bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Does access to bed‐chair pressure sensors reduce physical restraint use in the rehabilitative care setting?
Authors: Kwok Timothy , Mok Francis , Chien Wai Tong , Tam Eric 
Published: April 2006

Background.  The common use of physical restraints in older people in hospitals and nursing homes has been associated with injurious falls, decreased mobility and disorientation. By offering access to bed‐chair pressure sensors in hospitalized patients with perceived fall risk, nurses may be less inclined to resort to physical restraints, thereby improving clinical outcomes.Aims and objectives.  To investigate whether the access of bed‐chair pressure sensors reduces physical restraint use in geriatric rehabilitation wards.Design.  Randomized controlled trial.Methods.  Consecutively, patients admitted to two geriatric wards specialized in stroke rehabilitation in a convalescent hospital in Hong Kong, and who were perceived by nurses to be at risk of falls were randomly assigned to intervention and control groups. For the intervention group subjects, nurses were given access to bed‐chair pressure sensors. These sensors were not available to control group subjects, as in usual practice. The trial continued until discharge. The primary outcomes were the proportion of subjects restrained by trunk restraint, bedrails or chair‐board and the proportion of trial days in which each type of physical restraint was applied. The secondary outcomes were the proportions of those who improved in the mobility and transfer domains of modified Barthel index on discharge and of those who fell.Results.  One hundred and eighty subjects were randomized. Fifty (55·6%) out of the 90 intervention group subjects received the intervention. There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups in the proportions and duration of having the three types of physical restraints. There was also no group difference in the chance of improving in mobility and transfer ability, and of having a fall.Conclusion.  Access to bed‐chair pressure sensor device neither reduced the use of physical restraints nor improved the clinical outcomes of older patients with perceived fall risk.Relevance to clinical practice.  The provision of bed‐chair pressure sensors may only be effective in reducing physical restraints when it is combined with an organized physical restraint reduction programme.
Governing time in operating rooms
Authors: Riley Robin , Manias Elizabeth 
Published: April 2006

Aim. This paper examines how time is controlled and governed in operating rooms through interpersonal communication between nurses and doctors.Background. Time is a valuable commodity in organizations with improvements often directed towards maximizing efficiencies. As a consequence, time can be a source of tension and interpersonal conflict as individuals compete for control of its use.Methods. The data in this paper emanate from an ethnographic study that explored a range of communication practices in operating room nursing. Participants comprised 11 operating room nurses. Data were collected over two years in three different institutional settings and involved participant observation, interviews and the keeping of a personal diary. A deconstructive analysis of the data was undertaken.Results. Results are discussed in terms of the practices, in which clinicians are engaged in, to govern and control their use of time. The four practices presented in this paper include; questioning judgment and timing, controlling speed, estimating surgeons’ use of time and coping with different perceptions of time.Conclusions. Time and speed were hotly contested by nurses. They used their personal knowledge of individual surgeon's habits of time to govern and control practice. Nurses thought about surgeons in terms of time and developed commonly accepted understandings about the length of surgical procedures. They used this knowledge to manage the scheduling of operations in the departments and to control the workflow in individual operating rooms. Knowledge of individual surgeons was a source of power for operating room nurses.Relevance to clinical practice. Nurses have more power in the operating room than might be imagined but they exercise this power in subtle ways. If operating rooms are to work effectively, the operating room team must understand each others' work better.
Translating person‐centred care: a case study of preceptor nurses and their teaching practices in acute care areas
Authors: McCarthy Bridie 
Published: April 2006

Aims and objectives.  The research aims to explore how preceptors interpret, operationalize, document and teach person‐centred care as they guide students within an acute surgical environment.Background.  Person‐centred care is a term that is widely used in the nursing literature; however, its interpretation in nursing practice remains virtually unexplored. This is of great significance to nurses in general but to Irish nurses in particular on whom this study is focused. As preceptor nurses have been identified as key people in the education of clinical students, it was considered important to explore how clinical preceptors promote person‐centred care to current undergraduate nursing students.Design and method.  Using a case study design and a qualitative approach, six preceptors were chosen to participate in this study. Data were collected by means of participant observation, review of nursing care records and semi‐structured interviews. Data were analysed in two stages. The first stage involved the identification of themes. In the second stage data were analysed using a number of propositions to examine and explain what was gleaned from the data in the context of what was originally identified in the literature.Results.  Findings highlighted that preceptors had a limited conception of person‐centred care. Measures of care reflected the medical model of nursing. Beyond that, preceptors expressed care in terms of good manners or respectful etiquette. Preceptors also had limited appreciation of what learning entails and were sceptical about classroom theory other than what they considered essential for safe practice.Conclusions.  This study highlights that preceptors need both internal and external support to implement the changes advocated by the Commission in Nursing in 1998, the Nursing Education Forum in 2000, the Department of Health and Children in 2001 and An Bord Altranais in 2003.Relevance to clinical practice.  Person‐centred care is a relatively new concept in nursing and recommended for practice. Preceptors need facilitation with its implementation. In an effort to promote changes in the delivery of health care, it is suggested that university‐based lecturers empower students to practice evidence‐based nursing as students and subsequently as qualified nurses.
The use of placebo in clinical nursing research
Authors: Chan Carmen WH , Thompson David R 
Published: April 2006

