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PubMed1996

The state's "sharp line between the sexes": women, alcohol and the law in the United States, 1850-1980.

Beginning in the 1850s, American case and statute law established alcohol policies that applied specifically to women, which aimed broadly to promote temperance among both sexes. These measures reflected the powerful hold of a middle-class Victorian ideology that stigmatized female drinking, associated women with temperance, and kept women legally dependent in general. American laws on women and alcohol fell into two broad categories. The first was access laws, which restricted women's ability to purchase alcohol, patronize liquor outlets and work in the alcohol trade. These measures aimed to protect women from becoming drunkards, and depleted their legal power. The second group was domestic laws, including marriage, divorce and civil liability statutes. They aimed to protect women from drunken family members, especially husbands, and actually bestowed legal authority on women. Although both sets of laws promoted temperance, they did so both by expanding and contracting women's legal influence. These measures survived until the 1970s, when a series of court decisions overturned them on the basis of sex discrimination. The evolution of these laws shows how middle-class attitudes about female drinking were codified into sex-specific alcohol policy for most of the nation's history.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed2001

Strategies of coping and quality of life in women with alopecia.

BACKGROUND: Measurements of the quality of life (QoL) have recently become an integral part of dermatological studies. Our hypothesis is that QoL in patients with certain diseases can be affected by strategies of coping behaviour, as well as by personality traits. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the particular correlation between QoL and strategies of coping in female patients with alopecia. PATIENTS: Fifty female patients, diagnosed with either diffuse or androgenetic alopecia, were evaluated by the use of Hairdex, an instrument developed to measure QoL in patients with hair loss. Most patients also underwent additional psychological assessments. RESULTS: Findings indicated that patients with highly visible hair loss reported a more negative impact on four Hairdex dimensions (functioning, emotions, self-confidence and stigmatization) than patients whose hair loss was only slightly visible. However, a subgroup of patients, with non-visible symptoms of hair loss, showed striking signs of psychological disturbance. These disturbed patients displayed either dysmorphophobic or affective disorder tendencies. CONCLUSIONS: Future studies using QoL as an instrument in research on patients with alopecia should consider that in cases of female alopecia these measurements may be affected by psychological disturbances.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

'Like a friend going round': reducing the stigma attached to mental healthcare in rural communities.

Traditionally, stigma is seen as something that is the fault of the mental health system, and that involves an individual suffering social disapprobation and reduced life chances as a result of having been given a diagnostic label and an identity as a patient as a result of their contact with psychiatric institutions. The present study, based on focus group discussions conducted with users and mental healthcare workers in a rural setting, suggests that this classic conception of stigma does not readily apply to care in the community. First, workers described themselves as actively trying to challenge stigma at an institutional level, as well as being apt to change their own practice to reduce the stigmatizing effect of mental healthcare on their clients and make their presence less conspicuous. The ideal was to be 'like a friend going round'. However, this view included a somewhat passive notion of clients. By contrast, the present investigation showed that clients described themselves in much more active terms as being aware of possible sources of stigma and being inclined to challenge negative attitudes themselves. Future mental healthcare practice could draw upon professionals' stock of knowledge as to how their practice could lead to less stigma and could build upon clients' own strengths to achieve stigma reduction.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2000

Genetic control of self-incompatibility in Senecio squalidus L. (Asteraceae): a successful colonizing species.

Senecio squalidus (Oxford ragwort) is a well-known introduction to the British flora that has proved to be an extremely successful colonist over the last 150 years. Unusually for a colonizing species, S. squalidus is self-incompatible (SI). Being a member of the Asteraceae, SI in S. squalidus is expected to be sporophytic. This paper presents genetic data showing that the SI system of S. squalidus is indeed sporophytic and is controlled by a single multiallelic S locus, alleles of which show the dominance/recessive relationships characteristic of sporophytic SI (SSI). Early indications are that the number of S alleles in populations is low because only four different S alleles were identified in a sample of four plants from two distinct populations; one S allele, S1, a pollen/stigma recessive allele, was present in all four plants. Forced inbreeding, using salt-treatment to overcome SI, was shown to generate 'pseudo-self-compatible' individuals with weakened SI and a loss/reduction in stigmatic S-specific discrimination. Relatively high frequencies of unpredictable compatible crossing 'anomalies' suggest that a 'gametophytic element' may influence the outcome of crosses in certain genetic backgrounds so as to increase levels of compatibility when S alleles are shared. Together, these findings indicate a genetic 'flexibility' in the SSI system of S. squalidus that could be crucial to its success as a colonizer.

