients with blood‐borne pathogens. This appears to be the result of value systems and not a lack of knowledge, indicating a need to integrate a psychoeducational approach to education of nurses.
International Differences in Nursing Research, 2005–2006
Authors: Polit Denise F. , Beck Cheryl Tatano 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Purpose: To compare the characteristics of nursing research being done in different countries, using data from studies published in nonspecialty, English‐language nursing journals. Design: Data for this cross‐sectional analysis were retrieved from a consecutive sample of 1,072 studies published in eight leading English‐language research journals in 2005 and 2006. Methods: For each study, data were extracted on the characteristics of the study participants and authors, study focus‐specialty area, funding, and methodologic attributes. Studies from 15 countries or regional groupings were compared. Findings: International differences in authors, participants, and study characteristics were typically large and statistically significant. Studies that were focused on nurses were especially prevalent in Europe, Australia, and Canada, whereas patient‐centered studies were most common in Asian countries and the US. Qualitative studies were predominant in Norway, Sweden, and the UK. Asian nurse researchers, by contrast, undertook mostly quantitative studies, and were especially likely to conduct intervention research. Significant country differences existed in the omission of demographic (age and sex) information about participants, with omissions most prevalent in the UK and Ireland and least prevalent in Asian countries. Research funding was reported for 62% of all studies, ranging from 13% in Turkey to over 75% in Canada and the US. Conclusions: Although this study had several limitations, especially with regard to potential biases in the sample of studies from non‐English‐speaking countries, this analysis of over 1,000 nursing studies indicates many important inter‐country differences in the focus, methods, and authorship patterns of nursing research published in leading journals. Clinical Relevance: Because research “informs” practice, international differences that exist in the focus and methods of nursing research have implications for nursing practice in the respective countries.
The Design of Adult Acute Care Units in U.S. Hospitals
Authors: Catrambone Cathy , Johnson Mary E. , Mion Lorraine C. , Minnick Ann F. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Purpose: To describe the current state of design characteristics determined to be desirable by the Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ) in U.S. adult medical, surgical, and intensive care units (ICUs). Design: Descriptive study of patient visibility; distance to hygiene, toileting, charting, and supplies; unit configuration; percentage of private rooms; and presence or absence of carpeting in 56 ICUs and 81 medical‐surgical units in six metropolitan areas. Methods: Data were collected via observation, measurement, and interviews. Unit configurations were classified via an iterative process. Descriptive data were analyzed according to ICU and non‐ICU status using SPSS (Version 15). Findings: Analysis of unit configurations indicated eight unit designs. Statistical analysis showed inter‐ and intrahospital variation in unit configurations, percentage private rooms, carpeting, visibility, and distance to supplies and charting. Few units met the AHRQ designated design elements studied. Conclusions: A wide gap exists between desirable characteristics in ICUs and medical‐surgical units. Future research is needed to explore operationalization of unit design elements as risk adjustments, how design elements contribute to patient outcomes, and how design elements influence one another. Clinical Relevance: There is room for improvement on almost every design variable, particularly on medical‐surgical units. Future planning should take into consideration the interaction of bed capacity and unit configuration.
Consent Administrator Training to Reduce Disparities in Research Participation
Authors: Larson Elaine L. , Cohn Elizabeth Gross , Meyer Dodi D. , Boden‐Albala Bernadette 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Purpose: The aims for this paper are to summarize the current state of disparities in clinical research participation, discuss regulatory and interpersonal causes for these disparities, and to suggest an approach to address this problem by standardized training for consent administrators. Organizing Construct: A program based on the Precede‐Proceed model for training consent administrators is proposed and described. Conclusions: The current process for informed consent for research is unstandardized and inadequate, and may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities. Researchers are urged to consider a formal training program for members of their research teams who will be obtaining participants' consent. Clinical Relevance: An educational program for consent administrators may help to reduce disparities in research participation by improving communication between research staff and potential participants.
Accepting Responsibility for Long‐Term Care—A Paradox in Times of a Global Nursing Shortage?
Authors: Hirschfeld Miriam J. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractNeed for long‐term care (LTC) is increasing globally, and nurses have a professional imperative to address the growing need for long‐term care (LTC). The author reviews the effect of globalization and the epidemiologic transition upon the growing need for LTC. I also summarize the lessons learned in the developing world, as well as in the industrialized world, based on the existing research evidence.The purpose of this paper is to explain the need for nursing as a profession to accept responsibility for LTC as part of nursing's raison d'etre, despite the global nursing shortage. This includes responsibility for innovative policy, health service, practice, research, nursing education development, and health promotion, because prevention is key to slowing the steep increase in LTC needs. Clinical relevance: Nurses must develop strategies for clinical practice, management, education, and research in order to increase our ability to meet future needs for LTC.
