bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Soft tissue massage: early intervention for relatives whose family members died in palliative cancer care
Authors: Cronfalk Berit S , Ternestedt Britt‐Marie , Strang Peter 
Published: March 2010

Aim and objectives.  This paper explores how bereaved relatives experienced soft tissue massage during the first four months after the death of a family member who was in palliative cancer care.Background.  Death of a close family member or friend is recognised as being an emotional and existential turning point in life. Previous studies emphasise need for various support strategies to assist relatives while they are grieving.Design.  Qualitative design.Method.  Eighteen bereaved relatives (11 women and seven men) received soft tissue massage (25 minutes, hand or foot) once a week for eight weeks. In‐depth interviews were conducted after the end of the eight‐week periods. Interviews were analysed using a qualitative descriptive content analysis method.Results.  Soft tissue massage proved to be helpful and to generate feelings of consolation in the first four months of grieving. The main findings were organised into four categories: (1) a helping hand at the right time, (2) something to rely on, (3) moments of rest and (4) moments of retaining energy. The categories were then conceptualised into this theme: feelings of consolation and help in learning to restructure everyday life.Conclusions.  Soft tissue massage was experienced as a commendable source of consolation support during the grieving process. An assumption is that massage facilitates a transition toward rebuilding identity, but more studies in this area are needed.Relevance to clinical practice.  Soft tissue massage appears to be a worthy, early, grieving‐process support option for bereaved family members whose relatives are in palliative care.
A preferred music listening intervention to reduce anxiety in older adults with dementia in nursing homes
Authors: Sung Huei‐Chuan , Chang Anne M , Lee Wen‐Li 
Published: March 2010

Aim.  This article reports the results of a study evaluating a preferred music listening intervention for reducing anxiety in older adults with dementia in nursing homes.Background.  Anxiety can have a significant negative impact on older adults’ functional status, quality of life and health care resources. However, anxiety is often under‐diagnosed and inappropriately treated in those with dementia. Little is known about the use of a preferred music listening intervention for managing anxiety in those with dementia.Design.  A quasi‐experimental pretest and posttest design was used.Methods.  This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a preferred music listening intervention on anxiety in older adults with dementia in nursing home. Twenty‐nine participants in the experimental group received a 30‐minute music listening intervention based on personal preferences delivered by trained nursing staff in mid‐afternoon, twice a week for six weeks. Meanwhile, 23 participants in the control group only received usual standard care with no music. Anxiety was measured by Rating Anxiety in Dementia at baseline and week six. Analysis of covariance (ancova) was used to determine the effectiveness of a preferred music listening intervention on anxiety at six weeks while controlling for pretest anxiety, age and marital status.Results.  ancova results indicated that older adults who received the preferred music listening had a significantly lower anxiety score at six weeks compared with those who received the usual standard care with no music (F = 12·15, p = 0·001).Conclusions.  Preferred music listening had a positive impact by reducing the level of anxiety in older adults with dementia.Relevance to clinical practice.  Nursing staff can learn how to implement preferred music intervention to provide appropriate care tailored to the individual needs of older adults with dementia. Preferred music listening is an inexpensive and viable intervention to promote mental health of those with dementia.
Taiwanese maternal health in the postpartum nursing centre
Authors: Hung Chich‐Hsiu , Yu Ching‐Yun , Ou Chu‐Chun , Liang Wei‐Wen 
Published: March 2010

