bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A systematic review of silver‐releasing dressings in the management of infected chronic wounds
Authors: Lo Shu‐Fen , Hayter Mark , Chang Chee‐Jen , Hu Wen‐Yu , Lee Ling‐Ling 
Published: July 2008

Aim.  This paper is a systematic review with the objective of determining the effectiveness of silver‐releasing dressing in the management of infected chronic wounds.Background.  Chronic wounds exhibit increased bacterial burdens which not only result in a negative physical impact on patients, impairing their quality of life, but also increase treatment costs. Silver dressings are wound products designed to control and inhibit infection and provide a wound environment conducive to healing. However, there is limited evidence on their effectiveness in doing so.Methods.  A systematic review of literature from 1950–May 2007 was conducted using the PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane, MEDLINE, British Nursing Index, EBSCO Host, OCLC, Proquest and PsychInfo databases. The review included randomised or non‐randomised control trials, published in English or non‐English, of silver‐releasing dressings in infected chronic wounds.Results.  Of the over 1957 potentially releasing studies examined, 14 pertinent articles involving 1285 participants were identified. Almost all the participants reported one or more statistically significant outcomes. The main points to emerge from this review of studies are that silver‐releasing dressings show positive effects on infected chronic wounds. The quality of the trials was limited by the potential for bias associated with inadequate concealment, no detailed description of the outcome measurement and no reported intention‐to‐treat analysis. Moreover, problems existed in some studies with confounding factors.Conclusion.  The review clearly highlights the need for well‐designed, methodologically standardised outcome measurement research into the effectiveness of silver‐releasing dressings. It also points to the need for a comprehensive assessment of wound bed status in further studies.Relevance to clinical practice.  This review strengthens the case for the use of silver dressings when managing infected chronic wounds. They appear more effective and are tolerated well by patients. However, their use should be accompanied by a comprehensive wound assessment.
Quality of life in chronic low back pain patients treated with instrumented fusion
Authors: Bentsen Signe Berit , Hanestad Berit Rokne , Rustøen Tone , Wahl Astrid Klopstad 
Published: July 2008

Aim.  The aim of this study was to examine pain and quality of life in a group of preoperative chronic low back pain patients (n = 25) and a group of postoperative chronic low back pain patients (n = 101) treated with instrumented fusion 1–8 years ago.Background.  Reduced quality of life is common in chronic low back pain patients and the aim of treatment is to improve quality of life.Design.  In the present study, a comparative survey design was used.Methods.  The McGill Pain Questionnaire and the SF‐36 Health Survey were used to examine pain and quality of life.Results.  The pre‐ and postoperative groups did not differ with regard to age, gender, education, other chronic conditions or previous spinal surgery. Compared with the preoperative group, the postoperative group reported significantly lower total, sensory, affective and evaluative pain, used less pain medication (p < 0·05) and reported better scores in all SF‐36 components (p < 0·05), except for general health. The effect size was ≥0·8 for all pain components and ≥0·4 for all SF‐36 components, except for general health (effect size = 0·009). With regard to long‐term follow‐up, patients who underwent surgery 5–8 years ago reported better physical role functioning (p < 0·05) compared with those who underwent surgery 1–2 years ago.Conclusion.  Results showed that the postoperative group reported significantly less pain and better physical and mental health compared with the preoperative group. However, despite surgery, the postoperative group reported suffering from pain and reduced quality of life.Relevance to clinical practice.  Psychosocial interventions focusing on psychosocial consequences of pain are needed to modify the pain experience and increase the quality of life in patients who have undergone this kind of surgery.