Aims.  This paper reviews placebo and placebo effects and their measurement and application to nursing. Ethical and methodological issues are also discussed. Implications for nursing and recommendations for future study are offered.Background.  Placebos have been used for decades in clinical trials but discussion about conceptual, methodological and ethical issues has been comparatively scarce.Conclusion.  It is concluded that true placebo effects are difficult to measure and control and the use of credible placebo is sometimes impractical in clinical nursing research. This leads to the increased use of usual care as a control by researchers. However, more information should be reported in studies that use this approach, including the specification of usual care, its monitoring and patient adherence.Relevance to clinical practice.  Where its use is considered ethical, safe and feasible, a placebo arm should be included in studies of efficacy to distinguish between active and inactive treatment.
An exploration of factors which constrain nurses from research participation
Authors: Roxburgh Michelle 
Published: April 2006

Aim. The aim of this study was to explore practising nurses’ views on factors which they perceived constrained them from research participation.Background. Many studies reviewed in the literature have taken a quantitative approach and have concentrated on why nurses do not use research findings in their practice. Of these studies a few included constraints to research use. However, with the development of national research strategies for nursing and the drive for the profession to develop its own research base, there is a need to understand what constrains clinically practising nurses from taking up opportunities to either develop their own research or participate in research studies.Design and method. Data were collected during June and July 2004 by means of two focus groups (n = 7) followed by single interviews (n = 7). Analysis was undertaken using a thematic approach aided by N‐Vivo 2.0.Results and discussion. In this study, findings revealed six key themes perceived by nurses to constrain from research participation: ‘Level of support nurses require to be research active’, ‘Nurses’ attitudes to undertaking/participating in research’, ‘The extent of nurses knowledge about research’, ‘Skills to undertake research’ and ‘Level of educational preparation relating to undertaking/participating in research’.Conclusions. In this study, nurses were generally receptive to participating in research. However, they felt constrained because of lack of time, lack of peer support and limited knowledge and skills of the research process.Relevance to clinical practice. What is already known on this topic: studies into nurses and research have predominantly taken a quantitative approach; many studies have aimed to elicit the extent of nurses’ use of research findings. What this study adds: this study adds a qualitative perspective; although findings are not generalizable, they support quantitative study findings into this subject; identifies constraints that require to be overcome for practising nurses to actively get involved in research studies.
Dominant‐negative interference with defence signalling by truncation mutations of the tomato Cf‐9 disease resistance gene
Authors: Barker Claire L. , Baillie Brett K. , Hammond‐Kosack Kim E. , Jones Jonathan D. G. , Jones David A. 
Published: April 2006

SummaryThe tomato Cf‐9 gene confers resistance to races of the leaf mould fungus Cladosporium fulvum that carry the Avr9 avirulence gene. Cf‐9 was isolated by transposon tagging using a modified maize Dissociation (Ds) element. This generated an allelic series of Ds‐induced mutations of Cf‐9, of which two were found to confer novel phenotypes in a screen for mutants affecting wild‐type Cf‐9 function in trans. Genetic and molecular analysis of these mutants suggested semidominant, Avr9‐dependent, negative‐interfering mutations involving Ds insertions in a defined subregion of Cf‐9. Interference was associated with expression of the 5′‐end of Cf‐9 upstream of the Ds insertions in these mutants, suggesting that truncated Cf‐9 proteins were the likely cause of interference. Transgenic tomato lines harbouring Cf‐9 constructs with premature stop codons in positions similar to the Ds insertions also showed interference, indicating that the presence of Ds was not required for interference to occur. Interestingly, interference in these transgenic lines was completely dominant and was associated with a pronounced developmental phenotype that was dependent on co‐expression of Cf‐9, Avr9 and a truncated Cf‐9 transgene. However, interference with a weakly autoactive Hcr9 gene was Avr9‐independent and did not cause a developmental phenotype, suggesting that localized restoration of Cf‐9/Avr9‐dependent cell death was responsible for the developmental phenotype. The restricted region in which truncation of Cf‐9 results in dominant‐negative interference suggests that leucine‐rich repeats (LRR) 16–19 of Cf‐9 may mediate dimerization of Cf‐9 and LRRs 20–23 may mediate interactions with downstream partner proteins required for Cf‐9 signalling, or vice versa.
The CCAAT binding factor can mediate interactions between CONSTANS‐like proteins and DNA
Authors: Ben‐Naim Orna , Eshed Ravit , Parnis Anna , Teper‐Bamnolker Paula , Shalit Akiva , Coupland George , Samach Alon , Lifschitz Eliezer 
Published: April 2006

