Dating, sexual activity, and well-being in Italian adolescents.

Associations among dating, sexual activity, gender, and adjustment were investigated in 2,273 Italian adolescents (54% female, ages 14 to 19 years) attending public high schools. After controlling for age and type of school attended, both being in a dating relationship and being male were associated with less alienation, more positive views of the self, and higher general expectations for success. Sexual activity interacted with both gender and dating status in predicting feelings of depression. For boys, there were no differences between youth who were sexually active and youth who were not; however, sexually active girls had higher levels of depressive symptoms than girls who were not sexually active. Among youth who were not sexually active, there were small differences between daters and nondaters; among sexually active youth, daters had lower levels of depression than nondaters. Gender differences in adolescents' experience of dating and sexual relationships and implications for adjustment are discussed.     

BKV in Simultaneous Pancreas-Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Leading Cause of Renal Graft Loss in First 2 Years Post-Transplant

With the introduction of more potent immunosuppressive agents, rejection has decreased in simultaneous pancreas/kidney transplant (SPK) recipients. However, as a consequence, opportunistic infections have increased. The purpose of this report is to outline the course of SPK patients who developed polyomavirus-associated nephropathy (PVAN). A retrospective review of 146 consecutive SPK recipients from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 2002 was performed. Immunosuppression, rejection and development of PVAN were reviewed. Nine patients were identified. All received induction with either OKT3 or thymoglobulin. Immunosuppression included tacrolimus/cyclosporine, MMF/azathioprine and sirolimus/prednisone. Two patients were treated for kidney rejection prior to the diagnosis of PVAN. Time to diagnosis was an average of 359.3 days post-transplantation. Immunosuppression was decreased but five ultimately lost function. However, none developed pancreatic abnormalities as demonstrated by normal glucose and amylase. Two underwent renal retransplantation after PVAN diagnosis and both have normal kidney function. PVAN was the leading cause of renal loss in SPK patients in the first 2 years after transplantation and is a serious concern for SPK recipients. The pancreas, however, is spared from evidence of infection, and no pancreatic rejection occurred when immunosuppression was decreased.     

超声热疗临床应用的研究

目的：通过超声热疗配合常规放疗治疗晚期恶性肿瘤的临床研究，评价超声热疗的疗效及与疗效有关的加热参数。材料和方法： 对１７ 例晚期恶性肿瘤的１７ 个病灶用常规放疗加超声热疗。放疗用直线加速器外照射，每次２ Ｇｙ、周５ 次， 总剂量４０～７０ Ｇｙ。热疗在放疗后３０ ｍ ｉｎ 内进行，每周加热１～２ 次，每次加温时间 ６０ ｍ ｉｎ，６～８ 次一疗程。全例病人每次加温时实测肿瘤内温度。结果：在可评价的１３例中，ＣＲ ２３．１％ （３／１３）、ＰＲ ４６．２％ （６／１３）、ＮＣ ２３．１％ （３／１３）、ＰＤ ７．７％ （ １／１３） ， 有效率（ＣＲ＋ ＰＲ）为６９．３％ 。肿瘤中心部温度达到４２．５℃以上的累积时间和总加热次数是决定疗效的重要参数。在１７ 例患者的 ８９ 次加温中，副作用的发生率相对较低。结论：使用超声热疗配合放疗，只要实现满负荷加温，进一步提高肿瘤的局部控制率是完全可能的     

Leadership and the Clinical Nurse Specialist: From Traditional to Contemporary

The role of the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) is multidimensional. Although clinical expertise is the central core of the CNS role, the aspect of leadership is pivotal to effecting change in practice. Recently, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists has redefined the role by spheres of influence and core competencies. Still, clinical expertise is central. This article highlights challenges as well as rewards in the CNS role. In addition, an example of entrepreneurial endeavors for the CNS is presented.     

A pilot study of a parent-education group for families affected by depression.

OBJECTIVE: This study assessed the feasibility and efficacy of a parent-education group for families with young children and a parent with depression. We designed the program to be readily disseminated if shown to be effective. METHOD: We recruited 44 parents with depression from clinics and family doctors in Hamilton, Ontario, and randomly assigned them to receive the parenting program or to a wait-list control group. The outcomes measured included knowledge of depression, parenting, family relationships, depression symptoms, child depressive symptoms, and functioning. We used analysis of covariance to test for posttreatment differences between experimental and control groups. RESULTS: Of the treatment group, 27% dropped out at posttreatment, and 43% by follow-up. Those who dropped out had more severe depression at baseline than did those who completed the program, and there was selective loss of parents with more severe depression in the experimental group. In intention-to-treat analyses at posttreatment, probands in the experimental group reported more improvements on family functioning, parenting sense of competence, and family and parent conflict than did control subjects. Standardized effect sizes (ES) were medium (0.4 to 0.6). When baseline depressive symptom scores were controlled in the analyses, the between-group differences were reduced, showing that selective loss of participants may have influenced the findings. CONCLUSIONS: On balance, the results are encouraging and support the further development and evaluation of the group intervention. However, the study does not provide unequivocal evidence in support of the program. Before it is transferred to other settings, the program needs further modification to improve participation by parents with more severe depression and further evaluation of its effectiveness.