Nursing Commons^™

Rethinking Nutritional Support For Persons With Cancer Cachexia, Donna O. Mccarthy

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Cancer cachexia is a poorly understood syndrome of anorexia, weight loss, and muscle wasting that negatively impacts quality of life and survival in cancer patients. Research has clearly implicated proinflammatory cytokines in the biology of cancer cachexia. More recent research implicates products of arachidonic acid and suggests that cachexia may be a chronic inflammatory condition rather than a nutritional aberration. To date, nutritional support to slow weight loss has focused primarily on increasing calorie intake. Alternatively, many foods contain factors that can modulate the synthesis or activity of proinflammatory mediators, especially the synthesis of prostaglandin E2 from arachidonic acid. These …

Localization Of Transfected B7-1 (Cd-80) In Human Melanoma Cells After Particle Mediated Gene Transfer, Donna O. Mccarthy, Lorraine F. Meisner, Jeanne Bourdeau-Heller, Timothy R. Roberts, Shi-Qi Wu, Thomas F. Warner, Mark R. Albertini

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to evaluate stable DNA transfection of M-21 human melanoma cells with particle-mediated gene transfer (PMGT) with B7-1 cDNA and to identify sites of gene integration. Stable B7-1 transfectants (M-21-B7) were obtained with PMGT using a plasmid vector containing cDNA for both B7-1 and neomycin phosphotransferase, with subsequent selection with G418. The transfected cells were flow sorted by B7-1 expression into two populations, bright and dim. The bright population had 85%–90% of cells expressing B7-1; the dim population had less than 50% of cells with B7-1 expression. Chromosome analysis with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) …

Blame--Do You Know It When You See It?, Patricia R. Ebright, Kathryn Rapala

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The landmark Institute of Medicine Report, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health Care System. stated that medical error causes 44,000 to 98,000 deaths per year. There is no question that the report raised awareness of patient safety and stressed the importance of patient outcomes. Heightened awareness has produced a patient safety industry of sorts, with solutions that range from technology to outcomes measurement.

Regulatory bodies, such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), have recognized the need for patient safety to be embedded in the culture of healthcare organizations. In particular, the JCAHO has …

Editorial: Are You A Prime Mover?, Kathryn Schroeter

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Donation After Cardiac Death: The Reinvention Of A Forgotten Procedure, Gloria Taylor, Karen Samartan, Kathryn Schroeter

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Stage Based Interventions For Low Fat Diet With Middle School Students, Marilyn Frenn, Shelly Malin, Naveen K. Bansal

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Preventing obesity and cardiovascular disease at early ages is important; however, few effective interventions for early adolescents have been reported. In this study, low-income, culturally diverse students from an urban middle school (n = 60) received four classroom interventions with the use of a combined Health Promotion/Transtheoretical Model to control fat in diet and increase physical activity. A control group (n = 57) received the usual classroom education. Pretest percentage fat in diet was regressed on demographics, access to low-fat foods, perceived self-efficacy, benefits/barriers, and stage of change with results as proposed by the model [F(9,64) …

Teaching, Practice, And Research: An Integrative Approach Benefiting Students And Faculty, Jacqueline Fawcett, Cynthia Aber, Marianne E. Weiss

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

A project showing the integration of teaching, practice, and research is described. The project involved using information gathered as part of baccalaureate nursing students' assessments of women's perceptions of and responses to cesarean birth to extend a program of nursing research. Benefits to student learning and faculty research programs are identified. The project serves as a prototype for the teaching, practice, and research activities of all students and faculty in nursing and other professional disciplines.

An Analysis Of The Majority Report “Responsible Parenthood” And Its Recommendations On Abortion, Sterilization And Contraception, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This paper will focus on the majority report (titled “Responsible Parenthood”) of the 1966 Papal Birth Control Commission and its recommendations on abortion, sterilization, and contraception.(1) The analysis is made with the hindsight and perspective of thirty-seven years of scientific data on fertility, family planning, and family life. The analysis presented here does not concern the whole document but rather focuses on what are called the “objective criteria” that were provided in the document to help married couples make decisions on the use of contraception. While acknowledging the intellectual abilities and expertise of those who wrote the majority report, the …

Te Contaria Mi Vida: I Would Tell You My Life, If Only You Would Ask, Ruth Ann Belknap, Pilar Sayeed

