bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pharmacological characterization and autoradiographic localization of a putative dopamine D4receptor in the heart
Authors: Ricci A. , Bronzetti E. , Fedele F. , Ferrante F. , Zaccheo D. , Amenta F. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryThe pharmacological profile and the anatomical localization of a putative dopamine D4receptor were assessed in sections of rat and human atria and ventricles using combined radioligand binding and autoradiographic techniques with [3H]‐spiperone as a ligand.[3H]‐Spiperone was bound specifically to sections of human and rat atria and ventricles. The binding was time‐, temperature‐ and concentration‐dependent, belonging to a single class of high affinity sites. In atria, the dissociation constant value (Kd) was 0.45 nM in rats and 0.32 nM in humans, and the maximum density of binding sites (Bmax) was 31.6 ± 2.9 fmol mg−1tissue in rats and 18.8 ± 0.7 fmol mg−1tissue in humans. In ventricles, Kdwas 0.38 nM in rats and 0.39 nM in humans, and the Bmaxwas 43.5 ± 3.0 fmol mg−1tissue in rats and 56.4 ± 3.2 fmol mg−1tissue in humans.The pharmacological profile of [3H]‐spiperone binding to sections of both rat and human atria and ventricles was consistent with the labelling of dopamine D2‐like receptors. [3H]‐Spiperone binding was more sensitive to displacement by the neuroleptic clozapine in sections of atria than of ventricles, suggesting the expression of a dopamine D4receptor in atrial tissue. Moreover, preincubation of some section with a dopamine D4receptor antibody and subsequent exposure to [3H]‐spiperone caused a remarkable decrease of radioligand binding to sections of atria, but only a slight reduction of binding to section of ventricles.Light microscope autoradiography revealed the accumulation of silver grains over atrial tissue within atrial myocardiocytes. A higher density of silver grains was developed in rat than in human atria. In ventricles, silver grains were accumulated primarily in cluster areas both in rats and in humans.The above findings suggest the expression of a dopamine D4receptor in rat atria, but not in ventricles. A similar site was identified in human atria. The possible relevance of a dopamine D4receptor in the heart is discussed.
Doctors’ and nurses’ perceptions of interdisciplinary collaboration in the NICU, and the impact of a neonatal nurse practitioner model of practice
Authors: Copnell Beverley , Johnston Linda , Harrison Denise , Wilson Anita , Robson Anne , Mulcahy Caroline , Ramudu Louisa , McDonnell Geraldine , Best Christine 
Published: December 2004

Background.  The importance of interdisciplinary collaboration has been attested to by a number of authors. Some have suggested that Nurse Practitioners (NPs) may be able to improve collaboration between doctors and nurses, but this assertion does not appear to have been researched.Aims and objectives.  To investigate doctors’ and nurses’ perceptions of interdisciplinary collaboration in two neonatal intensive care units, and to assess the impact of a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) practice model on these perceptions. The study was conducted as part of a larger project to develop a NNP model of practice.Design.  Survey, pre‐ and post‐intervention.Methods.  Medical and nursing staff in both units were surveyed before and after introduction of the NP model of practice. The instrument consisted of 25 statements relating to nurse–doctor interactions, with which respondents indicated their level of agreement on a five‐point Likert scale. The Mann–Whitney U‐test was used to compare scores for individual items and for overall collaboration between various groups of staff, and between the first and second surveys.Results.  Significant differences between the responses of nurses and doctors were found on both surveys. Areas of disagreement chiefly concerned doctors’ behaviour and their attitudes towards nurses, rather than nurses’ behaviour or environmental factors. Doctors consistently reported a higher degree of collaboration than did nurses. Few differences were found between first and second surveys.Conclusions.  Results suggest that problems in nurse–physician interactions exist in both units. No impact of the NNP role, as established in this project, on interdisciplinary collaboration could be demonstrated. Further research in this area is warranted.
