Home About us Contact
|
Home About us Contact | ||
|
|
||
Studies Published (studies + published)
Kinds of Studies Published Selected AbstractsThe association of physical activity and depression in Type 2 diabetesDIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 10 2008Z. Lysy Abstract Aims Physical inactivity and depressed mood are both associated with a higher likelihood of diabetes-related complications; the association between physical activity and depressed mood in Type 2 diabetes has not been reviewed previously. We have reviewed (i) the strength of this association and (ii) the impact of depression-specific management and physical activity interventions on mood and activity levels in overweight adults with Type 2 diabetes. Methods Studies published between January 1996 and September 2007 were identified (Ovid - medline, Psych- Info and embase) using pertinent search terms (keyword/title). Results Of the 12 studies included (10 cross-sectional, two trials), most employed a standardized questionnaire for depressed mood but only one item for physical activity. In adults with Type 2 diabetes, the inactive are 1.72 to 1.75 times more likely to be depressed than the more active; the depressed are 1.22 to 1.9 times more likely to be physically inactive than the non-depressed. Two randomized trials demonstrated that a depression management programme improved mood, but only one demonstrated increased physical activity. Conclusions Studies to date suggest an association between depressed mood and physical inactivity in adults with Type 2 diabetes, although objective measures of physical activity have not been employed. Depression-specific management may improve mood and possibly activity. A trial comparing the impact of depression-specific management compared with exercise intervention on depressed mood and activity in Type 2 diabetes is justified. [source] MINOR PAPILLA SPHINCTEROTOMY FOR PANCREATITIS DUE TO PANCREAS DIVISUMANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 4 2008Vu Kwan Background: Pancreas divisum (PD) is the commonest congenital pancreatic abnormality and is implicated as a cause of acute recurrent pancreatitis (ARP). We report our experience in minor papilla sphincterotomy (MPS) for this condition. Studies published at present have not examined MPS as the primary treatment method in a homogenous (i.e. only those with ARP) patient group. Methods: Patients with PD and ARP were identified from an endoscopic database. Treatment protocol consisted of minor papilla guidewire cannulation and sphincterotomy with either sphincterotome over the wire or needle knife over pancreatic stent. A 5-Fr stent was placed for 1 week. Adjunctive therapy was carried out as required. Follow-up data was collected by interview with the patient and referring doctors and review of the medical record. Results: Twenty-one patients underwent MPS for PD and ARP (median age = 33 years, range 9,77 years, men = 14). Median number of procedures to achieve cannulation and MPS was 1 (range 1,3). Complications encountered were pancreatitis (n = 2) and pain (n = 3). MPS restenosis occurred in 2. Adjuvant therapy was required in 14: stricture dilatation (n = 9), stone extraction (n = 7) and extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (n = 6). Complete stone clearance was achieved in 7/7. Median follow up was 38 months (range 4,67 months). Median total number of pancreatitis episodes and hospitalizations pre-MPS were 4 and 2, respectively (range 1,20 and 0,5, respectively). Post-MPS these were reduced to 0 and 0, respectively (range 0,8 and 0,4; P = 0.0007 and P = 0.0003), with complete abolition of episodes in 13 patients. Conclusion: MPS in association with other endoscopic therapies imparts a significant clinical benefit to patients with ARP and PD. Complete clinical resolution occurs in the majority. Treatment is safe, and the response is durable. [source] Sensitivity to Myroxylon pereirae resin (balsam of Peru).CONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 6 2005A study of 50 cases The Myroxylon pereirae resin (MP; balsam of Peru) is a natural resin used in the local treatment of burns and wounds. M. pereirae extracts and distillates are very often contained in a wide range of cosmetic products and causes frequently allergic contact dermatitis , to the extent of being considered an allergy marker to perfumes. We have carried out a retrospective study of 863 patients who have been submitted to patch tests from January 2002 to June 2004. A total of 50 patients were positive to MP. Thus, the prevalence was 5.79%, slightly higher in men (7.32%) than in women (4.91%). The positive patch tests were relevant in 64%. Over the last years, it appears that there is a clear increase of the prevalence of the sensitization to MP in all the studies published. We observe an increase of the prevalence especially in aged patients, where the sensitization is linked with the use of topical medications secondary to stasis dermatitis. The high frequency of allergy to MP in our area might be associated with manipulation of citrus fruits. The increasing use of cosmetic products by the male population can also be held responsible for the higher sensitization rate in this group of patients. [source] The prognosis of occupational contact dermatitis in 2004CONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 5-6 2004Jennifer Cahill The prognosis of occupational contact dermatitis (OCD) takes into account the extent of healing, effect on quality of life and employment, and financial costs for both the individual and the wider community. We reviewed 15 studies published between 1958 and 2002, reporting the complete clearance of dermatitis (range of 18,72%). 