The trafficking and targeting of P2X receptors

The functional expression of P2X receptors at the plasma membrane is dependent on their trafficking along secretory and endocytic pathways. There are seven P2X receptor subunits, and these differ in their subcellular distributions because they have very different trafficking properties. Some are retained within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while others are predominantly at the cell surface or within endosomes and lysosomes. Changes in recruitment of receptors to and from the plasma membrane provides a way of rapidly up- or down-regulating the cellular response to adenosine triphosphate (ATP). An additional layer of regulation is the targeting of these receptors within the membranes of each compartment, which affects their stability, function and the nature of the effector proteins with which they form signaling complexes. The trafficking and targeting of P2X receptors is regulated by their interactions with other proteins and with lipids and we can expect this to vary in a cell-type specific manner and in response to changes in the environment giving rise to differences in receptor activity and function

Nurses attitudes towards patients and communication – therapeutic relationship – qualitative research and systematic review

Abstract Aim: This paper is an extended literature review on the topic of nurses’ effective use of time in Health Communication. It aims to provide for the reader a summary of research regarding how nurses can use the little time available to effectively communicate their care towards their patients Background: Communication of care and compassion are essential aspects of a nurse’s role, yet at present patients are expressing dissatisfaction with the quality of care that is communicated towards them. Nurses claim they are unable to communicate their care due to the time constraints that exist within the busy healthcare system of today. The government have recognised the need for increased communication of compassion but offer no advice on how better to do this within the time limits that nurses operate within. There is a great amount of literature acknowledging the problem of a lack of time to communicate but hardly any research that address the problem directly in an attempt to provide a solution. Method: An extended literature review was the choice method used to conduct this research. This type of method allows a thorough search of all literature relating to the topic from across various disciplines to provide a better understanding of the issue and a summary of the solutions offered within the literature. Databases were systematically searched using various keywords relating to the topic. Each article was then critically appraised and categorised into a theme depending on the article’s content. Findings: Various models and theories emerged supporting the use of brief communication skills to sustain a meaningful therapeutic relationship through the brief interactions nurses are limited to with their patients. Conclusion: Brief interactions between nurses and patients can still be meaningful and build a therapeutic relationship if nurses employ the correct brief communication skills within their practice

Do patients who die from an alcohol-related condition ‘drift’ into areas of greater deprivation? Alcohol-related mortality and health selection theory in Scotland

Background: Health selection has been proposed to explain the patterning of alcohol-related mortality by area deprivation. This study investigated whether persons who die from alcohol-related conditions are more likely to experience social drift than those who die from other causes. Methods: Deaths recorded in Scotland (2013, >21 years) were coded as ‘alcohol-related’ or ‘other’ and by deprivation decile of residence at death. Acute hospital admissions data from 1996 to 2012 were used to provide premortality deprivation data. χ² tests estimated the difference between observed and expected alcohol-related deaths by first Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) decile and type of death. Logistic regression models were fitted using type of death as the outcome of interest and change in SIMD decile as the exposure of interest. Results: Of 47 012 deaths, 1458 were alcohol-related. Upward and downward mobility was observed for both types of death. An estimated 31 more deaths than expected were classified ‘alcohol-related’ among cases whose deprivation score decreased, while 204 more deaths than expected were classified ‘alcohol-related’ among cases whose initial deprivation ranking was in the four most deprived deciles. Becoming more deprived and first deprivation category were both associated with increased odds of type of death being alcohol-related after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: This study suggests that health selection appears to contribute less to the deprivation gradient in alcohol-related mortality in Scotland than an individual’s initial area deprivation category

Adoption and motivational factors for online grocery shopping in the UK

Following upon the results of previous qualitative research (Authors, 2005), the objective of this paper is to confirm the role of situational variables in the adoption process of online grocery shopping. Situational variables and life events in particular (e.g. having a baby, health problems) emerge as the trigger for starting online grocery shopping for two clusters. However, the adoption of e-grocery shopping seems to be re-evaluated frequently and consequently post-adoption evaluation appears crucial to the decision of whether to continue with or to drop internet grocery shopping