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Universal screening for domestic violence is recommended in many health care settings. This qualitative study was undertaken to explore the thoughts and feelings of Mexican American women regarding being asked questions about domestic violence by a health care provider. We wanted to further explore what characteristics about a nurse, or other health care provider, would give a woman confianza, the trust necessary to discuss this issue. Seven women, who self identified as abused or formerly abused, were recruited from a pool of Spanish-speaking women receiving services from a rural domestic violence agency in the midwestern United States. The researchers …

Peer Leaders And Adolescents Participating In A Multicomponent School Based Nutrition Intervention Had Dietary Improvements, A Commentary, Marilyn Frenn

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

The Benefits Of Nurse-Led Secondary Prevention Clinics For Coronary Heart Disease Continued After 4 Years, A Commentary, Marilyn Frenn

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Altered Expression Of Skeletal Muscle Myosin Isoforms In Cancer Cachexia, Gary M. Diffee, Katherine Kalfas, Sadeeka Al-Majid, Donna O. Mccarthy

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Cachexia is commonly seen in cancer and is characterized by severe muscle wasting, but little is known about the effect of cancer cachexia on expression of contractile protein isoforms such as myosin. Other causes of muscle atrophy shift expression of myosin isoforms toward increased fast (type II) isoform expression. We injected mice with murine C-26 adenocarcinoma cells, a tumor cell line that has been shown to cause muscle wasting. Mice were killed 21 days after tumor injection, and hindlimb muscles were removed. Myosin heavy chain (MHC) and myosin light chain (MLC) content was determined in muscle homogenates by SDS-PAGE. Body …

Accuracy Of The Peak Day Of Cervical Mucus As A Biological Marker Of Fertility, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The (PD) peak day of cervical mucus is an important biologic marker for the self-determination of the optimal time of fertility in a woman’s menstrual cycle. The purpose of this article is to provide evidence (literature and empiric) for the accuracy of the PD of cervical mucus as a biologic marker of peak fertility and the estimated day of ovulation. An analysis of data from four published studies that compared the self-determination of the PD of cervical mucus with the urinary luteinizing hormone (LH) surge was conducted. The four studies yielded 108 menstrual cycle charts from 53 women participants. The …

Ethics In Perioperative Practice—Patient Advocacy, Kathryn Schroeter

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Though often difficult, ethical decision making is necessary when caring for surgical patients. Perioperative nurses have to recognize ethical dilemmas and be prepared to take action based on the ethical code outlined in the American Nurses Association's (ANA's) Code of Ethics for Nurses with Interpretive Statements. In this second of a nine‐part series that will help perioperative nurses relate the ANA code to their own area of practice, the author looks at the third provision statement, which addresses nurses' position as patient advocates. AORN J 75 (May 2002) 941–949.

Novel Pathways Associated With Bypassing Cellular Senescence In Human Prostate Epithelial Cells, Steven R. Schwarze, Samuel E. Deprimo, Lisa M. Grabert, Vivian X. Fu, James D. Brooks, David F. Jarrard

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Cellular senescence forms a barrier that inhibits the acquisition of an immortal phenotype, a critical feature in tumorigenesis. The inactivation of multiple pathways that positively regulate senescence are required for immortalization. To identify these pathways in an unbiased manner, we performed DNA microarray analyses to assess the expression of 20,000 genes in human prostate epithelial cells (HPECs) passaged to senescence. These gene expression patterns were then compared with those of HPECs immortalized with the humanPapillomavirus 16 E7 oncoprotein. Senescent cells display gene expression patterns that reflect their nonproliferative, differentiated phenotype and express secretory proteases and extracellular matrix components. A …

Stature At Time Of Diagnosis Of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus, John H. Diliberti, Koryn Carver, Elaine Parton, Joan P. Totka, Gail Mick, Kenneth Mccormick

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective. To assess the stature of children with type 1 diabetes mellitus at diagnosis.

Methods. We collected data from 451 records of children who were examined in a pediatric diabetes clinic and used data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 10 522 children as control group. Analytical techniques included linear and logistic regression modeling. A semiquantitative meta-analysis evaluated 38 earlier publications that contain information on height at the onset of diabetes.

Results. Children < 1 year of age were shorter than their peers by 1 standard deviation, whereas those from 3 years to near puberty were taller by approximately 0.3 standard deviation. Adjusting for parental height caused this difference to disappear for the older children but not for the infants. The meta-analysis results paralleled these observations.