Alleles↗
PubMed1999

Effects of psycho-educational interventions on sexual health risks and psycho-social adaptation in young adults with genital herpes.

The purpose of this study was to test the outcomes of group psycho-educational intervention (PEI) led by nurses on sexual health risks (knowledge, behaviour, disease burden) and psycho-social adaptation (depression, mood states, self-efficacy) in young adults with the chronic disease, genital herpes. Two hundred and fifty-two young adults with symptomatic genital herpes participated in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). The intervention was participation in a three-session group PEI facilitated by a nurse in the community. Participants completed questionnaires measuring sexual health risks (herpes knowledge, sexual risk behaviour, disease burden of patterns of recurrences of outbreaks of the disease), and psycho-social adaptation (depression using the Beck Depression Inventory [BDI], mood states using the Profile of Mood States [POMS], and feelings of self-efficacy for protection from sexually transmitted diseases [PSTD]) at induction into the study, and at 3 and 6 months. Participants were mainly employed, Caucasian, single women in their twenties (X = 27.1 years, SD = 4.3), with some college education; 23% of the sample were men. After controlling for baseline knowledge about genital herpes, the experimental group had significantly more knowledge than the control group at 3 and 6 months' post-intervention. They also reported using condoms and spermicides to prevent the spread of genital herpes more often than did the control group. The implications for nurses in the community include the following: (a) PEI is an intervention that can be used by nurses in the community with a high-risk population; (b) group intervention is a viable treatment for people with a highly stigmatized, chronic sexually transmitted disease (STD); and (c) further testing of the use of PEI by nurses in the community with other high-risk populations is needed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

Help or hindrance? Single, unsupported mothers' perceptions of health visiting.

Although there have been studies of clients' perceptions of health visiting, the views of single, unsupported mothers about the health visiting service have been under-researched. Therefore, this study investigated their views using semi-structured interviews with 12 single, unsupported mothers identified by health visitors within one National Health Service Community Trust. The data were analysed using Burnard's (1991) thematic content analysis, which enabled a number of identifiable themes to emerge. Findings showed that the participants perceived the health visiting service as being concerned almost exclusively with babies and there was a general lack of understanding about the broader role of the health visitor. Clinics were seen as places to visit to weigh the baby but not as a contact point with a health visitor. Some health visitors were perceived as being judgemental in attitude and not necessarily interested in the clients as individuals. Participants considered that health visitors should be friendly, interested, able to promote their confidence and offer individualized advice. Overall the study suggests that health visitors may not be utilizing all dimensions of their role with single, unsupported mothers and may not be communicating effectively with them about this. The study also shows that single, unsupported mothers wish to be treated in the same way as other mothers but at present some feel that they are stigmatized and treated differently. The paper concludes with an outline of the implications of the findings and recommendations for practice and future research.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Social perceptions of cancer and their impacts: implications for nursing practice arising from the literature.

Social perceptions of cancer and their impacts: implications for nursing practice arising from the literature At the millennium cancer still holds a special mystique and is imbued with socio-cultural meanings, which extend far beyond the rational, scientific and biological facts of the disease. Excessive fear and dread may cause family and friends to display avoidance or overprotective behaviours to the ill person, who may subsequently perceive dissatisfaction with social support. Drawing on a literature review this paper explores the impact of cancer on social relationships. Interpersonal strain in relationship is often explained in the stigmatization of the illness and this concept is explored through contemporary social theorizing. These findings have direct implications for nursing practice where the goal of care is to enhance the support relationship.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2001

HIV, stigma and health: integration of theoretical concepts and the lived experiences of individuals.