9 of the 15 studies reported a clearance rate of between 18 and 40%. Improvement was reported as an outcome in 3 studies between 1991 and 2002 (range of 70,84%). A number of common variables were identified as of possible influence. These include age, sex, atopy, patient knowledge, disease aetiology, duration of symptoms and job change; clinical, financial and social issues are also described. All of these factors need to be considered when managing a patient with OCD. Improved patient knowledge and early diagnosis may be associated with improved prognosis, whereas job change does not make a significant difference. Some patients will develop persistent post-occupational dermatitis, which has important implications for prognosis and workers' compensation. Only a small proportion of eligible patients receive workers' compensation, even though financially supported healing time soon after diagnosis may result in an improved prognosis. [source] Corporate Boards and Company Performance: review of research in light of recent reformsCORPORATE GOVERNANCE, Issue 5 2007David Finegold Recent US corporate governance reforms introduced extensive regulations and guidelines for public corporations, particularly corporate boards. This article evaluates the extent to which empirical research on corporate boards and firm performance supports these reforms. Building on the meta-analysis conducted by Zahra and Pearce (1989), we review 105 studies published between 1989 and 2005. We find most of the practices mandated by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the regulations issued by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the NASDAQ, had not been subject to prior study. Where board characteristics have been studied, we find limited guidance for policymakers on identifying governance practices that result in more effective firm performance. In an effort to increase the relevance of future research on boards and firm performance, we provide a framework on corporate boards. [source] Outcome measures used in forensic mental health research: a structured reviewCRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR AND MENTAL HEALTH, Issue 1 2009Jemma C. Chambers Background,The evidence base for forensic mental health (FMH) services has been developing since the late 1990s. Are outcome measures sound enough for the evaluation tasks? Aims,To identify, from published literature, outcome measures used in FMH research and, where feasible, assess their quality. Method,A structured review was undertaken of trials and intervention studies published between 1990 and 2006. Details of outcome variables and measures were abstracted. Evidence regarding most frequently occurring outcome measures was assessed. Results,Four hundred and fifty different instruments were used to assess outcomes, incorporating 1038 distinct variables. Very little evidence could be found to support the measurement properties of commonly used instruments. Conclusions and implications for practice,There is little consistency in the use of outcome measure in FMH research. Effort is required to reach consensus on validated outcome measures in this field in order to better inform practice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] The current status of urban-rural differences in psychiatric disordersACTA PSYCHIATRICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 2 2010J. Peen Peen J, Schoevers RA, Beekman AT, Dekker J. The current status of urban,rural differences in psychiatric disorders. Objective:, Reviews of urban,rural differences in psychiatric disorders conclude that urban rates may be marginally higher and, specifically, somewhat higher for depression. However, pooled results are not available. Method:, A meta-analysis of urban,rural differences in prevalence was conducted on data taken from 20 population survey studies published since 1985. Pooled urban,rural odds ratios (OR) were calculated for the total prevalence of psychiatric disorders, and specifically for mood, anxiety and substance use disorders. Results:, Significant pooled urban,rural OR were found for the total prevalence of psychiatric disorders, and for mood disorders and anxiety disorders. No significant association with urbanization was found for substance use disorders. Adjustment for various confounders had a limited impact on the urban,rural OR. Conclusion:, Urbanization may be taken into account in the allocation of mental health services. [source] The use of killer sensitivity patterns for biotyping yeast strains: the state of the art, potentialities and limitationsFEMS YEAST RESEARCH, Issue 6 2007Pietro Buzzini Abstract In recent years molecular techniques have been the most useful tools for the unequivocal identification of undetermined strains at the species level. In many instances, however, a further discrimination at the strain level (biotyping) is required, such as during epidemiological investigations, in which the distribution of pathogenic microorganisms is studied, and for patent protection purposes. Although molecular methods are routinely used also for yeast biotyping, several nonmolecular techniques have been proposed. One of these, the determination of the killer sensitivity pattern (KSP) towards a panel of selected killer toxins has proven to be a good auxiliary method. Despite the plethora of studies published, the potential and limitations of the determination of KSPs have never been critically evaluated. In this review the use of this nonmolecular technique as a biotyping tool is discussed and compared with some currently used DNA-based procedures. In addition, methodological, mechanistic and ecological implications are evaluated. [source] Sedation and antihistamines: an update.HUMAN PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY: CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL, Issue 7 2008Review of inter-drug differences using proportional impairment ratios Abstract Background The use of antihistamines (AHs) has been associated with cognitive and psychomotor impairments, largely caused by the sedative properties of many of these drugs. Due to the ambulant nature of the population using AHs, it is important to evaluate these effects using standardised methodology and psychometric tests. A previous extensive review of the literature collated the results of studies of H1 receptor antagonists to determine the extent to which a particular AH produced impairments on a battery of psychometric tests by calculating a proportional impairment ratio for each AH. Objective In light of a number of major studies published following the previous review, and the development of the second and new-generation AHs, the present review aims to add to the database and update the review, using the same methodology. Results and Conclusion The newer generation AHs appear to be the least impairing, and the first generation, as expected, appear to be the most impairing. There are also differences within the AH drug generations. The review highlights the necessity to consider the sedating potential of AHs, along with other factors such as efficacy, when prescribing AHs to ambulant patients. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Outcome of secondary root canal treatment: a systematic review of the literatureINTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 12 2008Y.