bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In vitrosusceptibility of theStreptococcus millerigroup to antimicrobial peptides
Authors: Bartie K. L. , Devine D. A. , Wilson M. J. , Lewis M. A. O. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractAim To determine the susceptibility of strains of theStreptococcus millerigroup (SMG) to commercially available antimicrobial peptides.Methodology Thirty strains of SMG from a range of sources were assessed for their susceptibility to 10 antimicrobial peptides of either human, animal or insect origin, using a double layer diffusion assay.Results The majority of the test strains were sensitive to the amidated peptides, mastoparan (100%;n = 30), magainin 2 amide (95%;n = 21) and indolicin (91%;n = 23). Some strains were susceptible to cecropin B (30%;n = 30) and histatin (10%;n = 30), whilst no activity was observed for the defensins HNP‐1 and HNP‐2, histatin 8, cecropin P1 and magainin 2.Conclusions The majority of strains were resistant to the human derived peptides. The ability to resist such peptides may be a factor in the colonisation of the oral cavity and the survival and initiation of infection in the pulp and root canal environment. Interestingly, the present study indicated that amidated and alpha helical peptides exhibit antimicrobial activity against SMG. Structural modification of these peptides may allow a targeted approach for the development of these substances as preventative or therapeutic agents.
Periapical radiographs overestimate root canal wall thickness during post space preparation
Authors: Souza E. M. , Bretas R. T. , Cenci M. S. , Maia‐Filho E. M. , Bonetti‐Filho I. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractAim  To evaluate differences between anatomic and radiographic measurements of root canal wall thickness (RCWT) after each root canal preparation stage during post placement.Methodology  Twenty mandibular premolars with a single canal were decoronated and the roots embedded in resin using a teflon muffle. Roots were sectioned horizontally at a pre‐established level and canals were prepared for post placement. Endodontic hand files were used for root canal preparation, followed by Gates Glidden drills and Peeso reamers. Standardized radiographs and photographs at pre‐established measurement levels were taken before preparation, after root canal instrumentation, after Gates Glidden preparation and after Peeso enlargement. All images were digitized and RCWT at the mesial and distal walls measured (imagetool 3.0). Differences between radiographic and anatomic measurements were analysed with paired t‐tests. anova was used to compare the percentages of radiographic distortions.Results  Regardless of the time‐point evaluated, RCWT determined by radiographs were greater than the respective anatomic measurements (P < 0.05). The difference detected at each stage was similar and constant (P > 0.05).Conclusions  Throughout preparation for post placement, radiographic images overestimated the RCWT by approximately 25%, regardless of the clinical stage evaluated.
Aflatoxin levels in dried figs, nuts and paprika for export from Turkey
Authors: Bircan Cavit , Barringer Sheryl A. , Ulken Ulku , Pehlivan Rahsan 
Published: May 2008

SummaryThree hundred and thirteen of 2643 dried fig, two of eighty hazelnut, sixteen of twenty‐eight pistachio, five of ten peanut and nineteen of twenty‐three paprika samples for export from Turkey were contaminated with total aflatoxins in the range of 0.2–162.76, 5.46–6.55, 2.31–63.11, 0.75–26.36 and 1.79–6.55 μg kg−1, respectively. Samples were collected from January to August 2007 and tested for aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2) by immunoaffinity column extraction using RP‐HPLC. Fifty‐six of the 313 dried fig, all of the contaminated hazelnut and pistachio, two of the sixteen peanut and three of the nineteen paprika samples exceeded the regulatory limits of the European Union. The ratio of the different types of aflatoxin present in each sample exhibited great variability. For example, of 313 contaminated fig samples, 159 contained only aflatoxin B1, eighty‐five contained B1 (49.7%) + G1 (50.3%), twenty‐two contained only G1, twenty contained B1 (89.4%) + B2 (10.6%), thirteen contained B1 (73.7%) + B2 (10.8%) + G1 (15.5%) and fourteen contained all four types, B1 (26%) + B2 (2.5%) + G1 (66.5%) + G2 (5%).
A study to evaluate nurse‐led on‐treatment review for patients undergoing radiotherapy for head and neck cancer
Authors: Wells Mary , Donnan Peter T , Sharp Lena , Ackland Caroline , Fletcher Janice , Dewar John A 
Published: May 2008