SummaryCONSTANS‐Like (COL) proteins are plant‐specific nuclear regulators of gene expression but do not contain a known DNA‐binding motif. We tested whether a common DNA‐binding protein can deliver these proteins to specific cis‐acting elements. We screened for proteins that interact with two members of a subgroup of COL proteins. These COL proteins were Tomato COL1 (TCOL1), which does not seem to be involved in the control of flowering time, and theArabidopsis thalianaCONSTANS (AtCO) protein which mediates photoperiodic induction of flowering. We show that the C‐terminal plant‐specific CCT (CO, CO‐like, TIMING OF CAB EXPRESSION 1) domain of both proteins binds the trimeric CCAAT binding factor (CBF) via its HAP5/NF‐YC component. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that TCOL is recruited to the CCAAT motifs of the yeastCYC1andHEM1promoters by HAP5. In Arabidopsis, each of the three CBF components is encoded by several different genes that are highly transcribed. Under warm long days, high levels of expression of a tomatoHAP5(THAP5a) gene can reduce the flowering time of Arabidopsis. A mutation in the CCT domain of TCOL1 disrupts the interaction with THAP5 and the analogous mutation in AtCO impairs its function and delays flowering. CBFs are therefore likely to recruit COL proteins to their DNA target motifsin planta.
Silk decorations: controversy and consensus
Authors: Bruce M. J. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractAlthough the occurrence of silk decorations has been noted in scientific literature for over 100 years, there is still little consensus as to their function. This is despite the proliferation of studies examining the five major hypotheses: (1) protection against predators, (2) increasing foraging success, (3) prevention of damage to the web, (4) providing shade and (5) mechanical support for the web. The first three of these hypotheses have received the most attention, and thus generated the most evidence (for and against) suggesting that web decorations are a type of visual signal. However, the effect of this signal on prey and predator receivers is unclear as the evidence is contradictory. Thus, the function of silk decorations may be context specific, depending on factors such as predators, prey, background colour and ambient light. A better understanding of how predators and prey see and process visual information from silk decorations, coupled with experiments examining the mechanisms behind the various hypotheses, are crucial in illuminating their function and resolving the controversy.
Maternal serum activin A and the prediction of intrauterine growth restriction
Authors: BARKEHALL‐THOMAS Andrea , TONG Stephen , BAKER Lesleigh S. , EDWARDS Andrew , WALLACE Euan M. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground:  Differentiating between the small healthy fetus and the high risk growth restricted fetus remains a significant obstetric challenge. It has been previously shown that maternal activin A levels are increased in association with fetal growth restriction.Aim:  To evaluate maternal serum activin A as a marker of fetal growth restriction.Methods:  Prospective cohort study of 62 women referred for fetal assessment because of a clinical suspicion of a small for gestation fetus. Maternal serum levels of activin A were measured with an ELISA.Results:  Activin A levels, expressed as median (95% CI) MoMs, were similar in the women with a normal‐sized fetus and in those with a healthy small for gestational age fetus, 1.14 (95% CI 1.0–1.5) and 1.31 (95% CI 0.8–2.1), respectively (P = 0.97). Compared to the women with a normal‐sized fetus or a healthy small fetus, activin A levels were significantly elevated in the women who had an intrauterine fetal growth restriction fetus 2.37 (95% CI 1.6–3.7; P = 0.01 compared to normal and P = 0.04 compared to healthy small).Conclusions:  These data confirm that circulating activin A is increased in association with fetal growth restriction. However, a single blood sample for activin A will not efficiently discern between healthy and compromised small fetuses.
Activin‐A secretion is increased in the eutopic endometrium from women with essndometriosis
Authors: ROMBAUTS Luk , DONOGHUE Jacqui , CANN Leonie , JONES Rebecca L. , HEALY David L. 
Published: April 2006