-L. Ng Abstract Aims, (i) To investigate the effects of study characteristics on the reported success rates of secondary root canal treatment (2°RCT or root canal retreatment); and (ii) to investigate the effects of clinical factors on the success of 2°RCT. Methodology, Longitudinal human clinical studies investigating outcome of 2°RCT which were published upto the end of 2006 were identified electronically (MEDLINE and Cochrane database 1966,2006 Dec, week 4). Four journals (Dental Traumatology, International Endodontic Journal, Journal of Endodontics, Oral Surgery Oral Medicine Oral Pathology Endodontics Radiology), bibliographies of all relevant papers and review articles were hand-searched. Two reviewers (Y-LN, KG) independently assessed and selected the studies based on specified inclusion criteria and extracted the data onto a pre-designed proforma, independently. The criteria were: (i) Clinical studies on 2°RCT; (ii) Stratified analyses available for 2°RCT where 1°RCT data included; (iii) Sample size given and larger than 10; (iv) At least 6-month post-operative review; (v) Success based on clinical and/or radiographic criteria (strict = absence of apical radiolucency; loose = reduction in size of radiolucency); and (vi) Overall success rate given or could be calculated from the raw data. Three strands of evidence or analyses were used to triangulate a consensus view. The reported findings from individual studies, including those excluded for quantitative analysis, were utilized for the intuitive synthesis which constituted the first strand of evidence. Secondly, the pooled weighted success rates by each study characteristic and potential prognostic factor were estimated using the random effect model. Thirdly, the effects of study characteristics and prognostic factors (expressed as odds ratios) on success rates were estimated using fixed and random effects meta-analysis with DerSimonean and Laird's methods. Meta-regression models were used to explore potential sources of statistical heterogeneity. Study characteristics considered in the meta-regression analyses were: decade of publication, study-specific criteria for success (radiographic, combined radiographic & clinical), unit of outcome measure (tooth, root), duration after treatment when assessing success (,at least 4 years' or ,<4 years'), geographic location of the study (North American, Scandinavian, other countries), and qualification of the operator (undergraduate students, postgraduate students, general dental practitioners, specialist or mixed group). Results, Of the 40 papers identified, 17 studies published between 1961 and 2005 were included; none were published in 2006. The majority of studies were retrospective (n = 12) and only five prospective. The pooled weighted success rate of 2°RCT judged by complete healing was 76.7% (95% CI 73.6%, 89.6%) and by incomplete healing, 77.2% (95% CI 61.1%, 88.1%). The success rates by ,decade of publication' and ,geographic location of study' were not significantly different at the 5% level. Eighteen clinical factors had been investigated in various combinations in previous studies. The most frequently and thoroughly investigated were ,periapical status' (n = 13), ,size of lesion' (n = 7), and ,apical extent of RF' (n = 5) which were found to be significant prognostic factors. The effect of different aspects of primary treatment history and re-treatment procedures has been poorly tested. Conclusions, The pooled estimated success rate of secondary root canal treatment was 77%. The presence of pre-operative periapical lesion, apical extent of root filling and quality of coronal restoration proved significant prognostic factors with concurrence between all three strands of evidence whilst the effects of 1°RCT history and 2°RCT protocol have been poorly investigated. [source] Outcome of secondary root canal treatment , Systematic review of the literatureINTERNATIONAL ENDODONTIC JOURNAL, Issue 5 2007Y.-L. Ng Aims, To assess the success rates of secondary root canal treatment (2oRCT) and identify factors influencing outcome. Methodology, Longitudinal clinical studies investigating outcome of 2oRCT were identified by electronic (medline) and hand searches. Inclusion criteria were data on: number of samples, those successful and definition of success. Two reviewers independently assessed the studies and extracted the data onto a proforma. The pooled weighted success rates by each potential prognostic factor were estimated using the binomial random effect model (MLwiN version 2.02) whilst their pooled effects (expressed as odds ratio) on success rates were estimated using fixed and random effects meta-analysis with DerSimonean and Laird's methods (Stata version 9.2). Meta-regression models were used to explore potential sources of statistical heterogeneity. Study characteristics considered in the meta-regression analyses were: decade of publication, study-specific criteria for success (radiographic, combined radiographic & clinical), unit of outcome measure (tooth and root), duration after treatment when assessing success (at least 4 years or shorter), geographic location of the study (North American, Scandinavian and other countries), and qualification of the operator (undergraduate students, postgraduate students, general dental practitioners, specialist or mixed group). Results, Of the 41 studies identified, 18 studies published between 1921 and 2005 were included. The majority of studies were retrospective (n = 13) and only five prospective. The pooled weighted success rate of 2oRCT judged by complete healing was 77.6% (95% CI 73.2%, 81.4%) and by incomplete healing, 77.4% (95% CI 64.1%, 86.7%). The success rates were similar by ,year of publication' and ,country of study'. Eighteen clinical factors were investigated in various combinations in previous studies. The most frequently investigated were ,periapical status' (n = 13), ,size of lesion' (n = 7), ,culture results prior to RF' (n = 5), and ,apical extent of root filling (RF)' (n = 4). The effect of different aspects of previous treatment and re-treatment technique has been poorly tested. Conclusions, The pooled weighted estimated success rate of 2oRCT was 77%, which was significantly (P , 0.001) influenced by the presence and size of pre-operative periapical lesion. The effects of existing canal content, procedural error and re-treatment technique were poorly investigated. [source] Update on medical treatment of ejaculatory disorders,INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ANDROLOGY, Issue 