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Biomedical subjects

D Arthur

Publications and source records attributed to D Arthur.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Measurement of the professional self-concept of nurses: developing a measurement instrument.

The professional self-concept of nurses is an important component in the professional and academic development of the nursing profession. Few studies have concentrated on the careful development of the construct of professional self-concept in nurses, using a nursing sample, and particularly an Australian sample. This study focuses on a pilot group of nurses from the Hunter Region of New South Wales to develop the multi-dimensional construct professional self concept of nurses. A 56 item instrument using Likert scales was developed to measure the constructs flexibility/creativity, knowledge, skill/competence, caring, communication, leadership and satisfaction. The instrument was administered to 170 third year students enrolled in a Diploma of Applied Science (Nursing) and the results subjected to item analysis, factor analytical studies, and reliability estimates. Three factors emerged which accounted for 40% of the variance in responses constituting the professional self-concept of nurses: 'professional practice' (incorporating the dimensions leadership, skill and flexibility), 'satisfaction', and 'communication'. The study contains suggestions for the further use and research implications for a 27 item instrument for measuring the professional self-concept of nurses which has demonstrated validity and reliability.

Education, Nursing, Diploma Programs↗

Long-term survival in acute myelogenous leukemia: a second follow-up of the Fourth International Workshop on Chromosomes in Leukemia.

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML, equivalent to acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia [ANLL]) who were studied at the Fourth and Sixth International Workshops on Chromosomes in Leukemia and who have long survival have been re-assessed to identify factors which may be associated with good prognosis in AML. In a long-term survivor (LTS) group, there were more cases than expected in each age decade below 50, more cases than expected with FAB type M3, and fewer cases than expected of secondary leukemia. Of the distribution of chromosome abnormalities, t(15;17), t(8;21), and inv/del(16) were over-represented, and -5, -7, and rearrangements of 11q were under-represented. Multivariate analysis of all patients showed that age group, cytogenetic classification, FAB type, and sex all had independent, significant effects on survival. A new observation from a very small subgroup of patients was that deletion of 7q without concurrent abnormality of chromosome 5 appeared to be associated with a good prognosis.

Adolescent↗

An application of nursing faculty practice: clinical camps.

The incorporation of clinical practice into nursing faculty role expectations has triggered much debate. Despite the urge for the incorporation of practice into faculty roles, past research has demonstrated that the majority of faculties do not in fact include clinical practice. Reasons given for the failure of nurse academics to practise include lack of time, the failure of academia to value the practice, and the failure to include the practice as criteria for tenure and promotion. For faculty practice to occur it has been argued that clinical practice needs to be more a matter of individual intent: adaptable, and creative. Clinical camps provide potential opportunities for clinical practice for faculties. These camps, it is argued, offer the possibility of clinical teaching, promotion of collegial relationships between faculty and health care agencies, development of positive faculty-student relationships, and a valuable research site. For this reason, it is argued that clinical camps be considered a viable venue for faculty practice.

