Treatment of Tobacco Use in Preconception Care

Maternal and Child Health Journal -     

The everyday realities of the multi-dimensional role of the high school community nurse.

The traditional role of the high school based community community health nurse has changed considerably over recent decades. This article describes a qualitative study, in which nine community health nurses from eight different high schools completed a diary of the interventions and events during the course of two working days in order to identify the dimensions of their role. A short demographic questionnaire was also completed by the nurses and included two open-ended questions concerning their main professional issues and concerns. The researchers sought verification of the interpretation of the data through a focus group interview with the high school nurses. Data analysis indicated that the role of the high school community health nurses (CHN) consisted of seven categories. These were provider of clinical care, counsellor/ mediator, advocacy and support, liaison/referral, health promotion/education and resource agent, and professional management and research role. The findings highlight the complex and demanding aspects of the role of the high school nurse and articulate the importance of describing the contribution of such practitioners in to the promotion of health among adolescents.     

Depressed levels of circulating menaquinones in patients with osteoporotic fractures of the spine and femoral neck

Vitamin K₁ functions in the conversion of glutamate residues, present in certain bone peptides, into the putatively active γ-carboxyglutamate form. We have shown previously that the circulating levels of vitamin K₁ are depressed in osteoporotic patients. However, it is known that menaquinones (vitamin K₂:MK) may be more effective than vitamin K₁ in this conversion of the inactive to active form of glutamate residues. A procedure for measuring such menaquinones has now demonstrated a marked deficiency of MK-7 and MK-8 in patients with osteoporotic fractures. It is suggested that estimates of circulating levels of K₁, MK-7, and MK-8 might provide a biochemical risk marker of osteoporotic fractures.     

Reassessment of CD62L as a marker of pre-effector T cells in the tumor draining lymph nodes of head and neck cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES: CD62L was evaluated as a determinant of human pre-effector T cells. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Phenotype and cytokine secretion profiles of CD62L cells were determined based on activation status. RESULTS: CD62L(Low) T cells demonstrated significantly higher secretion of interleukin (IL)-10 and interferon (IFN)-gamma than did CD62L(High) T cells. After activation, the majority of cells expressed high levels of the CD62L surface marker. Postactivation levels of IL-10 production remained elevated or unchanged. In a murine B16 melanoma model, freshly isolated CD62L(Low) tumor draining lymph nodes (TDLN) T cells showed increased secretion of IL-2 and IL-4 but not of IL-10 or IFN-gamma. The surface expression of CD62L and cytokine secretion patterns were maintained after activation with concomitant increases in IL-10. CONCLUSION: Our results provide evidence that CD62L(Low) T cells in TDLNs of progressively growing squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck differ phenotypically and functionally from those of mouse origin. SIGNIFICANCE: Characterization of this human CD62L(Low) T cell population provides initial insight regarding novel surface markers in TDLN T cells that might correlate with antitumor reactivity.     

Healthcare worker competencies for disaster training

Background  

Although training and education have long been accepted as integral to disaster preparedness, many currently taught practices are neither evidence-based nor standardized. The need for effective evidence-based disaster training of healthcare staff at all levels, including the development of standards and guidelines for training in the multi-disciplinary health response to major events, has been designated by the disaster response community as a high priority. We describe the application of systematic evidence-based consensus building methods to derive educational competencies and objectives in criteria-based preparedness and response relevant to all hospital healthcare workers.     

Update on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is one of the most significant chronic illnesses of adults. Comprehensive care of the affected patient requires the medical-surgical nurse to have knowledge of the disease process, collaborative management, and nursing care based on research and current practice guidelines.     

Effect of Glycemic Carbohydrates on Short-term Satiety and Food Intake

We examine the relationships between glycemic carbohydrate and its effects on short-term satiety and food intake. Both high- and low-glycemic carbohydrates have an impact on satiety, but their effects have different time courses. High-glycemic carbohydrates are associated with a reduction in appetite and food intake in the short term (e.g., one hour), whereas the satiating effects of lower-glycemic carbohydrates appear to be delayed (e.g., 2 to 3 hours). There is no consistent evidence that an increase in blood glucose, either acute or sustained, is the primary determinant of their effects on food intake and satiety. Many other preabsorptive and postabsorptive signals for satiety exist and may be the determining factors. Further studies are needed to delineate the role of glycemic carbohydrates and their mechanisms of action in determining satiety.     

Great Safety Performance: an improvement process using leading indicators.

The Great Safety Performance model uses leading indicators to drive injury prevention and provides a process to improve a company's safety outcomes by maximizing the conditions for safety within the workplace. The model asserts that leaders and workers need to jointly create conditions whereby everyone will know what to do, be able to do it, be equipped to do it, want to do it, and experience interactions that support safe performance in their job duties. These factors are referred to as the conditions for great performance. The Great Safety Performance model can serve as a vehicle to quantify, document, and demonstrate the efforts a company invests to create a safe workplace with safe work practices. By using the Great Safety Performance model, organizations can design and implement a variety of high leverage improvement initiatives specific to their business situations.