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PubMedDate not supplied

[A clinical and epidemiological description of a series of patients diagnosed as suffering from progressive supranuclear palsy].

INTRODUCTION: Progressive supranuclear palsy is a disease that normally presents only sporadically in adults and courses in a progressive, chronic manner. It is characterised by the presence of supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, postural instability, a Parkinsonian syndrome, pseudobulbar affect, cervical dystonia and cognitive impairment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We conducted a descriptive study of clinical and epidemiological features in a series of 18 patients who satisfied the mandatory NINDS-SPSP clinical eligibility criteria for the likely diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy, using the scale developed by Golbe et al. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The mean age of onset of the disease was 58.6 +/- 8.2 years, 55.5% of the patients were males, the average history of the disease at the time of diagnosis was 4.39 +/- 2.3 years, and there was a diagnostic subregister in the first 4 years of the disease. Gait disorders, falls and slowness were the most frequently observed presenting forms of the disease. During their first four years with the disease, 75% of the patients were totally independent when it came to carrying out activities of daily living, whereas after the fourth year there was a predominance of the need for aid and absolute dependence. Dysphagia was more frequent in the later stages of the disease. Ocular motility disorders and impaired cognitive functioning were obvious in the initial stages of the disease, and there was a strong correlation between the length of time the disease had been coursing and the severity of the ocular and cognitive disorders.

Cognition Disorders↗

PubMed2004

[Biodegradation characteristics of organic compounds in leachate in electrochemical oxidation and anaerobic process combined treatment system].

Degradation characteristics of typical organic compounds in landfill leachate were investigated by electrochemical oxidation and anaerobic process combined treatment system in this paper. In electrochemical oxidation system, degradation rate of polyphenolic, polyamide, benzothiazole, benzoquinone, quinoline and naphthalene compounds was higher than that of Exo-2-hydroxycineole and isoquinoline compounds, but that of the former was lower in anaerobic process. After electrochemical oxidation process, content of Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs) markedly increased from 0.68% of raw leachate to 16.18% of effluent of electrochemical reactor. The results indicate that synergetic and antagonistic effects of complicated components on biotoxicity in leachate are notably decreased in such the combined treatment system, and biodegradability of systemic effluent is improved. These are key reasons to highly effectively treat landfill leachate by using such the combined treatment system, and can provide technical assistance to further investigate treatment technology of landfill leachate and large-scale development of electrochemical oxidation and anaerobic process combined treatment system.

Bacteria, Anaerobic↗

PubMed2005

Exploration of health-related quality of life areas that may distinguish between continent diversion and ileal conduit patients.

OBJECTIVES: We explored the specific impact of urinary diversion type on HRQOL in men after cystectomy for bladder cancer. Our intent was to provide a basis for the development of a diversion-specific instrument. METHODS: We invited 13 ileal conduit and 12 orthotopic urinary diversion (neo-bladder) male patients to several open-ended interviews. We explored HRQOL domains that may have been affected by cystectomy and urinary diversion, and that could then be used to form a basis for a diversion-specific HRQOL measure. RESULTS: The average age of neo-bladder patients was 59 versus 65 years for ileal conduit patients. We identified 10 HRQOL domains, ranging from involuntary urine leakage to dietary modifications, which were recognized as important by ileal conduit and neobladder patients. Within each domain, a sufficient amount of overlap existed to allow developing a measure that might be applied to both groups of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Ten HRQOL domains were identified as important by ileal conduit and neobladder patients. These demonstrated a significant amount of overlap between conduit and neobladder patients. Potentially, these domains could be used to develop scales for distinguishing between conduit and neobladder-specific HRQOL detriments.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

[Factors related to breakfast eating behavior among elementary school children].