Conclusions. Taller children generally seem to experience increased risk for development of diabetes mellitus type 1, except perhaps during infancy or early adolescence. …

Glycemic Index Of Popular Sport Drinks And Energy Foods, Randall J. Gretebeck, Kimberlee A. Gretebeck, Thomas J. Tittelbach

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Resolving The Uncertainty Of Preterm Symptoms: Women’S Experiences With The Onset Of Preterm Labor, Marianne E. Weiss, Nancy P. Saks, Susan Harris

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: To describe expectant women's experiences with the onset of preterm labor.

Design: Qualitative, using grounded theory methods.

Setting: Southwestern tertiary women's hospital.

Participants: Thirty pregnant women who were less than 35 weeks gestation, had experienced preterm labor within the past 7 days, and had no previous experience with preterm labor.

Data Source: Taped and transcribed interviews.

Results: Themes that emerged from the interview data included the following: recognition and naming of sensations, a consistent pattern of attribution of symptoms, the threat or risk inferred by the attributed cause of the symptom pattern, the associated certainty or uncertainty about these …

Spiritual Responses To The Regulation Of Birth (A Historical Comparison), Richard J. Fehring, Elizabeth Mcgraw

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Over 30 years ago the founders of the Christian Family Movement (CFM), a worldwide Catholic family action group, conducted a survey to investigate the marital effects of practicing “rhythm.” Their final report indicated that many participants felt that periodic abstinence was harmful to their marriage and caused spiritual and religious distress. The CFM survey results were thought to have been influential in convincing the 1966 Papal Birth Control Commission to recommend a change in church teaching. The purpose of this paper is to report a re-analysis of the 1966 archived data (in the light of the Papal Encyclical Humane Vitae–On …

Rearing The Child Who Is Technology Dependent: Perceptions Of Parents And Home Care Nurses, Maureen O'Brien, Carole B. Wegner

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

ISSUES AND PURPOSE. Most children who are dependent on technology for survival live with their families at home. This study explores the perceptions of parents and home care nurses regarding rearing the technology-dependent child.

DESIGN AND METHODS. In this qualitative study, interviews were conducted with 16 parents whose child is technology dependent and 15 registered nurses who provided home care.

RESULTS. Rearing the child who is technology dependent is similar to but different from raising other children. Parental communication and negotiation of child-rearing expectations with home care nurses is essential.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Improved collaboration and communication between parents and nurses …

Physical Activity Research In Nursing, Lorraine B. Robbins, Nola J. Pender, Vicki S. Conn, Marilyn Frenn, Geri B. Neuberger, Mary A. Nies, Robert V. Topp, Joellen Wilbur

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: To present exemplars of physical activity research in nursing, illustrate the importance of physical activity research across the lifespan, and recommend directions for theory development and research.

Methods: Studies of physical activity and exercise currently being conducted by nurse investigators were reported and critiqued by attendees of the Midwest Nursing Research Society 2000 Preconference session entitled “Promoting Physical Activity Among Diverse Groups Across the Health Continuum.” Physical activity and exercise literature during the past decade was reviewed. Databases searched included Medline, CINAHL, Wilson, and ERIC.

Findings: Investigators have emphasized the need to evaluate the effects of theory-based physical activity …

The Theater Of Birth: Scenes From Women's Scripts, Lisa Hanson, Leona Vandevusse, Kathryn Shisler Harrod

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

An analogy between theater and birth is drawn from analyses of women's birth stories to describe birth from a fresh perspective. Birth and theater are compared using the theatrical production elements: setting, casting, props, set, behind the scenes, script, and roles. Selected examples from women's birth stories highlight each element. Nurses' roles are significant during labor and birth, but nurses' abilities to fulfill these roles are threatened. This analogy promotes rethinking of nursing actions in the theater of birth. Implications for clinical practice are provided, including altering the birth environment, offering choices, and maintaining the woman's role as star.