Aims and objectives.  To evaluate a nurse‐led clinic for patients undergoing radiotherapy to the head and neck.Background.  The side effects of radiotherapy to the head and neck are superimposed on already significant physical and psychological morbidity. Medical review clinics tend to focus on treatment complications and there is evidence that specialist nurses can provide more holistic care for patients. However, doubts have been raised about the appropriateness of nurse‐led review in this highly symptomatic and complex group.Design.  This evaluation compared medical on‐treatment review (Phase 1) with a nurse‐led clinic (Phase 2) for patients having radiotherapy to the head and neck, using an historical control group.Methods.  Twenty patients were reviewed by their consultant and 23 by a nurse specialist, using a clinic protocol. A mixed‐method approach to data collection was taken. Patients completed weekly quality of life questionnaires and were asked about their experiences of support and care. General practitioners completed a questionnaire about the communication received from the clinic. Checklists assessed the content of clinic consultations.Results.  Patients valued the relationship developed with the nurse specialist, had longer, more frequent consultations and were more often referred to the multidisciplinary team. The nurse specialist managed 83% of consultations without referral to the consultant. Few significant differences in quality of life were found between the groups. There were indications that oral and nutritional problems were managed more effectively in the nurse‐led clinic, although emotional functioning was higher in the medical group. GPs were positive about the timing and content of information received.Conclusions.  On‐treatment review for patients with head and neck cancer can be effectively managed by a nurse specialist.Relevance to Practice.  Radiotherapy nurse specialists make an important contribution to the supportive care of patients with head and neck cancer. More investment is required to maximize their contribution.
The tailored implementation of the nursing programme ‘Coping with itch’
Authors: Os‐Medendorp Harmieke van , Eland‐de Kok Petra , Linge Roland van , Bruijnzeel‐Koomen Carla , Grypdonck Mieke , Ros Wynand 
Published: May 2008

Aim.  The aim of the study was to implement the nursing programme ‘Coping with itch’.Background.  The nursing programme ‘Coping with itch’ is intended to reduce itch and to help patients to cope with itch. The programme is carried out at a nurse clinic at the dermatology outpatient department. Implementation of this programme was undertaken in five hospitals in the Netherlands using the tailored implementation approach based on the contingency model of van Linge.Method.  The implementation procedure started with a diagnostic interview to gather data on the characteristics of the dermatology outpatient departments subsumed in four dimensions: structure, human resource practices, culture and politics. These characteristics were then compared with the demands of the programme. Discrepancies between the demands of the new programme and the characteristics of each organization guided the choice of the implementation strategies. Implementation strategies were mostly directed at the structure or human resource dimensions. Then, the results of the implementation were examined according to three criteria: professional adherence, continuation and barriers, using nurses’ self‐report forms on the consultations and the Barriers and Facilitators questionnaire.Results.  Seventy‐seven self‐report forms were completed by the nurses for first consultations at the itch clinic and 81 for follow‐up consultations.Results concerning professional adherence show that nurses are able to carry out the programme ‘Coping with itch’. All five hospitals continued the itch clinic after completion of the implementation study. Two barriers to the implementation were frequently mentioned by the nurses: the necessary time investment and the lack of extra financial compensation.Conclusion.  The use of a tailored implementation approach has led to the reasonably successful implementation of the nursing programme ‘Coping with itch’.Relevance to clinical practice.  The contingency model is a useful model for the tailored implementation of a nursing programme in daily practice.
No longer hungry in hospital: improving the hospital mealtime experience for older people through action research
Authors: Dickinson Angela , Welch Carol , Ager Laurie 
Published: May 2008

