Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure Among Hispanic Women of Reproductive Age

Abstract Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is a potential health risk for women of reproductive age and their children. Household and workplace exposures were estimated for 4256 Hispanic women age 12 to 49 who participated in the Hispanic health and nutrition examination survey. Age-specific household exposure for nonsmokers was 31% to 62% for Mexican-Americans, 22% to 59% for Puerto Ricans, and 40% to 53% for Cuban-Americans. Exposure was significantly high for Puerto Rican and Mexican-American adolescents, 59% and 62%, respectively. Workplace exposure for nonsmokers was 22% to 35% for Mexican-Americans, 28% to 33% for Puerto Ricans, and 33% to 49% for Cuban-Americans. Young Mexican-American and Puerto Rican and all Cuban-American women reported high exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in the home or workplace. Assessment of family living and smoking patterns, understanding cultural values and norms, and household smoking control and cessation strategies that are mutually derived are useful for nurses and Hispanic and Latino populations to meet the environmental tobacco smoke health objectives for the nation.     

In vitro activities of azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline against 13 strains of Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Thirteen strains of Chlamydia pneumoniae were evaluated for their in vitro susceptibilities to azithromycin, clarithromycin, erythromycin, and tetracycline. The MIC ranges were 0.125 to 0.5 micrograms/ml for azithromycin, 0.031 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for clarithromycin, 0.125 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for erythromycin, and 0.25 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for tetracycline. The ranges for the minimal lethal concentrations were 0.125 to 0.5 micrograms/ml for azithromycin, 0.031 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for clarithromycin, 0.125 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for erythromycin, and 0.25 to 1.0 micrograms/ml for tetracycline. Clarithromycin and azithromycin were the most active antibiotics against C. pneumoniae in vitro.     

机械通气患者及家属的心理反应与护理

目的：了解机械通气治疗患者及家属的心理反应和心理需求。方法：以问卷方法调查神志清楚的28例及128位患者及家属的心理反应。结果：28例患者中,忧郁占92．8％,多疑占85．7％,脆弱占100％;敌对占82．1％,易怒占96．4％,偏激占93．8％,120位家属中,忧郁占90．8％,多疑占81．6％,敌对占80％脆弱占97．5％,易怒占93．3％,偏激占82．5％,其余项目无明显差异;心理需求调查中,患者需要陪护占100％,健康教育需要占92％,减少费用为75％、临终关怀为67．8％,而家属对陪护的需求为83．3％,减少费用为77．7％、临终关怀为90．8％外,其余项目无差异性。结论：机械通气患者在治疗期间心理反应、心理需求基本上与家属一致,需对患者和家属进行心理护理。     

The AIDS Pandemic: A Nursing Model

The pandemic of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) calls for global cooperation to develop strategies for interventions both to prevent the disease and to care for persons with it. The conceptual framework "Health for all: A model for nursing's contributions" provides guidance for the processes of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation of care, and evaluation of mortality and morbidity related to AIDS. The disease challenges the biologic, sociologic, medical-technical, and environmental determinants as they affect health. Specific recommendations for health care interventions are relevant to each determinate, with community health status as the focus.     

Oxazolidinones, a new class of synthetic antibacterial agents: in vitro and in vivo activities of DuP 105 and DuP 721

DuP 721 (p-acetylphenyloxooxazolidinylmethylacetamide) and DuP 105 (a methylsulfinyl derivative) are orally active representatives of the oxazolidinones, a new class of synthetic antibacterial agents. Their antibacterial spectrum includes staphylococci, streptococci, and Bacteroides fragilis strains. The compounds have equal activity against staphylococcal strains susceptible or resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, including methicillin-resistant strains. The MICs for 90% of the strains (MIC90s) against staphylococcal isolates were 1 to 4 micrograms/ml for DuP 721 and 4 to 16 micrograms/ml for DuP 105, compared with 1 to 2 micrograms/ml for vancomycin, 0.5 microgram/ml for ciprofloxacin, and 2 to greater than 16 micrograms/ml for imipenem. The MIC90s against group D streptococci were 4 micrograms/ml for DuP 721, 16 micrograms/ml for DuP 105, and 2 micrograms/ml for vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, and imipenem. MIC90s against B. fragilis isolates were 4 micrograms/ml for DuP 721, 16 micrograms/ml for DuP 105, and 8 micrograms/ml for cefoxitin. DuP 721 and DuP 105 administered by either the oral or the parenteral route were protective against staphylococcal and streptococcal infections in mice. The 50% effective doses were 2 to 10 mg/kg for DuP 721, 9 to 23 mg/kg for DuP 105, and 2 to 12 mg/kg for vancomycin. These results indicate that further studies of compounds of the oxazolidinone series are warranted.     