Trends In Contraceptive Use Among Catholics In The United States: 1988-1995, Richard J. Fehring, Andrea Schlidt

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

National surveys to determine trends in contraceptive use in the United States have occurred every 6 to 10 years since 1955.1,2,3 Since that time, there has been a rapid decline in the use of natural methods of family planning; a sharp rise and slow decline in the use of oral contraceptives and, in the past ten years, a major reliance on surgical sterilization for contraception. Information from these national surveys has provided useful information for contraceptive providers, policy makers, and religious groups. The method of avoiding and achieving pregnancy that is promoted and encouraged by the Roman Catholic Church is …

Integrating Research Into Practice: How Nurses In Wisconsin Use Research To Ensure Best Practice, Chris Van Mullem, Laura Burke, Kari Dohmeyer, Marie Farrell, Sue Harvey, Laura John, Carolyn Kraly, Fran Rowley, Margaret Sebern, Kerry Twite, Roberta Zapp

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Dietary Intake And Energy Expenditure Of Female Collegiate Swimmers During Decreased Training Prior To Competition, Laura Ousley-Pahnke, David R. Black, Randall J. Gretebeck

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Swimmers, like all athletes, require a well-balanced diet with adequate energy intake for normal daily activities and the demands of training and competition. Investigators have typically studied nutritional status of athletes during heavy or peak training (1), (2). These studies generally show low levels of energy intake relative to expenditure, and carbohydrate intake also well below recommendations. However, several studies of the effects of exercise on energy intake have shown that as exercise energy expenditure increases or decreases, dietary intake tends to remain the same (3), (4), (5). Because training volume varies with the competitive season, it is important to …

Nurse-Midwives’ Knowledge And Promotion Of Lactational Amenorrhea And Other Natural Family-Planning Methods For Child Spacing, Richard J. Fehring, Lisa Hanson, Joseph B. Stanford

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to describe and assess certified nurse-midwives’ (CNMs) knowledge and promotion of two modalities for child spacing, natural family-planning (NFP) and the lactational amenorrhea method (LAM). One thousand two hundred CNMs were randomly selected from a national membership list and mailed a 24-item questionnaire on NFP and LAM. Of the 514 respondents (42.8% return rate), 450 (87.5%) were currently practicing as CNMs. Respondents had an average age of 46 years, with an average of 10 years of practice. CNMs ranked NFP as the ninth most used and the eighth most effective family-planning method in their …

Living In A House Of Cards: Family Experiences With Long-Term Childhood Technology Dependence, Maureen O'Brien

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Families' experiences of providing long-term home care for the child who is technology dependent were explored via parental interviews. Families identified frequent change, uncertainty, and unpredictability in their lives, a phenomenon described as "living in a house of cards." Attempts to increase stability involved the use of vigilance, advocacy, and reframing. Areas of challenge, change, and growth included making sense of life, managing daily life with technology, and maintaining a functioning family. Increased understanding of family experiences with long-term childhood technology dependence can provide nurses with additional strategies for providing optimal care to this population.

Leptin In Children With Newly Diagnosed Type 1 Diabetes: Effect Of Insulin Therapy, Kenneth Mccormick, Gail J. Mick, Lisa Butterfield, Hugh Ross, Elaine Parton, Joan P. Totka

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Resistance Exercise Training Attenuates Wasting Of The Edl Muscle In Mice Bearing The Colon-26 Adenocarcinoma, Sadeeka Al-Majid, Donna O. Mccarthy

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Progressive wasting of skeletal muscle is a significant side effect of malignancy. Perturbations in protein metabolism contribute to this state of wasting. Resistance exercise increases protein synthesis and mass of healthy muscles and counteracts muscle wasting associated with several catabolic conditions. It is not known whether resistance exercise training can counteract cancer-induced muscle wasting. This study examined the effect of resistance exercise training on muscle mass and protein content in 9 mice bearing the colon-26 adenocarcinoma. The dorsiflexor (extensor digitorum longus [EDL] and tibialis anterior) and plantar flexor (soleus, plantaris, and gastrocnemius) muscles of 1 leg of the tumor-bearing and …

Cancer-Induced Fatigue And Skeletal Muscle Wasting: The Role Of Exercise, Sadeeka Al-Majid, Donna O. Mccarthy

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Fatigue is the most frequently reported symptom by cancer patients. Many of these patients perceive fatigue as the most distressing symptom associated with their illness because it imposes limitations on their physical activity level. Skeletal muscle wasting, which occurs as part of cancer cachexia, is one of the mechanisms that contribute to fatigue. Cancer induced skeletal muscle wasting may occur despite normal food intake and is not prevented by nutritional supplementation. Evidence suggests that endurance exercise ameliorates cancer-related fatigue. There is no compelling evidence to support that exercise induced reduction in fatigue is related to preservation of muscle mass. Resistance …