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J Tuttle

Publications and source records attributed to J Tuttle.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1981

Attitudes about death in the nursing home: a research note.

An increasing percentage of the U.S. population dies in nursing homes. Despite the increased attention given to the topic of death, most nursing homes practice a covert approach. A total of 86 residents and staff members from 2 nursing homes support this finding; yet many expressed an interest in modifying the policy. A majority believed that others should be told about the death of a resident. Respondents reported the interview process to be satisfying.

Aged↗
PubMed1981

Functional maturation of motor nerve terminals in the avian iris: ultrastructure, transmitter metabolism and synaptic reliability.

1. The transformation of easily fatigued embryonic neuromuscular junctions into highly reliable mature terminals was examined by studying functional and morphological changes during development of the avian iris. The mature ability to follow repetitive electrical nerve stimulation was correlated with the rate of acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis and choline uptake, and with the fine structure of the nerve terminals and the post-synaptic elements.2. The terminals of the ciliary nerve of the chick initially form functional synaptic contacts with the iris muscle at embryonic St. 34-40. At the onset of this period, no Na(+)-dependent high affinity choline uptake can be demonstrated, and the low level of ACh synthesis present is sensitive to Na(+) removal. At St. 36 [(3)H]ACh synthesis begins to increase, the increment being Na(+)-dependent.3. ACh synthesis in the embryonic iris was insensitive to a conditioning [K(+)](o) depolarization even as late as St. 43. Just before hatching, depolarization elicits some augmentation in synthesis, but by 2 days ex ovo this release-induced response has increased by an order of magnitude.4. Concurrently with the acquisition of the ability to respond to depolarization with accelerated synthesis, neuromuscular transmission in the iris becomes reliable and secure during stimulation at 20 Hz. Embryonic junctions rapidly block during such stimulation, and the failure is shown to be presynaptic in origin, resulting most probably from failure to sustain adequate levels of transmitter release.5. Ultrastructural examination of the developing ciliary terminals revealed few synaptic vesicles at early stages, and a dearth of other specializations. The sequence of development from these small structurally undistinguished endings to large en plaque junctions completely filled with vesicles was reconstructed and compared to other neuromuscular junctions. Morphological maturation appears progressive with little evidence of discontinuity signalling functional status, but it is only after the terminals enlarge and become closely packed with vesicles that mature synaptic reliability is found.6. The temporal correlation between responsiveness of transmitter synthesis to depolarization and reliable neuromuscular transmission suggests that modulation of neurotransmitter metabolism in response to demand signals the achievement of junctional maturity.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Teen Club: a nursing intervention for reducing risk-taking behavior and improving well-being in female African American adolescents.

This article describes a nursing intervention called Teen Club that was designed to reduce risk-taking behavior and improve well-being in female African American adolescents. Participants were referred to Teen Club by their nurse practitioners, physicians, and a community health nurse who were working at an urban neighborhood health center's teen clinic. Referrals were based on factors such as parental substance abuse, lack of social and family support, and other characteristics thought to increase vulnerability to risk-taking behavior. The 2-year intervention included weekly group meetings co-led by a European American female community health nurse and a Latino American male community worker, supplemented by case management and home visits by both these persons. Findings from a retrospective group interview conducted with 11 of the 12 original participants are presented. This is the first step in a series of pilot studies designed to refine the Teen Club intervention in anticipation of a future prospective, randomized investigation of this health promotion and disease prevention model of nursing care.

Adolescent↗