Effect of Divalent Cation Concentrations on the Antibiotic Susceptibilities of Nonfermenters Other than Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The effects of supplementing Mueller-Hinton broth with calcium and magnesium on the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of eight aminoglycosides, colistin, tetracycline, and carbenicillin for 11 nonfermenters other than Pseudomonas aeruginosa were studied and compared with the effects for Escherichia coli and P. aeruginosa. MICs were simultaneously performed in unsupplemented Mueller-Hinton broth and Mueller-Hinton broth supplemented to contain 5 mg of calcium and 2.5 mg of magnesium per dl. Changes in MICs were expressed as the increases in the number of log(2) concentrations caused by supplementation. The usual increases in MICs of aminoglycosides caused by supplementation were: zero concentrations for E. coli, one to six concentrations for P. aeruginosa, and one to two concentrations for most other nonfermenters. The largest increases (five to six concentrations) were observed with gentamicin and P. aeruginosa. The usual increases in MICs of colistin were: zero concentrations for E. coli, two concentrations for P. aeruginosa, and one to two concentrations for other nonfermenters. Increases in MICs of tetracycline were: one to five concentrations for all organisms tested. The usual increases in MICs of carbenicillin were: zero concentrations for E. coli and P. aeruginosa and zero to two concentrations for other nonfermenters. These observations indicated that supplementation of Mueller-Hinton broth to contain recommended concentrations of calcium and magnesium had little effect on MICs of aminoglycosides and colistin for E. coli but increased MICs for most nonfermenters, increased MICs of tetracycline for E. coli and all nonfermenters, and had little effect on MICs of carbenicillin for E. coli and P. aeruginosa but increased the MICs for several nonfermenters other than P. aeruginosa.     

临床实验室精密度性能的评估

目的　评估满足操作规范和保证室间质量评价准则规定的质量要求 ,具有足够精密度性能实验室的百分比。方法　累积分布描述在室间质量评价活动中回报的 5 0 0家实验室的不精密度。允许的不精密度可从常用的单规则和多规则 (每批具有 2～ 4个质控测定值 )质控方法的操作过程规范图中的x轴截距获得。结果　导出的允许不精密度值放在累积分布可获得满足规范实验室百分比图形上的估计值。对于白蛋白 ,2 8%的实验室达到允许的不精密度 ;总胆红素为 6 4 % ,钙为 5 2 % ,氯为 35 % ,胆固醇为 4 8% ,肌酐为 84 % ,葡萄糖为 6 1% ,钾为 95 % ,总蛋白为 6 6 % ,钠为 18% ,三酰甘油为 87% ,尿素氮为 35 % ,尿酸为 81%。结论　对于许多试验 ,为了保证满足室间质量评价要求的分析质量仍需提高其精密度水平。     

Preparedness for Influenza Pandemic in Hong Kong Nursing Units

BACKGROUND: To present preparedness planning for an influenza pandemic for two nursing subunits: nursing services in hospitals and schools of nursing in universities. DISCUSSION: The preparedness plan is modeled on a modified Haddon matrix, a logical approach to identify measures appropriate for the pre-event, event, and postevent phases of an influenza pandemic. For the pre-event phase, the objective is to ensure preparedness for the potential pandemic outbreak through training, communication, surveillance, infection control, and vaccination. Once the pandemic outbreak is declared, the aim is to implement effective measures to ensure a rapid and appropriate response. For the postevent phase, the plan is focused on the restoration of core functions, vigilance for a second or possibly more waves of the pandemic, and psychosocial support to staff and students. CONCLUSION: Measures required to prepare for, respond to, and manage the consequences of influenza pandemic are identified. This planning indicates the need to balance a logical approach with contextual perspectives and the importance for nursing leaders to develop plans for subunits of larger entities.     

Post-antibiotic effect of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, piperacillin and tobramycin for Pseudomonas cepacia.

