Development of the PAAI as a Measure of Attitudes of Parents with Preschool Children Toward Substance Use and Abuse

Because parents have a major impact on their preschool children's development, the study of parental attitudes is crucial to understanding substance abuse behavior. This study examined the reliability of an instrument to measure attitudes of parents with preschool children regarding substance use and abuse. The sample consisted of a lower to middle socioeconomic, racially diverse population of 101 parents of preschool children. The Parent Attitude Assessment Instrument (PAAI) measured parents' attitudes toward substance use and abuse, parental role modeling, and substance abuse prevention with preschool children.     

Dissociation between renal prostaglandin E2 and renin release. Effects of glucagon,dopamine and cyclic AMP in dogs

VIKSE, A., BUGGE, J., DAHL, E. & KIIL, F. 1985. Dissociation between renal prostaglandin E₂ and renin release. Effects of glucagon, dopamine and cyclic AMP in dogs. Acta Physiol Scand 125 , 619–626. Received 14 March 1985, accepted 10 May 1985. ISSN 0001–6772. University of Oslo, Institute for Experimental Medical Research, Ullevaal Hospital, Norway. To examine the relationship between prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) and renin release, glucagon, dopamine and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DB-cAMP) were infused into dog kidneys during autoregulatory dilation of preglomerular vessels. Autoregulatory vasodilation, which enhances PGE₂ and renin release, was induced by renal arterial constriction or ureteral occlusion. Glucagon infusion increased both PGE₂ and renin release during autoregulatory vasodilation, and renin release was almost abolished after inhibiting PGE₂ release by indomethacin. In contrast, dopamine and DB-cAMP infused during autoregulatory vasodilation increased renin release without significantly changing PGE₂ release. Stimulation of renin release was not dependent on vasodilatory effects, which for all drugs were greatly diminished during autoregulatory vasodilation. Hence, glucagon stimulates both PGE₂ and renin release. Most of the increase in renin release during glucagon infusion is prostaglandin-dependent since indomethacin greatly reduced the stimulatory effect. In contrast, dopamine and DB-cAMP stimulate renin release without increasing PGE₂ release as previously found for β-adrenergic stimulation.     

Predictors of Psychosocial Adjustment in Patients with Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators

Predictors of psychological distress/adjustment were examined in 25 patients following placement of ICDs. Patients completed a demographic questionnaire and a standardized questionnaire of psychological symptoms (i.e., Symptom Checklist-90 Revised; SCL-90-R). The number of discharges categorized by the patient as inappropriate and appropriate were also ascertained. The number of ICD discharges categorized as inappropriate and diminished levels of physical activity (r = 0.53 and 0.63, P < 0.01, respectively) did significantly relate to overall psychological distress. In addition, after controlling for age and prior psychiatric and physical health status through a stepwise multiple regression analysis, the occurrence of ICD discharges categorized as inappropriate and diminished physical activity continued to significantly predict overall psychological distress (R²= 0.41, P < 0.01). However, the number of ICD discharges categorized as appropriate did not significantly predict overall psychological distress. The results of this investigation suggest that further refinement of the ICD could reduce the risk of exposure to potential psychological distress, and an analysis of prior and anticipated patient physical activity levels should be a factor when calibrating minimum ICD discharge threshold levels.     

Estimates of Animal and Plant Protein Intake in US Adults: Results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1991

Objective To describe the sources of protein intake in a sample of the US adult population and among subgroups defined by race-ethnicity, age, and gender.Design The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1991, is a stratified random sample of the total civilian noninstitutionalized population, drawn from the 50 United States and the District of Columbia. For all foods consumed by the participants, based on a 24-hour dietary recall, protein sources and the contribution of each protein type to the total protein intake were determined.Subjects Adult participants in the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n=7,924).Statistical analyses Weighted total, age-specific, and age-adjusted mean protein intakes were calculated using SAS and WesVarPC. Statistical differences were determined by 2-tailed t tests.Results The main protein source in the American diet is animal protein (69%). Meat, fish, and poultry protein combined contributed the most to animal protein (42%), followed by dairy protein (20%). Grains (18%) contributed the most to plant protein consumption. Women consumed a lower percentage of beef (14%) and pork (7%) protein than did men (18% and 9%, respectively). Women also consumed a higher percentage of poultry (13%), dairy (22%), and fruit and vegetable (11%) protein than did men (11%, 19%, and 9%, respectively). Blacks reported eating a higher percentage of poultry (18%) and pork (11%) protein and a lower percent of dairy protein (14%) than did whites (12%, 7%, and 22%, respectively) and Mexican-Americans (11%, 8%, and 17%, respectively). Mexican-Americans consumed a higher percentage of legume (7%) and egg (7%) protein than did whites (4% and 4%, respectively) and blacks (4% and 5%, respectively). Whites consumed a higher percentage of grain protein (19%) than did blacks (16%) and Mexican-Americans (15%).Conclusions These results show that, although the percentage of total energy from protein may be similar among race-ethnicities and between men and women, their sources of protein are different. These differences should be taken into account when providing nutrition education for specific populations. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999;99:813–820.     

Theoretical Foundations of a Prepared Sibling Class

Family-centered maternity care is a frequently used phrase, yet children, an integral part of the family, are not always involved in formal preparation for a new infant. Should children be included in the preparation for a new arrival? A formal assessment to answer this question led to the planning and implementation of a Sibling Preparation Class. This article discusses objectives with implementation methods and correlates their direct application to class content. Nursing implications and suggestions for further research are included.     

Effects of Lead Exposure on Skeletal Development in Rats

The effects of lead on growth in female rats and on growth andskeletal development in their offspring were investigated. Noalteration in growth rate, compared to the growth rate in pair-fedcontrols, was observed in 48 weanling females continuously exposedto 250 or 1000 ppm lead in drinking water and fed a repletediet. After 49 days of exposure, all rats (24 pair-fed controls,12 exposed to 250 ppm lead, and 12 exposed to 1000 ppm lead)were mated with control males. At parturition, six lactatingdams each from the 250 and 1000 ppm lead groups were removedfrom lead exposure and given control drinking water, and sixlactating dams each from the control group were given either250 or 1000 ppm lead in drinking water. Exposure conditionsfor the remaining dams in the control, 250, and 1000 ppm groupswere not changed. Maternal blood lead in the continuously lead-exposedgroups was higher at the end of lactation than prior to mating.Lead exposure prior to parturition caused greater maternal tibiallead accumulation than lead exposure after parturition. In contrast,lead exposure prior to parturition had a lesser impact on offspringtibial lead accumulation than lead exposure after parturition.Decreases in tibial calcium and phosphorus were observed indams exposed continuously to 250 or 1000 ppm lead; however,there was no apparent effect of lead on maternal growth-platemorphology or on growth-plate width. Offspring body weight wasdepressed relative to controls during suckling (Day 11) andafter weaning (Day 24) in high-dose and continuously lead-exposedgroups. Continuous lead exposure caused a greater decrease inoffspring body weight than lead exposure only prior to or afterparturition. Decreased tail length growth suggested possibleeffects of lead on tail vertebral bone growth. While tibialcalcium and phosphorus levels were not changed in the weanlings,increased weanling growth-plate width, with disruption of chondrocyteorganization, and wider metaphyseal trabeculae were observed.Although the mechanisms of these effects are not known, theresults suggest that local lead-related effects on growth-platechondrogenesis and metaphyseal mineralization may be involved.