6 2002A. KAMISCHKE Summary Among the treatment modalities for ejaculatory disorders pharmacological treatment is the least invasive option. In this review, medical treatments for retrograde ejaculation (RE) and anejaculation (AE) are discussed systematically. Thirty-six studies dealing with patients with RE and 40 with AE evaluated the use of medical treatment and were included in this review. In addition four articles dealing with prostatic massage in anejaculatory patients were considered. Sperm quality in patients with retrograde and AE is often impaired. In patients with RE no differences in response to medical treatment could be detected between the different underlying diagnoses. Compared with ephedrine, imipramine and chlorpheniramine + phenylpropanalamine showed significantly higher reversal rates, while differences between the other treatments were not significant. Regarding the reversal of AE, the alpha agonistic drugs were significantly inferior to treatment with parasympathetic drugs. Of the different alpha agonistic medical treatments for the reversal of AE, milodrin showed significantly better rates than imipramine (p = 0.008), pseudoephidrine (p = 0.02) and ephedrine (p = 0.044), while all other treatments were not significantly different (p = 0.4). In conclusion, medical treatment for reversal of RE offers a realistic chance of conceiving offspring naturally and should be the treatment modality of first choice. In contrast, in AE, medical treatment cannot be recommended generally as treatment of first choice as it shows low overall success rates compared with electrovibration stimulation and electroejaculation. Under consideration of the mostly uncontrolled design of the majority of studies published, controlled clinical trials comparing different treatment options appear urgently warranted. [source] Classification of cancer types by measuring variants of host response proteins using SELDI serum assaysINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 5 2005Eric T. Fung Abstract Protein expression profiling has been increasingly used to discover and characterize biomarkers that can be used for diagnostic, prognostic or therapeutic purposes. Most proteomic studies published to date have identified relatively abundant host response proteins as candidate biomarkers, which are often dismissed because of an apparent lack of specificity. We demonstrate that 2 host response proteins previously identified as candidate markers for early stage ovarian cancer, transthyretin and inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor heavy chain 4 (ITIH4), are posttranslationally modified. These modifications include proteolytic truncation, cysteinylation and glutathionylation. Assays using Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry (SELDI-TOF-MS) may provide a means to confer specificity to these proteins because of their ability to detect and quantitate multiple posttranslationally modified forms of these proteins in a single assay. Quantitative measurements of these modifications using chromatographic and antibody-based ProteinChip® array assays reveal that these posttranslational modifications occur to different extents in different cancers and that multivariate analysis permits the derivation of algorithms to improve the classification of these cancers. We have termed this process host response protein amplification cascade (HRPAC), since the process of synthesis, posttranslational modification and metabolism of host response proteins amplifies the signal of potentially low-abundant biologically active disease markers such as enzymes. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Nurse-led flexible cystoscopy: the UK experience informs a New Zealand nurse specialist's trainingINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGICAL NURSING, Issue 2 2007Sue Osborne Abstract Flexible cystoscopy utilizes a fibre-optic scope with a light source to examine the internal surfaces of the bladder and urethra. The procedure is undertaken to investigate and diagnose the cause of lower urinary tract symptoms. It is also used extensively to detect the recurrence of bladder tumours in people diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and kidney. In the UK, the advent of flexible cystoscopy clinics undertaken by appropriately trained and supervised nurses has been one way of improving provision of a flexible cystoscopy service. Information from published literature informed the decision to establish a nurse-led flexible cystoscopy clinic at one large District Health Board in New Zealand. This article reviews the current body of knowledge on nurse-led flexible cystoscopy, focusing on the education and training required to prepare nurses for independent cystoscopy practice. Literature findings are discussed, along with the observations of a urology nurse specialist undertaking flexible cystoscopy training in New Zealand and anecdotal evidence from visits with nurse cystoscopists in England during 2006. Carefully designed research studies published in literature have a key role to play in augmenting the body of evidence around this relatively new area of nursing practice, and as such should be strongly encouraged in both countries. It is recommended that nurse cystoscopy training and competencies are standardized and adopted internationally in order to increase the transferability of findings from research on the clinical outcomes of nurses performing nurse-led flexible cystoscopy. [source] Fall risk factors in older people with dementia or cognitive impairment: a systematic reviewJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 5 2009Jürgen Härlein Abstract Title.,Fall risk factors in older people with dementia or cognitive impairment: a systematic review. Aim., This paper is a report of a review conducted to identify and summarize specific risk factors for falls in older people with dementia or cognitive impairments as documented by prospective or case,control studies. Background., People with dementia have a doubled to threefold risk for falls, but the reasons for this have not yet been fully explained. Several integrative literature reviews discuss possible specific fall risk factors. However, there is lack of a systematic evaluation of studies. Data sources., The CINAHL, PubMed, EMBASE and PsychInfo databases were searched for the period between 1980 and May 2007. Review methods., A systematic review was conducted. Cohort or case,control studies published in English or German were included if they investigated