The post-antibiotic effects (PAE) of ceftazidime, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, piperacillin and tobramycin were studied for ten strains of Pseudomonas cepacia isolated from patients with cystic fibrosis. Antibiotic concentrations used for exposure were either the MIC of each agent for the sensitive isolates or the recommended sensitivity breakpoint concentrations for the resistant isolates. After 2 h of exposure, cultures were rapidly diluted 1000-fold to eliminate the antibiotic. Out of the ten isolates, there were eight sensitive to ceftazidime, six to ciprofloxacin, six to imipenem, nine to piperacillin and five to tobramycin. All antibiotics tested demonstrated PAE for some isolates of P. cepacia, however, each antibiotic failed to produce a PAE for at least one isolate. The mean PAE was 1.35 h for ceftazidime, 2.38 h for ciprofloxacin, 2.39 h for imipenem, 2.16 h for piperacillin and 1.77 h for tobramycin. Imipenem demonstrated PAE of > or = 0.5 h for all sensitive isolates tested; ceftazidime, piperacillin, ciprofloxacin and tobramycin demonstrated PAE of > or = 0.5 h for 6/8, 8/9, 5/6 and 2/5 sensitive isolates, respectively. These data indicate that several antibiotics have significant (> or = 0.5 h) PAE for isolates of P. cepacia.     

A Person-Centered Approach to Symptom Assessment and Management for Children and Adolescents Receiving Cancer Treatment

ObjectivesDiscuss the clinical assessment and management of symptoms for children and adolescents receiving treatment for cancer with attention to a person-centered approach to care.Data SourcesReview of currently published literature and guidelines pertaining to symptom assessment and management for children and adolescents receiving treatment for cancer.ConclusionSymptoms such as pain, nausea, and fatigue are commonly reported by children and adolescents receiving cancer treatment and are associated with greater symptom burden. Symptom assessment should be tailored to the child or adolescent and include the child's or adolescent's preference for reporting symptoms and attention to the symptoms that are of greatest priority. Evidence-based guidelines for the management of symptoms, including pain and nausea, are available to guide symptom management interventions and should be tailored to provide person-centered care.Implications for Nursing PracticeNurses can lead efforts through clinical practice and research initiatives to advance person-centered symptom care for children and adolescents with cancer on a global level. Priorities for future work to advance person-centered symptom assessment and management include (1) identification of best practices for symptom assessment, (2) attention to social determinants of health and their subsequent influence on symptom outcomes, (3) compilation of evidence for management of less commonly reported symptoms, and (4) implementation of published clinical guidelines for symptom management in practice settings.     

Assessing the accuracy of three viral risk models in predicting the outcome of implementing HIV and HCV NAT donor screening in Australia and the implications for future HBV NAT

BACKGROUND: Risk modeling is now the most practical method of estimating the residual risk of viral transmission in developed countries. One method of assessing the accuracy of a risk model is to measure the observed against the predicted outcome after implementing a new screening method. The primary objective of this paper is to assess the accuracy of three published models in predicting the impact of implementing HIV and HCV NAT in Australia. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Viral screening data on Australian donors for 2000 and 2001 were retrospectively analyzed. The data were applied to the three models to estimate the risk of transmission and predicted NAT yield for HIV, HCV, and HBV. RESULTS: The median risk estimates for the three models were 1 in 3,415,000 for HIV NAT, 1 in 911,000 for HCV NAT, and 1 in 483,000 for HBsAg. The predicted NAT yield for the three models ranged from 0.17 to 0.30 per million donations for HIV, 1.20 to 5.55 for HCV, and 0.47 to 1.01 for HBV. The observed NAT yield was not significantly different from the expected yield with any of the three models for either HIV or HCV. CONCLUSIONS: First, the residual risk in Australian donors is small in comparison with other transfusion complications and comparable to or lower than the risk in US and European nonremunerated donors. Second, mathematical risk modeling has sufficient precision to be used as a predictive tool for risk-benefit assessments of novel screening procedures. Finally, in relation to the case for implementing HBV NAT and/or anti-HBc in Australia, we conclude that at present, there is inadequate information about our donor population to perform an evidence-based risk-benefit analysis.     

Important clinician information needs about family members in the intensive care unit

PurposeClinicians often lack key information regarding intensive care unit (ICU) families. Our objective was to identify (1) important information for clinicians to know about ICU families when making decisions and (2) important information for families to know about patients from clinicians.Materials and methodsWe identified important information items through a literature review and semistructured interviews. A separate cohort of family members, nurses, and physicians from 2 ICUs in a single institution were asked to prioritize the identified information as necessary for decision making.ResultsWe identified 21 items important for clinicians to know about families and 32 items important for families to know about patients from clinicians. Themes important for clinicians to know about family members included family background, questions, understanding, goals, concerns, well-being, and requests for additional help. Themes important for families to know about the patient included diagnosis, treatments, prognosis, clinical status, schedule, comfort, goals of care, medical team, and family participation.ConclusionsThrough qualitative and quantitative analysis, we identified important information for ICU clinicians to know about family members and for family members to know about patients. The identified information can be used to guide strategies and tools to improve assessment of and communication with families.     