Aims and objectives.  This study aimed to improve the mealtime experience of older people in a hospital setting through helping staff to make changes to their clinical practice and the ward environment.Background.  Poor nutritional care has been a persistent and seemingly intractable problem for many years.Methods.  We used an action research design for the study, drawing on techniques from practice development to support the action phase of the work, including action learning, role modelling good practice and reflection. The ward context was explored at the beginning and end of the study using focus groups, interviews, observation and benchmarking.Results.  Ward staff made a number of changes to their nursing practice. The most significant was that all staff became engaged with, prioritized and were involved in the mealtime, ensuring that there was sufficient time and expertise available to assist patients with eating.Conclusions.  This study demonstrates that it is possible to change nursing practice at mealtimes and that this change leads to improvements in patients’ experience through ensuring they receive the help they need.Relevance to clinical practice.  Although hospital mealtimes are frequently viewed as problematic, we have shown that nurses can be enabled to make changes to their practice that have a positive impact on both the mealtime experience and wider patient care.
Defining an evidence‐based work environment for nursing in the USA
Authors: Kotzer Anne Marie , Arellana Kerry 
Published: May 2008

Aims.  To describe and compare staff nurses’ perceptions of their real and ideal work environment in a tertiary paediatric facility; to provide administrators with research evidence for identifying areas for improvement.Background.  The workforce shortage of hospital nurses is a global problem having an impact on the financial resources and efficient operations of an organisation and the quality of care delivered to patients. A direct relationship exists between job satisfaction, retention, turnover and elements of the nurses’ work environment. Research identifying specific elements of the current work setting that are in conflict with nurses’ views of their preferred practice milieu can help define an evidence‐based work environment for nursing.Design and methods.  Using a descriptive survey design, a convenience sample of 385 nurses on five inpatient units and the float team completed two forms (real and ideal) of the work environment scale. The work environment scale consists of 10 subscales within three dimensions: relationship, personal growth and system maintenance and change.Results.  A consistent pattern was seen across all units with reported high levels of involvement, peer cohesion, task orientation and managerial control. Scores for work pressure and autonomy were moderate‐high and physical comfort, supervisor support, clarity and innovation were moderate. Overall, highest scores were reported for involvement and lowest for physical comfort. Significant differences were found between real and ideal subscale scores suggesting that staff were able to identify areas for improvement.Conclusions.  Despite moderate work pressure, staff affirmed a highly positive work environment on their units. Specific areas in their current work setting that were not congruent with their preferred work environment were identified and targeted for change.Relevance to clinical practice.  Understanding dimensions of the nurses’ work environment needing improvement and involving staff in making and evaluating change supports an evidence‐based environment to attract and retain qualified staff.
Development of a 32‐item scale to assess postoperative dysfunction after upper gastrointestinal cancer resection
Authors: Nakamura Misuzu , Kido Yoshihiro , Egawa Takako 
Published: May 2008