risk factors for falls or fall-related injuries in a sample consisting of participants with dementia or cognitive impairment. Two reviewers independently assessed study quality. Results., Six prospective studies were included in the review. These differed concerning samples, settings, follow-up periods and examined variables. Therefore, meta-analysis was not possible. Eight categories of risk factors emerged: disease-specific motor impairments, impaired vision, type and severity of dementia, behavioural disturbances, functional impairments, fall history, neuroleptics and low bone mineral density. Conclusion., There is lack of sound studies examining fall risk factors in cognitively impaired elders. Well-known risk factors such as motor impairment show particular characteristics in people with dementia. In addition, behavioural disturbances contribute to their high risk for falls. Further prospective studies are needed. [source] FGF and FGFR signaling in chondrodysplasias and craniosynostosisJOURNAL OF CELLULAR BIOCHEMISTRY, Issue 5 2005P.J. Marie Abstract The first experimental mouse model for FGF2 in bone dysplasia was made serendipitously by overexpression of FGF from a constitutive promoter. The results were not widely accepted, rightfully drew skepticism, and were difficult to publish; because of over 2,000 studies published on FGF-2 at the time (1993), only a few reported a role of FGF-2 in bone growth and differentiation. However, mapping of human dwarfisms to mutations of the FGFRs shortly, thereafter, made the case that bone growth and remodeling was a major physiological function for FGF. Subsequent production of numerous transgenic and targeted null mice for several genes in the bone growth and remodeling pathways have marvelously elucidated the role of FGFs and their interactions with other genes. Indeed, studies of the FGF pathway present one of the best success stories for use of experimental genetics in functionally parsing morphogenetic regulatory pathways. What remains largely unresolved is the pleiotropic nature of FGF-2. How does it accelerate growth in one cell then stimulate apoptosis or retard growth for another cell in the same type of tissue? Some of the answers may come through distinguishing the FGF-2 protein isoforms, made from alternative translation start sites, these appear to have substantially different functions. Although we have made substantial progress, there is still much to be learned regarding FGF-2 as a most complex, enigmatic protein. Studies of genetic models in mice and human FGFR mutations have provided strong evidence that FGFRs are important modulators of osteoblast function during membranous bone formation. However, there is some controversy regarding the effects of FGFR signaling in human and murine genetic models. Although significant progress has been made in our understanding of FGFR signaling, several questions remain concerning the signaling pathways involved in osteoblast regulation by activated FGFR. Additionally, little is known about the specific role of FGFR target genes involved in cranial bone formation. These issues need to be addressed in future in in vitro and in vivo approaches to better understand the molecular mechanisms of action of FGFR signaling in osteoblasts that result in anabolic effects in bone formation. J. Cell. Biochem. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] International Differences in Nursing Research, 2005,2006JOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 1 2009Denise F. Polit PhD Abstract Purpose: To compare the characteristics of nursing research being done in different countries, using data from studies published in nonspecialty, English-language nursing journals. Design: Data for this cross-sectional analysis were retrieved from a consecutive sample of 1,072 studies published in eight leading English-language research journals in 2005 and 2006. Methods: For each study, data were extracted on the characteristics of the study participants and authors, study focus-specialty area, funding, and methodologic attributes. Studies from 15 countries or regional groupings were compared. Findings: International differences in authors, participants, and study characteristics were typically large and statistically significant. Studies that were focused on nurses were especially prevalent in Europe, Australia, and Canada, whereas patient-centered studies were most common in Asian countries and the US. Qualitative studies were predominant in Norway, Sweden, and the UK. Asian nurse researchers, by contrast, undertook mostly quantitative studies, and were especially likely to conduct intervention research. Significant country differences existed in the omission of demographic (age and sex) information about participants, with omissions most prevalent in the UK and Ireland and least prevalent in Asian countries. Research funding was reported for 62% of all studies, ranging from 13% in Turkey to over 75% in Canada and the US. Conclusions: Although this study had several limitations, especially with regard to potential biases in the sample of studies from non-English-speaking countries, this analysis of over 1,000 nursing studies indicates many important inter-country differences in the focus, methods, and authorship patterns of nursing research published in leading journals. Clinical Relevance: Because research "informs" practice, international differences that exist in the focus and methods of nursing research have implications for nursing practice in the respective countries. [source] A Taxonomy of Passive Behaviors in People with Alzheimer's DiseaseJOURNAL OF NURSING SCHOLARSHIP, Issue 3 2000Kathleen Byrne Colling Purpose: To construct a taxonomy of passive behaviors for understanding people with Alzheimer's disease. Passive behaviors are those associated with decreased motor movements, decreasing interactions with the environment, and feelings of apathy and listlessness. Little is known about behaviors associated with passivity, and these behaviors have not been categorized. Organizing Construct: Taxonomy construction. Passive behaviors in people with Alzheimer's disease were conceptualized as disturbing behaviors, patterns of personality change, and negative symptoms. Methods: The taxonomy was developed using critical reviews of 15 empirical studies published 1985 through 1998. Procedures included listing behaviors; clustering behaviors into inductively derived groupings; conducting an expert panel-review, making revisions, and conduting a second review; establishing