AbstractBackground:  Activin is a well‐characterised growth and differentiation factor and an important inflammatory mediator. Activin is secreted by normal endometrial glands and stroma and is expressed by endometrial leucocytes. It is also known that the eutopic endometrium from women with endometriosis is functionally different to that from women without endometriosis. In this study, we hypothesise that the endometrial secretion of activin is altered in women with endometriosis.Aims:  To determine whether the expression of inhibin/activin subunits and the secretion of activin‐A is different in eutopic endometrium from women with and without endometriosis.Methods:  Endometrial biopsies were obtained from premenopausal, regularly menstruating women with and without endometriosis. Staining intensity for the different inhibin/activin subunits was compared in endometrial and endometriotic biopsies. Activin‐A secretion was studied using endometrial explants and endometrial glandular and stromal monolayer cell cultures.Results:  The α‐ and βA‐subunits of inhibin/activin were more abundant in eutopic glandular cells from patients with minimal to mild endometriosis compared to women without endometriosis. In patients with endometriosis, the βB‐subunit was more abundant in eutopic stromal cells and endometrial leucocytes. Comparison of paired endometrial and endometriotic biopsies from the same patient did not reveal significant differences for any of the inhibin/activin subunits or activin receptors. Activin‐A secretion by glandular and stromal endometrial cells was sevenfold and threefold higher, respectively, in women with endometriosis compared to women without endometriosis.Conclusions:  The expression of inhibin/activin subunits in eutopic endometrium is altered in women with endometriosis, leading to higher levels of activin‐A secretion by both glandular cells and stromal cells.
PCR‐RFLP and AP‐PCR of rbcL and ITS of rDNA Show That ×Taxodiomeria peizhongii (Taxodium×Cryptomeria) Is not an Intergeneric Hybrid
Authors: Ling Yan , Lu Wei‐Feng , Lu Fan , Wang Yu‐Guo , Chen Jia‐Kuan , Zhang Wen‐Ju 
Published: April 2006

Abstract×Taxodiomeria peizhongii Z. J. Ye, J. J. Zhang et S. H. Pan was regarded as a new intergeneric hybrid between Taxodium mucronatum Tenore (as the female donor) and Cryptomeria fortunei Hooibrenk ex Otto et Dietr (as the male donor). To confirm the authenticity of the intergeneric hybrid, we analyzed the rbcL gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of 26S‐18S ribosomal RNA gene of the three species using polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP‐PCR), and obtained the following results: i) Taxodiomeria peizhongii had the same RFLP maps of the rbcL gene and the ITS as Taxodium mucronatum, but was different from C. fortunei; ii) a 311‐bp PCR amplification product was obtained in C. fortunei by AP‐PCR of ITS, but was not found in Taxodiomeria peizhongii. Our results have demonstrated that C. fortunei did not provide any genome for Taxodiomeria peizhongii, implying that T. peizhongii is not an intergeneric hybrid between the two species.(Managing editor: Wei Wang)
The (54Fe+58Ni)/56Ni ratio as a second parameter for Type Ia supernova properties
Authors: Mazzali Paolo A. , Podsiadlowski Philipp 
Published: April 2006

Abstract
A variation of the relative content of (54Fe+58Ni) versus 56Ni may be responsible for the observed scatter of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) about a mean relation between their intrinsic brightness and the shape of their light curve. Synthetic light curves are computed from parametrized Chandrasekhar-mass explosion models of constant kinetic energy, where the ejecta are divided into an inner nuclear statistical equilibrium (NSE) zone, composed of (54Fe+58Ni) inside and 56Ni outside, an outer zone with intermediate-mass elements, and a CO zone. Both the size of the NSE zone and the fraction of (54Fe+58Ni) versus 56Ni are varied systematically. Models with the same original NSE content but different (54Fe+58Ni)/56Ni ratios reach different peak brightness but have similar light curve shapes. Synthetic spectra indicate that the V-band decline rate is not affected by the (54Fe+58Ni)/56Ni ratio. While the 56Ni mass and the total NSE mass are the dominant parameters that determine the peak luminosity and the shape of the light curve, respectively, a variation in the (54Fe+58Ni)/56Ni ratio, which may depend on the metallicity of the progenitor is likely to account for a significant part of the observed scatter of local SNe Ia about the mean brightness–decline rate relation.
Conserving a Volatile Metabolite: a Role for Carboxysome-Like Organelles in
Salmonella enterica
Authors: Penrod Joseph T. , Roth John R. 
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACT

Salmonellae can use ethanolamine (EA) as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen. This ability is encoded by an operon (
eut
) containing 17 genes, only 6 of which are required under standard conditions (37°C; pH 7.0). Five of the extra genes (
eutM
, -
N
, -
L
, -
K
, and -
G
) become necessary under conditions that favor loss of the volatile intermediate, acetaldehyde, which escapes as a gas during growth on EA and is lost at a higher rate from these mutants. The
eutM
,
-N
,
-L
, and -
K
genes encode homologues of shell proteins of the carboxysome, an organelle shown (in other organisms) to concentrate CO
2
. We propose that carboxysome-like organelles help bacteria conserve certain volatile metabolites—CO
2
or acetaldehyde—perhaps by providing a low-pH compartment. The EutG enzyme converts acetaldehyde to ethanol, which may improve carbon retention by forming acetals; alternatively, EutG may recycle NADH within the carboxysome.