Older patients with chronic heart failure within Swedish community health care: a record review of nursing assessments and interventions
Authors: Ehrenberg Anna , Ehnfors Margareta , Ekman Inger 
Published: December 2004

Background.  Older patients with chronic heart failure constitute a large group within community home care that is at high risk for re‐hospitalization. However, hospital readmission can be prevented if early signs of deterioration are recognized and proper interventions applied.Aims and objectives.  The aim of the study was to audit nursing care for older chronic heart failure patients within the Swedish community health care system.Design.  The study adopted a retrospective descriptive design.Methods.  In a Swedish urban municipality nursing documentation from 161 records on patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure was collected retrospectively from community nursing home care units. Patient records were reviewed for characteristics of nursing care and assessed for comprehensiveness in recording.Results.  The main results showed that medical care of patients with chronic heart failure was poorly recorded, making it possible only to follow fragments of the care process. The nursing notes showed poor adherence to current clinical guidelines. Only 12% of the records contained notes on patients’ body weight and only 4% noted patients’ knowledge about chronic heart failure. When interventions did occur, they largely consisted of drug administration.Conclusions.  The findings revealed flaws in the recording of specific assessment and interventions as well as poor adherence to current international clinical guidelines.Relevance to clinical practice.  Supportive guidelines available at the point of care are needed to enhance proper community‐based home health care for older patients with chronic heart failure.
Effectiveness of nurse prescribing: a review of the literature
Authors: Latter Sue , Courtenay Molly 
Published: December 2004

Background.  In the UK, the number of nurses able to prescribe medicines is rapidly increasing in line with Government policy directives. Whilst a number of research studies have been conducted on nurse prescribing, review and synthesis of the findings from these studies had not been undertaken.Aims and objectives.  The literature review was conducted to identify key findings about the impact and effectiveness of nurse prescribing as well as under‐researched issues, in order to inform future research, education and practice in this area.Methods.  A review of the literature on the first phase of nurse prescribing (1993–2002) in the UK was undertaken using electronic databases and specified search terms; some hand searching and identification of grey literature was also carried out.Results.  Eighteen research‐based publications were included in the review. Findings indicate that patients are generally satisfied with district nurses’ and health visitors’ prescribing in the first phase of nurse prescribing. Nurses who prescribe are also generally satisfied with their role, although some concerns about the adequacy of their pharmacological knowledge have been raised. There is some variation in the prescribing patterns of district nurses’, health visitors’ and practice nurses, and the limitations of the original Nurse Prescribers’ Formulary (NPF) have been highlighted. Some preconditions for good nurse prescribing practice have begun to be identified. Some nurse prescribing outcomes – e.g. its impact on the prescribing practices of doctors, and the perspectives of certain patient groups – remain un‐evaluated. Research into the first phase of nurse prescribing is inevitably confined to those with a district nurse and/or health visitor qualification who were prescribing from the original NPF, thus limiting conclusions that can be drawn for the current policy context.Conclusions.  The review highlights that nurse prescribing has generally been evaluated positively to date; however, there are both methodological weaknesses and under‐researched issues that point to the need for further research into this important policy initiative.Relevance to clinical practice.  The review focuses on a clinical issue central to current and future forms of health care practice. Findings from the review highlight both the impact of nurse prescribing and the prerequisites that require consideration by those responsible for the development of nurse prescribing in clinical practice.
The effects of age on quality of life in implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients
Authors: Hamilton Glenys A. , Carroll Diane L. 