global and category-by-category reliability using Cohen's Kappa. Findings: The nonhierarchic, natural taxonomy indicated five categories of behaviors associated with passivity in Alzheimer's disease: diminutions of cognition, psychomotor activity, emotions, interactions with people, and interactions with the environment. Analysis indicated substantial agreement beyond chance and showed statistically significant agreement among the six nurse-expert raters. Areas of synchrony between the taxonomy and the Need-Driven Dementia Compromised Behavior Model were identified. Conclusions: This taxonomy of passive behaviors in patients with Alzheimer's disease showed empirical rigor and compatibility with a middle-range theory and can be viewed as a sensitizing analytic scheme to guide future practice, research, and theory development. [source] Improving Adherence to Abnormal Pap Smear Follow-UpJOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC & NEONATAL NURSING, Issue 1 2001Priscilla DeRemer Abercrombie RN Objective: To gain a better understanding of factors that affect follow-up and the strategies that have been found to improve follow-up after an abnormal Papanicolaou (Pap) smear test. Data Sources: A computer-based search of the literature was conducted using MEDLINE with the keywords adherence, nonadherence, compliance, Follow-up, and abnormal Pap smears. Study Selection: Research studies published between 1985 and 1999 in the English language were included. If relevant studies were cited in the articles reviewed, these studies also were reviewed. A total of 25 studies were reviewed. Data Extraction: A critical review of these studies was conducted, with special attention to implications for clinical practice as well as future research. The studies fell into two groups: factors associated with nonadherence and strategies developed to improve adherence. Data Synthesis: A number of factors were identified that affect adherence to follow-up among women with abnormal Pap smears. Some of these factors involve characteristics of the woman, such as demographics, social support, lack of understanding, and fear. Factors that pertain to the health care system, such as inconvenient clinic hours, male providers, and insensitive staff, also were identified. A number of strategies have been successful in improving follow-up, including telephone counseling, educational programs, and economic incentives. Conclusions: Nurses play a crucial role in Facilitating adherence to recommendations for follow-up. They can identify women at risk for poor follow-up, increase awareness of the factors that affect follow-up, and implement strategies shown to be successful in improving adherence. Future research should take into account the rnultifactoral nature of adherence as well as the patient's perspective. In addition, studies should be designed with special attention to generalizability and should include women from populations most at risk for cervical cancer. [source] Air drying of milk droplet under constant and time-dependent conditionsAICHE JOURNAL, Issue 6 2005Xiao Dong Chen Abstract Spray drying is the prime process for many years for manufacturing food powders. Dairy powders are one of the main products consumed worldwide. There has been a stream of studies published previously on both modeling the drying characteristics of a single milk droplet and the dryer wide simulations incorporating computational fluid dynamics (CFD). In CFD simulations, large numbers of particles of different sizes need be tracked to represent the size distribution; it is desirable to have an accurate yet simple model for drying of a single droplet, which does not require partial differential equation. Here for the first time, two such models are validated. One model is of the characteristic drying rate curve approach and the other (new) model is of the reaction engineering approach. The model predictions are compared against a very wide range of experimental results including isothermal and time-varying temperature conditions. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2005 [source] The industry settings of leading organizational research: the role of economic and non-economic factorsJOURNAL OF ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, Issue 4 2009Michael Boyer O'Leary Despite calls for attention to the role of context in organizational research, there have been no assessments of the distribution of industry contexts in organizational research. This paper explores that distribution in relation to the industry composition of the U.S. economy. Our analysis of 914 empirical field studies published in four leading journals from 1988 to 2002 reveals striking, persistent, and growing discrepancies between the industries that are economically important and the industries that have served as settings for organizational research. For example, education and manufacturing are oversampled in relation to their economic importance, while real estate, construction, wholesale, and retail are undersampled. We also develop and test a series of hypotheses predicting which industries serve as the contexts for leading research. Using negative binomial regression, we show that the percentage of recent MBA graduates in an industry and the percentage of employees with doctoral degrees in an industry predict the number of articles set in that industry, with the total number of employees and average establishment size in an industry enhancing the power of the model. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings for advancing organizational theory and research methods. