The aim of this study was to investigate the difficulties encountered by nurses who have cared for terminally ill cancer patients at general hospitals. To collect data, a survey by questionnaire was ...self-administered. The respondents were 375 nurses and the response rate was 70.2%. Factor analysis was conducted on 80 items related to the difficulties encountered by nurses who have cared for terminally ill cancer patients to allow reasonable item reduction and to explore better domains. Two items were excluded and the results revealed eight underlying domains: Communication with patients and families, Knowledge and skill of nurses, Treatment and informed consent (IC), Personal issues, Collaboration as a team including patients and families, Environment and system, Collaboration among nurses, and Near-death issues. Cronbach's alpha coefficients for each domain ranged from 0.77 to 0.93. The results showed that nurses working at general hospitals have experienced a high degree of difficulty overall while caring for the dying, particularly with communication with patients and families. It was concluded that this study was useful in determining the specific areas where nursing education and research should be focused.
Effective chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer is urgently needed. The aim of this study was to compare the anti-proliferative activity on pancreatic cancer cell lines of the vitamin D
3 analog, ...22-oxa-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D
3, maxacalcitol, with that of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D
3, calcitriol, with analysis of vitamin D receptor status and the G
1-phase cell cycle-regulating factors. Antiproliferative effects of both agents were compared using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method and by measuring the tumor size of xenografts inoculated into athymic mice. Scatchard analysis of vitamin D receptor contents, and mutational analysis of receptor complementary DNA were performed. Levels of expression of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, p21 and p27, were analysed by western blotting. In vitro, maxacalcitol and calcitriol markedly inhibited the proliferation and caused a G
1 phase cell cycle arrest with the appearance of numerous domes. In vivo, maxacalcitol inhibited the growth of BxPC-3 xenografts more significantly than calcitriol, without inducing hypercalcemia. Responsive cells had abundant functional vitamin D receptors. However, Hs 766T, showing no response to either agent, had the second highest receptor contents with no abnormalities in its primary structure deduced by receptor complementary DNA. In the responsive cells, p21 and p27 were markedly up-regulated after 24
h of treatment with both agents. In non-responsive cells, no such changes were observed. In conclusion, maxacalcitol and calcitriol up-regulate p21 and p27 as an early event, which in turn could block the G
1/S transition and induce growth inhibition in responsive cells, and maxacalcitol may provide a more useful tool for the chemotherapy of pancreatic cancer than calcitriol because of its low toxicity.
doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00599.x
A prospective study on oral microbial flora and related variables in dentate dependent elderly residents
Objective: Oral microorganisms and related variables ...were followed over a 1‐year period in dentate dependent elderly.
Background: For nursing personnel, oral hygiene for the dependent elderly is demanding. It requires good knowledge of how to carry out preventive oral health measures and to judge when help is needed. Previous studies indicate low levels of knowledge, which might be reflected in the oral health of dentate residents.
Material and methods: Twenty‐one subjects participated at baseline and 14 one year later. Microbial samples were analysed using cultivation technique. The labial minor gland secretion rate was measured using the Periotron® method, and oral clinical data were registered.
Results: Low labial mucosal flow rates were seen for 95% of the participants. At baseline, visibly thick plaque was seen in 48% and 1 year later in 57%. Both frequency and number of bacteria associated with caries and frequency of microorganisms associated with oral soft tissue infections were high. One year later, a decrease in bacteria associated with good oral health and a tendency to an increase in aciduric microorganisms were seen.
Conclusion: Poor oral health, tending to further deteriorate over time, advocates regular professional supplementary support when elderly dentate dependent residents need assistance with their oral care.
Recombinant BNP (nesiritide) is known to reduce endothelin levels, cause afferent arteriole vasodilation, and increase natriuresis and diuresis. We hypothesized that intraoperative infusion of BNP ...may benefit renal function in cardiac transplant patients.
From June 2003 to September 2005, 22 consecutive heart transplant patients received BNP at a dose of 0.01 μg/kg/min before initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass (group A). BNP infusion was continued for a mean of 3.3 ± 1.9 days. Hemodynamics, urine output, and serum creatinine levels were prospectively collected and compared with 22 consecutive patients who underwent heart transplantation between May 2002 and June 2003 following the identical transplant protocol, but without BNP infusion (group B).