Camping↗

Cigarette smoking and risk of acute leukemia: associations with morphology and cytogenetic abnormalities in bone marrow.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking may be a risk factor for leukemia. No detailed biological mechanism has been proposed, but a causal link is made plausible by evidence of systemic effects of cigarette smoke and the presence in cigarette smoke of chemicals that have been associated with leukemia risk. PURPOSE: Our purpose was to investigate the leukemia risk associated with cigarette smoking in a multicenter case-control study of acute leukemias in adults. METHODS: Adults aged 18-79 with newly diagnosed leukemia were contacted to participate in this epidemiologic study when they entered a clinical trial to be treated under protocols sponsored by Cancer and Leukemia Group B. Smoking histories for 610 patients with acute leukemia and 618 population control subjects were obtained by telephone interviews. We examined bone marrow samples and classified patients by morphology of leukocyte precursor cells according to the French-American-British (FAB) classification system and, for 378 patients, by the presence or absence of specific clonal chromosome abnormalities. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for risk of leukemia associated with smoking cigarettes. ORs were adjusted for age, race, and sex. RESULTS: Smoking was associated with only a modest increase in risk for leukemia overall (adjusted OR = 1.13; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.89-1.44). However, among participants aged 60 and older, smoking was associated with a twofold increase in risk for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (OR = 1.96; 95% CI = 1.17-3.28) and a threefold increase in risk for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) (OR = 3.40; 95% CI = 0.97-11.9). Among older persons, risks increased with amount and duration of smoking. Smoking was associated with increased risk for AML classified as FAB type M2 at all ages, with ORs of 1.70 (95% CI = 1.00-2.90) for those younger than 60 and 3.50 (95% CI = 1.53-8.03) for those aged 60 and older. Smoking was also associated with ALL type L2 at all ages, with ORs of 1.72 (95% CI = 0.90-3.27) for those younger than 60 and 5.34 (95% CI = 1.03-27.6) for those who were older. Smoking was more common among patients with specific chromosome abnormalities in AML [-7 or 7q-, -Y, +13] and in ALL [t(9;22)(q34;q11)]. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking is associated with increased risk for leukemia and may lead to leukemias of specific morphologic and chromosomal types. The association varies with age. IMPLICATION: Examining discrete subtypes of disease may permit more accurate assessment of risk. As standardized morphologic classification and cytogenetic and molecular evaluation of leukemia patients becomes more common, epidemiologic studies that take advantage of these advances will begin to contribute to the identification of additional risk factors and mechanisms in acute leukemia.

Acute Disease↗

In vivo efficacy of B43 (anti-CD19)-pokeweed antiviral protein immunotoxin against human pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency.

A highly aggressive subclone of the human CALLA+C mu+ pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell line NALM-6 (designated NALM-6-UM1) caused disseminated and fatal leukemia in CB.17 mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). An intravenous challenge with 1 x 10(6) (NALM-6-UM1 cells caused 15 of 27 (56%) SCID mice to become paraplegic at 31 +/- 2 days (median = 33 days) and 27 of 27 (100%) mice to die of disseminated leukemia at 38 +/- 1 days (median = 39 days). We used this SCID mouse model of aggressive human pre-B ALL to evaluate the in vivo antileukemic efficacy of B43 (anti-CD19)-pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP) immunotoxin. A 3-day treatment with nontoxic doses of B43-PAP markedly reduced the incidence of paraplegia and improved event-free survival (EFS) in SCID mice challenged with 1 x 10(6) NALM-6-UM1 pre-B ALL cells, as reflected by significantly higher cumulative proportions of mice free of paraplegia or alive at 1 to 7 months, as compared with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) treated control mice. The Kaplan-Meier estimates and standard errors of the probability of developing paraplegia after inoculation of 1 x 10(6) NALM-6-UM1 cells was 64% +/- 10% for PBS-treated mice (median time to paraplegia = 37 days) (N = 27), 18% +/- 8% for mice treated with 15 micrograms B43-PAP (5 micrograms/mouse/d x 3 days) (N = 23) and 5% +/- 5% for mice treated with 30 micrograms B43-PAP (10 micrograms/mouse/d x 3 days) (N = 21). While 27 of 27 PBS-treated control SCID mice died of leukemia at 38 +/- 1 days (range = 24 to 54 days), only 16 of 44 B43-PAP-treated mice developed leukemia at 74 +/- 12 days (range = 30 to 182 days), consistent with greater than or equal to 6 logs kill of clonogenic NALM-6-UM1 cells in 64% of SCID mice. The Kaplan-Meier estimates and standard errors of the probability of long-term EFS after inoculation of 1 x 10(6) NALM-6-UM1 cells were 65% +/- 10% for mice treated with 15 micrograms B43-PAP and 60% +/- 11% for mice treated with 30 micrograms B43-PAP with a median survival time of greater than 7 months for both groups. In contrast, neither unconjugated B43 monoclonal antibody nor the anti-T-cell immunotoxin G17.2 (anti-CD4)-PAP decreased the incidence of paraplegia or improved EFS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Measuring the professional self-concept of nurses: a critical review.