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Seventy Years of Research on Personality and Close Relationships: Substantive and Methodological Trends Over TimeJOURNAL OF PERSONALITY, Issue 6 2002M. Lynne Cooper ABSTRACT The present review is based on a quantitative analysis of the abstracts for 477 studies published since 1932 on the topic of personality and close (romantic) relationships. This approach enables a "bird's-eye" view of the content and methods that have characterized research in this area and an examination of publication trends over time. Results showed that 60% of all published studies in this area relied exclusively on cross-sectional and self-report methods; that nearly all used convenience samples, though more than half used nonstudent samples; and that more than one-third relied exclusively on data from individuals rather than couples. Few studies appeared to include elaborated networks of constructs in either the personality or relationship domain or to attempt to integrate an elaborated model of personality with an elaborated relationship model. Examination of trends over time revealed a mixed picture, with increasing use of the least informative designs balanced by evidence of increasingly complex conceptual models. [source] Changing Nutrition Standards in Schools: The Emerging Impact on School RevenueJOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTH, Issue 5 2008Christopher M. Wharton PhD ABSTRACT Background:, Although great focus has been placed on nutritional and other consequences of changes in food-related policies within schools, few reports exist describing the impact of such changes on school revenue. This review provides an overview of the few revenue-related studies published recently, as well as information from a sampling of state reports on the subject. Methods:, A systematic review of the literature was conducted. Four peer-reviewed papers and 3 state-based reports were identified that assessed the impact on revenues of either targeted policy changes or overarching, district-wide changes in food-related policies. Results:, Thus far, few data exist to substantiate the concern that changes in nutrition standards in schools lead to a loss in total revenue. An interesting phenomenon of increased participation in the National School Lunch Program was noted in a number of reports and might play a role in buffering financial losses. Conclusions:, A renewed focus on school policies related to health provides the opportunity for researchers to investigate how nutrition-related policy change can affect, if at all, food service and overall school revenues. [source] Highlights in Emergency Medicine Medical Education Research: 2008ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 12 2009Susan E. Farrell MD Abstract Objectives:, The purpose of this article is to highlight medical education research studies published in 2008 that were methodologically superior and whose outcomes were pertinent to teaching and education in emergency medicine. Methods:, Through a PubMed search of the English language literature in 2008, 30 medical education research studies were independently identified as hypothesis-testing investigations and measurements of educational interventions. Six reviewers independently rated and scored all articles based on eight anchors, four of which related to methodologic criteria. Articles were ranked according to their total rating score. A ranking agreement among the reviewers of 83% was established a priori as a minimum for highlighting articles in this review. Results:, Five medical education research studies met the a priori criteria for inclusion and are reviewed and summarized here. Four of these employed experimental or quasi-experimental methodology. Although technology was not a component of the structured literature search employed to identify the candidate articles for this review, 14 of the articles identified, including four of the five highlighted articles, employed or studied technology as a focus of the educational research. Overall, 36% of the reviewed studies were supported by funding; three of the highlighted articles were funded studies. Conclusions:, This review highlights quality medical education research studies published in 2008, with outcomes of relevance to teaching and education in emergency medicine. It focuses on research methodology, notes current trends in the use of technology for learning in emergency medicine, and suggests future avenues for continued rigorous study in education. [source] US and Canadian Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for the macronutrients, energy and physical activityNUTRITION BULLETIN, Issue 2 2005B. A. Yon Summary The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), in conjunction with Health Canada, released the sixth in a series of reports on dietary reference values for the intake of macronutrients and energy by Americans and Canadians. This report established Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for carbohydrate, fibre, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, amino acids, energy and physical activity. The DRIs replace the USA's Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) last updated in 1989, and Canada's Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs), last published in 1990. A panel of 21 US and Canadian research scientists, clinicians and epidemiologists with expertise in energy, protein and amino acids, carbohydrate, fibre, sugar, lipids, physical activity and life-stage nutrition were appointed to begin the process of reviewing observational and experimental studies published primarily in peer-reviewed journals. The DRIs are based on scientifically grounded relationships between nutrient intake and the prevention of chronic disease, as well as the maintenance of good health. The purpose of this paper is to highlight a number of the definitions, new approaches, and key findings as they apply to the DRIs for the macronutrients, energy and physical activity. [source] Meat Consumption and Colorectal Cancer: A Review of Epidemiologic EvidenceNUTRITION REVIEWS, Issue 2 2001Drs. Teresa Norat Ph.D This article reviews the epidemiologic evidence on colorectal cancer risk and meat consumption from 32 case-control and 13 cohort studies published in English from 1970 to 1999 and retrieved from the Medline database. The results support the hypothesis that meat consumption is associated with a modest increase in colorectal cancer risk. This association, however, seems to have been more consistently found for red meat and processed meat. The studies on cooking methods and meat "doneness" are not consistent and the evidence is not conclusive. [source] Damage-induced changes in woody plants and their effects on insect herbivore performance: a meta-analysisOIKOS, Issue 2 2004Heli Nykänen We conducted a meta-analysis of 68 studies published between 1982 and 2000 in which the responses of woody plants to natural or simulated herbivore damage and/or insect herbivore performance on control and damaged plants were measured. Cumulative meta-analyses revealed dramatic temporal changes in the magnitude and direction of the plant and herbivore responses reported during the last two decades. Studies conducted in the 1980s reported increase in phenolic concentrations, reduction in nutrient concentrations and negative effect on herbivore performance, consistently with the idea of induced resistance. In