Postoperative pain management – the influence of surgical ward nurses
Authors: Ene Kerstin Wickström , Nordberg Gunnar , Bergh Ingrid , Johansson Fannie Gaston , Sjöström Björn 
Published: July 2008

Aim.  To compare pain levels reported by patients with those documented by ward nurses and to find out to what extent the amount of opioids given correlated with the pain level. Secondly, to study if pain management and nurses’ approaches to this task had improved during a two‐year period, including an educational pain treatment program for ward staff.Background.  The management of postoperative pain continues to remain problematic and unsatisfactory and ward nurses play an important role for this task.Design.  The study was a cross‐sectional, descriptive, two‐part study based on survey data from both patients and nurses on two urology surgical wards.Methods.  Part I of the study included 77 patients and 19 nurses. Part II took place approximately two years later and included 141 patients and 22 nurses. Data were collected the day after surgery by asking patients about ‘worst pain’ experienced. The pain scores given by the patients were compared with those documented in the patients’ records and with the doses of opioids administered. Nurses’ approaches to pain management were sought after, by using a categorical questionnaire.Results.  The nurses’ ability to assess pain in accordance with the patients’ reports had increased slightly after two years even if and the number of documented pain scores had decreased. Forty per cent of the nurses reported that they did not use visual analogue scale and that they did not assess pain at both rest and activity, neither did one fourth evaluate the effect of given analgesics.Conclusion.  The study showed a discrepancy in pain scoring between nurses and patients, where active treatment was related to nurses’ documentation rather than to patients’ scoring.Relevance to clinical practice.  The study shows a need for more accurate pain assessment, since the patient experiences and suffers pain and the nurse determines upon treatment.
Effect of nursing interventions on stressors of parents of premature infants in neonatal intensive care unit
Authors: Turan Türkan , Başbakkal Zümrüt , Özbek Şenay 
Published: July 2008

Aim.  This study was planned for the purpose of determining the effect of stress‐reducing nursing interventions on the stress levels of mothers and fathers of premature infants in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).Design.  Randomised intervention.Background.  The physical and psychosocial environment of the NICU is a major factor in the stress experienced by the family.Method.  Interviews were conducted with the parents of premature infants who agreed to participate in the research. An approximately 30‐minute educational programme about their infant and the intensive care unit was held for the mothers and fathers in the intervention group within the first week after their infant was admitted to the intensive care unit. Then they were introduced to the unit and personnel. They were given the information they requested and their questions were responded to. The parents in the control group received nothing in addition to the routine unit procedures. The mothers and fathers’ stress scores were measured for both groups after their infants’ 10th day in the NICU with the Parental Stress Scale: NICU (PSS:NICU).Results.  The difference between the intervention group and the control group mothers’ mean stress score was found to be statistically significant (t = 4·05, p < 0·05). It was determined that the stress scores for the fathers in the treatment group in this research were lower, but the difference between the two groups was not found to be statistically significant (p > 0·05).Conclusion.  It has been determined that parents experience very high stress levels when their infants are admitted to an NICU and that there are nursing interventions which can be implemented to decrease their levels of stress.Relevance to clinical practice.  Determining the sources of stress experienced by parents can help NICU nurses use appropriate interventions in cooperation with other members of the team to decrease the stress that parents experience.
Critical care nurses’ decision making: sedation assessment and management in intensive care
Authors: Aitken Leanne M , Marshall Andrea P , Elliott Rosalind , McKinley Sharon 
Published: July 2008

Aims.  This study was designed to examine the decision making processes that nurses use when assessing and managing sedation for a critically ill patient, specifically the attributes and concepts used to determine sedation needs and the influence of a sedation guideline on the decision making processes.Background.  Sedation management forms an integral component of the care of critical care patients. Despite this, there is little understanding of how nurses make decisions regarding assessment and management of intensive care patients’ sedation requirements. Appropriate nursing assessment and management of sedation therapy is essential to quality patient care.Design.  Observational study.Methods.  Nurses providing sedation management for a critically ill patient were observed and asked to think aloud during two separate occasions for two hours of care. Follow‐up interviews were conducted to collect data from five expert critical care nurses pre‐ and postimplementation of a sedation guideline. Data from all sources were integrated, with data analysis identifying the type and number of attributes and concepts used to form decisions.Results.  Attributes and concepts most frequently used related to sedation and sedatives, anxiety and agitation, pain and comfort and neurological status. On average each participant raised 48 attributes related to sedation assessment and management in the preintervention phase and 57 attributes postintervention. These attributes related to assessment (pre, 58%; post, 65%), physiology (pre, 10%; post, 9%) and treatment (pre, 31%; post, 26%) aspects of care.Conclusions.  Decision making in this setting is highly complex, incorporating a wide range of attributes that concentrate primarily on assessment aspects of care.Relevance to clinical practice.  Clinical guidelines should provide support for strategies known to positively influence practice. Further, the education of nurses to use such guidelines optimally must take into account the highly complex iterative process and wide range of data sources used to make decisions.