OBJECT: The purpose of this study was to clarify factors related to eating breakfast among elementary school children. METHOD: The subjects were 196 fifth-grade pupils from two elementary schools in Osaka Prefecture. The main survey items were as follows: Number of eating breakfast days in the last week, appetite for breakfast, sleeping habits, knowledge on food, attitude related to eating breakfast, self-esteem, social skills, and eating behavior of family members. The Rosenberg Scale was used to measure global self-esteem and the Pope Scale for estimation of family-related self-esteem. Social skills were assessed using the scale developed by Shimada et al., which consists of subscales for pro-social skills, withdrawal behavior, and aggressive behavior. RESULTS: The main results were as follows: (1) The percentages of children who ate breakfast everyday in the last week were 78.3% for boys and 70.2% for girls, who no significant difference between the sexes. (2) The children who ate breakfast everyday in the last week (everyday-eating group) had more appetite for breakfast and went to bed earlier than the children who one or more days without eating (lack-of-eating group). (3) Compared with the lack-of-eating group, the everyday-eating group showed higher scores in family-related self-esteem and pro-social skills, and lower scores for aggressive behavior. (4) Regarding knowledge on food except influence of sugar for health, there were no differences between the everyday-eating and lack-of-eating groups. However, the former included more children who thought that eating every breakfast was very important, compared with the latter. (5) Children who expressed the following answers were more abundant in the everyday-eating group than in the lack-of-eating group: (1) Family members prepare breakfast every day; (2) They ate breakfast with family members everyday in the last week; (3) They often talk with family members during meals and snacks. CONCLUSIONS: From the above results, the following are suggested in relation to the development of eating breakfast for elementary school children: (1) Only providing knowledge on nutrition is insufficient; (2) Development of a positive attitude toward the significance of breakfast is necessary; (3) Development of a daily living rhythm, including sleeping behavior, is important; (4) Encouraging the development of family-related self-esteem and the social skills is important. Therefore, especially in the elementary school stage, not only conducting eating behavior education at school, but also intervention to affect family members' behavior and attitudes has an important role.

Aggression↗

PubMed2005

Community-based nutrition education for improving infant growth in rural Karnataka.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a nutrition education intervention designed to improve infant growth and feeding practices. DESIGN: An intervention study using monthly nutrition education delivered by locally trained counsellors targeted at caregivers of infants aged 5-11 months. Comparison of outcomes for 2 groups--one non-intervention group of infants enrolled in 1997 that did not receive the intervention in the first year of life, and an intervention group of infants enrolled 1998-1999 that received the nutrition education. SETTING: 11 randomly selected and 2 purposively selected villages of south Karnataka. SUBJECTS: 138 Infants (n = 69 intervention) aged 5-11 months. METHODS: Families were administered a monthly questionnaire on feeding and child care behavior, and study infants were weighed at this time, using the SECA solar scales, developed for UNICEF. Logistic regression was used to examine differences between intervention and non-intervention infants in infant feeding behavior outcomes. RESULTS: Statistically significant improvement was found in weight velocity for female infants in the intervention group. These infants were also more likely to exhibit at least four positive feeding behaviors--intervention infants had a higher mean daily feeding frequency (more likely to be fed solids at least four times a day (OR = 4.35, 95% CI = 1.96, 10.00), higher dietary diversity (more likely to receive a more diverse diet OR = 3.23, 95% CI = 1.28, 7.69), and were more likely to be fed foods suggested by the counsellors such as bananas (OR = 10.00, 95% = 2.78, 33.3) compared to non-intervention infants. CONCLUSION: Nutrition education and counselling was significantly associated with increased weight velocity among girls and improved feeding behavior among both boys and girls. These results provide further evidence that community-based nutrition programs that emphasise appropriate feeding and care behavior can be used to prevent and address early childhood malnutrition in poor households.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with daily intrathecal TRH. A year's experience. Pilot study II].

This study presents the experience of one year of treatment in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, with intrathecal TRH administered daily by a subcutaneous reservoir connected to the intrathecal lumbar space by a double catheter system as to provide continuous circulation of CSF and to avoid sac formation since this would be a source of infection. Clinical evaluation was carried out with a scale developed by the authors with the main aim of evaluating the loss of vital motor abilities and not as a localized evaluation. Secondary effects due to the implantation of the reservoir in addition to its use are presented although data were not important. Intrathecal administration of TRH was carried out similarly (600 micrograms/day) with secondary effects being the same as those by other routes of administration although of a lesser intensity. The results of the clinical evaluation at the beginning and end of the treatment as well as after patient follow up demonstrated that beneficial effects do not occur equally in all patients but rather are transitory and do not improve the natural evolution of the disease. The authors conclude that, methodologically, this series study does not enter within the frame of an advisable statistical study since the aim is to provide data for a future controlled study.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Implementing a pressure ulcer prevention program and enhancing the role of the CWOCN: impact on outcomes.