Nursing literature strongly suggests that the self-concept of nurses is an important concept for academics, administrators and clinicians to consider in the development of the profession. Many valuable research projects have added to the data base on the subject, yet there still remain some questions to be answered. This paper explores the notion of self-concept as it relates to the professional working in nursing. In particular, the paper examines nursing research relating to the professional self-concept of nursing, arguing that the 'professional' self-concept of nurses is unique and different from that of the self-concept (while inextricably linked); and that there is room for a new instrument which measures the dimensions of the professional self-concept of nurses. Suggestions for future research include replication and further validation and reliability studies of a new instrument; a cross-cultural study using samples from different countries; testing with various samples from different branches of nursing and further exploring the differences between self-concept and professional self-concept.

Education, Nursing↗

Subclasses of IgG anticardiolipin antibodies in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Antibodies directed to a co-factor associated with negatively charged phospholipids, such as cardiolipin, occur in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and possibly more often in those with venous or arterial thrombosis, thrombocytopenia or recurrent fetal loss. They are also found in patients without any of these manifestations and their biological effect, if any, might thus be related to their IgG subclass. To investigate this possibility, we determined anticardiolipin antibodies (ACA) by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) using monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) against human IgG subclasses. A net absorbance of x +3 SD of the value of 30 blood donors was taken as the cut-off point. The specificity of the assay was verified through inhibition experiments using cardiolipin micelles. Thirty-three patients with SLE were studied, all of whom had been shown to have ACA by a point dilution screening assay. IgG1 ACA were found in 85% of the patients, and ACA of the IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 subclasses in 42%, 39% and 15%. There was a significant correlation between the presence of IgG3 ACA and of anti-DNA antibodies but none between subclass distribution and major clinical manifestations of SLE.

Antibodies↗

Learning opportunities through camping for mental health nursing.

1. To equip nurses with the skills necessary for working with disturbed people, nurse educators need to be mindful of not watering down the essential skills necessary for nurses to deal with difficult behaviour in all branches of nursing. 2. These components of a mental health clinical experience should equip the graduate to deal with the pressures of dealing with disturbed people in any environment, as the skills learned generalize to any branch of nursing. 3. Universities can combine with traditional hospital services and community mental health services to provide services to clients with mental illness. An additional benefit is in providing students with an intensive clinical learning experience that reinforces the theory taught in the classroom.

Camping↗

Sequential karyotypes in non-Hodgkin lymphoma: their nature and significance.

The examination of sequential karyotypes in hematologic disorders has demonstrated that karyotypic changes are often associated with concurrent changes in clinical behavior. Acquired abnormalities that recur among different patients may also suggest genomic areas important to tumor progression. We therefore examined sequential karyotypes in 21 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Sixteen of the 21 karyotypes demonstrated changes, including the majority of 6 small lymphocytic, 11 follicular, and 4 intermediate and high-grade diffuse lymphomas. The t(14;18)(q32;q21) occurred in ten initial karyotypes was retained in all cases. The band most frequently affected by newly acquired abnormalities was 14q32 (n = 5); chromosomes 1 and 2 (n = 5, each), and the 17p arm (n = 4) were also commonly affected. The acquired deletion of all or part of 17p appeared to be associated with a poor prognosis. Histologic transformation and karyotypic change did not correlate. This study of sequential karyotypes in NHL 1) confirms the primary importance of the t(14;18), 2) suggests that the 14q32 band is involved frequently in both primary and secondary cytogenetic events, and 3) suggests other genomic regions of potential significance to progression.

Adult↗

Autologous transplantation for CML using marrow treated ex vivo with recombinant human interferon gamma.