Opioid‐taking tasks and behaviours in Taiwanese outpatients with cancer
Authors: Liang Shu‐Yuan , Yates Patsy , Edwards Helen , Tsay Shiow‐Luan 
Published: July 2008

Aim.  The aim of this study was to describe those tasks and behaviours that contribute to self‐efficacy in the context of opioid‐taking in Taiwanese outpatients with cancer and to explore those factors that influence a patient’s self‐efficacy with engaging in these behaviours.Background.  Self‐management with prescribed opioid regimen has become a necessary component of the cancer pain experience at home. Tailoring prescribed regimens is a complex and continuing effort for cancer pain control. Few studies, however, have explored the specific skills and behaviours required by patients to manage their opioid analgesics effectively.Design.  A qualitative approach was used to explore those behaviours that contribute to patients’ ability to self‐manage medication for their cancer pain.Method.  Ten Taiwanese cancer patients aged between 41–75 years attending two oncology outpatient departments, who were prescribed opioid analgesics, were interviewed. All interviews were tape‐recorded and were transcribed verbatim. Qualitative content analysis was undertaken to identify categories.Results.  Five main categories of behaviours were identified, which reflected patient’s perceptions of the actions required for effective opioid‐taking. These behavioural domains included communicating about pain and analgesic‐taking, taking analgesics according to schedule, obtaining help, tailoring medication regimens and managing treatment‐related concerns. In addition, patients described various situations in which performance of these behaviours was more or less difficult.Conclusions.  Our results suggest that self‐efficacy with opioid‐taking includes not only beliefs about the ability to communicate, but also the ability to fulfil more complex tailoring of medication regimens and management of treatment‐related concerns.Relevance to clinical practice.  Health professionals need to incorporate strategies to assist cancer patients’ ability to engage in these behaviours and to manage situational impediments that may influence this ability. More importantly, clinicians need to assist patients to enhance their beliefs in their ability in overcoming various situation impediments for opioid‐taking.
The impact and effectiveness of nurse‐led care in the management of acute and chronic pain: a review of the literature
Authors: Courtenay Molly , Carey Nicola 
Published: July 2008

Aims and objectives.  To identify, summarise and critically appraise the current evidence regarding the impact and effectiveness of nurse‐led care in acute and chronic pain.Background.  A diverse range of models of care exist within the services available for the management of acute and chronic pain. Primary studies have been conducted evaluating these models, but, review and synthesis of the findings from these studies has not been undertaken.Design.  Literature review.Method.  Searches of Pubmed (NLM) Medline, CINAHL, Web of Knowledge (Science Index, Social Science index), British Nursing Index from January 1996–March 2007 were conducted. The searches were supplemented by an extensive hand search of the literature through references identified from retrieved articles and by contact with experts in the field.Results.  Twenty‐one relevant publications were identified and included findings from both primary and secondary care. The areas, in which nurses, caring for patients in pain are involved, include assessment, monitoring, evaluation of pain, interdisciplinary collaboration and medicines management. Education programmes delivered by specialist nurses can improve the assessment and documentation of acute and chronic pain. Educational interventions and the use of protocols by specialist nurses can improve patients understanding of their condition and improve pain control. Acute pain teams, led by nurses, can reduce pain intensity and are cost effective.Conclusions.  Nurses play key roles in the diverse range of models of care that exist in acute and chronic pain. However, there are methodological weaknesses across this body of research evidence and under researched issues that point to a need for further rigorous evaluation.Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurse‐led care is an integral element of the pain services offered to patients. This review highlights the effect of this care and the issues that require consideration by those responsible for the development of nurse‐led models in acute and chronic pain.
The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon phenanthrene causes oxidative stress and alters polyamine metabolism in the aquatic liverwort Riccia fluitans L.