Aim.  To investigate the association between postpartum stress as well as social support and the general health status of women recently discharged from postpartum nursing centres where the ritual of Tso‐Yueh‐Tzu is followed.Background.  Taiwanese women stay in postpartum nursing centres to take care of their newborn babies and perform the traditional Chinese ritual of Tso‐Yueh‐Tzu, the custom of a postpartum month‐long rest.Design.  A non‐experimental research design was used in the study.Methods.  Two hundred and fifty‐eight postpartum women who had stayed in postpartum nursing centres for at least 20 days were recruited at eight postpartum nursing centres in the Kaohsiung metropolitan area of southern Taiwan. They were administered the Hung Postpartum Stress Scale, the Social Support Scale and the Chinese Health Questionnaire.Results.  Women without minor psychiatric morbidity had higher social support, lower postpartum stress and longer length‐of‐stays in the postpartum care centre than women with minor psychiatric morbidity. Postpartum stress revolved around changes in body shape. A one‐point increase in postpartum stress increased the likelihood that a mother would suffer minor psychiatric morbidity by 1·04 times; while giving birth to a boy decreased that likelihood by 0·51 times.Conclusions.  This study found Tso‐Yueh‐Tzu as practised in postpartum nursing centres gave the postpartum women the opportunity to receive tangible support and, therefore, helped decrease postpartum stress and improved their general health. The greatest source of postpartum stress was concern over negative body changes.Relevance to clinical practice.  The postpartum nursing centre plays an important role in helping postpartum Taiwanese women observe the traditional ritual of Tso‐Yueh‐Tzu and in improving these women’s general health. These centres may want to pay more attention to providing exercise that promotes body toning and relaxation.
Spiritual care provided by Thai nurses in intensive care units
Authors: Lundberg Pranee C , Kerdonfag Petcharat 
Published: March 2010

Aim.  The aim of this study was to explore how Thai nurses in intensive care units of a university hospital in Bangkok provided spiritual care to their patients.Background.  The function of nursing is to promote health, prevent illness, restore health and alleviate suffering. An holistic approach to this promotion includes spirituality.Design.  An explorative qualitative study was used.Method.  Thirty Thai nurses, selected through purposive sampling with the snowball technique, participated voluntarily. Semi‐structured interviews with open‐ended questions were carried out, taped‐recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to content analysis.Results.  Five themes related to the provision of spiritual care emerged: giving mental support, facilitating religious rituals and cultural beliefs, communicating with patients and patients’ families, assessing the spiritual needs of patients and showing respect and facilitating family participation in care. Several ways of improving the spiritual care were suggested by the nurses.Conclusions.  Spirituality was an important part of the care for the nurses when meeting the needs of their patients and the patients’ families. Therefore, nursing education should enhance nurses’ understanding and awareness of spiritual issues and prepare them to respond to human spiritual needs.Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses should consider spirituality as an important component of holistic care. During their professional career, they should expand their knowledge and understanding of spirituality and develop tools for assessment of spiritual needs.
What is the evidence for the use of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease?
Authors: Cary Virginia A , Boullata Joseph 
Published: March 2010

Aims and objectives.  The purpose of this article is to investigate the use of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.Background.  Probiotics have been successfully used to treat various acute illnesses such as Clostridium difficile infection, rotovirus diarrhoea and traveller’s diarrhoea. Recently, some studies have reported success with probiotics in the treatment of chronic intestinal diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease.Design.  Literature review.Methods.  A literature search was performed to include studies on Bifidobacteria‐fermented milk, Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus, Saccharomyces boulardii, VSL #3 and probiotic use. Results of the literature are analysed, and a discussion is made regarding evaluation of the literature and implications for care.Results.  The majority of probiotics studied have proven to have beneficial effects in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, especially when taken as a dietary adjunctive to standard treatment. All probiotics studied, with the exception of Lactobacillus GG and LA1, demonstrated positive results.Conclusions.  The increasing use of probiotics combined with the insufficient knowledge regarding the use of probiotics in treating inflammatory bowel disease requires that future multilevel, multicentre large randomised control trials be conducted to understand better the specific measures and effectiveness of such treatment.Relevance to clinical practice.  Given that few clinical trials exist to study the potential role of probiotics in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, it is imperative that healthcare providers become knowledgeable about the use of probiotics and their effects on inflammatory bowel disease.
Effect on blood pressure of a continued nursing intervention using chronotherapeutics for adult Chinese hypertensive patients
Authors: Zang Xiao‐Ying , Liu Jin‐Feng , Chai Yan‐Fen , Wong Frances Kam Yuet , Zhao Yue 
Published: March 2010