Hospitals in the US are increasingly concerned with the rising number of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers. To reduce its 2002-2003 average hospital-acquired pressure ulcer prevalence rate of 9.2%, a regional medical center in southeastern US initiated a process improvement and education program. Quarterly pressure ulcer prevalence studies were conducted and the Medical Intensive Care Unit was found to have the highest number of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers among the five units participating in the study. As part of a new Pressure Ulcer Strategic Plan, significant changes were made to the organizational infrastructure and processes, which included implementing the Braden Risk Scale Assessment Tool in place of the Norton Risk Scale, developing a pressure ulcer prevention protocol, creating Pressure Ulcer/Skin Tear Physician orders for nurses, establishing a Skin Resource Team, and providing additional education, training, and other relevant resources. Better appreciation for and enhanced utilization of Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses were encouraged. New support surfaces were purchased. Implementing these changes resulted in a decrease in the quarterly hospital-acquired pressure ulcer prevalence in participating units, including the Medical Intensive Care Unit where rates dropped from a high of 29% to near 0%. Clinicians now approach pressure ulcers as preventable rather than inevitable and view Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurses as resources and clinical experts for prevention and treatment. Overall quality of care and financial resource utilization also have substantially improved.

Beds↗

PubMed2006

Cultural/interpersonal values and smoking in an ethnically diverse sample of Southern California adolescents.

In ethnically diverse school contexts, values from multiple cultures might influence adolescents' attitudes and behaviors. This study developed scales to assess cultural values among Southern California 6'-grade adolescents (N=2281) and evaluated the associations between values and smoking. The scales assessed values salient in many Hispanic and Asian cultures: Respect for Adults (e.g., filial piety, respeto), Interpersonal Harmony (e.g., saving face, simpatia), and Differentiated Gender Roles (e.g., machismo). In cross-sectional and one-year longitudinal models, Respect for Adults and Interpersonal Harmony were associated with a lower risk of lifetime smoking. The associations were significant even after controlling for demographic characteristics, friends' smoking, and parents' smoking, indicating that values influence adolescents' behavior over and above the effects of modeling and peer influence. Increased understanding of adolescents' values could inform the creation of smoking prevention programs for ethnically diverse adolescents.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Assessing the acceptability of behavioral treatments to persons with mental retardation.

Individuals with mild to moderate mental retardation living in community residential settings (Experiment 1) or an institutional setting (Experiment 2) rated the acceptability of differential reinforcement and time-out applied to a mild and a severe behavior problem. Using analogue methodology similar to previous treatment acceptability studies (e.g., Miltenberger, Lennox, & Erfanian, 1989; Tarnowski, Rasnake, Mulicke, & Kelly, 1989), and a simplified rating scale developed for persons with mental retardation, community-based subjects rated differential reinforcement as more acceptable than time-out for the mild problem, whereas institutionalized subjects rated time-out as more acceptable than differential reinforcement when applied to the severe problem. These results were discussed and future research suggested.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1990

Study of educational experiences, support, and job satisfaction among critical care nurse preceptors.

Experienced critical care staff nurses are frequently called to serve as clinical preceptors for nurses and nursing students who are unfamiliar with the critical care unit. These critical care nurse preceptors require educational preparation, continuing education, and support for their role. This descriptive correlational study surveyed 73 critical care nurse preceptors at 10 teaching hospitals in a metropolitan area in the Midwest. Forty-eight (65.8%) participants reported receiving some type of educational experience to prepare them for the role of preceptor. Only 24.7% of the respondents, however, participated in continuing education experiences related to the preceptor role. Job satisfaction was measured with a 48-item Likert scale developed for nurses by Slavitt et al. No significant differences in job satisfaction were reported for preceptors who received educational preparation and those who did not. However, the type of unit in which the preceptor worked did affect job satisfaction. Critical care preceptors in units classified as intermediate care and emergency departments had greater levels of job satisfaction than nurses working in intensive care units (t[68] = 2.52, p = 0.01). In addition, the longer the preceptor worked in critical care, the lower the level of job satisfaction (r = -0.210, p = 0.04). Job satisfaction was also influenced by the support preceptors received from their institution; a significant positive correlation was seen between this support and the level of job satisfaction. A description of the format and content of preparation programs for critical care preceptors was also provided as a result of this study.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

[Acute skin reactions in rats after irradiation with reactor neutrons].