Published: December 2004

Background.  The implantable cardioverter defibrillator shows superiority over conventional pharmacological therapy. The implantable cardioverter defibrillator has been implanted with increasing frequency in patients who are either at risk for or have experienced a life‐threatening dysrhythmia. Implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients experience a myriad of physical, emotional and social adjustments, with little being known about the impact of age on trajectory.Aims, objectives and design.  Therefore the purpose of the study is to examine the effects of age on health status, quality of life, and mood states of implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients during the first year after implantation using a repeated measures design.Methods.  A comparison of implantable cardioverter defibrillator patients’ scores with other samples, both ill and well, are discussed to see how the two implantable cardioverter defibrillator age groups compare on the various measures. Human subjects approval was obtained from the institutional review board.Results.  Seventy subjects, 51 males and 19 females, were recruited. There were 31 subjects between the ages of 21 and 62 years, mean age of 51 years, that comprised the younger age group, and 39 subjects between the ages of 67 and 84 years, mean age of 74 years, that comprised the older age group. Each subject completed the Medical Outcomes SF‐36, the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index, and the Profile of Moods States at time of implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation, and 6 and 12 months later.Conclusions.  The older age group was as expected less physically active, less satisfied with their physical functioning, and had slightly more anxiety at 6 and 12 months than the younger counterparts. The younger implantable cardioverter defibrillator recipients demonstrated some improvements over time in the perception of their physical adjustment and anxiety.Relevance to clinical practice.  Comparison of the SF‐36 with other populations with or without a medical condition revealed scores below norms in physical health for both groups, and only slightly higher than patients with heart failure for the older group.
Coronary artery bypass grafting: social support for patients and their significant others
Authors: Rantanen Anja , Kaunonen Marja , Åstedt‐Kurki Päivi , Tarkka Marja‐Terttu 
Published: December 2004

Background.  Patients and significant others may experience physical and psychological stress symptoms during the recovery time from coronary artery bypass surgery. It has been shown that social support is associated with health and well‐being in various situations. It is important to study how patients and significant others describe the social support received.Aim and objective.  To describe social support for bypass surgery patients and their significant others from the social network and nurses during hospitalization and the association between demographic variables and support received from nurses.Design.  A descriptive study using a questionnaire. This was a pilot study.Method.  Questionnaires were mailed to 146 subjects and 103 responded. The questionnaires included background variables, the Social Support from the Social Network Scale and the Support from Nurses during Hospitalization Scale.Results.  In most cases, the spouse, children and friends were the major sources of support for patients and significant others. Patients reported equal amounts of both affect and aid or concrete support while significant others reported the highest level of affect and the lowest level of affirmation from the social network. Patients and significant others reported the highest level of affirmation and the lowest level of aid from nurses during hospitalization.Conclusions.  Relatives are important sources of support for bypass surgery patients and their significant others. Patients reported higher levels of all types of social support from both the social network and nurses than did significant others.Relevance to clinical practice.  The provision of nursing support for significant others can be enhanced by focusing nursing care on the whole family. This would promote the health of the whole family.
Understanding experience in nursing
Authors: Arbon Paul 
Published: December 2004

Background.  This paper reviews research that considered the life stories of experienced nurses and the relationships between life experience, the way in which people find meaning in their experience(s), the development of nursing knowledge, and the influence of these events and understandings on the characteristics and clinical practice of experienced nurses.Aims and objectives.  The dominant perspectives in nursing about the place of experience in the development of nurses’ practice are considered and the paper argues for a broader understanding of experience; placing experience within the context of nurses’ lives, connection with others and their individual understandings about nursing care.Relevance to clinical practice.  The place of experience in the development of nurses has not been well understood although the nursing discourse continues to value clinical experience highly. Becoming experienced as a nurse is described as a progressive and continuous interaction between experience, meaning and the lived world resulting in a personal and unique understanding of practice. The culture and discourse of nursing have tended to exclude or dampen individual difference and the paper considers a more expansive understanding of the place of experience and individual difference in nursing and the relevance of this perspective for the education of nurses.