Aims and objectives.  (1) To explore the effect of continued nursing intervention on hypertensive patients based on chronotherapeutics. (2) To identify the factors affecting hypertensive patients’ compliance to the chronotherapeutics‐oriented nursing interventions.Background.  Chronotherapy provides a means of individual treatment for hypertension according to the circadian blood‐pressure profile of each patient and constitutes a new option in optimising blood‐pressure control and reducing risk from hypertension.Design.  Experimental study.Methods.  All participants enrolled were randomly divided into the intervention group and the control group and they all took antihypertensive medicine prescribed by their doctors under ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. According to individual ambulatory blood pressure monitoring measures, interventions were implemented.Results.  (1) There were significant differences in blood pressure and compliance to chronotherapeutics between the two groups before and after the intervention. (2) Single variant and multiple factors analysis revealed different characteristics influencing chronotherapeutic compliance of hypertensive patients.Conclusions.  Under ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, continued nursing intervention for hypertensive patients guided by chronotherapeutics could effectively improve blood‐pressure control and chronotherapeutic compliance.Relevance to clinical practice.  Health care providers who deal with Chinese hypertensive patients can improve patients’ therapeutic compliance and blood pressure control guided by chronotherapeutics. According to different influencing factors on patients’ chronotherapeutic compliance nurses should pay more attention to those whose compliance might be worse.
An analysis of nursing and medical students’ attitudes towards and knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
Authors: Yildirim Yasemin , Parlar Serap , Eyigor Sibel , Sertoz Ozen O , Eyigor Can , Fadiloglu Cicek , Uyar Meltem 
Published: March 2010

Aims and objectives.  This study aims to evaluate and compare nursing and medical students’ attitudes and knowledge about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM).Background.  Despite increased popularity of the use of complementary and alternative medicine, it is not included in nursing and medicine schools’ curricula in many countries.Design.  A cross‐sectional design was used.Method.  This study’s research population included 972 students who were educated at a school of nursing and a faculty of medicine during the academic year 2006–2007. The study used a questionnaire the researchers prepared as data collection form. Pearson chi‐square test was used to observe the differences between nursing and medical students. A p‐value <0·05 was accepted statistically significant.Results.  The population was 49·1% nursing students and 50·9% medical students. Of the nursing students, 57·8% agreed with the statements that complementary and alternative medicine modalities should be integrated into clinical practice, 61·3% agreed for curriculum. Of the medical school students, 32·6% agreed for clinical practice and 37·9% for curriculum. The nursing students had sufficient knowledge of mostly massage and imagery; and medical students had sufficient knowledge of mostly diet therapy, vitamins and prayer.Conclusions.  The results of current study reveal that nursing students adopt more positive attitudes than medical students towards complementary and alternative medicine therapies and that both student groups have limited knowledge of complementary and alternative medicine modalities.Relevance to clinical practice.  Physicians and nurses play important roles in helping patients use complementary and alternative medicine safely and accurately. Therefore, as future nurses and physicians, nursing and medical students should have sufficient knowledge of and education on complementary and alternative medicine modalities. In this context, handling complementary and alternative medicine on a scientific scale and including it in nursing and medical students’ educational programmes should be among the goals and plans in Turkey.
Parasitoid fig‐wasp evolutionary diversification and variation in ecological opportunity
Authors: MCLEISH M. J. , VAN NOORT S. , TOLLEY K. A. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractEcological processes are manifest in the evolution and form of phenotype diversity. The great abundance of parasitoid species has led to speculation whether rates of speciation and extinction are dependent on parasitoid diversity. If these factors are mutually exclusive, species diversity should fluctuate instead of remaining relatively constant over time. It is not known whether radiations constrained by coevolutionary interactions conform to density‐dependent diversification processes. Here we test the prediction that parasitoid fig wasp diversification responds to changes in ecological opportunity and density‐independent processes. A phylogenetic approach is used to estimate relative divergence times and infer diversification rate changes using γ‐statistics. Monte Carlo constant rates tests that accommodate incomplete sampling could not reject constant rates diversification. Parasitoid fig wasp diversification is consistent with a more complex explanation than density‐dependent cladogenesis. The results suggest contemporary African parasitoid fig wasp diversity remains a legacy of an ancient ecological opportunity facilitated by fig tree diversification following the breakup of Pan‐African forests and evolution of the savanna biome over the last 55 Ma and the more recent aridification of the African continent in the last 5 Ma. These results imply that amplified phenotypic differentiation of specialist insects coevolving with plants is coupled to evolutionarily infrequent changes in ecological opportunity.
Unrelated HSCT in an adolescent affected by congenital erythropoietic porphyria
Authors: Faraci Maura , Morreale Giuseppe , Boeri Elio , Lanino Edoardo , Dallorso Sandro , Dini Giorgio , Scuderi Francesca , Cohen Amnon , Cappelli Barbara 
Published: March 2010

