Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) is associated with significantly increased perinatal morbidity and mortality as well as cardiovascular disease and glucose intolerance in adult life. A number of disorders from genetic to metabolic, vascular, coagulative, autoimmune, as well as infectious, can influence fetal growth by damaging the placenta, leading to IUGR as a result of many possible fetal, placental and maternal disorders. Strict definitions of IUGR and of its severity are needed in order to eventually distinguish among different phenotypes, such as gestational age at onset, degree of growth restriction and presence of hypoxia. This report explores and reviews some of the most recent developments in both clinical and basic research on intrauterine growth restriction, by seeking mechanisms that involve genetic factors, utero-placental nutrient availability and vascular growth factors. New exciting findings on the genomic imprinting defects potentially associated with IUGR, and the placental anomalies associated with the decreased nutrient transport are summarized. Moreover, recent data on angiogenic growth factors as well as new information arising from application of gene chip technologies are discussed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Proactive nursing: the evolution of a task force to help women with postpartum depression.

In response to several women who presented with postpartum depression in 1 year, a group of nurses developed a task force made up of hospital nurses, obstetricians, psychiatrists, pediatricians, family practitioners, lactation specialists, home care nurses, and mental health counselors. The purposes of this task force were to educate health care professionals about postpartum depression, to help identify women who might be affected, and to develop interventions for adjusting to parenthood. This article details the evolution of that task force, and how it has assisted not only the women but also the health care providers involved.

Community Health Nursing↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A cross-cultural assessment of perceived health problems in the elderly.

To study cross-cultural differences in perceived health problems in the elderly the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) developed by Hunt et al. was administered to subjects from the People's Republic of China and Australia. The Australian stratum was further categorized according to cardiovascular status. Analyses of covariance (with age as the covariate) on each of the six subscales of the NHP yielded significant differences for 'Energy', 'Pain', 'Emotional reactions', 'Social isolation' and 'Physical mobility'. No differences were found for the 'Sleep' subscale. Through comparisons between the mean scores for the four strata and from normative data it is concluded that it is likely that the NHP is 'culture free' on the dimensions 'Energy', 'Pain', 'Emotional reactions', 'Social isolation' and 'Physical mobility'.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antigen-induced (Dumonde Glynn) arthritis in the sheep: a large joint animal model of arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the Dumonde Glynn model of arthritis can be established in sheep since a larger model would facilitate injection and the measurement of joints. METHODS: Three groups of sheep were immunised with ovalbumin in Freund's adjuvant. Arthritis was induced in group 1 (n = 10, by the injection of 5 mg ovalbumin in 0.5 ml to the right hock joint. Control groups received saline (n = 10) or no treatment (n = 6). RESULTS: Following joint injection the mean AP diameter increased so that there was a 32% difference between the right and left joints at 24 hr (p < 0.001) declining gradually to 12% (p < 0.01) 19 days after the induction of arthritis. The level of haptoglobin in group 1 prior to the induction of arthritis was 0.04 +/- 0.01. Haemoglobin binding capacity (mg/ml) peaked on day 3 at 0.33 +/- 0.13 (p < 0.01), and was 0.110 +/- 0.05 thirteen days after joint injection. Features observed included proliferation of the joint lining, fibrin deposition and early erosion of cartilage. Synovial membrane showed an infiltrate of inflammatory cells identified as monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes. Synovial histology scores were 1.8 +/- 0.2 for the left joint and 9.3 +/- 0.73 for the arthritic right joint. CONCLUSION: We conclude that this is a model of mono-arthritis particularly useful when a larger joint is required for intra-articular injection or repeated joint measurements such as in a clinical trial.

Animals↗