Cyclooxygenase inhibitors repress vascular hyaluronan‐synthesis in murine atherosclerosis and neointimal thickening
Authors: Marzoll Andrea , Nagy Nadine , Wördehoff Luisa , Dai Guang , Fries Susanne , Lindner Volkhard , Grosser Tilo , Fischer Jens W. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractHyaluronan (HA) is a key molecule of the extracellular matrix that is thought to be critically involved in both atherosclerosis and restenosis. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the cyclooxygenase (COX) products, prostacyclin and prostaglandin E2, induce HA synthesis in vitro by transcriptional up‐regulation of HA‐synthase 2 (HAS2) and HAS1. The relative roles in atherosclerotic and restenotic artery disease of tissue specifically expressed COX‐1 and COX‐2 are still under debate. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of COX isoform inhibition on HA‐accumulation and regulation of HAS isoform expression in two models of pathologic artery remodelling in vivo. Firstly, ApoE‐deficient mice were treated with a prototypic isoform non‐selective inhibitor, indomethacin or with a prototypic COX‐2 selective inhibitor, rofecoxib, for 8 weeks. Aortic HAS mRNA expression and HA‐accumulation in atherosclerotic aortic root lesions were analyzed. Secondly, neointimal hyperplasia was induced by carotid artery ligation in ApoE‐deficient mice on a high fat diet and the effects of the COX inhibitors were determined after 4 weeks of treatment. Intimal HA‐accumulation was markedly reduced in both models by indomethacin and rofecoxib. This coincided with a strong inhibition of HAS1 mRNA expression in both models and with decreased HAS2 mRNA in the aorta of ApoE‐deficient mice. HAS3 was not affected. The repression of HA‐accumulation by both COX‐2 selective and non‐selective COX inhibition implicates COX‐2 in the regulation of HA synthesis via stimulation of HAS1 and HAS2 expression in vivo. Modulation of vascular HA‐accumulation might play a role in chronic effects of COX inhibitors on the progression of atherosclerosis.
A spectroscopic measure of the star formation rate density in dwarf galaxies at z ∼ 1
Authors: Davies G. T. , Gilbank David G. , Glazebrook Karl , Bower Richard G. , Baldry I. K. , Balogh Michael L. , Hau G. K. T. , Li I. H. , McCarthy P. , Savaglio S. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
We use a K-selected (22.5 &lt; KAB &lt; 24.0) sample of dwarf galaxies (8.4 &lt; log(M*/M⊙) &lt; 10) at 0.89 &lt; z &lt; 1.15 in the Chandra Deep Field-South to measure their contribution to the global star formation rate density (SFRD), as inferred from their [O ii] flux. By comparing with [O ii]-based studies of higher stellar mass galaxies, we robustly measure a turnover in the [O ii] luminosity density at a stellar mass of M∼ 1010 M⊙. By comparison with the [O ii]-based SFRD measured from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey we confirm that, while the SFRD of the lowest mass galaxies changes very little with time, the SFRD of more massive galaxies evolves strongly, such that they dominate the SFRD at z= 1.
Language Classification, Language Contact, and Amazonian Prehistory
Authors: Epps Patience 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe linguistic map of Amazonia presents a startling jumble of languages and language families. While some families – most notably Carib, Arawak, Macro‐Jê, and Tupí– are distributed widely throughout the region, their spread is interspersed with many dozens of tiny, localized families and language isolates, particularly in the Amazonian periphery. At the same time, distributions of lexical, grammatical, and phonological features suggest that this linguistic patchwork is overlaid in places by contact regions, where multilingualism has fostered lexical and/or structural resemblances among languages. This complex distribution of languages and linguistic features presents many challenges to our understanding of Amazonian prehistory. How did Amazonia's language families arrive at their present distribution? Why did some families spread over huge distances, while others came to occupy only tiny geographical pockets or are limited to a single language? What kinds of interactions among peoples led to the formation of contact zones, and how are these regions defined? Complicating these questions further is the fact that very little is known about many Amazonian languages, and relationships among them are in many cases a matter of conjecture. This article surveys our current understanding of language classification and language contact in Amazonia, and addresses various perspectives concerning the implications of these relationships for Amazonian prehistory.
Word Sense Disambiguation: An Overview
Authors: McCarthy Diana 
Published: March 2009

AbstractWord sense disambiguation is a subfield of computational linguistics in which computer systems are designed to determine the appropriate meaning of a word as it appears in the linguistic context. This article provides a survey of what has been done in this area: the ways that word meaning can be represented in the computer, the approaches taken by systems, how performance is evaluated and an overview of the intended applications that might benefit from this technology. One of the major issues has been, and still remains, that of finding an appropriate computational representation of word meaning as this is fundamental to the performance and utility of systems.
