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Practical Steps (practical + step)
Selected AbstractsPractical and experimental consideration of sun protection in dermatologyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY, Issue 7 2003William W. Ting MD Much is known regarding the deleterious effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV) on the skin. As more epidemiologic and basic research continues to characterize the impact of sun exposure and other sources of UV radiation upon the development of cutaneous neoplasm and a variety of photosensitive dermatoses, it is crucial for the dermatologist to promote sun protection among his/her patients as well as the primary care physician who has a greater reach of the community than the skin specialist. Practical steps to achieve optimal sun protection include avoidance of UV radiation, avoidance of photosensitizing drugs, use of photo-protective clothing, and diligent application of broad-spectrum sunscreens. In recent years, novel agents and experimental modalities with the potential to offer enhanced protective effects against deleterious sequelae of sun exposure have been elucidated, e.g. antioxidants, alpha-MSH, polyphenol in green teas, genistein, NF-kB decoy oligodeoxynucleotides, pTpT vaccination, and IL-12. As these new photo-protective tools are being developed by scientists around the world, greater concerted effort is needed to engage public health officials and the media to promote sun protection awareness throughout the general public. [source] Preoperative information needs of children undergoing tonsillectomyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 19-20 2010Aoife Buckley Aims and objectives., To identify the information needs of children undergoing tonsillectomy with reference to content of information, method of delivery, information providers and timing of information provision. Background., Tonsillectomy can be anxiety provoking for children and preoperative preparation programmes are long recognised to reduce anxiety. However, few have been designed from the perspectives of children and to date little is known about how best to prepare children in terms of what to tell them, how to convey information to them, who can best provide information and what is the best timing for information provision. Design., A qualitative descriptive study. Method., Data were collected from nine children (aged 6,9) using interviews supported by a write and draw technique. Data were coded and categorised into themes reflecting content, method, providers and timing of information. Results., Children openly communicated their information needs especially on what to tell them to expect when facing a tonsillectomy. Their principal concerns were about operation procedures, experiencing ,soreness' and discomfort postoperatively and parental presence. Mothers were viewed as best situated to provide them with information. Children were uncertain about what method of information and timing would be most helpful to them. Conclusion., Preoperative educational interventions need to take account of children's information needs so that they are prepared for surgery in ways that are meaningful and relevant to them. Future research is needed in this area. Relevance to clinical practice., Practical steps towards informing children about having a tonsillectomy include asking them what they need to know and addressing their queries accordingly. Child-centred information leaflets using a question and answer format could also be helpful to children. [source] GIRLS AND ECONOMICS: AN UNLIKELY COUPLING?ECONOMIC PAPERS: A JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECONOMICS AND POLICY, Issue 3 2006ALEX MILLMOW While total undergraduate enrolments at Australian universities are increasing, enrolments in Economics are falling,a source of alarm for economists. By appealing to females, economics could effectively tap into the largest sector (58%) of the undergraduate student population. This study suggests that gender is contributing to the falling enrolments. Males need the prospect of money to entice them to study more economics but females require a connection between studying economics and employment opportunities. Providing visible role models may be a practical step to encouraging more females to read economics. More concentration on ,feminising economics' in the undergraduate curricula could help women to believe that they have a contribution to make to the discipline. [source] Advance care planning: one practical step forwardINTERNAL MEDICINE JOURNAL, Issue 3 2008M. Yates No abstract is available for this article. [source] Averting the baiji syndrome: conserving habitat for critically endangered dolphins in Eastern Taiwan StraitAQUATIC CONSERVATION: MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS, Issue 6 2010Peter S. Ross Abstract 1.Numbering no more than 100 individuals and facing many threats, the geographically isolated Eastern Taiwan Strait population of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) is in peril. The estuarine and coastal waters of central-western Taiwan have historically provided prime habitat for these dolphins, but environmental conditions today bear little resemblance to what they were in the past. 2.The humpback dolphins must share their habitat with thousands of fishing vessels and numerous factories built upon thousands of hectares of reclaimed land. 3.They are exposed to chemicals and sewage released from adjacent terrestrial activities. Noise and disturbance associated with construction, vessel traffic and military activities are features of everyday life for these animals. 4.Measures to slow the pace of habitat deterioration and reduce the many risks to the dolphins are urgently needed. As one practical step in this direction, this paper describes the habitat needs of these small cetaceans so that decision makers will be better equipped to define ,priority habitat' and implement much needed protection measures under the terms of local legislation. 5.The preferred habitat of these dolphins in Taiwan consists of shallow (<30,m), near-shore marine waters with regular freshwater inputs. 6.For such a small, isolated and threatened population, ,priority habitat' should not be limited to areas of particularly intensive dolphin use or high dolphin density, but rather it should encompass the entire area where the animals have been observed (their current ,habitat'), as well as additional coastal areas with similar bio-physical features (,suitable habitat'). Such a precautionary approach is warranted because the loss of only a few individuals could have serious population-level consequences. 7.While conventional socio-economic analysis might suggest that implementing protection measures over an area stretching ,350,km north,south along Taiwan's west coast and ,3,km out to sea would be too ,costly', the loss of this charismatic species from Taiwan's waters would send a troubling message regarding our collective ability to reconcile human activities with environmental sustainability. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Experiences of alcohol drinking among Swedish youths with type 1 diabetesEUROPEAN DIABETES NURSING, Issue 1 2009A Leger RN Diabetes Nurse Abstract Background: Alcohol consumption in Europe and North America is greatest in 18,25-year-olds. This behaviour can be seen as a transitional stage from childhood to adulthood, where consuming alcohol is perceived as a typical feature of adult behaviour. Youths often start to consume alcohol when they are 14,15 years of age, and one in five youngsters around 15 years of age report binge drinking. Studies of alcohol consumption among youths with type 1 diabetes have not been undertaken but it is well known that, in these people, alcohol drinking can cause hypoglycaemia and worsen the capacity to feel and interpret the symptoms of hypoglycaemia. Aim: The overall aim was to explore experiences of alcohol consumption among youths with type 1 diabetes. Another objective was to identify strategies as to how they deal with situations when they drink alcohol. Methods: Semistructured interviews with ten 18-year-old youths with type 1 diabetes, using Burnard's content analysis method. Results: This study illustrates that informants strive for security, independence and control. Frequency of binge drinking did not seem to differ from rates in other teenagers. Informants exposed themselves to considerable risks and many had met with serious incidents. Moreover, the result exemplifies how symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis (such as nausea and vomiting) can easily be misinterpreted as a hang-over or gastroenteritis. Informants lacked age-appropriate knowledge about diabetes and the effects of alcohol, but had tested things out themselves; some involved their friends in their diabetes treatment. Moreover, three strategies occurred with the aim of normalisation and security: the 'low-consumption' strategy, the ,ambitious' strategy and the ,rather-high-than-dead' strategy. Fear of hypoglycaemia was a significant concern and the consequence was poor diabetes control. Conclusion: To increase youths' independence and security, the diabetes care team should provide adequate and relevant information about alcohol. Treatment plans might contain practical steps such as advice about responsible alcohol intake and adjustments of insulin and meals, and could also encourage young people with diabetes to carry diabetes ID and inform friends about hypoglycaemia (and how to handle situations involving alcohol). Copyright © 2009 FEND [source] Developing evidence-based librarianship: practical steps for implementation,HEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 2 2002Ellen Crumley Evidence-based librarianship (EBL) is a relatively new concept for librarians. This paper lays out a practical framework for the implementation of EBL. A new way of thinking about research in librarianship is introduced using the well-built question process and the assignment of librarian research questions to one of six domains specific to librarianship. As a profession, librarianship tends to reflect more qualitative, social sciences/humanities in its research methods and study types which tend to be less rigorous and more prone to bias. Randomised controlled trials (RCT) do not have to be placed at the top of an evidence ,hierarchy' for librarianship. Instead, a more encompassing model reflecting librarianship as a whole and the kind of research likely to be done by librarians is proposed. ,Evidence' from a number of disciplines including health sciences, business and education can be utilized by librarians and applied to their practice. However, access to and availability of librarianship literature needs to be further studied. While using other disciplines (e.g. EBHC) as a model for EBL has been explored in the literature, the authors develop models unique to librarianship. While research has always been a minor focus in the profession, moving research into practice is becoming more important and librarians need to consider the issues surrounding research in order to move EBL forward. [source] Board Accountability: Lessons from the FieldNONPROFIT MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP, Issue 4 2002Thomas P. Holland Accountability has become a major issue in the nonprofit sector. Numerous external and internal approaches to strengthening performance in this area exist, and many nonprofit boards expect their executives to account foruse of their organizations' resources. However, few boards apply any such expectations to themselves. Qualitative analysis of records from interviews, consultations, and meeting observations with 169 board members of thirty-four diverse nonprofit organizations revealed six sets of practices that foster board accountability. They include setting clear expectations and standards for the group and for its members, actively using policies regarding conflicts of interests, identifying and staying focused on priorities, maintaining strong two-way communications directly with constituency groups, conducting assessments of meetings and board performance, and experimenting intentionally with new approaches to their work. The experiences of these boards provide numerous examples of practical steps that others may consider when they seek to increase the value they add to their organizations as well as to strengthen public trust. [source] Mycobacterium tuberculosis transmission among high school students in GreecePEDIATRICS INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2005Christos Hadjichristodoulou AbstractBackground:,The aim of this study was to investigate the requirements and practical steps for screening of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) transmission among high school student populations in two regional high schools of central Greece. Case-matched control populations from other regional schools were included. Methods:,Case study of two indexed cases, 61 close contacts, 212 casual contacts and 369 controls were investigated. Detailed questionnaires, tuberculin-skin test (PPD test), chest radiography, medical evaluation and DNA fingerprinting of sputum isolates were used. Results:,In case A, three (1.97%) of 152 close and casual contacts developed tuberculosis, and a further 25 (16.4%) were classified as infected. In contrast, none of the 121 close or casual contacts investigated for Case B developed tuberculosis or were classified as infected. None of the control populations contained infected individuals. Contacts of case A had a much higher risk (3.08 < RR = 22.29 < 161.69, P < 0.001) of being infected than contacts of case B. Two different strains of MTB were found responsible for these outbreaks. Conclusion:,There was a considerable difference in the infectivity of the two cases presumably due to environmental and clinical factors, although two different MTB strains were responsible. It is proposed that the extent of case investigation should be individualized with particular emphasis placed among close contacts. [source] | ||||||||||