The paper is devoted to a study of acute radiation reactions of the depilated thigh skin of outbred rats after their irradiation at various doses with gamma quanta and neutrons of a BR-10 reactor with the mean energy of 0.85 MeV. A scale, developed for the assessment of a degree of severity of radiation reactions permitted quantitative interpretation of the obtained results. The RBE of neutron irradiation was 4.2.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1990

[How to evaluate dental fear].

The measurement of complex behavioral phenomena like dental fear requires allegiance to two great domains that often seem to conflict with one another: natural scientific method and the seemingly unpredictable human psyche. The need to preserve strict objectivity in scientific observations and yet flexibility enough to appreciate the contextual facets of psychological and social variables are a difficult combination. There are differing scientific philosophies that are presented here not as incompatible opposites, but as a complementary team of approaches to aid human behavioral problem solving in dental clinical science. The "positivistic falsification" tradition requires "objective" double-blind type experimental hypothesis testing, while the "phenomenologic-hermaneutic" tradition requires the researcher to grasp the context of the phenomena to be studied in order to understand and thereafter test the most relevant variables. Thus, there is a need for both traditions, since the relevant variables should be systematically evaluated (qualitative phase) before they can be adequately tested (quantitative phase). Clinical evaluation of dental fear draws on information gathered about a patient's verbal (cognitive) descriptions, behavioral symptoms and physiologic reactions. Commonly used psychometric testing scales developed to differentiate fears specific to dentistry, as opposed to general anxiety syndromes, are the result of observations made in several qualitative studies that not all dental phobics have general anxiety symptoms. Examples of these and other tests are listed and described, noting that verbal and behavioral testing appear more reliable than physiologic indicators. The patient's subjective sense of improvement is deemed to be an important factor in their confidence and efficacy to deal with the threats that the dental environment can bring them.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Dental Care↗

PubMed1989

Role issues, job satisfaction and unit of assignment.

A prospective, descriptive study of role conflict and role ambiguity and its relationship to job satisfaction among a stratified, random sample of 100 registered nurses in an acute care setting is reported. Job satisfaction was measured using the Job-in-General scale developed by Smith and Ironson. Role conflict and role ambiguity were measured using the Nursing Index of Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity developed for use in this study. Both role conflict and role ambiguity were inversely related to job satisfaction, providing Pearson Project Moment correlations of -.48 (P less than .001) and -.38 (P less than .001), respectively. Additionally, perceptions of role conflict and role ambiguity were found to be greater among intensive care unit nurses. Management implications of these findings are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1989

The "second skin": perceptions of disturbed and nondisturbed early adolescents on clothing, self-concept, and body image.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if there were differences between regular education and emotionally disturbed early adolescents with respect to self-concept, body image, and selected uses of clothing. A questionnaire was administered to 74 regular education students from three middle schools. An additional 27 students labeled emotionally disturbed were surveyed from one of the schools. The questionnaire contained existing measures of self-concept and body cathexis and a revised clothing scale developed by the authors. Analysis of the data using t tests revealed significant differences between the groups with regard to self-concept and body image. In both cases, regular education students perceived themselves more positively than did those labeled emotionally disturbed. Factor analysis of the clothing-use measure gave rise to five distinct factors, one of which revealed a significant difference between the groups when analyzed by t tests. This factor, "dependence," examined the emotional effects of the use of clothing on individuals, such as the ability to influence mood. The emotionally disturbed students were less likely to use clothing to influence mood than were the regular education students. The results of this investigation lend further credence to the importance of self-concept in the education curriculum, and imply that the usual aspects of the curriculum that deal with self-concept may be served better by helping the individual become more realistic and self-accepting. The use of clothing as a tool to enhance self-concept merits further investigation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

Maternal health locus of control beliefs, utilization of childhood preventive health services, and infant health.

