THE EXPERIENCES OF PREGNANT WOMEN WHO REQUEST AN ABORTION

Pregnancy is a complex part of being a woman – it encompasses sexuality, a relationship,confrontation with contraception, the realisation of being pregnant, decisions and consequences(McCulloch, 1996:25). Mogano (1999:10) and Zimmerman (1997:15) agree that the discoveryof an unwanted pregnancy evokes a variety of feelings in the woman, which lead to emotionalturmoil. Feelings that are experienced range from ambivalence, surprise, happiness aboutfertility, fear of foetal abnormality, fear of birth, joy over motherhood, anger, feelings of guilt,confusion and shame, to anxiety about the social, economic, educational and emotionalconsequences of the pregnancy

AN EXAMINATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF PRE-ABORTION COUNSELLING

Every woman, regardless of age, race or background with an unwanted pregnancy whoconsiders abortion as an option has a need for objective and professional counselling.Legislation provides for pre-abortion counselling for the pregnant woman who requestsabortion (Howes & Green, 1997:18; Taylor, 1997:vi). The literature confirms the importance ofpre-abortion counselling for the pregnant woman who considers abortion as an option (Howes& Green, 1997:18; McCulloch, 1996:67). It also indicates that pre-abortion counsellingcorresponds with crisis intervention and calls for skills and expertise in the counsellor(McCulloch, 1996:67; Schlossberg & Achtemeier, 1995:110; Sekudu, 2001:94; Van der Berg,1997:78). Crisis intervention as a model for pre-abortion counselling is presented in this article,accompanied by relevant contextual aspects and am emphasis on the importance of preabortioncounselling. Finally, the findings of the empirical investigation are also discussed

Depression and quality of life in cancer survivors: is there a relationship with physical activity?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Evidence is growing on the benefit of physical activity to improve well-being following a cancer diagnosis. This study examined changes in physical activity from pre to post diagnosis and explored this relationship with quality of life and depression.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Participants were recruited by posters and by letter of invitation. The questionnaire was completed by 59 prostate and 32 breast cancer survivors.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Physical activity decreased by 72 minutes per week from pre to post diagnosis, although 20.9% reported having increased activity post diagnosis. Over 30% were considered depressed. Breast cancer participants who increased physical activity post diagnosis reported higher scores for Physical Wellbeing subscale (26 versus 21; F[1,29] = 5.19, p < .03), Emotional Wellbeing subscale (22 versus 19; F[1,30] = 4.57, p < .04) and Functional Wellbeing subscale (26 versus 19; F[1,30] = 9.03, p < .001). A greater proportion of participants taking part in no physical activity were depressed (55.6%; χ²= 6.83, p < .04).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Over 25% of participants identified with emotional and/or well being problems, and more than half reported insufficient physical activity to yield benefits. Future research needs to gain a better understanding of why cancer survivors decrease their physical activity following a cancer diagnosis and what is necessary for them in order to retain or increase their physical activity.</p

Expression of Nerve Growth Factor, Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Neurotrophin-3 mRNAs in Human Cortical Xenografts

Trophic factors play an important role in the development of neurons and glia. In order to study the involvement of neurotrophins in human cortical development, human fetal parietal cortical tissue, obtained after early elective abortions, was transplanted to cortical cavities in immunosuppressed rats. Using in situ hybridization it was demonstrated that nerve growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophin-3 mRNAs are expressed in developing human cortical xenografts. We conclude that neurotrophins may play a role in human cortical development and rat-derived astroglial cells could be involved in establishing reciprocal “permissive sites”

ABORSIE AS MORELE DILEMMA IN SUID-AFRIKA

Sedert 1996 is die terminering van swangerskap op versoek wettig in Suid-Afrika. Ongeag die standpunte wat daarvoor of daarteen ingeneem word, het die terminering van swangerskap deel van die etos van die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing geword. Die samelewing moet daarom geleer word hoe om dit te hanteer en hoe om aan diegene wat deur die daad van aborsie geraak word, hulp te verleen (De Vynck, 1999:1)