Abstract: CEP is a rare inborn error of porphyrin–heme synthesis. Clinical manifestations can range from mild to severe and include erythrodontia, reddish‐colored urine, and hemolytic anemia that can be mild or severe and may result in splenomegaly. Completely avoiding exposure to the sun is crucial. Attempts to reduce erythropoiesis and to lower circulating porphyrin levels by means of erythrocyte transfusions have been successful in reducing the expression of the disease. However, the complications of a chronic transfusion regimen are potentially severe. Successful bone marrow transplantation has been reported in CEP. We report a case of successful bone marrow transplantation and prolonged follow‐up in an adolescent CEP patient.
Genetics of male nuptial colour divergence between sympatric sister species of a Lake Victoria cichlid fish
Authors: MAGALHAES I. S. , SEEHAUSEN O. 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThe hypothesis of sympatric speciation by sexual selection has been contentious. Several recent theoretical models of sympatric speciation by disruptive sexual selection were tailored to apply to African cichlids. Most of this work concludes that the genetic architecture of female preference and male trait is a key determinant of the likelihood of disruptive sexual selection to result in speciation. We investigated the genetic architecture controlling male nuptial colouration in a sympatric sibling species pair of cichlid fish from Lake Victoria, which differ conspicuously in male colouration and female mating preferences for these. We estimated that the difference between the species in male nuptial red colouration is controlled by a minimum number of two to four genes with significant epistasis and dominance effects. Yellow colouration appears to be controlled by one gene with complete dominance. The two colours appear to be epistatically linked. Knowledge on how male colouration segregates in hybrid generations and on the number of genes controlling differences between species can help us assess whether assumptions made in simulation models of sympatric speciation by sexual selection are realistic. In the particular case of the two sister species that we studied a small number of genes causing major differences in male colouration may have facilitated the divergence in male colouration associated with speciation.
Histological Assessment of Selected Blood Vessels of the Phocid Seals (Northern Elephant and Harbour Seals)
Authors: Smodlaka H. , Khamas W. , Tkalcic S. , Golub T. , Palmer L. 
Published: March 2010