AIM: To explore individual concepts of health and the role of stigma in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and HIV disease. The balance of power and knowledge are examined from both macro and micro perspectives, including both concepts of health and health and illness behaviour. METHOD: A literature review which supports the integration of theoretical concepts and research findings demonstrating the lived experiences of individuals. CONCLUSION: Stigma is a social construct which has significant impact on the life experiences of individuals both infected with and affected by HIV. The stigma experienced is unique to each individual and changes dynamically throughout the course of the HIV illness trajectory. Each of the four identified phases poses unique stigmatic qualities.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2002

Older Swedish women's experiences of living with symptoms related to Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Approximately 1% of the population over 65 years of age is afflicted with Parkinson's disease (PD). The number of patients with the disease will most probably increase in the future because of the increased longevity of the population. There is no curative therapy for the disease. AIM: To explore women's experiences of living with symptoms related to PD, and to analyse how the symptoms influence their quality of life. METHODS: A phenomenological-hermeneutic method, inspired by the philosophy of Ricoeur was used. The study focuses on eight women between 63 and 80 years of age who have been diagnosed with PD for 5-15 years. The women all lived at home, were moderately to severely disabled and cognitively intact. FINDINGS: In the analysis, four themes emerged: (1) wish for a stable body image; (2) wish to keep traditional female competence; (3) need to feel accepted for the person she is; and (4) perceived stigmatization. All themes showed that trying to adapt to unpredictable fluctuations in physical and psychosocial competence has a great impact on the females' lives. It became clear that fluctuations in competence and not knowing when to expect impaired mobility are connected with frustration and social withdrawal. CONCLUSION: The experience of PD from eight disabled female patients has revealed that the disease affects quality of life not only for the person who has it, but also for her family. Thus, it is equally urgent that patients, relatives, nurses and caregivers gain better knowledge and more understanding of PD, so as to ease the impact of the disease on the patient's daily life.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2002

Cautious caregivers: gender stereotypes and the sexualization of men nurses' touch.

AIM: The aim of this research was to explore the experience of men nurses and the ways in which gender relations structure different work experiences for women and men in the same profession. BACKGROUND: Men are now entering the nursing profession in record numbers and challenging the notion that men are inappropriate in caregiver roles or incapable of providing compassionate and sensitive care. A limitation of the current state of knowledge regarding caring and men nurses is that it is primarily focused on men nursing students, not practising nurses. Little is known about men nurses' practices of caring and how such practices reflect the gendered nature of nursing and nurses' caring work. METHODS: The theme of men nurses as cautious caregivers emerged from data that were collected in two rounds of semi-structured interviews with eight men nurses practising in Nova Scotia, Canada. Thematic analysis, informed by feminist theory and masculinity theory, was used as the method for analysing the data. FINDINGS: For men nurses, the stereotype of men as sexual aggressors is compounded by the stereotype that men nurses are gay. These stereotypes sexualize men nurses' touch and create complex and contradictory situations of acceptance, rejection and suspicion of men as nurturers and caregivers. They also situate men nurses in highly stigmatized roles in which they are subject to accusations of inappropriate behaviour. For men nurses, this situation is lived as a heightened sense of vulnerability and the continual need to be cautious while touching and caring for patients. Ultimately, this situation impacts on the ability of men nurses to do the caring work they came into nursing to do.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Development of a high energy resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy microscope.

We have developed a high energy resolution electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) microscope, which can take spectra from specified small specimen areas and specified small reciprocal space areas to investigate detailed electronic structures. The EELS microscope is equipped with retarding Wien filters as the monochromator and the analyser. The filters are designed to achieve a stigmatic focus. The energy resolutions are 12 meV and 25 meV for cases without and with a specimen, respectively. Spatial and momentum resolutions are 30-110 nm in diameter and 1.1 nm-1 in angular diameter, respectively. EELS spectra are presented to show the performance of this instrument.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Identification of genes required for pollen-stigma recognition in Arabidopsis thaliana.