Two Blood Monocytic Biomarkers (CCL15 and p21) Combined with the Mini-Mental State Examination Discriminate Alzheimer's Disease Patients from Healthy Subjects

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. In AD, monocytes migrate across the blood-brain barrier and differentiate into microglia, are linked to inflammatory responses and display age-dependent decreases in telomere lengths. Methods: Six monocyte-specific chemokines and the (telomere-associated) tumor suppressor proteins p53 and p21 were determined by multiplex immunoassay in plasma and monocyte extracts of patients with AD or mild cognitive impairment, and levels were compared between patients and controls (without cognitive impairment). Results: CCL15 (macrophage inflammatory protein-1δ), CXCL9 (monokine-induced by interferon-γ) and p21 levels were decreased in monocytes of AD patients compared with controls. Conclusion: The combination of monocytic CCL15 and p21 together with the Mini-Mental State Examination enables to differentiate AD patients from controls with high specificity and sensitivity

Female Sprague Dawley Rats Show Impaired Spatial Memory in the 8-Arm Radial Maze under Dim Blue and Red Light

Light intensity and wavelength strongly influence mood and cognition in humans and rodent animal models. The aim of the present study was to explore if dim white (7.6–17.7 lux) , blue (1.3–2.3 lux), and red light (0.8–1.4 lux) affect spatial memory of male and female Sprague Dawley rats in the 8-arm radial maze. Our data show that spatial memory significantly improved within 5 daily learning sessions (each 5 trials) under dim white light, which was not different between male and female rats. However, dim blue and red light significantly reduced spatial learning of female rats in the 8-arm radial maze in the last training session (session 5). In conclusion, we suggest that female Sprague Dawley rats show reduced learning under blue and red light

The Portrayal of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Mass Print Magazines Since 1980

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to examine and describe the portrayal of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in mass print media magazines. Design: The sample included all 37 articles found in magazines with circulation rates of greater than 1 million published in the United States and Canada from 1980 to 2005. The analysis was quantitative and qualitative and included investigation of both manifest and latent magazine story messages. Results: Manifest analysis noted that CAM was largely represented as a treatment for a patient with a medically diagnosed illness or specific symptoms. Discussions used biomedical terms such as patient rather than consumer and disease rather than wellness. Latent analysis revealed three themes: (1) CAMs were described as good but not good enough; (2) individualism and consumerism were venerated; and (3) questions of costs were raised in the context of confusion and ambivalence

L-type calcium channel blockers and substance P induce angiogenesis of cortical vessels associated with beta-amyloid plaques in an Alzheimer mouse model

AbstractIt is well established that L-type calcium channels (LTCCs) are expressed in astroglia. However, their functional role is still speculative, especially under pathologic conditions. We recently showed that the α1 subunit-like immunoreactivity of the CaV1.2 channel is strongly expressed in reactive astrocytes around beta-amyloid plaques in 11-month-old Alzheimer transgenic (tg) mice with the amyloid precursor protein London and Swedish mutations. The aim of the present study was to examine the cellular expression of all LTCC subunits around beta-amyloid plaques by in situ hybridization using 35S-labeled oligonucleotides. Our data show that messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of the LTCC CaV1.2 α1 subunit as well as all auxiliary β and α2δ subunits, except α2δ-4, were expressed in the hippocampus of age-matched wild-type mice. It was unexpected to see, that cells directly located in the plaque core in the cortex expressed mRNAs for CaV1.2 α1, β2, β4, and α2δ-1, whereas no expression was detected in the halo. Furthermore, cells in the plaque core also expressed preprotachykinin-A mRNA, the precursor for substance P. By means of confocal microscopy, we demonstrated that collagen-IV-stained brain vessels in the cortex were associated with the plaque core and were immunoreactive for substance P. In cortical organotypic brain slices of adult Alzheimer mice, we could demonstrate that LTCC blockers increased angiogenesis, which was further potentiated by substance P. In conclusion, our data show that brain vessels associated with beta-amyloid plaques express substance P and an LTCC and may play a role in angiogenesis