SummaryPhocid seals exhibit vascular adaptations that allow them to undertake prolonged deep dives. These vascular adaptations are either unique to phocids, or are modified vascular equivalents to those present in terrestrial mammals. One such adaptation, the aortic bulb, is a spherical enlargement of the ascending aorta specific to phocid seals. Its histological make‐up consists of a reinforced tunica media with circular and longitudinal layers of elastic fibres. This reinforcement enables multi‐axial deformation of the aortic bulb, thus complementing its function as a prominent elastic reservoir or ‘windkessel’. A second adaptation, the hepatic sinus, is an asymmetrical dilation of the abdominal portion of the caudal vena cava and accompanying hepatic veins. The hepatic sinus is comprised of a relatively thin tunica media, with a scant smooth muscle component. The bulk of the sinus wall is comprised of tunica adventitia. A third vascular adaptation distinctive to the phocids is the pericardial venous plexus, composed of convoluted veins circumnavigating the perimeter of the heart. Microscopically, these veins have a thick tunica media and also contain valves. Smaller arteries, venules and distinct capillary beds are observed interspersed in‐between these veins. It can be hypothesized, that in seals, certain vascular embryonic development may be arrested at an earlier embryonic stage, resulting in these unusual vascular formations. These modifications play a vital role in blood pressure regulation and distribution of oxygenated blood during prolonged deep diving. The purpose of this work was to elucidate the histological aspects of these unique vascular modifications and relate them to specific function.
PEP005 (ingenol mebutate) gel for the topical treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma: Results of a randomized phase IIa trial
Authors: Siller Greg , Rosen Robert , Freeman Michael , Welburn Peter , Katsamas Janelle , Ogbourne Steven M 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACTObjectives:  To evaluate the safety of two applications of PEP005 (ingenol mebutate) gel in superficial basal cell carcinoma. Efficacy was a secondary end‐point.Methods:  Randomized, vehicle‐controlled, phase IIa study conducted at eight private dermatology clinics in Australia. A total of 60 patients with histologically confirmed superficial basal cell carcinoma (lesion size, 4–15 mm) were randomized to treatment on days 1 and 2 (Arm A) or days 1 and 8 (Arm B) and, within each arm, to ingenol mebutate gel, 0.0025%, 0.01% or 0.05%, or vehicle gel. The main outcome measures were the incidence and severity of adverse events and local skin responses in Arms A and B; lesion clearance at day 85 was a secondary measure.Results:  The incidence of adverse events was low. One patient treated with ingenol mebutate gel, 0.05% in Arm A experienced severe flaking/scaling/dryness extending beyond the application site. Non‐severe, potentially treatment‐related events included erythema extending beyond the application site, application‐site pain and headache in two patients each. Six patients in Arm A had one or more severe local skin responses. Efficacy appeared to be dose‐related and there was a trend towards higher clinical and histological lesion clearance rates in Arm A compared with Arm B. Histological clearance occurred in five of eight patients (63%) randomized to ingenol mebutate gel, 0.05% in Arm A.Conclusions:  Two applications of ingenol mebutate gel, 0.05%, are safe and have efficacy in patients with superficial basal cell carcinoma.
Dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin, a novel nuclear factor‐κB inhibitor, prevents inflammatory injury induced by interferon‐γ and histamine in NCTC 2544 keratinocytes
Authors: Cardile Venera , Libra Massimo , Caggia Silvia , Frasca Giuseppina , Umezawa Kazuo , Stivala Franca , Mazzarino Maria Clorinda , Bevelacqua Ylenia , Coco Marinella , Malaponte Grazia 
Published: March 2010

Summary1. The novel nuclear factor (NF)‐κB inhibitor dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ) is a derivative of the antibiotic epoxyquinomicin C fromAmycolatopsissp. that has been found to inhibit tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α‐induced activation of NF‐κB by suppressing nuclear translocation of NF‐κB. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of DHMEQ on interferon (IFN)‐γ‐ and histamine‐activated NCTC 2544 keratinocytes.2. Keratinocytes were stimulated or not with 200 U/mL IFN‐γ and 10−4 mol/L histamine in the absence or presence of different concentrations of DHMEQ (1, 5 and 10 μg/mL) or hydrocortisone (10−5 mol/L), which was used as a reference anti‐inflammatory drug. After 48 h, each sample was tested for the presence of intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)‐1 by western blot analysis, as well as for the release of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)‐1, RANTES and interleukin (IL)‐8 using specific sandwich ELISAs. To verify the effect of DHMEQ on cell viability of non‐stimulated NCTC 2544 keratinocytes, the 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐2 thiazoyl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used.3. The results showed that 10 μg/mL DHMEQ potently inhibited ICAM‐1 production (by 50%), as well as the release of MCP‐1 (to 25% of control), RANTES (to 5% of control) and IL‐8 (to 2% of control). The results of the MTT assay indicated that DHMEQ has no effect on cell viability.4. In conclusion, DHMEQ inhibits the IFN‐γ‐ and histamine‐induced activation of the keratinocyte cell line NCTC 2544. The anti‐inflammatory effects of DHMEQ could be exploited by applying the drug topically alone or in combination with sub‐toxic concentrations of anti‐inflammatory drugs to producer a synergistic effect.