Aim.  The purpose of this study was to develop a 32‐item scale to assess postoperative dysfunction in patients who underwent surgery for gastric and oesophageal cancer and to evaluate its reliability and validity.Background.  For the objective assessment of postoperative dysfunction in patients with upper gastointestinal cancer, we performed a preliminary survey by mail using a 34‐item questionnaire as a initial version. The results of the survey were assessed by item analysis of the scale. The scale items were further refined by researchers and specialists, and a 32‐item scale for the assessment of postoperative dysfunction (initial scale) was developed.Methods.  Using this 32‐item scale (initial scale), a mail survey was performed of 379 subjects selected by random sampling.Results.  The questionnaire was returned by 292 patients (77·1%) and 283 responses (74·7%) were valid. Of these, 221 respondents had gastric cancer and 62 oesophageal cancer. The mean age of respondents was 64·9 SD 9·8 (range 35–89) years. The mean total score of the 32‐items on the initial version for the assessment of postoperative dysfunction was 60·8 SD 16·7. The mean total score for gastric cancer patients and oesophageal cancer patients was 58·1 SD 15·8 and 70·1 SD 16·7 respectively. After the elimination of scale items regarded as irrelevant based on statistical considerations and the judgement of experts, factor analysis was performed. Seven factors were valid: ‘regurgitation reflux’, ‘limited activity because of decreased food consumption’, ‘passage dysfunction immediately after eating’, ‘dumping‐like symptoms’, ‘transfer dysfunction’, ‘hypoglycaemic symptoms’ and ‘diarrhoea‐like symptoms’. The cumulative proportion of variance by scale reliability was confirmed by a Cronbach's α‐coefficient of 0·926. The Cronbach's α‐coefficient for all 32 items on the initial version was 0.926, the Cronbach's α‐coefficient for sub‐items was 0·705–0·856, and Pearson's correlation coefficient of re‐test for the total score of the 32 items was 0·865, which confirmed a high degree of internal consistency. The construct validity of the scale was confirmed using the known‐group technique by operative procedures, and from the result of factorial validity. This scale was named ‘Postoperative Dysfunction for Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer 32; PODUGC‐32’.Conclusion.  This scale is sufficiently reliable and valid and will be useful clinically.Relevance to clinical practice.  We can use the new scale to assess postoperative dysfunction in patients with upper gastointestinal cancer for nursing practice.
Quality of life in patients with right‐ or left‐sided brain tumours: literature review
Authors: Palese Alvisa , Lamanna Francesca , Di Monte Carmen , Calligaris Sonia , Doretto Mara , Criveller Michela 
Published: May 2008

Aims.  To determine if patients with left‐ or right‐sided hemisphere neoplasm perceive their quality of life (QoL) differently.Background.  It is not clear whether patients with a lesion in the left hemisphere have a different QoL than those with a lesion in the right hemisphere. (1) In the pre‐operative period, patients with a left‐sided lesion may have different symptoms according to the position of the tumour. (2) Studies on patients with brain injury demonstrate an association between left frontal lesions and depression: depression can alter the patients’ perception of QoL. (3) In the postoperative period, right‐handed patients may be disadvantaged by surgical trauma to the motor cortex in the left hemisphere. (4) During the different phases of the disease, the various functions of the two hemispheres may influence the patient's capacity to control QoL; also, as suggested by authors, both the ego and the conscience are mostly located in the left hemisphere. This is the reason that patients with a left‐sided lesion may perceive a worse QoL.Methods.  A review of literature was carried out using the Medline database (1966–2007) and CINHAL (1982–2007), using the following Mesh Terms and key words: brain neoplasm, tumour or cancer, hemispheric dominance or laterality or right or left hemisphere, QoL.Results.  Seven studies emerged that documented non‐homogeneous results and which included different populations. The association between QoL and the side of the lesion was evaluated.Conclusions.  The lack of a substantial number of recent, robust follow‐up studies investigating the QoL in patients at different stages of disease and treatment indicates that more research is needed.Relevance to clinical practice.  Understanding the QoL in patients with brain neoplasm and the differences between right and left hemisphere sites of the neoplasm can help nurses develop different interventions and offer more guidance for effective clinical intervention.
‘You don't talk about the voices’: voice hearers and community mental health nurses talk about responding to voice hearing experiences
Authors: Coffey Michael , Hewitt Jeanette 
Published: May 2008

