Foot Health In Older People - Development of a preventive, evaluative instrument for nurses

Foot health is a part of overall health in every age group and its importance increases during ageing. Health care professionals are in a vital position for preventing foot health problems, and identifying and caring them in older people. Despite the rather high number of studies conducted in the field of foot health in older people, reliable and valid nurse-administered foot health assessment instruments seem to be lacking. By identifying foot health in older people, it is possible to develop nursing interventions to enhance safe, independent living at home. The purpose of this three-phase study was to develop an instrument to assess the level of foot health in older people and evaluate foot care practices from the perspective of older people themselves and nurses in home care. The ultimate goal is to prevent foot health problems by increasing the attention paid to older people’s feet and recognizing those foot health problems which need further care; thus not focus on different foot health problems. The study was conducted in different phases and contexts. In phase 1, a descriptive design with a literature review from the Medline (R) and CINAHL databases to explore foot health in older people and nurses’ role in foot health care and pre-post design intervention study in nursing home with nursing staff (n=16) and older residents (n=43) were conducted. In phase 2, a descriptive and explorative study design was employed to develop an instrument for assessing foot health in older people (N=651, n=309, response rate 47%) and explore the psychometrics of the instrument. The data were collected from sheltered housing and home care settings. Finally, in phase 3, descriptive and explorative as well as cross-sectional correlational survey designs were used to assess foot health and evaluate the foot self-care activities of older people (N=651, n=309, response rate 47%) and to describe foot care knowledge and caring activities of nurses (N=651, n=322, response rate 50%) in home care in Finland. To achieve this, the Foot Health Assessment Instrument (FHAI) developed in phase 2 was used; at the same time, this large sample also was used for the psychometric evaluation of the FHAI. The data analysis methods used in this study were content analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics including factor and multivariate analysis. Many long-term diseases can manifest in feet. Therefore, the FHAI, developed in this study consisted of items relating to skin and nail health, foot structure and foot pain. The FHAI demonstrated acceptable preliminary psychometric properties. A great deal of different foot health problems in older people were found of which edema, dry skin, thickened and discoloured toenails and hallux valgus were the most prevalent foot health problems. Moreover, many older people had difficulties in performing foot self-care. Nurses’ knowledge of foot care was insufficient and revealed a need for more information and continuing education in matters relating to foot care in older people. Instead, nurses’ foot care activities were mainly adequate, though the findings indicate the need for updating foot care activities to correspond with the evidence found in the field of foot care. Practical implications are presented for nursing practice, education and administration. In future, research should focus on developing interventions for older people and nurses to promote foot health in older people and to prevent foot health problems, as well as for further development of the FHAI.

The influence of selected pathological states on the somatostatin-like immunoreactive (SOM-LI) endocrine cells in the mucosal layer of the porcine descending colon

This study reports on changes in the number of somatostatin-like immunoreactive (SOM-LI) endocrine cells in the porcine descending colon, caused by chemically driven inflammation, axotomy and proliferative enteropathy (PE). The distribution pattern of SOM-LI endocrine cells has been studied using the routine single-labelling immunofluorescence technique. Semi-quantitative evaluation of the number of the SOM-immunostained endocrine cells within the mucosal layer of the porcine descending colon has been based on counting of all endocrine cells immunoreactive to SOM per unit area (0,1 mm²). Under physiological conditions the number of SOM-LI endocrine cells has been shown to constitute 3,30±0,22. All applied pathological processes resulted in changes in the SOM-like immunoreactivity, which varied in particular processes studied. The number of SOM-LI endocrine cells increased to 6,28±0,31 and 4,43±0,35 during chemically driven inflammation and proliferative enteropathy, respectively, and decreased to 1,17%±0,16 after axotomy. The obtained results suggest that SOM-LI endocrine cells may participate in various pathological states within porcine descending colon and their functions probably depend on the type of pathological factor.

Journal du commerce, de politique et de littérature

1818/06/07 (Numéro 322).

Ei-perinteinen menetelmäopas

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Laatuvaatimuksia lasten päivähoidolle

Kirjallisuusarvostelu

Ação de herbicidas sobre o crescimento de estirpes de Rhizobium tropici

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o crescimento das estirpes de Rhizobium tropici BR 322 e BR 520, utilizadas como inoculantes na cultura do feijoeiro no Brasil, em meio de cultura à base de manitol e extrato de levedura (YM) adicionado de diferentes herbicidas (bentazon, metolachlor, imazamox, fluazifop-p-butil, fomesafen e paraquat). Os herbicidas fluazifop-p-butil e fomesafen foram avaliados puros e em mistura comercial, em concentrações variando entre 0,0 e 49,23 mg L-1. O crescimento das estirpes de Rhizobium foi avaliado em espectrofotômetro ao longo de 100 horas de incubação, por meio da leitura da densidade ótica, a 560 nm, sendo, posteriormente, convertido em unidades formadoras de colônia por mL. Observou-se que o paraquat foi o herbicida com maior inibição do crescimento das estirpes avaliadas, seguido pela mistura comercial de fomesafen e fluazifop-p-butil. Para os demais herbicidas, a redução do crescimento não foi significativa. De modo geral, a estirpe BR 520 mostrou-se mais tolerante aos herbicidas testados, com exceção do paraquat. No ensaio de concentrações crescentes do fomesafen, isolado ou em mistura com fluazifop-p-butil, não foi possível determinar o I50 (concentração do herbicida que reduz em 50% o crescimento do rizóbio); a maior redução, de 31,1%, foi observada para a estirpe BR 322 na máxima concentração testada (49,23 mg L-1) da mistura comercial.

