104 research outputs found
Parents ' presence and parent-infant closeness in 11 neonatal intensive care units in six European countries vary between and within the countries
Aim: Little is known about the amount of physical parent-infant closeness in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), and this study explored that issue in six European countries.Methods: The parents of 328 preterm infants were recruited in 11 NICUs in Finland, Estonia, Sweden, Norway, Italy and Spain. They filled in daily diaries about how much time they spent in the NICU, in skin-to-skin contact (SSC) and holding their babies in the first two weeks of their hospitalisation.Results: The parents' NICU presence varied from a median of 3.3 (minimum 0.7-maximum 6.7) to 22.3 (18.7-24.0) hours per day (p < 0.001), SSC varied from 0.3 (0-1.4) to 6.6 (2.2-19.5) hours per day (p < 0.001) and holding varied from 0 (0-1.5) to 3.2 (0-7.4) hours per day (p < 0.001). Longer SSC was associated with singleton babies and more highly educated mothers. Holding the baby for longer was associated with gestational age. The most important factor supporting parent-infant closeness was the opportunity to stay overnight in the NICU. Having other children and the distance from home to the hospital had no impact on parent-infant closeness.Conclusion: Parents spent more time in NICUs if they could stay overnight, underlining the importance that these facilities play in establishing parent-infant closeness
On equal temperament
In this article, I use Stengers’ (2010) concepts of ‘factish’, ‘requirements’ and ‘obligations’, as well as Latour’s (1993) critique of modernity, to interrogate the rise of Equal Temperament as the dominant system of tuning for western music. I argue that Equal Temperament is founded on an unacknowledged compromise which undermines its claims to rationality and universality. This compromise rests on the standardization which is the hallmark of the tuning system of Equal Temperament, and, in this way, it is emblematic of Latour’s definition of modernity. I further argue that the problem of the tuning of musical instruments is one which epitomizes the modern distinction between the natural and the social. In turn, this bears witness to what Whitehead calls the ‘bifurcation of nature’. Throughout this article, using the work of Stengers and Latour, I seek to use tuning as a case study which allows social research to talk both of the natural and of the social aspects of music and tuning, without recourse to essentialism or simple social construction. In this way, my argument seeks to avoid bifurcating nature
Changes of macular pigment optical density in elderly eyes: a longitudinal analysis from the MARS study
Triple-negative breast cancers are increased in black women regardless of age or body mass index
INTRODUCTION. We investigated clinical and pathologic features of breast cancers (BC) in an unselected series of patients diagnosed in a tertiary care hospital serving a diverse population. We focused on triple-negative (Tneg) tumours (oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and HER2 negative), which are associated with poor prognosis. METHODS. We identified female patients with invasive BC diagnosed between 1998 and 2006, with data available on tumor grade, stage, ER, PR and HER2 status, and patient age, body mass index (BMI) and self-identified racial/ethnic group. We determined associations between patient and tumour characteristics using contingency tables and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS. 415 cases were identified. Patients were racially and ethnically diverse (born in 44 countries, 36% white, 43% black, 10% Hispanic and 11% other). 47% were obese (BMI > 30 kg/m2). 72% of tumours were ER+ and/or PR+, 20% were Tneg and 13% were HER2+. The odds of having a Tneg tumour were 3-fold higher (95% CI 1.6, 5.5; p = 0.0001) in black compared with white women. Tneg tumours were equally common in black women diagnosed before and after age 50 (31% vs 29%; p = NS), and who were obese and non-obese (29% vs 31%; p = NS). Considering all patients, as BMI increased, the proportion of Tneg tumours decreased (p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS. Black women of diverse background have 3-fold more Tneg tumours than non-black women, regardless of age and BMI. Other factors must determine tumour subtype. The higher prevalence of Tneg tumours in black women in all age and weight categories likely contributes to black women's unfavorable breast cancer prognosis.LaPann Fund; Research Enhancement Fun
Impact of family integrated care on infants’ clinical outcomes in two children’s hospitals in China: a pre-post intervention study
© 2018 The Author(s). Background: Most Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in China have restricted visiting policies for parents. This also implicates that parents are not involved in the care of their infant. Family Integrated Care (FIC), empowering parents in direct care delivery and decisions, is becoming the standard in NICUs in many countries and can improve quality-of-life and health outcomes of preterm infants. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a FIC intervention on the clinical outcomes of preterm infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia (BPD). Methods: A pre-post intervention study was conducted at NICUs in two Chinese children's hospitals. Infants with BPD were included: pre-intervention group (n = 134) from December 2015 to September 2016, post-intervention (FIC) group (n = 115) and their parents from October 2016 to June 2017. NICU nurses were trained between July and September 2016 to deliver the FIC intervention, including parent education and support. Parents had to be present and care for their infant minimal three hours a day. The infants' outcome measures were length-of-stay, breastfeeding, weight gain, respiratory and oxygen support, and parent hospital expenses. Results: Compared with control group (n = 134), the FIC group (n = 115) had significantly increased breastfeeding rates (83% versus 71%, p = 0.030), breastfeeding time (31 days versus 19 days, p < 0.001), enteral nutrition time (50 days versus 34 days, p < 0.001), weight gain (29 g/day versus 23 g/day, p = 0.002), and significantly lower respiratory support time (16 days versus 25 days, p < 0.001). Oxygen Exposure Time decreased but not significant (39 days versus 41 days p = 0.393). Parents hospital expenses in local Chinese RMB currency was not significant (84 K versus 88 K, p = 0.391). Conclusion: The results of our study suggests that FIC is feasible in two Chinese NICUs and might improve clinical outcomes of preterm infants with BPD. Further research is needed to include all infants admitted to NICUs and should include parent reported outcome measures. Our study may help other NICUs with limited parental access to implement FIC to enhance parental empowerment and involvement in the care of their infant
The role of the nurse in the neonatal intensive care unit: between the ideal, the real and the possible
Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in Europe: The Past and the Future
Purpose Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a frequent, complex disorder in elderly of European ancestry. Risk profiles and treatment options have changed considerably over the years, which may have affected disease prevalence and outcome. We determined the prevalence of early and late AMD in Europe from 1990 to 2013 using the European Eye Epidemiology (E3) consortium, and made projections for the future. Design Meta-analysis of prevalence data. Participants A total of 42 080 individuals 40 years of age and older participating in 14 population-based cohorts from 10 countries in Europe. Methods AMD was diagnosed based on fundus photographs using the Rotterdam Classification. Prevalence of early and late AMD was calculated using random-effects meta-analysis stratified for age, birth cohort, gender, geographic region, and time period of the study. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was compared between late AMD subtypes; geographic atrophy (GA) and choroidal neovascularization (CNV). Main Outcome Measures Prevalence of early and late AMD, BCVA, and number of AMD cases. Results Prevalence of early AMD increased from 3.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.1%–5.0%) in those aged 55–59 years to 17.6% (95%
The new philosophy of money, or, The tragedy of economics : a text book of economics dealing with the nature and office of money and the correct method of its supply /
Edited by Maud Denning Westrup.Mode of access: Internet.Author's presentation copy to Jo Labadie, with his signed gift inscription on front fly leaf
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