contrast, in the early 1990s when the idea that some types of plant damage may result in induced susceptibility was generally accepted, studies reported non-significant results or induced susceptibility, and smaller effects on herbivores. The above changes may reflect paradigm shifts in the theory of induced defenses and/or the differences between study systems used in the early and the more recent studies. Overall, plant growth and carbohydrate concentrations were reduced in damaged plants despite enhanced photosynthetic rates. Damage increased the concentrations of carbon and phenolics, while terpene concentrations tended to decrease after damage; changes in nutrient concentrations after damage varied according to nutrient mobility, inherent plant growth rate, ontogenetic stage and plant type (deciduous/evergreen). Early season damage caused more pronounced changes in plants than late season damage, which is in accordance with the assumption that vigorously growing foliage has a greater capacity to respond to damage. Insect growth rate and female pupal weight decreased on previously damaged plants, while herbivore survival, consumption and male pupal weight were not significantly affected. The magnitude and direction of herbivore responses depended on the type of plant, the type of damage, the time interval between the damage and insect feeding (rapid/delayed induced resistance), and the timing of the damage. [source] Diabetes and complementary therapies: mapping the evidencePRACTICAL DIABETES INTERNATIONAL (INCORPORATING CARDIABETES), Issue 7 2007K Pilkington MSc, MRPharmS Senior Research Fellow Abstract Complementary therapies are widely used by people with diabetes for the condition itself, for diabetes-related complications or for non-diabetes related problems. The aim of this review is to summarise the current research evidence on complementary therapies in the management of diabetes and resulting complications. The review draws primarily on systematic reviews conducted as part of the CAMEOL project (www.rccm.org.uk/cameol), included in the Cochrane Library or on the National Library for Health Complementary and Alternative Medicine Specialist Library (www.library.nhs.uk/cam). Searches were also carried out for studies published subsequently or on other therapies to provide an indication of overall research activity. Systematic reviews were found or conducted on a range of herbs, dietary supplements, massage, acupuncture, homoeopathy, hypnotherapy, meditation, reflexology and yoga. Individual studies were located on several other therapies. Studies addressed metabolic control, general well-being and complications. Herbs and dietary supplements continue to be the main focus of research activity. Acupuncture trials are also numerous but almost exclusively conducted in China using traditional approaches. For most other therapies, research evidence is limited by extent or quality. Overall, limited data from well-designed randomised controlled trials are available and results are difficult to translate into clinical practice. Based on promising findings, several herbs, dietary supplements, exercise or body-based therapies and acupuncture require further investigation. For most therapies, well-designed robust studies replicating small preliminary studies are required to support those involved in diabetes care in providing evidence-based advice on the safe and effective use of complementary therapies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons. [source] Nurse Home Visits to Maternal,Child Clients: A Review of Intervention ResearchPUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 3 2004Diane B. McNaughton Ph.D. Abstract Home visiting has been considered a promising strategy for addressing the multiple needs of families at risk. Research reviews are a valuable resource for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners who develop and support new home-visiting interventions. This review examines 13 research studies published between the years of 1980 and 2000 that test the effectiveness of home-visiting interventions using professional nurses as home visitors. Findings indicate that a wide range of client problems are addressed during home visits using a variety of nursing interventions. Missing from most of the reports is a clear theoretical link between the client problem addressed, the nursing intervention, and target outcomes. About half of the studies were successful in achieving desired outcomes. Future research should be directed by middle-range practice theory, clearly explicate the nursing intervention being tested, use power analysis to determine sample size, and report reliability and validity of dependent variable measures with culturally diverse samples. [source] Considerations for the design of organic mulch permeable reactive barriersREMEDIATION, Issue 1 2007Farrukh Ahmad Organic mulch consists of insoluble carbon biopolymers that are enzymatically hydrolyzed during decomposition to release aqueous total organic carbon (TOC). The released TOC is utilized by microorganisms as an electron donor to transform electrophilic contaminants via reductive pathways. Over the last decade, organic mulch permeable reactive barriers (PRBs), or biowalls, have received increased interest as a relatively inexpensive slow-release electron donor technology for addressing contaminated groundwater. To date, biowalls have been installed to enhance the passive bioremediation of groundwater contaminated with a variety of electrophilic compounds, including chlorinated solvents, explosives, and perchlorate. In addition, several mulch biowall projects are currently under way at several U.S. Department of Defense facilities. However, at the present time, the guidelines available for the design of mulch PRBs are limited to a few case studies published in the technical literature. A biowall design, construction, and operation protocol document is expected to be issued by the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence in 2007. In this publication, three technical considerations that can have a significant impact on the design and performance of mulch PRBs are presented and discussed. These technical considerations are: (1) hydraulic characteristics of the mulch bed; (2) biochemical characteristics of different types of organic amendments used as mulch PRB fill materials; and (3) a transport model that can be used to estimate the required PRB thickness to attain cleanup standards. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||