Six chronic and four advanced patients with Ph1 positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) received autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) using bone marrow treated ex vivo with recombinant human interferon gamma (rIFN gamma). In three cases 100% Ph1 negative bone marrow hematopoiesis was demonstrated 4 to 8 weeks after ABMT. In three additional cases, a maximum of 40-45% bone marrow metaphases were Ph1 negative 2 to 12 weeks following ABMT. In four cases, no or minimal evidence of Ph1 negative hematopoiesis could be demonstrated posttransplant. Seven patients survive in chronic phase at a median of 375 days (range 100-495 days). Five patients have not required therapy, while two patients receive low doses of rIFN alpha to control peripheral blood counts. Ex vivo treatment of CML bone marrow with rIFN gamma followed by ABMT in patients dependent upon or refractory to therapy prior to transplantation is associated with transient complete or partial Ph1 negative bone marrow hematopoiesis in the majority of patients post-transplant and with return of a chronic phase characterized by no need for therapy or by response to low doses of rIFN alpha. Modification of the ABMT procedure and efforts to maintain cytogenetic and hematologic remission following ABMT may lead to prolonged survival or cure.

Adult↗

Menarche: the black American experience.

There is an increasing awareness that attitudes learned during socialization into a cultural/ethnic group may influence one's perception of and response to menarche. To date, studies have primarily involved white Americans. There is a lack of information regarding the experience of menarche among diverse ethnic groups. Our study of a sample of black American girls (mean age 13.5 years) revealed that the proportion of blacks who felt they were not prepared for menarche was almost twice that of whites. A comparison of the black adolescents' assessment of their level of preparedness suggests that the less prepared they perceive themselves to have been, the more negative feelings they express toward menarche--which is comparable to the findings among white Americans. The black and white adolescents alike attributed the most positive feelings about menarche to their mothers, compared with their own and their fathers' emotional response.

Adolescent↗

Black adolescents' emotional response to menarche.

There has been substantial agreement in the literature that cultural attitudes influence females' reaction to menarche. Recently, growing interest has been shown in the ways cultural traditions affect the response to this event. To date, studies of the emotional impact of menarche have involved primarily white middle class populations. To determine whether the black American experience is similar to or different from that of a white American sample, the questions and measure used previously on a white sample were replicated in a group of middle class black adolescents. Although the black and white mean scores on positive feelings were similar (slightly positive), the blacks indicated somewhat greater negative feelings than did the whites. The black perception of menarche as more negative than positive is in accord with findings from other studies concerning the reaction to this event in this culture. Several explanations are suggested as possible bases for the negative feelings surrounding first menstruation in the United States.

Adolescent↗

Sequential G- to R-banding for high resolution chromosome analysis.

A sequential staining protocol for revealing first G- and then R-bands on early metaphase chromosomes is presented. Lymphocyte cultures are synchronized with methotrexate, and released from the S-phase block with bromodeoxyuridine. The resulting early metaphase cells are initially G-banded with Wright's stain and then R-banded by the fluorescence plus Giemsa (FPG) technique.

Cells, Cultured↗

Graft-versus-host disease prevention in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation from histocompatible siblings. A pilot study using immunotoxins for T cell depletion of donor bone marrow.

Seventeen patients, ages 7-53 years were transplanted with histocompatible bone marrow that had been depleted of T lymphocytes by ex vivo immunotoxin (IT) treatment. Twelve patients had high-risk acute leukemias, and five had chronic myelogenous leukemia. No other graft-vs.-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis was used. A mixture of three anti-T-cell monoclonal antibodies conjugated to ricin were used in this study: TA-1, UCHT-1 (anti-CD3), and T101 (anti-CD5). The mean number of bone marrow cells infused was 1.5 X 10(8) mononuclear cells/kg recipient weight. Thirteen of the 17 patients demonstrated complete and sustained engraftment. Four patients experienced autologous marrow recovery and/or graft rejection. Compared with an historical group of leukemic patients who received GVHD prophylaxis with methotrexate alone or combinations of methotrexate, and prednisone plus antithymocyte globulin, (ATG) or OKT3, the IT patients with stable engraftment demonstrated shorter time to recovery of leukocytes greater than or equal to 1000mm3 for three consecutive days (median, 20 days vs. 26 days, P = .03). The recovery of total lymphocytes, B and T cell subsets, and T cell function by day 28 was highly variable, but similar, for patients in both the IT-treated group and historical controls. Four patients (ages 13, 18, 21, and 38) developed grade II skin GVHD, but none had severe GVHD. Eight of the 13 patients with durable engraftment have had posttransplant leukemic relapse. Currently only four patients remain alive; two have not relapsed posttransplant, while the other two achieved remission following posttransplant relapse. We conclude that severe GVHD was not observed in this small series with ex vivo T cell depletion for GVHD prophylaxis, and that favorable recovery of hematologic and lymphocytic function was demonstrated for cases where primary engraftment was sustained. A larger randomized controlled study will be needed to establish whether T cell depletion of donor bone marrow with IT can significantly reduce GVHD, and/or improve disease-free survival.