This study examined the relationships among mothers' health locus of control beliefs concerning their children's health, utilization of childhood preventive health services, and child health status. Mothers' health beliefs were measured with the Parental Health Belief (PHB) scales developed to explore three factors: (1) mothers' degree of perceived control or internality with respect to their children's health, (2) the extent to which they believe that "chance" or (3) "powerful others" affected their children's health. Eighty-eight low- and middle-socioeconomic status black and Caucasian mothers and infants participated. Results indicate relationships among maternal health locus of control beliefs, utilization of preventive health services, and child health outcome, suggesting targeted ways in which utilization of childhood preventive health services and child health levels might be improved.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1989

[Prevalence of a type A behavior pattern (coronary prone behavior pattern) in the Vienna population].

The prevalence of the coronary-prone behavior pattern and its interaction with psychosocial and primary coronary risk factors was studied in a Viennese population sample consisting of 1459 people (634 men, 825 women). The sample was representative with respect to sex, age greater than 16 years, socio-economic status and local distribution. A questionnaire-based short rating scale developed by Bortner was used. The distribution of the study population on the A-B axis was unimodal (means = 174.95 +/- 40.76). The upper and the lower third of the A-B dimension was designated to represent type A1 and type B4, respectively. The mean Bortner score and rate of type A1 persons clearly decreased at lower (16 to 20 years) and higher ages (greater than 60 years). Within the group of employed subjects aged 21 to 60 years the mean type A score and the rate of A1 subjects for men (177 +/- 39; 6%) differed significantly from that of their female counterparts (188 +/- 39; 13%). Housewives had a mean score of 178 +/- 41 and 10% of them were scored A1, thus indicating significantly lower mean scores than employed females but the same rate of A1. Subjects with higher educational level showed only a tendency to increased type A. The socio-economic status was positively correlated to the global Bortner score, especially in men, but no relation was found to the rate of Type A1 persons. There was no significant correlation between type A score and systolic or diastolic blood pressure, body mass index or smoking behavior, but a significant correlation between type A score and the subjective feeling of overload. Type A subjects scored themselves significantly more often as continuously overload.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Agitation following traumatic head injury: equivocal evidence for a discrete stage of cognitive recovery.

Agitation and confusion appear to be associated in the early period of recovery from traumatic head injury. Eighteen severely head-injured patients were assessed during acute rehabilitation for both the extent of agitation and level of cognitive functioning. Agitation was measured by the Agitated Behavior Scale developed by Corrigan. Simultaneous independent measurements of cognitive functioning were obtained from the Orientation Group Monitoring System and Mini-Mental State. Agitation was significantly correlated with both measures of cognitive functioning, indicating that as cognition improved, agitation diminished. Agitation was partitioned into high and low levels, and cognitive functioning was partitioned into low, middle, and high levels for each of the two measures of cognitive functioning. Chi-square analysis of the distribution of agitation and cognition indicated significant differentiation, with high agitation prevalent in low levels of cognition, and low agitation prevalent in high levels of cognition. Patients in the middle level of cognition were equally likely to demonstrate high and low agitation. Further descriptive analysis indicated that improvement from low levels of cognition preceded improved agitation, and improved agitation preceded clearing from posttraumatic amnesia. These results provide equivocal support for the long-held clinical observation that a period of pronounced confusion and agitation represents a discrete stage of recovery from traumatic head injury.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[The WP scale, an evaluation scale of anxious inhibition].

The phenomenon of inhibition concerns a feeling of being blocked in usual functioning. It is frequently encountered, in many disorders. Using a general model of anxiety, the authors propose a taxonomy of the phenomenon into inhibition in anxiety states and inhibition associated with other disorders, a differentiation between generalized inhibition and specific inhibition, and between primary and secondary inhibition. Generalized inhibition due to anxiety can be assessed through use of the WP, which is a rating scale developed for this purpose by the authors.

Anxiety Disorders↗