Menopausal women: perceiving continuous power through the experience of regular exercise
Authors: Jeng Chii , Yang Shun‐Hsuan , Chang Pi‐Chen , Tsao Lee‐Ing 
Published: December 2004

Background.  Menopausal women are at high risk for cardiovascular diseases and osteoporosis. However, for so long, women have devoted much of their time and energy to family, children, and work such that they could not regularly exercise. There are few studies addressing the experiences of Taiwanese women who regularly exercise.Objectives.  The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of regularly exercising, defined as thoughts or actions by menopausal women who did not regularly exercise before menopause, but who now exercise regularly.Design.  A grounded theory research design was used.Methods.  In‐depth interviews were undertaken with a purposive sampling of 12 menopausal women who began to do regular exercises after menopause and who have continued exercising for more than 6 months. The constant comparative method was used to analyse the interview data.Results.  ‘Perceiving Continuous Power’ was the core category during the process of regularly exercising. Every participating woman perceived that her body and mind were filled with continuous power including the subcategories of ‘Overcoming the initial discomfort’, ‘Experiencing Benefits to Body and Mind’ and ‘Broadening’ during the process. ‘Awareness of Health Crisis’, which included the subcategories of ‘Cureless Chronic Disease’, ‘Mood Swings’, and ‘Conflict on Medication’, was identified as occurring when these women first began regularly exercising. Throughout the process of perceiving continuous power, women experienced the following interactive behaviour categories: ‘Exercise Selection’ with subcategories of ‘Self‐Evaluation’, ‘Seeking and Fitting’, ‘Comparing’ and ‘Health Becoming’ with the subcategories of ‘Releasing Health Crisis’, ‘Regaining Flowering Life’, and ‘Self‐Fulfilling’.Conclusions.  Regular exercises provided continuous power for menopausal women.Relevance to clinical practice.  The experiences with exercise we uncovered in this study can provide a reference for nurses to guide menopausal women with their regular exercise plans.
Cataract formation in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., smolt relative to dietary pro‐ and antioxidants and lipid level
Authors: Waagbø R , Hamre K , Bjerkås E , Berge R , Wathne E , Lie Ø , Torstensen B 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe development of cataracts in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., was studied in 16 groups of smolts fed diets differing in prooxidant (iron, copper, manganese) and antioxidant (vitamin E, vitamin C, astaxanthin) composition and lipid level for 23 weeks in sea water, using a 27‐‐3 reduced factorial design. The seven dietary variables were systematically varied at low (requirement level and 150 g lipid kg−1) and high levels (below known toxic levels and 320 g lipid kg−1). A mean endpoint cataract incidence of approximately 36% was observed. High dietary levels of vitamin C and astaxanthin reduced cataract frequency, whereas high dietary lipid level, iron and manganese were associated with increased cataract frequencies. Considering the nutritional status of selected organs of the fish, only the status of ascorbic acid correlated negatively to cataract development (P < 0.05). The lens glutathione (GSH) status was not correlated to cataract frequency, nor statistically explained by the dietary variables. However, the study shows that balancing the diet with respect to pro‐ and antioxidant nutrients may significantly protect Atlantic salmon against development of cataracts. An incidence of reversible osmotic cataract observed at week 14 was positively correlated to plasma glucose concentration.
Disseminated gonococcemia
Authors: Mehrany Khosrow , Kist Joseph M. , O'Connor William J. , DiCaudo David J. 
