New Jersey School Nurses' Perceptions of School-Based, Prenatal Nutrition Education

ABSTRACT: This study used formative evaluation to identify channels and barriers to providing ongoing dietary guidance to pregnant teens in New Jersey. In phase one, 14 health and social service professionals participated in a focus group or interview about nutrition services for pregnant teens. Participants identified school nurses as potential providers of early and continuous dietary counseling to pregnant teen-agers, but delineated barriers to establishment and effectiveness of school-based, prenatal nutrition education. In phase two, school nurses were surveyed to assess their interest in, and perceptions of barriers to, providing nutrition education to pregnant adolescents. Two-hundred fifty-three nurses (71%) returned completed questionnaires. Results indicated that a significant proportion perceived a need for, and were interested in providing, nutrition education to pregnant students. Results from this formative research are being used to guide development of a school-based nutrition education program for pregnant teen-agers in New Jersey.     

Accommodative hysteresis under static and dynamic stimulus conditions

The influence of continuous variation in dioptric demand on the accommodative hysteresis induced at near distances was examined in 14 visually-normal young adults. Tonic accommodation was measured before and after 10 minutes of sustained focus using a constant stimulus at 5 D, 6.5 D, and 8 D, as well as a stimulus which slowly and alternately increased and decreased over the continuous range from 5 D to 8 D. For approximately half the subjects, dioptric demand had to be very high (8 D) under static conditions to produce moderate but significant hysteresis, yet little or no attenuation of the effect occurred under the dynamic condition. For other subjects who consistently showed very large tonic changes (1.4 D or more) under static conditions, the hysteresis effect generated under dynamic conditions was greatly reduced (approximately 50 per cent) in magnitude. These findings suggest that the degree to which continuous variation in dioptric demand will disrupt the adaptive process may depend on individual differences in the rate and/or maximum level of tonic accommodative change. Such a relationship could have bearing on the particular strategy recommended for individuals who tend to experience blur at distance following nearwork.     

Mechanics of the anterior drawer and talar tilt tests: A cadaveric study of lateral ligament injuries of the ankle

We analyzed the changes in lateral ligament forces during anterior drawer and talar tilt testing and examined ankle joint motion during testing, following an isolated lesion of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) or a combined lesion of the ATFL and calcaneofibular ligament (CFL). 8 cadaver specimens were held in a specially designed testing apparatus in which the ankle position (dorsiflexion-plantarflexion and supination-pronation) could be varied in a controlled manner. Ligament forces were measured with buckle transducers, and joint motion was measured with an instrumented spatial linkage. An anterior drawer test was performed using an 80 N anterior translating force, and a talar tilt test was performed using a 5.7 Nm supination torque with intact ligaments, after sectioning of the ATFL, and again after sectioning of the CFL. The tests were repeated at 10° dorsiflexion, neutral, and 10° and 20° plantarflexion. In the intact ankle, the largest increases in ATFL force were observed during testing in plantarflexion, whereas the largest increases in CFL force were observed in dorsiflexion. Isolated ATFL injury caused only small laxity changes, but a pronounced increase in laxity was observed after a combined CFL and ATFL injury.     

Effect of different questionnaire formats on reporting of occupational exposures

During an exposure monitoring study, 78 saw maintenance tradesmen were randomly assigned to be interviewed about their exposures using one of two questionnaire formats: open-ended and partly prompted questions about five categories of materials; and detailed prompting about 75 agents. The more open-ended questionnaire elicited fewer exposure responses overall, but more responses about agents not included on the detailed questionnaire. Composite materials and trade name products were more frequently cited as exposures than individual metals or compounds. Validity of responses was ascertained using air measurements (individual metals) or observations of the employees (composite materials). Sums of sensitivities and specificities were very low (near 1.0) for most of the metals for both types of questionnaire. For composite materials, validity improved substantially. Sensitivities with the partly prompted format (0.44–0.85) were always lower than with detailed prompting (0.80–1.00). Specificities were usually, but not always, higher with partial prompting (0.66–0.92) than with detailed prompting (0.18–0.86). Selection of questionnaire format for an epidemiologic study would depend on the likely prevalence of exposure in controls and the effects of trade-offs in sensitivity and specificity.     

Influence of Video Confrontation on the Self-Evaluation of Anorexia Nervosa Patients: A Controlled Study

The confrontation with one's body appearance as recorded on a video might have an impact on the body experience of anorexia nervosa patients. Such a video confrontation was applied to a group of 12 anorectic females. After the procedure, these patients rated their actual body (using Osgood's Semantic Differential) as thinner and more active; the control group of 12 female anorectics did not change their evaluations. The patients' evaluation of their ideal body image was not influenced.     

Intravenous anaesthesia for cystoscopy: a comparison of propofol or methohexitone with alfentanil

Sixty out-patients undergoing cystoscopy were allocated randomly into two groups. No premedication was given. Induction of anaesthesia was preceded by intravenous alfentanil 7 micrograms kg-1 given over 20 s, followed by methohexitone 1.5-2 mg kg-1 or propofol 2 mg kg-1, given over 20 s. Anaesthesia was maintained by increments of alfentanil, methohexitone or propofol, given as required.