Aims and objectives.  To explore service user and community mental health nurses views on responses to voice hearing experiences.Background.  People who hear distressing auditory hallucinations (voices) are often in contact with mental health services. Nursing responses to this experience have been limited, although emerging evidence suggests some utilitarian alternative interventions, such as discussing the content and meaning of the voices.Design.  Using exploratory interviews, this study investigated the response to voice hearing, with a purposive sample of community mental health nurses (n = 20) and service users (n = 20). This paper reports on a thematic content analysis of transcribed interviews, which highlighted differences in perspectives of voice hearers and the nurses supporting them.Results.  Voice hearers reported that interventions from community mental health nurses were limited to reviews of medication, access to the psychiatrist and non‐directive counselling. They identified alternative needs, which involved talking more about the content and meaning of their voices. Conversely, community mental health nurses regarded their responses to voice hearing as being considered, titrated and demonstrating an awareness of the personal contexts of service users. These responses were however restricted by their perception of skill limitations.Conclusions.  The contrasting views of nurses and users of services demonstrated in this study, reveal multiple social realities that represent a challenge to accepted professional responses in the provision of mental health care.Relevance to practice.  People who hear voices express an interest in more helpful responses from community mental health nurses. The findings of this study indicate that nurses must begin to orientate themselves towards a more critical practice stance that encompasses available knowledge on the voice hearing experience.
Exploring the relationship between personal control and the hospital environment
Authors: Williams Anne M , Dawson Sky , Kristjanson Linda J 
Published: May 2008

Aims and objectives.  This paper describes the further development of the substantive theory Optimising Personal Control to Facilitate Emotional Comfort. In previous work, emotional comfort was identified as a therapeutic state that was influenced by several factors, one of which was the hospital environment. This paper focuses on aspects within the hospital environment that patients perceive to influence their feelings of personal control.Background.  A relationship between control and health has been discussed in previous literature. There are indications that aspects of the hospital environment can impact on a patient's perception of control. This project explored personal control in relation to the hospital environment from the perspective of patients.Method.  Grounded theory method was used. Data were collected from patients’ interviews and field observations and analysed using the constant comparative method. Interviews were tape‐recorded and transcribed verbatim. A qualitative data computer program was used to manage the data.Results.  The results confirmed the findings of the original study where hospitalised patients were found to experience feelings of reduced personal control. The conditions of level of security, level of knowing and level of personal value were described in terms of their contribution to the patient's feelings of personal control.Conclusions.  Specific directions for further research into the development and evaluation of therapeutic hospital environments that promote personal control and the associated emotional comfort are provided.Relevance to clinical practice.  This research highlights the importance of considering patients’ feelings of personal control during their hospital stay. Several directions for establishment of therapeutic environments within hospitals are provided, but more research in this area is recommended.
Pain management: evaluating the effectiveness of an educational programme for surgical nursing staff
Authors: Lin Pi‐Chu , Chiang Hsiao‐Wen , Chiang Ting‐Ting , Chen Chyang‐Shiong 
Published: May 2008

Aims and Objectives.  The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a pain management education programme in improving the nurses’ knowledge about, attitude towards and application of relaxation therapy.Background.  Pain of surgical patients has long been an existing problem of health care. Nursing staff need to be educated continuously to develop the professional ability of pain management.Methods.  A quasi‐study design with pre‐ and posttest and post‐ and posttest was used. Subjects were chosen from a medical centre in Taipei by convenience sampling. The total sample size of 81 was segregated into a study group of 42 and control group of 39 participants. The study group attended a seven‐session pain management programme totalling 15 hours. The control group received no pain management training. Scaled measurements were taken on pain management knowledge and attitude and relaxation therapy practice.Results.  (1) Scores for pain management knowledge differed significantly between the two groups (F = 40·636, p = 0·001). (2) Attitudes towards pain management differed between the two groups (F = 8·328, p = 0·005) and remained stable over time (F = 1·603, p = 0·205). (3) Relaxation therapy practice differed significantly between the two groups, with the study group better than the control group (F = 4·006, p = 0·049). (4) Relaxation therapy was applied to nearly all (97·5%) of the patients cared for by study group nurses. All of the instructed patients performed this technique one to three times per day postsurgery.Conclusions.  Continuing education can improve nurses’ knowledge about, attitude towards and behaviour of pain management.Relevance to clinical practice.  Results of this study could be used to guide the development and implementation of continuing education programmes for nursing staff to enhance patients’ care knowledge and skills.