Receptivity of African American Adolescents to an HIV-Prevention Curriculum Enhanced by Text Messaging

PURPOSE.  This study assessed African American adolescents' receptivity to an HIV-prevention curriculum enhanced by text messaging.
DESIGN AND METHODS.  Two focus groups were conducted with 14 African American adolescents regarding how an HIV-prevention curriculum could be enhanced for text messaging delivery.
RESULTS.  The adolescents were receptive to the idea of text messaging HIV-prevention information but wanted to receive a maximum of three messages per day during the hours of 4:00–6:00 p.m.
PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.  By taking the findings of this study, nurses, other healthcare providers, and community-based organizations can adapt evidence-based interventions for text messaging delivery to individuals at high risk for HIV infection.     

Methemoglobinemia in critically ill patients during extended hemodialysis and simultaneous disinfection of the hospital water supply

Introduction  

To evaluate the cause of methemoglobinemia in patients undergoing extended daily hemodialysis/hemodiafiltration we analyzed the relationship between methemoglobinemia and the water disinfection schedule of the hospital.     

Persons with AIDS and their support persons: stress and life satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of historical family functioning, family stress, coping, perceived impact of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), and health stress upon the life satisfaction of persons with AIDS (PWAs) and their support persons. Utilizing Family Stress Theory, a survey research design was employed involving 114 PWAs and 114 support persons. Historical family functioning was indirectly related to life satisfaction as mediated by family coping. Current family stress was indirectly related to life satisfaction as mediated by perception of stress. Female support persons experienced greater perceptions of caregiver stress. Family and health‐care professionals need to be aware of the importance of family stress and coping as they influence the health stress and life satisfaction of PWAs and their support persons. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Crystal structure of the sodium-potassium pump (Na+,K+-ATPase) with bound potassium and ouabain

The sodium-potassium pump (Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase) is responsible for establishing Na⁺ and K⁺ concentration gradients across the plasma membrane and therefore plays an essential role in, for instance, generating action potentials. Cardiac glycosides, prescribed for congestive heart failure for more than 2 centuries, are efficient inhibitors of this ATPase. Here we describe a crystal structure of Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase with bound ouabain, a representative cardiac glycoside, at 2.8 Å resolution in a state analogous to E2·2K⁺·Pi. Ouabain is deeply inserted into the transmembrane domain with the lactone ring very close to the bound K⁺, in marked contrast to previous models. Due to antagonism between ouabain and K⁺, the structure represents a low-affinity ouabain-bound state. Yet, most of the mutagenesis data obtained with the high-affinity state are readily explained by the present crystal structure, indicating that the binding site for ouabain is essentially the same. According to a homology model for the high affinity state, it is a closure of the binding cavity that confers a high affinity.     

Prenatal exposure to alcohol: effect on infant growth and morphologic characteristics

In this prospective study of alcohol and other substance use during pregnancy, a cohort of 650 women was interviewed at each trimester of pregnancy. Data are presented concerning the status of 595 live singleton births. A relationship was demonstrated between prenatal maternal alcohol use and growth and morphologic abnormalities in the offspring. Low birth weight, decreased head circumference and length, and an increased rate of fetal alcohol effects were all found to be significantly correlated with exposure to alcohol during the first 2 months of the first trimester.