At 24 hours postoperatively, mean blood pressure was comparable between groups (87 ± 11 mm Hg vs 89 ± 17 mm Hg,
P = .7), but pulmonary artery pressure (18 ± 5 mm Hg vs 24 ± 5 mm Hg,
P = .001) and central venous pressure (12 ± 5 mm Hg vs 16 ± 4 mm Hg,
P = .01) were lower with BNP infusion, whereas cardiac index was augmented (2.8 ± 0.5 vs 2.4 ± 0.6,
P = .03). Requirement of low-dose inotropic and vasopressor support was equally distributed between groups (
P ≥ .72). Postoperative urine output for the initial 24 hours was higher in group A (84 ± 15 vs 55 ± 36 mL/h,
P = .01). None of the patients with BNP infusion required additional diuretics or renal replacement therapy during the first week after transplantation. Mean postoperative serum creatinine levels as compared with preoperative values remained unchanged within group A (
P = .12), but increased significantly in group B (
P < .001).
Intraoperative BNP infusion in heart transplant recipients was associated with favorable postoperative hemodynamics, significantly improved urine output, and stable serum creatinine levels. A prospective, randomized, multicenter trial is warranted to evaluate the potential renal protective benefits of intraoperative BNP infusion in this patient population.
An interesting interplay between two different modifiers and the surface of titanium dioxide leads to a significant change in the photoelectrochemical properties of the designed hybrid materials. The ...semiconductor is photosensitized by one of the counterparts and exhibits the photoelectrochemical photocurrent switching effect due to interactions with graphene oxide - the second modifier mediates charge transfer processes in the system, allowing us to design the materials response at the molecular level. Based on the selection of molecular counterpart we may affect the behaviour of hybrids upon light irradiation in a different manner, which may be useful for the applications in photovoltaics, optoelectronics and photocatalysis. Here we focus particularly on the nanocomposites made of titanium dioxide with graphene oxide combined with either 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobenzoquinone or 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dihydroxybenzoquinone - for these two materials we observed a major change in the charge transfer processes occurring in the system.
The interplay between titanium dioxide and two electron acceptors (graphene oxide and chloranilic acid) results in the fine-tuning of photoelectrochemical properties of the ternary nanocomposite.
An interesting interplay between two different modifiers and the surface of titanium dioxide leads to a significant change in the photoelectrochemical properties of the designed hybrid materials. The ...semiconductor is photosensitized by one of the counterparts and exhibits the photoelectrochemical photocurrent switching effect due to interactions with graphene oxide – the second modifier mediates charge transfer processes in the system, allowing us to design the materials response at the molecular level. Based on the selection of molecular counterpart we may affect the behaviour of hybrids upon light irradiation in a different manner, which may be useful for the applications in photovoltaics, optoelectronics and photocatalysis. Here we focus particularly on the nanocomposites made of titanium dioxide with graphene oxide combined with either 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorobenzoquinone or 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dihydroxybenzoquinone – for these two materials we observed a major change in the charge transfer processes occurring in the system.
Aim: Human T‐lymphotropic virus type‐I (HTLV‐I) infection occurs via mothers’ milk during feeding. However, freeze–thaw processing can eliminate the infectivity of the mother's milk of HTLV‐I ...carriers.
Methods: A long‐term follow‐up survey was conducted to investigate the HTLV‐I infectivity of frozen–thawed mothers’ milk among infants whose mothers were HTLV‐I seropositive.
Results: Infants fed frozen–thawed mothers’ milk did not become HTLV‐I antibody‐positive up until 1 year old, and all children followed up until an age of 11–12 years were antibody negative.
Conclusions: This study showed that freeze–thaw processing can eliminate the HTLV‐I infectivity of mothers’ milk, and that HTLV‐I carriers can indirectly feed their infants using frozen–thawed mothers’ milk as a way to prevent HTLV‐I infection.
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