Does she think she’s supported? Maternal perceptions of their experiences in the neonatal intensive care unit

Parents’ involvement in the care of their infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is critically important, leading many NICUs to implement policies and practices of family-centered care (FCC). Analyzing narrative interviews, we examined whether mothers of premature infants who participated in an intervention to help reduce anxiety, stress, and depression felt that their NICU experience reflected four key nursing behaviors previously identified as being necessary to achieving FCC. Fifty-six narratives derived from semi-structured interviews with the mothers were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively to examine whether the women experienced emotional support, parent empowerment, welcoming environment, and parent education, as well as whether differences in reported experiences were related to sociodemographic factors or maternal coping styles. Overall, the mothers reported more negative than positive experiences with respect to the four behaviors, and those who had negative interactions with the hospital staff felt a sense of disenfranchisement and failure as mothers. Sociodemographic factors and coping styles were significantly associated with the mothers’ perceptions of their experiences, although these relationships were not consistent. Achieving actual FCC in the NICU may require parent-informed evidence-based changes in NICU personnel training and infrastructure

The Grizzly, September 14, 2006

Activities Fair Held at Ursinus • Employment at Ursinus • Frustration with Changes • New Exhibit Opens at the Berman • Career Services Offers Help for Seniors • A Look at the Upcoming Theater Season • Spotlight on New Faculty: Dr. Jonathan Marks • Steering Clear of a Sperm Shortage • 2006 MTV Video Music Awards • Trappe Historical Society Presents Program About Historic Route 113 • Opinions: Gays in the Scouts; Be Wary of Your Wording: Response to the UC Republicans • Spoiled Start • Women\u27s Soccer a Contender • Men\u27s Soccer Ties #14 Salisbury • Bears Tame Lions in Road Openerhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1717/thumbnail.jp

State Selective Scattering Angle Dependent Capture Cross Sections Measured by Cold Target Recoil Ion Momentum Spectroscopy

We have developed a new kind of recoil ion momentum spectroscopy technique, using a precooled supersonic gas jet target, to determine state selective, scattering angle dependent cross sections for swift ion-atom collisions ( 0. 25 , ..., , 1 MeV He2+ on He), by measuring the transverse and longitudinal momentum of the recoil ion. A longitudinal momentum resolution of ± 0.13 a. u. was achieved, about a factor of 30 better than ever obtained before, which enables a clear separation of K and L shell capture. In the transverse direction a resolution corresponding to a projectile scattering angle uncertainty of Δ ϑ P = ±1 μ rad was obtained

Comparing the CASI-4R and the PGBI-10 M for Differentiating Bipolar Spectrum Disorders from Other Outpatient Diagnoses in Youth

We compared 2 rating scales with different manic symptom items on diagnostic accuracy for detecting pediatric bipolar spectrum disorder (BPSDs) in outpatient mental health clinics. Participants were 681 parents/guardians of eligible children (465 male, mean age = 9.34) who completed the Parent General Behavior Inventory-10-item Mania (PGBI-10M) and mania subscale of the Child and Adolescent Symptom Inventory-Revised (CASI-4R). Diagnoses were based on KSADS interviews with parent and youth. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses and diagnostic likelihood ratios (DLRs) determined discriminative validity and provided clinical utility, respectively. Logistic regressions tested for incremental validity in the CASI-4R mania subscale and PGBI-10M in predicting youth BPSD status above and beyond demographic and common diagnostic comorbidities. Both CASI-4R and PGBI-10M scales significantly distinguished BPSD (N=160) from other disorders (CASI-4R: Area under curve (AUC) = .80, p .05). Diagnostic likelihood ratios indicated low scores on either scale (CASI: 0–5; PGBI-10M: 0–6) cut BPSD odds to 1/5 of those with high scores (CASI DLR− = 0.17; PGBI-10M DLR− = 0.18). High scores on either scale (CASI: 14+; PGBI-10M: 20+) increased BPSD odds about fourfold (CASI DLR+ = 4.53; PGBI-10M DLR+ = 3.97). Logistic regressions indicated the CASI-4R mania subscale and PGBI-10M each provided incremental validity in predicting youth BPSD status. The CASI-4R is at least as valid as the PGBI-10M to help identify BPSDs, and can be considered as part of an assessment battery to screen for pediatric BPSDs

Use of Outpatient Mental Health Services Among Children of Different Ages: Are Younger Children More Seriously Ill?

The study compared use of specialty outpatient mental services among children ages six and seven and children ages eight through 12 and investigated predictors of differences in the patterns of service use by age

Multifactorial Analysis of Differences Between Sporadic Breast Cancers and Cancers Involving BRCA1 and BRCA2 Mutations

Background: We have previously demonstrated that breast cancers associated with inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations differ from each other in their histopathologic appearances and that each of these types differs from breast cancers in patients unselected for family history (i.e., sporadic cancers). We have now conducted a more detailed examination of cytologic and architectural features of these tumors. Methods: Specimens of tumor tissue (5-µm-thick sections) were examined independently by two pathologists, who were unaware of the case or control subject status, for the presence of cell mitosis, lymphocytic infiltration, continuous pushing margins, and solid sheets of cancer cells; cell nuclei, cell nucleoli, cell necrosis, and cell borders were also evaluated. The resulting data were combined with previously available information on tumor type and tumor grade and further evaluated by multifactorial analysis. All statistical tests are two-sided. Results: Cancers associated with BRCA1 mutations exhibited higher mitotic counts (P = .001), a greater proportion of the tumor with a continuous pushing margin (P<.0001), and more lymphocytic infiltration (P = .002) than sporadic (i.e., control) cancers. Cancers associated with BRCA2 mutations exhibited a higher score for tubule formation (fewer tubules) (P = .0002), a higher proportion of the tumor perimeter with a continuous pushing margin (P<.0001), and a lower mitotic count (P = .003) than control cancers. Conclusions: Our study has identified key features of the histologic phenotypes of breast cancers in carriers of mutant BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. This information may improve the classification of breast cancers in individuals with a family history of the disease and may ultimately aid in the clinical management of patients. [J Natl Cancer Inst 1998;90:1138-45

Parental obesity and risk factors for cardiovascular disease among their offspring in mid-life: findings from the 1958 British Birth Cohort Study

Background:Few studies have investigated whether parental adiposity is associated with offspring cardiovascular health or the underlying pathways. Studying these associations may help to illuminate the paradox of increasing prevalence of obesity and declining trends in cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality, which may be partially explained by beneficial adaptations to an obesogenic environment among people exposed to such environments from younger ages.Objective:To investigate associations between parental body mass index (BMI) and risk factors for CVD among their offspring in mid-life and to test whether associations of offspring BMI with CVD risk factors were modified by parental BMI.Methods:Data from parents and offspring in the 1958 British birth cohort were used (N=9328). Parental BMI was assessed when offspring were aged 11 years; offspring BMI, waist circumference and CVD risk factors (lipid levels, blood pressure, glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and inflammatory and haemostatic markers) were measured at 44-45 years.Results:Higher parental BMI was associated with less favourable levels of offspring risk factors for CVD. Most associations were maintained after adjustment for offspring lifestyle and socioeconomic factors but were largely abolished or reversed after adjustment for offspring adiposity. For some CVD risk factors, there was evidence of effect modification; the association between higher BMI and an adverse lipid profile among offspring was weaker if maternal BMI had been higher. Conversely, offspring BMI was more strongly associated with HbA1c if parental BMI had been higher.Conclusions:Intergenerational influences may be important in conferring the effect of high BMI on CVD risk among offspring