Adolescent↗

Therapy of chronic myelogenous leukemia with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

From December 1982 to January 1986, 57 patients received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation as therapy for Philadelphia chromosome (Ph') positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). All patients were prepared for transplantation with cyclophosphamide 60 mg/kg (day -6, -5) and fractionated total body irradiation, 165 cGy twice daily (day -4, -3, -2, -1) and received major histocompatibility (MHC) matched donor marrow (day 0). All patients received graft-v-host disease (GVHD) prophylaxis with methotrexate, prednisone, and either antithymocyte globulin (ATG) (55 patients) or OKT3 infusion (two patients). The projected survival of 29 chronic phase patients is 64% (95% confidence interval [Cl] 42% to 86%); and of 28 accelerated phase patients, 30% (95% Cl, 12% to 48%) at 30 months (P = .005). Multivariate regression analysis of pretransplant patient characteristics demonstrated that the presence of chronic phase and age less than 30 years were the only prognostic features studied that independently predicted survival. No evidence of persistent or recurrent disease has occurred in chronic phase patients; however, reappearance of the Ph' was observed in seven accelerated-phase patients, and hematologic relapse occurred in three of these seven patients. The incidence of grade II to IV acute GVHD is 63% (95% Cl, 50% to 76%) at 100 days, and that of extensive chronic GVHD is 53% (95% Cl, 33% to 74%) at 30 months. The median Karnofsky activity assessment of survivors is 100% (range, 60% to 100%), and all activity assessments less than 100% can be attributed to complications of GVHD. Bone marrow transplantation therapy for CML after preparation with cyclophosphamide and fractionated total body irradiation results in a high proportion of disease-free survival in chronic-phase patients. Survival in accelerated phase is significantly worse and is associated with relapse. GVHD has emerged as a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this study.

Antigens, Surface↗

Unrelated donor bone marrow transplantation therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

Eight patients received allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) as therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) using marrow from unrelated donors. In all cases donors and recipients were HLA DR identical and had low MLC reactivity. In three cases recipients received marrow that was identical at the HLA A,B loci. In five cases HLA identity differed for one HLA A locus antigen. The unrelated donor search interval ranged from 2 to 28 months (median, 3 months). All recipients were prepared with a combination of cyclophosphamide, 60 mg/kg/d administered intravenously (IV) (days -6,-5) and with total body irradiation administered in 165 cGy fractions twice daily for four days (days -4, -3, -2, -1). Engraftment occurred in all cases (range, 18 to 48 days; median, 35 days), and return to a complete Philadelphia chromosome (Ph') negative state was documented in six of eight cases. Moderate or severe acute graft v host disease (GVHD) occurred in seven of eight cases, and extensive chronic GVHD in four of six evaluable recipients. A B cell lymphoproliferative disorder developed in one patient. Four recipients have died within 2 to 4 months of transplant. Four of eight patients survive at 11+ to 24+ months following transplantation (median, 15+ months) with normal peripheral blood counts and without evidence of leukemia. Current Karnofsky activity assessments are 90% or 100% in all survivors. Curative therapy of CML has been available only to the minority of patients eligible for sibling donor BMT. Unrelated donor BMT can be effective in the treatment of CML and may be particularly useful in this disorder since the prolonged stable phase of disease offers an opportunity to locate suitable donors.

B-Lymphocytes↗