Outcome predictors for patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment: findings from a retrospective multi-site study

This study sought to determine whether select pre-treatment demographic and in-treatment clinical variables are associated with urinalysis drug screen (UDS) findings for opioids among patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). Data were abstracted from electronic medical records for 2,410 patients admitted to 26 MMT programs from 2009–2011. Patients were studied through retrospective chart review for 12 months. UDS findings for opioids at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month intervals were the outcome variables. Clinical variables included average daily methadone dosage and UDS findings for cocaine, amphetamines, cannabinoids, and benzodiazepines at intake and the various 3-month intervals. UDS+ for cocaine at intake and 3 months were found to be independent predictors of a UDS+ for opioids at 9 months. UDS+ for amphetamines and cannabinoids were found to predict UDS+ for opioids at various intervals. Higher daily methadone dosage was found to predict opioid abstinence at 9 months. Significant demographic predictors of UDS+ for opioids at various intervals included older age, unemployment, Hispanic ethnicity, and being male, single, separated, or non-self-pay. Overall, few of the demographic and clinical variables appear to provide a basis for a priori judgment about whether or not a patient presenting for MMT is likely to have a favorable long-term outcome. However, the findings do suffice to assist in making systematic improvements in MMT planning and in identifying particular subgroups of patients at risk for poor treatment response early on in the MMT process.     

Intramuscular meptazinol and morphine in postoperative pain

Meptazinol is an agonist-antagonist opioid analgesic believed to be unique in its selectivity for mu1 (high affinity) receptors and its cholinergic activity. Our objectives were to determine the relative analgesic potency of intramuscular meptazinol and morphine and to compare mood and side effects in 102 patients with cancer who have postoperative pain. Meptazinol (50, 100, and 200 mg) and morphine (4, 8, and 16 mg) were given for moderate to severe pain in a double-blind, randomized but balanced, incomplete block design. Serial multiple assessments of pain, relief, mood, and side effects were made. The most precise estimates of relative analgesic potency indicate that meptazinol is equivalent to 10 mg morphine at 120 mg (95% confidence interval 80 to 170 mg) for peak effect and at 175 mg (95% confidence interval 125 to 270 mg) for total effect. Mean (+/- SE) times to peak effect and to remedication were 0.9 +/- 0.1 and 3.6 +/- 0.2 hours for meptazinol and 1.4 +/- 0.1 and 4.8 +/- 0.4 hours for morphine at equianalgesic peak effects. The percentages of subjects with one or more side effects were 18, 49, and 73 for graded meptazinol doses and 32, 49, and 65 for graded morphine doses. Mean numbers of side effects per subject were 0.3, 1.5, and 3.5 for meptazinol and 0.5, 0.7, and 1.7 for morphine. Profiles of side effects differed. Mood improvement and overall satisfaction were dose related and greater for morphine than for meptazinol. Side effects may limit the use of meptazinol in doses that relieve severe postoperative pain.     

Consent Administrator Training to Reduce Disparities in Research Participation

Purpose: The aims for this paper are to summarize the current state of disparities in clinical research participation, discuss regulatory and interpersonal causes for these disparities, and to suggest an approach to address this problem by standardized training for consent administrators.
Organizing Construct: A program based on the Precede-Proceed model for training consent administrators is proposed and described.
Conclusions: The current process for informed consent for research is unstandardized and inadequate, and may contribute to racial and ethnic disparities. Researchers are urged to consider a formal training program for members of their research teams who will be obtaining participants' consent.
Clinical Relevance: An educational program for consent administrators may help to reduce disparities in research participation by improving communication between research staff and potential participants.     

念珠菌对临床常用抗真菌药物的耐药性分析

目的研究本地区念珠菌感染构成及对临床常用抗真菌药物的耐药情况。方法使用念珠菌显色培养基对念珠菌进行培养鉴定,并用现行纸片扩散法(K-B法)进行药敏实验。结果 267例念珠菌感染中呼吸道标本占70.8%、尿液占16.9%,脓液6.4%,胸腹水3.4%,脑脊液0.7%,血液1.9%;菌种分布分别为白色念珠菌占61.4%,热带念珠菌占10.9%,克柔念珠菌占6.4%,光滑念珠菌占8.6%,其他念珠菌占12.7%;耐药情况分别为两性霉素B耐药性1.1%,5-氟胞嘧啶13.1%,依曲康唑46.4%,氟康唑48.3%,酮康唑34.8%。结论念珠菌的感染呈上升态势,菌种分布及耐药性表现均不同,临床上应根据药敏实验合理使用抗真菌药物。     