Eighteen microsatellite loci in Salix arbutifolia (Salicaceae) and cross‐species amplification in Salix and Populus species
Authors: HOSHIKAWA TAKESHI , KIKUCHI SATOSHI , NAGAMITSU TERUYOSHI , TOMARU NOBUHIRO 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Salix arbutifolia is a riparian dioecious tree species that is of conservation concern in Japan because of its highly restricted distribution. Eighteen polymorphic loci of dinucleotide microsatellites were isolated and characterized. Among these, estimates of the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.350 to 0.879. Cross‐species amplification was successful at 9–13 loci among six Salix species and at three loci in one Populus species.
COX‐2 expression during 4‐nitroquinoline 1‐oxide induced rat tongue carcinogenesis
Authors: Ribeiro Daniel A , Fracalossi Ana Carolina C , Gomes Thiago S , Oshima Celina T F 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT Background and aims: This study was undertaken to investigate, by immunohistochemistry, the expression of cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) during 4‐nitroquinoline 1‐oxide (4NQO)‐induced rat tongue carcinogenesis. Methods: Male Wistar rats were distributed into three groups of 10 animals each and treated with 50 ppm 4NQO solution through their drinking water for 4, 12, and 20 weeks. Ten animals were used as negative control. Results: Although no histopathological abnormalities were induced in the epithelium after 4 weeks of carcinogen exposure, COX‐2 was expresssed in some cells of the ‘normal’ oral epithelium in the superficial layer. In pre‐neoplastic lesions at 12 weeks following carcinogen exposure, the levels of COX‐2 were increased (P < 0.05) when compared to negative control. In well‐differentiated squamous cell carcinoma induced after 20 weeks of treatment with 4NQO, the same picture occurred when compared to negative control. Weak immunoreactivity for COX‐2 was observed in the negative control group being restricted to basal layer of the oral epithelium. Conclusions: Taken together, our results support the idea that expression of COX‐2 plays a crucial role during malignant transformation being closely related to neoplastic conversion of the oral mucosa cells.
A case of primary non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma of the myometrium with involvement of bilateral ovaries
Authors: Jeong Dongjun , Jeong Yoojun , Jeon Seob , Cho Hyun‐Deuk , Bae Dong‐Han , Kim Chang‐Jin 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTWe report a case of primary non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of the uterine body with involvement of bilateral ovaries. A 67‐year‐old woman had explolaparotomy under the provisional diagnosis of uterine leiomyoma. Enlargements of the uterine body as a leiomyoma and bilateral ovaries were noted in the operation field. The frozen section diagnosis of the uterine wall mass was malignant lymphoma. Total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy was carried out. The pathologic study with immunohistochemical stains confirmed primary NHL of the diffuse large B‐cell type of the myometrium with involvement of bilateral ovaries. To the best of our knowledge, the primary lymphoma of the myometrium with involvement of bilateral ovaries has not been reported previously in the literature.
Reticulocyte hemoglobin content in 13 critically ill patients: a preliminary study
Authors: PRÉFONTAINE GENEVIÈVE , DARVEAU MARTIN , AHNADI CHARAF , LACHANCE PIERRE , LESUR OLIVIER , DROUIN CHRISTINE , LAMARRE PATRICE , VÉZINA CARMEN 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYIn the presence of inflammation, iron availability for erythropoiesis is decreased, and hemoglobin production is reduced in reticulocytes. The reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) provides a real picture of bone marrow status and could be useful to evaluate iron metabolism in critically ill patients. We conducted a preliminary study to evaluate the feasibility to measure the CHr in the intensive care units of two university hospitals and to evaluate the impact of C‐reactive protein on CHr values. The CHr was measured in 14 consecutive critically ill patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit between 48 and 96 hours. One patient with a ferritin concentration < 100 µg/L was excluded to eliminate a possible coexistence of iron deficiency with inflammation. A statistically significant correlation was observed between C‐reactive protein concentrations and CHr values (r = −0.588; P = 0.03, n = 13). The results observed in this preliminary study are interesting and could be useful to establish the research protocol for a future study evaluating iron metabolism in critically ill patients. A larger study is feasible and warranted given the results observed in this preliminary study.
Inhaled Voriconazole for Prevention of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis
Authors: Tolman Justin A. , Wiederhold Nathan P. , McConville Jason T. , Najvar Laura K. , Bocanegra Rosie , Peters Jay I. , Coalson Jacqueline J. , Graybill John R. , Patterson Thomas F. , Williams Robert O. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT

Targeted airway delivery of antifungals as prophylaxis against invasive aspergillosis may lead to high lung drug concentrations while avoiding toxicities associated with systemically administered agents. We evaluated the effectiveness of aerosolizing the intravenous formulation of voriconazole as prophylaxis against invasive pulmonary aspergillosis caused by
Aspergillus fumigatus
in an established murine model. Inhaled voriconazole significantly improved survival and limited the extent of invasive disease, as assessed by histopathology, compared to control and amphotericin B treatments.