Published: December 2004

A 26‐year‐old woman presented with a high‐grade fever and chills of 2 days’ duration. She complained of associated joint pain, especially in the wrists and knees. One day before admission, tender skin lesions began to develop on the fingers, and subsequently spread to the more proximal extremities. The patient recalled having a sore throat and a nonproductive cough before the onset of the fever and eruption.The past medical history was significant for Gardnerella vaginitis and several urinary tract infections. The patient was taking oral contraceptive pills; her most recent menstruation was 3 weeks before admission. She reported having sexual intercourse with her boyfriend 2 weeks before admission.The patient's temperature was 40 °C. Dermatologic examination revealed a 6‐mm, hemorrhagic pustule on an ill‐defined pink base, overlying the volar aspect of the left second proximal interphalangeal joint (Fig. 1a). Scattered on the upper and lower extremities were occasional round, ill‐defined pink macules with central pinpoint vesiculation (Fig. 1b). A skin biopsy of the digit revealed a dense neutrophilic infiltrate with leukocytoclasis and marked fibrin deposition in the superficial and deep dermal vessels (Fig. 2a). Gram stains demonstrated the presence of Gram‐negative diplococci (Fig. 2b).Dermatologic appearance. (a) Tender, hemorrhagic pustule overlying the volar aspect of the second proximal interphalangeal joint. (b) Round, ill‐defined, pink macule with central pinpoint vesiculation on the forearmimageResults of skin biopsy. (a) Neutrophilic infiltrate with leukocytoclasis and marked fibrin deposition in a deep dermal vessel (hematoxylin and eosin stain; original magnification, × 100). (b) Gram‐negative diplococci within and surrounding a dermal blood vessel (Gram stain; original magnification, × 600)imageLaboratory findings included leukocytosis (leukocyte count of 20 × 109/L, with 81% neutrophils). Analysis of an endocervical specimen by polymerase chain reaction was positive for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and negative for Chlamydia trachomatis. Throat and blood cultures grew N. gonorrhoeae. Specimen cultures obtained by skin biopsy yielded no growth. Results of serologic analysis for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis, syphilis, and pregnancy were negative.Beginning on admission, intravenous ceftriaxone, 2 g, was administered every 24 h for 6 days, followed by oral cefixime, 400 mg twice daily for 4 days. Oral azithromycin, 1 g, was administered to treat possible coinfection with C. trachomatis. By treatment day 4, the patient was afebrile, with the resolution of leukocytosis and symptomatic improvement of arthralgias.
Clinical course of psoriasis during pregnancy
Authors: Raychaudhuri Siba P. , Navare Teja , Gross Jeff , Raychaudhuri Smriti K. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground Since the landmark study on rheumatoid arthritis, many reports have suggested that physiological changes during pregnancy often induce remission of systemic and cutaneous inflammatory diseases. In this study we investigated the clinical course of psoriasis during pregnancy.Objective In this retrospective study information was collected from Psoriasis Life History Questionnaires. The data obtained from 736 questionnaires were entered into a computerized database. Information relevant to the clinical course of psoriasis during pregnancy was evaluated in respect to improvement/worsening, number of pregnancies, severity of the disease, and certain other clinical parameters.Results In a majority of the patients psoriasis improved during pregnancy. Data available from 91 pregnancies revealed: psoriasis improved in 51 (56%), worsened in 24 (26.4%), and remained unchanged in 16 (17.6%). Also, appearance of psoriasis new lesions was found to be frequent during the early postpartum period. Patients who improved in the first pregnancy were found to have a similar response in the following pregnancies.Conclusion Research on immuno‐endocrine interactions during pregnancy is a relatively new field. Proinflammatory Th‐1 cytokines are up‐regulated in psoriasis and play a key role in the inflammatory cascades of psoriasis. It is likely that during pregnancy the Th‐2 cytokine‐mediated down‐regulation of the immune response by virtue of its anti‐inflammatory and antagonizing effects on the Th‐1 cytokines improves psoriasis.
Prevalence of skin disease in HIV‐positive pregnant women
Authors: Alonso Norma , Lugo‐Somolinos Aída , Torres‐Paoli Damaris , Sánchez Jorge L. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground The rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in women of reproductive age has increased dramatically in the last decade. The effects of pregnancy on the prevalence of cutaneous diseases in this group is unclear.Objectives To compare the prevalence of cutaneous diseases in healthy pregnant women, HIV‐positive pregnant women, and HIV‐positive nonpregnant women.Methods Fifty HIV‐positive pregnant women and 52 HIV‐positive nonpregnant women were compared with a control group of 50 HIV‐negative pregnant women for the prevalence of cutaneous diseases.Results The prevalence of cutaneous diseases was higher (65%) in the HIV‐positive nonpregnant group than in the HIV‐positive pregnant group (42%) or the control group (28%). Infectious diseases were more frequent in the HIV‐positive nonpregnant group.Conclusions Pregnancy does not seem to increase the prevalence of cutaneous diseases that occur during the course of HIV disease.