Potential medicare reimbursements for services to patients with chronic fatal illnesses

Medicare's payment and coverage patterns most readily serve beneficiaries' needs for episodic interventions such as surgery and diagnostic tests. Except in hospice, supportive services for long-term, worsening illnesses have not been central to financial policies. Thus, providers who aim for comprehensive, high-quality programs for patients facing serious and eventually fatal illness must work within complex reimbursement structures that do not fit patients' needs well. In acute settings, long-term care settings, home health, physicians' visits and hospice, the rules for Medicare reimbursements differ and are rapidly changing. Consequently, many providers do not know how to bill for appropriate care for a person who is very sick and expected to die. Many health-care provider organizations want to enhance services to seriously ill patients and their families by initiating organized palliative care programs. Often, organization leaders are unfamiliar with regulatory and reimbursement issues for palliative care, especially as patients cross programs. This article provides an overview of the reimbursement approaches for Medicare payments. This information gives a foundation for estimating a business plan, for discussions with fiscal intermediaries and with other area provider organizations, and for making financially viable strategic improvements in care for seriously ill patients.     

Improving public health nursing education: recommendations of local public health nurses

OBJECTIVES: This paper reports recommendations for improving public health nursing (PHN) undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education (CE) made by staff-level public health nurses working in local health departments (LHDs). Implications for academia and practice are discussed. DESIGN: A cross-sectional written survey was used to collect data from 424 public health nurses in 76 LHDs in Wisconsin (68% response rate) in 2003. Recommendations for improving undergraduate, graduate, and CE were made through responses to open-ended survey questions. Content analysis was conducted to identify major themes among responses. RESULTS: Major themes emerging from the recommendations for undergraduate education included the need for more clinical public health experiences and population-focused practice content. Graduate education improvement recommendations included addressing access barriers and increasing organizational incentives. Improved access and more public health content were the major recommendations for improving CE. CONCLUSIONS: Implications for academia focus on increasing opportunities for students to experience population-focused PHN and to learn organizational and collaborative practice skills, supporting PHN preceptors and building evidence for PHN intervention through research. Implications for practice include the need to expand opportunities for students with LHDs and to collaborate with academic partners for education and research.     

Air pollution and daily emergency department visits for headache in Montreal, Canada

BACKGROUND: Many studies have indicated that weather can trigger headache. Here we propose a new methodological approach to assess the relationship between weather, ambient air pollution, and emergency department (ED) visits for this condition. OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between ED visits for headache and selected meteorological and air pollution factors. DESIGN AND METHODS: A hierarchical clusters design was used to study 10,497 ED visits for headache (ICD-9: 784) that occurred at a Montreal hospital between 1997 and 2002. The generalized linear mixed models technique was applied to create Poisson models for the clustered counts of visits for headache. RESULTS: Statistically significant positive associations were observed between the number of ED visits for headache and the atmospheric pressure for all and for female visits for 1-day and 2-day lagged exposures. The percentage increase in daily ED female visits was 4.1% (95% CI: 2.0, 6.2), 3.4% (95% CI: 1.4, 5.6), and 2.2% (95% CI: 1.4, 5.6) for current day, 1-day and 2-day lagged exposure to SO(2), respectively, for an increase of an interquartile range (IQR) of 2.4 ppb. The percentage increase was also statistically significant for current day and 1-day lagged exposure to NO(2) and CO for all and for female visits. CONCLUSIONS: Presented findings provide support for the hypothesis that ED visits for headache are correlated to weather conditions and ambient air pollution - to atmospheric pressure and exposure to SO(2), NO(2), CO, and PM(2.5). An increase in levels of these factors is associated with an increase in the number of ED visits for headache.     

In vitro engineering of cartilage

Because adult human cartilage shows poor capacity for repair and regeneration, innovative solutions are required for congenital and acquired degenerative cartilage lesions. Acquired lesions occur in young and old alike, the former being more at risk for sports-related injuries and the latter for age-related degenerative changes. Because cartilage is a relatively simple tissue with respect to its cellular homogeneity and avascularity, it has been a model for research of in vitro engineered tissues. Progress has been slow and obstructed on several levels. The adult chondrocyte has limited capacity for proliferation and has both catabolic and anabolic functions. These metabolic features must be controlled in order for engineered tissue to endure. Use of three-dimensional scaffolds can be combined with regulatory factors (cytokine, extracellular matrix [ECM], and mechanical) to optimize conditions for in vitro engineered cartilage. Cross-disciplinary interactions are likely to accelerate progress and to mediate application of advances made in other fields for consistently successful in vitro engineering of cartilage for all clinical needs.