Designing Therapies against Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis by Modulating the Membrane Fluidity of Antigen-Presenting Cells
Authors: Banerjee Subha , Ghosh June , Sen Subha , Guha Rajan , Dhar Ranjan , Ghosh Moumita , Datta Sanchita , Raychaudhury Bikramjit , Naskar Kshudiram , Haldar Arun Kumar , Lal C. S. , Pandey K. , Das V. N. R. , Das Pradeep , Roy Syamal 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTThe membrane fluidity of antigen-presenting cells (APCs) has a significant bearing on T-cell-stimulating ability and is dependent on the cholesterol content of the membrane. The relationship, if any, between membrane fluidity and defective cell-mediated immunity in visceral leishmaniasis has been investigated. Systemic administration of cholesterol by liposome delivery (cholesterol liposomes) inLeishmania donovani-infected hamsters was found to cure the infection. Splenic macrophages as a prototype of APCs in infected hamsters had decreased membrane cholesterol and an inability to drive T cells, which was corrected by cholesterol liposome treatment. The effect was cholesterol specific because liposomes made up of the analogue 4-cholesten-3-one provided almost no protection. Infection led to increases in interleukin-10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor beta, and IL-4 signals and concomitant decreases in gamma interferon (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha, and inducible NO synthase signals, which reverted upon cholesterol liposome treatment. The antileishmanial T-cell repertoire, whose expansion appeared to be associated with protection, was presumably type Th1, as shown by enhanced IFN-γ signals and the predominance of the immunoglobulin G2 isotype. The protected group produced significantly more reactive oxygen species and NO than the infected groups, which culminated in killing ofL. donovaniparasites. Therefore, cholesterol liposome treatment may be yet another simple strategy to enhance the cell-mediated immune response toL. donovaniinfection. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the therapeutic effect of cholesterol liposomes in any form of the disease.
Genetics and Virulence Association of the
Shigella flexneri
Sit Iron Transport System
Authors: Fisher Carolyn R. , Davies Nicola M. L. L. , Wyckoff Elizabeth E. , Feng Zhengyu , Oaks Edwin V. , Payne Shelley M. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT

The
sit
-encoded iron transport system is present within pathogenicity islands in all
Shigella
spp. and some pathogenic
Escherichia coli
strains. The islands contain numerous insertion elements and sequences with homology to bacteriophage genes. The
Shigella flexneri sit
genes can be lost as a result of deletion within the island. The formation of deletions was dependent upon RecA and occurred at relatively high frequency. This suggests that the
sit
region is inherently unstable, yet
sit
genes are maintained in all of the clinical isolates tested. Characterization of the
sitABCD
genes in
S. flexneri
indicates that they encode a ferrous iron transport system, although the genes are induced aerobically. The
sit
genes provide a competitive advantage to
S. flexneri
growing within epithelial cells, and a
sitA
mutant is outcompeted by the wild type in cultured epithelial cells. The Sit system is also required for virulence in a mouse lung model. The
sitA
mutant was able to infect the mice and induce a protective immune response but was avirulent compared to its wild-type parent strain.
Biodiversity of Trichoderma strains in Tunisia
Authors: Sadfi-Zouaoui N. , Hannachi I. , Rouaissi M. , Hajlaoui M. R. , Rubio M. B. , Monte E. , Boudabous A. , Hermosa M. R. 
Published: March 2009

Trichoderma strains were sampled in 4 different bioclimatic zones of Tunisia, a Mediterranean North African country with strong climatic and edaphic variability from north to south, to assess the genetic diversity of endemic species of Trichoderma and their relationship to the bioclimatic zones. In all, 53 strains were isolated and identified at the species level by analysis of their internal transcribed spacers regions 1 and 2 (ITS1 and ITS2) of the rDNA cluster and (or) a fragment of the translation elongation factor 1 (tef1) gene, using an online interactive key for species identification in Trichoderma and ex-type strains and taxonomically established isolates of Trichoderma as references. At least 2 different species were observed in each ecosystem. Trichoderma harzianum clade VI and Trichoderma longibrachiatum were present in forest soils in north Tunisia; Trichoderma atroviride and Trichoderma hamatum were found in cultivated fields in northeast Tunisia; T. harzianum clade VI, a Trichoderma sp. close to the T. harzianum complex, and Trichoderma saturnisporum were isolated from forest soils in central Tunisia; and T. harzianum clade II and T. hamatum were present in oasis soils in south Tunisia.