In higher plants, cell-cell recognition reactions taking place following pollination allow the selective restriction of self-pollination and/or interspecific pollination. Many of these systems function by regulating the process of water transfer from the cells found at the stigmatic surface to the individual pollen grain. Interspecific pollination studies on the cruciferous weed Arabidopsis thaliana revealed only a broad specificity of pollen recognition such that pollen from all tested members of the crucifer family were recognized, whereas pollen from almost all other species failed to hydrate. Genetic analysis of A. thaliana has identified three genes that are essential for this recognition process. Recessive mutations in any of these genes result in male sterility due to the production of pollen grains that fail to hydrate when placed on the stigma, but that are capable of hydrating and growing a pollen tube in vitro. Results from mixed pollination experiments suggest that the mutant pollen grains specifically lack a functional pollen-stigma recognition system. All three mutations described also result in a defect in the wax layer normally found on stems and leaves, similar to previously described eceriferum (cer) mutations. Genetic complementation and mapping experiments demonstrated that the newly identified mutants are allelic to the previously identified genes cer1, cer3 and cer6. TEM analysis of the ultrastructure of the pollen coating revealed that all of the mutant pollen grains bear coatings of normal thickness and that tryphine lipid droplets are missing in cer1-147, are reduced in size in cer6-2654 and appear normal in cer3-2186.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed1996

Molecular characterization of a stigma-specific gene encoding an arabinogalactan-protein (AGP) from Nicotiana alata.

Arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs) were isolated from the pistils of Nicotiana alata, deglycosylated, and the protein backbones fractionated by reversed-phase HPLC as previously reported. A major fraction, RT35 was isolated and peptide sequences were obtained after protease digestion. A gene-specific degenerate oligonucleotide was designed according to the amino acid sequences and a 380 bp PCR fragment was amplified in vitro from pistil RNA. The PCR fragment was used to screen a pistil cDNA library and a 762 bp cDNA clone (AGPNa3) was isolated and sequenced. The AGPNa3 cDNA encodes a 169 amino acid protein which consists of three domains: an N-terminal secretion signal, a Pro-rich domain and a C-terminal Cys-rich domain. The mature protein has 145 amino acid residues (16.7 kDa) and a predicted pl of 7.5. Northern blot analyses showed that the AGPNa3 gene was only expressed in the pistils of N. alata and of closely related Nicotiana species but not in other plants or suspension-cultured cells. Further Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization showed that within the pistil, it was primarily expressed in the stigmatic tissues of mature flowers.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Cloning of PCP1, a member of a family of pollen coat protein (PCP) genes from Brassica oleracea encoding novel cysteine-rich proteins involved in pollen-stigma interactions.

The pollen coatings of both Brassica oleracea and Brassica napus contain a small family of basic 6-8 kDa proteins which are released on to the stigmatic surface on pollination. Following partial amino-acid sequencing of one of these pollen coat proteins (PCPs), PCR primers were constructed to isolate the PCP sequence from anther mRNA using RT-PCR. A cDNA was obtained which, in Northern hybridization experiments, revealed a characteristic pattern of expression during late stages of anther development. Interestingly, in situ hybridization revealed expression of this sequence to be confined to the cytoplasm of the trinucleate pollen grains: no signal was detected in the tapetum. Southern hybridization experiments have shown the gene (PCP1) to be a member of a large family of between 30 and 40 PCP genes in the genome of Brassica oleracea. Surprisingly, RFLP experiments showed reduced copy number (one to two copies) in some of the F2 segregants, perhaps resulting from the clustering of PCP sequences. PCP1 contains a single intron and encodes a small, basic peptide 83 amino acids in length featuring a hydrophobic signal peptide sequence separated from the more hydrophilic, cysteine-rich mature protein. The central part and C-terminal region of the peptide contain a characteristic and invariant pattern of eight cysteines which show clear homology with a number of other anther-specific genes; the remainder of the sequence shows little similarity to other sequences on the data bases. The product of PCP1 is a member of a large family of similar proteins, some of which have been demonstrated to bind specifically to S-locus glycoproteins, but does not appear to be genetically linked to the S-locus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Aquaporin PIP genes are not expressed in the stigma papillae in Brassica oleracea.