Seletividade e eficácia de herbicidas inibidores da enzima accase na cultura da mamona

O experimento foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar a seletividade e eficácia de herbicidas inibidores de ACCase na cultura da mamoneira AL Guarany 2002, no município de Paraguaçu Paulista/SP, durante a safra 2002/2003. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso, com 11 tratamentos e quatro repetições, constituídos pelos herbicidas e adjuvantes: fluazifop-p-butil (313 g ha-1) + Agral® (0,2% v/v); sethoxydim (322 g ha-1) + Assist®(0,5% v/v); haloxyfop-methyl (120 g ha-1) + Assist® (0,5% v/v); clethodim+fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (75 g ha-1) + Assist® (0,5% v/v); quizalofop-p-ethyl (125 g ha¹) + Assist® (0,5% v/v); clethodim (156 g ha-1) + Assist® (0,5% v/v); propaquizafop (175 g ha-1) + Assist® (0,5% v/v); tepraloxydim (400 g ha-1) + Dash® (0,5% v/v); butroxydim (100 g ha-1) + Dash® (0,5% v/v); isoxaflutole (60 g ha-1); e testemunha capinada. No momento da aplicação a mamoneira encontrava-se com 4 a 6 folhas, e o Cenchrus echinatus, com 1 a 5 perfilhos. A mamoneira cv. AL Guarany 2002 apresentou alta seletividade aos herbicidas inibidores de ACCase, não sendo verificada fitointoxicação aos 14 DAA (dias após aplicação), com exceção do tepraloxydim, onde os sintomas persistiram até os 21 DAA, e do isoxaflutole (inibidor de HPPD), por apresentar injúrias nas folhas mais velhas e redução significativa de produtividade. A infestação de C. echinatus foi eficientemente controlada pelos herbicidas inibidores de ACCase entre 14 e 21 DAA (≥ 95,0%).

NH90 helikopterin moottoreiden syklilaskennan tehostaminen ja elinkaarihallinta

Tutkimustyö liittyy NH90 Helikopterin RTM-322 moottoreiden syklivaihdettavi-en osien huollonsuunnitteluun ja sen kehittämiseen. Tavoitteena oli löytää nykyi-sen käyttösyklilaskennan tilalle säästävämpi ratkaisumalli ja saada määritettyä suihkumoottorin osakokonaisuuksille lisälentoaikaa sekä huollonsuunnitteluun järkevämmät käyttöjaksot. Tähän päästiin selvittämällä käytännön lentotoiminnan avulla uudet laskentakertoimet ja -mallit moottorin eri osien eliniän määrittämi-seksi. Konkreettisena tavoitteena oli saada koneen käyttöhistoriaan perustuen kohdeorganisaatiolle esitys, miten moottoreiden käyttösyklilaskentaa tulisi muut-taa ja tehostaa. Diplomityön aihe muodostuu kolmesta tutkimusongelmakokonaisuudesta; moot-torin käyttöhistorian tutkimisesta, moottorivalmistajan hyväksymien syklilasken-tamenetelmien tutkimisesta ja moottorin syklien säästövaikutustarkastelusta tut-kimuksen määrittämillä uusilla laskentamenetelmillä. Tutkimuksen tuloksena muodostui NH90 huollonsuunnitteluun arvio mahdollisis-ta moottorisyklisäästöistä sekä moottoreiden näkökulmasta priorisoitu lista heli-kopterien moottoreiden laitevaihtohuoltojen järjestyksestä seuraavan viiden vuo-den aikana. Syklien säästötarkastelun pohjalta suoritettiin yhden koneen osalta koko käyttöhistorian ajalta takaisinlaskentatarkastelu. Tutkimuksessa selvitettiin Ilmavoimien meneillään olevien projektien valossa moottorisyklien tarkanlasken-nan toteuttamismahdollisuudet tulevaisuudessa. Tutkimuksessa saatujen tulosten avulla vältyttäisiin tulevaisuudessa RTM-322 moottorin ennenaikaisilta laitevaih-doilta koko NH90 kaluston suhteen ja näin saataisiin aikaan merkittävän suuria säästöjä vuoteen 2020 mennessä.

Weed interference periods in the 'Fécula Branca' cassava

This study aimed to determine the periods of weed interference in the first cycle of 'Fécula Branca' cassava. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design, with four repetitions. The treatments consisted of eight periods of weed control (25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, and 175 days after planting - DAP) and eight periods of coexistence between the weed community and the crop (25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, and 175), besides control without weeds and control with weeds until harvest (322 DAP). The predominant weed species with higher relative importance were: Avena sativa, Sorghum halepense, Conyza Canadensis, Euphorbia heterophylla, Raphanus raphanistrum, and Commelina benghalensis. It was concluded that, accepting losses of 1% for root and starch production, the period before interference (PBI) was 66 and 70 DAP; the total period of interference prevention (TPIP) was 88 and 91 DAP and the critical period of interference (CPI) was between 66-88 and 70-91 DAP, respectively. For losses of 5% for root and starch production, the PBI was 87 and 88 DAP, and the TPIP 80 and 81 DAP, respectively; in this case, there was no CPI. Considering the average prices of R$ 218.90 t-1 and R$ 1,191.84 t-1, paid in 2012 for root and starch production, respectively, and control cost of R$ 300.00 ha-1 , the root and starch production for the period prior to economic loss (WEEPPEL) could be estimated to be 20 and 24 DAP, respectively.