An investigation of pre-nursing and second-year baccalaureate nursing students\u27 perception of spirituality

This pilot study investigated whether spiritual care education is a part of the baccalaureate nursing curriculum at a south Texas university. This study used two standardized scales to compare the pre-nursing students\u27 and senior baccalaureate nursing students\u27 attitude about spirituality at different levels in the nursing program. Two quantitative questionnaires were used to investigate the nursing students\u27 personal spiritual involvement and beliefs and their opinions about the spiritual role of the nurse in meeting patient spiritual needs. No statistically significant differences in the two group\u27s personal spiritual involvement and beliefs were found. Statistically significant differences were found in the opinions about the spiritual role of the nurse in meeting patient spiritual needs

High-throughput measurement of dictyostelium discoideum macropinocytosis by flow cytometry

Large-scale non-specific fluid uptake by macropinocytosis is important for the proliferation of certain cancer cells, antigen sampling, host cell invasion and the spread of neurodegenerative diseases. The commonly used laboratory strains of the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum have extremely high fluid uptake rates when grown in nutrient medium, over 90% of which is due to macropinocytosis. In addition, many of the known core components of mammalian macropinocytosis are also present, making it an excellent model system for studying macropinocytosis. Here, the standard technique to measure internalized fluid using fluorescent dextran as a label is adapted to a 96-well plate format, with the samples analyzed by flow cytometry using a high-throughput sampling (HTS) attachment. Cells are fed non-quenchable fluorescent dextran for a pre-determined length of time, washed by immersion in ice-cold buffer and detached using 5 mM sodium azide, which also stops exocytosis. Cells in each well are then analyzed by flow cytometry. The method can also be adapted to measure membrane uptake and phagocytosis of fluorescent beads or bacteria. This method was designed to allow measurement of fluid uptake by Dictyostelium in a high-throughput, labor and resource efficient manner. It allows simultaneous comparison of multiple strains (e.g. knockout mutants of a gene) and conditions (e.g. cells in different media or treated with different concentrations of inhibitor) in parallel and simplifies time-courses.</p

Women asylum seekers and refugees: Opportunities, constraints and the role of agency

This article is based on the findings of research undertaken towards a doctoral thesis funded by the University of Leeds. The research focuses upon the actions and experiences of women asylum seekers and refugees living inWest Yorkshire. While acknowledging that the context in which women find themselves can present a number of barriers, this paper looks at their actions and practices at the individual and collective levels. It illustrates that some women are able to draw on the resources available, and are engaged in activities that not only assist their own settlement in the host society but also assist the development of support structures for future arrivals of asylum seekers and refugees

Exploring occupational irritant hand dermatitis amongst healthcare workers in NHS Grampian. [Poster]

Occupational Irritant Hand Dermatitis (OIHD) is emerging as an important risk caused by or made worse by work. OIHD can be responsible for significant and long-term health issues and can impact on the individual's employment. Healthcare workers are amongst the occupations with the highest incidence rates of OIHD. The principle aim of this Doctoral research study was to explore OIHD amongst healthcare workers (HCWs) in NHS Grampian, Scotland. In order to provide a broad overview of the subject matter, this research used a three-study approach to explore, appraise and assess OIHD amongst HCWs. Three studies were undertaken: 1) An exploration of the period prevalence and incidence of OIHD in NHS Grampian and the UK, 2) Effectiveness of interventions for the prevention of OIHD: a quantitative systematic review and, 3) A mixed-methods exploration of the OIHD in wet workers in NHS Grampian