The pollen grains of angiosperms are usually desiccated at maturity. Following pollination, pollen hydrates on the stigma surface before germination takes place. Rehydration is an essential step for the success of pollination and depends on the movement of water from the stigmatic cells. This water flow has been shown to be biologically regulated, and components of both pollen and stigma surfaces have been demonstrated to play a role in the control of pollen hydration. Regulation of water transport between animal or plant cells involves membrane proteins, designated aquaporins, which possess water-channel activity. Such molecules may be candidates for controlling pollen hydration, and consequently we investigated whether aquaporins are present in the pollen and stigma cells in Brassica oleracea. Here, we report the identification of two new aquaporin genes, Bo-PIP1b1 and Bo-PIP1b2, which are highly homologous to PIP1b from Arabidopsis thaliana. Both Bo-PIP1b1 and Bo-PIP1b2 proteins are active water channels when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Expression of Bo-PIP1b1 and Bo-PIP1b2 was observed in reproductive organs as well as in vegetative tissues. Interestingly, the use of a Bo-PIP1b2 cDNA probe revealed that PIP1-like transcripts were not present in the pollen grains or in the stigma papillae, but were present in the stigma cell layers underlying the papillar cells. This observation suggests that water flow between the pollen and stigma papillae may be dependent on aquaporins expressed in cells that are not directly in contact with the pollen grain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Dermatologists combat leprosy in Yemen.

BACKGROUND: Leprosy has been prevalent in Yemen for many years. The ostracization and stigmatization of leprosy patients are well documented in the yemeni literature. No control activities were carried out until 1980. AIM: To document the development of leprosy control activities in the Republic of Yemen during the period from 1982 to 1996. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dermatologists in Yemen used various methods, including the media, to fight the stigma of leprosy and thus to mobilize the community for the reintegration of leprosy patients. They sought support from international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to start mobile teams all over the country. RESULTS: The support of the German Leprosy Relief Association (GLRA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) enabled the National Leprosy Control Program (NLCP) to reach people in remote areas. The prevalence of leprosy has declined from 1.9 per 10,000 population in 1989 to 0.5 per 10,000 population in 1996. CONCLUSIONS: The stigma associated with leprosy also extends to other skin diseases. To combat this stigma, various methods, such as health education, training of medical personnel, and mass treatment for skin diseases, have been used.

Communicable Disease Control↗
PubMed2003

Vitiligo in the Nigerian African: a study of 351 patients in Benin City, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of reports on vitiligo in sub-Saharan Africa. AIM: To define the clinical and epidemiologic pattern of vitiligo in the Nigerian African. METHODS: We examined all new cases of vitiligo seen in the Dermatology Unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) over a 14-year period: January 1985 to December 1998. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-one patients with vitiligo, representing 3.2% of new dermatologic cases, were enrolled. The study group was made up of 153 males and 198 females, giving a sex ratio of 1 : 1.3. The peak incidence of vitiligo was in the second and third decades of life, and the most common form of presentation was the localized focal type (77%), followed by the segmental type (12.5%) and the generalized form (10.5%). Common sites affected were the limbs (32%), trunk (23.8%), face (18.2%), head and neck (9.1%), and the mucous membranes (7.4%). There was a positive family history of vitiligo in 18% of subjects and 3.4% had systemic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus (1.7%), anemia (0.8%), hyperthyroidism (0.6%), and leukemia (0.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Vitiligo on darkly pigmented skin is often a very striking disease. Our findings show that the pattern of vitiligo is similar to that reported from other parts of the world. The high level of social stigmatization is due to confusion with leprosy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Whose priorities count? Comparison of community-identified health problems and Burden-of-Disease-assessed health priorities in a district in Uganda.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to compare health problems as defined quantitatively by the Burden of Disease study to those defined by the community. The secondary aim was to explore the potential for using qualitative participatory methodologies as tools for planing and priority setting. DESIGN: Interviews and group discussions with a purposely sampled set of community members (n = 51) and community leaders(n = 6). The Nominal group technique, as well as in-depth interviews, were used to identify major health problems - as perceived by the community. Epidemiological data on the major health problems were derived from the national Burden of Disease study. RESULTS: Community perceived health problems were similar to those identified by the burden of disease study. Reasons given for the ranking included prevalence, fatality, social and cultural stigma. Social stigma and cultural values were not considered in the burden of disease studies. However, socially stigmatized diseases were considered to be more serious compared to non-stigmatised conditions, in spite of their low prevalence. Poverty and lack of knowledge were the perceived major causes of ill-health in the community. CONCLUSIONS: Qualitative approaches like the nominal group technique may be useful in eliciting community values that could supplement quantitative information like that elicited by the Burden of Disease study. Such a mixed approach would capture both epidemiologicaly assessed and community felt needs in the priority setting process.

Adolescent↗