Authors: BURRITT DAVID JOHN 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTThe polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) phenanthrene (PHEN) is a highly toxic pollutant, commonly found in aquatic environments, the effects of which on aquatic plants have not been studied in depth. As PAHs are known to induce oxidative stress and recent studies have shown that polyamines (PAs) participate in the defence reactions protecting plants against environmental stresses, PA metabolism and oxidative damage were investigated in the aquatic form of the liverwort Riccia fluitans L. exposed to PHEN. Exposure of Riccia fluitans plants to PHEN at concentrations of 0.5 µm or less induced oxidative stress, but at a level from which plants could recover. Despite increased levels of enzymatic and non‐enzymatic antioxidants, recovery appeared, at least in part, due to increased synthesis of PAs, achieved via increased activities of the enzymes arginine decarboxylase (ADC) and S‐adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC). Chemical inhibition of these enzymes inhibited plant recovery, while treatment with PAs aided recovery. Finally, as chloroplasts and the plasma membrane appeared to be key targets for PHEN‐induced damage, the potential roles of PAs in protecting these cellular components were considered. How PAs could protect plant cells from serious environmental pollutants such as PHEN and could prevent oxidative stress is discussed.
Photosynthetic pathway influences xylem structure and function in Flaveria (Asteraceae)
Authors: KOCACINAR FERIT , MCKOWN ATHENA D. , SAGE TAMMY L. , SAGE ROWAN F. 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTHigher water use efficiency (WUE) in C4 plants may allow for greater xylem safety because transpiration rates are reduced. To evaluate this hypothesis, stem hydraulics and anatomy were compared in 16 C3, C3–C4 intermediate, C4‐like and C4 species in the genus Flaveria. The C3 species had the highest leaf‐specific conductivity (KL) compared with intermediate and C4 species, with the perennial C4 and C4‐like species having the lowest KL values. Xylem‐specific conductivity (KS) was generally highest in the C3 species and lower in intermediate and C4 species. Xylem vessels were shorter, narrower and more frequent in C3–C4 intermediate, C4‐like and C4 species compared with C3 species. WUE values were approximately double in the C4‐like and C4 species relative to the C3–C4 and C3 species. C4‐like photosynthesis arose independently at least twice in Flaveria, and the trends in WUE and KL were consistent in both lineages. These correlated changes in WUE and KL indicate WUE increase promoted KL decline during C4 evolution; however, any involvement of WUE comes late in the evolutionary sequence. C3–C4 species exhibited reduced KL but little change in WUE compared to C3 species, indicating that some reduction in hydraulic efficiency preceded increases in WUE.
Isoprene emissions influence herbivore feeding decisions
Authors: LAOTHAWORNKITKUL JULLADA , PAUL NIGEL D. , VICKERS CLAUDIA E. , POSSELL MALCOLM , TAYLOR JANE E. , MULLINEAUX PHILIP M. , HEWITT C. NICHOLAS 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTIsoprene (C5H8, 2‐methyl 1,3‐butadiene) is synthesized and emitted by many, but not all, plants. Unlike other related volatile organic compounds (monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes), isoprene has not been shown to mediate plant–herbivore interactions. Here, for the first time, we show, in feeding choice tests using isoprene‐emitting transgenic tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacumcv. Samsun) and non‐emitting azygous control plants, that isoprene detersManduca sextacaterpillars from feeding. This avoidance behaviour was confirmed using an artificial (isoprene‐emitting and non‐emitting control) diet. Bothin vivoandin vitroexperiments showed that isoprene can activate feeding avoidance behaviour in this system with a dose–response effect on caterpillar behaviour and an isoprene emission threshold level of <6 nmol m−2 s−1.
