The telephone survey: a methodological strategy for obtaining information

Studies have shown that students and the general population have little knowledge about nursing schools and the nursing profession. This study investigates the extent to which a sample of the population of Brazil is aware of the existence of nursing schools, and how they have obtained this information. Data were collected by telephone interviews. The sample consisted of 326 subjects whose telephone numbers were taken from the telephone book. Analysis showed that 73% of the subjects were aware of the existence of two nursing schools in the city; however, 65.03% did not know the names of these schools. Direct communication with friends and family, as well as indirect communication by television and advertising, were the sources of information mentioned by those questioned.     

Oscillating gradient diffusion kurtosis imaging of normal and injured mouse brains

Recent advances in diffusion MRI employ multiple diffusion encoding schemes with varying diffusion direction, weighting, and diffusion time to investigate specific microstructural properties in biological tissues. In this study, we examined time‐dependent diffusion kurtosis contrast in adult mouse brains and in neonatal mouse brains after hypoxic–ischemic (HI) injury. In vivo diffusion kurtosis maps were acquired with a short diffusion time using an oscillating gradient spin echo (OGSE) sequence at 100 Hz and with a relatively long diffusion time (20 ms) using a pulsed gradient spin echo (PGSE) sequence. In the adult mouse brain, we found that the cortex and hippocampus showed larger differences between OGSE kurtosis and PGSE kurtosis than major white matter tracts. In neonatal mouse brains with unilateral HI injury, the OGSE kurtosis map overall provided stronger edema contrast than the PGSE kurtosis map, and the differences between OGSE and PGSE kurtosis measurements in the edema region reflected heterogeneity of injury. This is the first in vivo study that has demonstrated multi‐direction OGSE kurtosis contrasts in the mouse brain. Comparing PGSE and OGSE kurtosis measures may provide additional information on microstructural changes after ischemic stroke.     

Association of Maternal Obesity and Childhood Obesity: Implications for Healthcare Providers

The purpose of this critical appraisal was to assess the available literature on the association of maternal obesity as a risk factor for childhood obesity and to explore the implications for incorporating this evidence into practice. The increasing prevalence of childhood obesity, with its documented adverse health effects, is a critical public health threat in the United States and worldwide. Research studies have documented increased rates of childhood obesity associated with maternal obesity. Healthcare providers are challenged to expand their competencies to recognize the association of maternal obesity and childhood obesity and to address both primary and secondary prevention of childhood obesity. Stopping the cycle of obesity before it becomes the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States is a priority for community health nurses.     

Surviving child abuse: Self‐reported coping histories of fourteen women

Data are presented about coping methods used by 14 women who survived severe physical child abuse. Half of these women were also sexually abused as children. Self‐reports revealed four belief systems among these women as to how they survived this abuse. Three women believe they coped predominantly by helping people in their milieu who were even more disadvantaged. Three describe themselves as having survived mostly by learning to forget real feelings through use of intense fantasy. Five feel they survived by becoming tough and independent and by keeping moving through jobs and relationships. Three believe they coped by being realistic and working hard. Seven case histories are provided, along with illustrative material on the other seven subjects.     

Mutations in SYNGAP1 Cause Intellectual Disability,Autism, and a Specific Form of Epilepsy by Inducing Haploinsufficiency

De novo mutations in SYNGAP1, which codes for a RAS/RAP GTP‐activating protein, cause nonsyndromic intellectual disability (NSID). All disease‐causing point mutations identified until now in SYNGAP1 are truncating, raising the possibility of an association between this type of mutations and NSID. Here, we report the identification of the first pathogenic missense mutations (c.1084T>C [p.W362R], c.1685C>T [p.P562L]) and three novel truncating mutations (c.283dupC [p.H95PfsX5], c.2212_2213del [p.S738X], and (c.2184del [p.N729TfsX31]) in SYNGAP1 in patients with NSID. A subset of these patients also showed ataxia, autism, and a specific form of generalized epilepsy that can be refractory to treatment. All of these mutations occurred de novo, except c.283dupC, which was inherited from a father who is a mosaic. Biolistic transfection of wild‐type SYNGAP1 in pyramidal cells from cortical organotypic cultures significantly reduced activity‐dependent phosphorylated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (pERK) levels. In contrast, constructs expressing p.W362R, p.P562L, or the previously described p.R579X had no significant effect on pERK levels. These experiments suggest that the de novo missense mutations, p.R579X, and possibly all the other truncating mutations in SYNGAP1 result in a loss of its function. Moreover, our study confirms the involvement of SYNGAP1 in autism while providing novel insight into the epileptic manifestations associated with its disruption.