Inositol methyl tranferase from a halophytic wild rice, Porteresia coarctata Roxb. (Tateoka): regulation of pinitol synthesis under abiotic stress
Authors: SENGUPTA SONALI , PATRA BARUNAVA , RAY SUDIPTA , MAJUMDER ARUN LAHIRI 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTMethylated inositol D‐pinitol (3‐O‐methyl‐D‐chiro‐inositol) accumulates in a number of plants naturally or in response to stress. Here, we present evidence for accumulation and salt‐enhanced synthesis of pinitol in Porteresia coarctata, a halophytic wild rice, in contrast to its absence in domesticated rice. A cDNA for Porteresia coarctata inositol methyl transferase 1 (PcIMT1), coding for the inositol methyl transferase implicated in the synthesis of pinitol has been cloned from P. coarctata, bacterially overexpressed and shown to be functional in vitro. In silico analysis confirms the absence of an IMT1 homolog in Oryza genome, and PcIMT1 is identified as phylogenetically remotely related to the methyl transferase gene family in rice. Both transcript and proteomic analysis show the up‐regulation of PcIMT1 expression following exposure to salinity. Coordinated expression of L‐myo‐inositol 1‐phosphate synthase (PcINO1) gene along with PcIMT1 indicates that in P. coarctata, accumulation of pinitol via inositol is a stress‐regulated pathway. The presence of pinitol synthesizing protein/gene in a wild halophytic rice is remarkable, although its exact role in salt tolerance of P. coarctata cannot be currently ascertained. The enhanced synthesis of pinitol in Porteresia under stress may be one of the adaptive features employed by the plant in addition to its known salt‐exclusion mechanism.
Host pigments: potential facilitators of photosynthesis in coral symbioses
Authors: DOVE SOPHIE G. , LOVELL CARLI , FINE MAOZ , DECKENBACK JEFFRY , HOEGH‐GULDBERG OVE , IGLESIAS‐PRIETO ROBERTO , ANTHONY KENNETH R.N. 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTReef‐building corals occur as a range of colour morphs because of varying types and concentrations of pigments within the host tissues, but little is known about their physiological or ecological significance. Here, we examined whether specific host pigments act as an alternative mechanism for photoacclimation in the coral holobiont. We used the coral Montipora monasteriata (Forskål 1775) as a case study because it occurs in multiple colour morphs (tan, blue, brown, green and red) within varying light‐habitat distributions. We demonstrated that two of the non‐fluorescent host pigments are responsive to changes in external irradiance, with some host pigments up‐regulating in response to elevated irradiance. This appeared to facilitate the retention of antennal chlorophyll by endosymbionts and hence, photosynthetic capacity. Specifically, net Pmax Chl a−1 correlated strongly with the concentration of an orange‐absorbing non‐fluorescent pigment (CP‐580). This had major implications for the energetics of bleached blue‐pigmented (CP‐580) colonies that maintained net Pmax cm−2 by increasing Pmax Chl a−1. The data suggested that blue morphs can bleach, decreasing their symbiont populations by an order of magnitude without compromising symbiont or coral health.
Identification and characterization of Cor413im proteins as novel components of the chloroplast inner envelope
Authors: OKAWA KUMIKO , NAKAYAMA KATSUHIRO , KAKIZAKI TOMOHIRO , YAMASHITA TETSURO , INABA TAKEHITO 
Published: July 2008

ABSTRACTPlastids are surrounded by two membrane layers, the outer and inner envelope membranes, which have various transport and metabolic activities. A number of envelope membrane proteins have been identified by biochemical approaches and have been assigned to specific functions. Despite those efforts, the chloroplast envelope membrane is expected to contain a number of as yet unidentified proteins that may affect specific aspects of plant growth and development. In this report, we identify and characterize a novel class of inner envelope membrane proteins, designated as Cor413 chloroplast inner envelope membrane group (Cor413im). Both in vivo and in vitro studies indicate that Cor413im proteins are targeted to the chloroplast envelope. Biochemical analyses of Cor413im1 demonstrate that it is an integral membrane protein in the inner envelope of chloroplasts. Quantitative real‐time PCR analysis reveals that COR413IM1 is more abundant than COR413IM2 in cold‐acclimated Arabidopsis leaves. The analyses of T‐DNA insertion mutants indicate that a single copy of COR413IM genes is sufficient to provide normal freezing tolerance to Arabidopsis. Based on these data, we propose that Cor413im proteins are novel components that are targeted to the chloroplast inner envelope in response to low temperature.