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PubMed1999

Towards (re)conciliation: (re)constructing relationships between indigenous health workers and nurses.

Currently in Australia, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians are attempting to reconcile themselves with a history of colonization/invasion, which resulted in human rights violations against Australia's indigenous people. Australian nursing has to examine its past in relation to the treatment of Aboriginal Australians. Relationships between nurses and Aboriginal health workers are the most commonly occurring professional relationships between nurses and Aboriginal people and are of key importance to the successful delivery of health services to Aboriginal communities. This qualitative study, grounded in feminism, aimed to explore the professional relationships between Aboriginal health workers and nurses and to develop insights which could assist the Australian nursing profession through a process of reconciliation with Aboriginal Australians. Feminist analysis of narrative text revealed several key themes as being crucial to this process. These were: learning to know and understand; towards workplace equity; and skill sharing -- learning from each other. Implications for nursing, in its journey toward reconciliation with Aboriginal Australians, are drawn from this study.

Australia↗
PubMed2001

Re-thinking representations, re-writing nursing texts: possibilities through feminist and Foucauldian thought.

FOCUS: Critical approaches are increasingly being used to inform theory and research within the discipline of nursing. In this paper we discuss the work of feminist writers, particularly those located within the postmodern, and Michel Foucault. Their work, although having significant points of difference, can be viewed as complementary and our engagement with these ideas has led us to re-think nursing knowledge. RATIONALE: Using ideas from Foucault and postmodern feminism foregrounds critical questions such as whose knowledge is visible in nursing literature, whose is suppressed, and the power relationships reflected in representations of knowledge. Our exploration of representations of knowledge has led us to review fundamental nursing texts that we consider to be important political and ideological artefacts in the enculturation of student nurses. The dominant position of medical knowledge in the texts reviewed continues to position this 'voice' as primary in nursing literature. DISCUSSION: Drawing on our current research on endometriosis to illustrate the potential inherent in rewriting such texts, we argue for a repositioning of knowledge related to the illness experience. Privileging the voices of people who are the focus of our clinical care reflects the reality of nurses' work; the embodied experience of the person is made visible rather than marginalized in the illness discourse.

Feminism↗
PubMed1997

Leadership in British nursing: a historical dimension.

A historical overview of nurse leadership in the late 19th and late 20th centuries is presented, supported by relevant material from the literature. The 19th century material revealed the following main themes: emphasis on practical and domestic aspects of management; prominent input of religious ideals and social conscience and, autocratic and feminized style of leadership. The main themes in the contemporary literature examined were: role models in history, dysfunctional leadership styles, importance of knowledge, gender as an influencing factor on nurse leadership and threats to the autonomy of nurse leaders. It was concluded that formal nurse professionalization has progressed steadily during the past hundred years with associated evolution of nurse leaders to fit in with contemporary needs. It is hoped that future policies for nursing will encourage decision-making nearer the 'bed-side', more resource-driven care and value-based leadership.

Christianity↗
PubMed2000

Poststructuralism and nursing: uncomfortable bedfellows?

The benefits and limitations of the application of poststructuralist in nursing research are discussed. The debate concerning the use of poststructuralist theory in feminist research is drawn on to argue a divergence between a deconstructionist poststructuralism and nursing aims. It is argued that there are strong parallels between nursing and social movements such as feminism. The reasons why many feminist and nursing researchers have been attracted to poststructuralist theory are explored, as are the criticisms of poststructuralism as an inadequate, even reactionary theory. It is argued that poststructuralism is useful for examining or deconstructing existing discourse and practice, but incompatible and inadequate for research which aims to develop or change such discourses or practices.

Authoritarianism↗
PubMed2003

Midnight reckonings: on a question of knowledge and nursing.

The paper contrasts understandings of knowledge grounded in Enlightenment norms with the departures from those norms taken by some strands of feminism and hermeneutics, as well as the contributions made by the writing of Michel Foucault. A reading of Foucault's writings on knowledge, power and the discursive constitution of self and world is offered as a potentially useful frame within which to raise questions about nursing, nurses and knowledge.

Feminism↗
PubMed1994

Adrenocortical tumors in children: a report of 12 cases.

Adrenocortical tumors in children are extremely rare, accounting only for 0.3-0.4% of all neoplasms in this age. Most frequently they secrete hormones, resulting in virilization, Cushing's syndrome or feminization, while the non-functioning ones are unusual. The authors describe 12 cases observed in 13 years (1976-1989), with a mean age of 5 years. 9 cases showed virilization, 4 presented with Cushing's syndrome and in 5 patients an abdominal mass was palpable. One case was affected by Beckwith-Wiedemann's syndrome. I.V. urography was performed in 8 patients, arteriography in 4 and since 1982 all patients were submitted to abdominal sonography and CT scan or MR imaging. Urinary 17-ketosteroids, 17-hydroxycorticoids and serum testosterone and cortisol were tested in all children. Dexamethasone suppression test was performed in 7. All patients were treated with surgery which seems to be the most suitable treatment, while the real effectiveness of treatment by drug therapy with suppressors of steroidogenesis is not confirmed in children. Histopathological examination showed typical features of adenoma in 5 cases, of adenocarcinoma in 4, while three cases revealed border line forms classified as "atypical adenomas". At the moment 10 patients are alive with a follow-up ranging from 18 months to 14 years, while 2 children with adenocarcinoma are dead.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Abstracting women: essentialism in women's health research.

Women's desire to take control of their own bodies creates a natural affinity between the projects of feminism and women's health research. Feminists have used the categories of woman/women, gender, and sex as foundation terms to designate the subject of feminist theories. Universal categories, which have been exposed as essentialist by postmodern and poststructural critiques, create falsely unified subject positions that fail to account for the diversity of women and also fail to acknowledge the situated interests of the dominant groups whose perspectives they reflect. Because it adopts these same categories, research in women's health is also permeated with this essentialized understanding, whether or not it is overtly feminist. In this paper, we point out the dangers of the unreflective use of woman/women, gender, and sex in women's health research. We conclude, that for political purposes, however, a carefully considered "strategic essentialism" can be warranted in research aimed at improving women's health.

Female↗
PubMed1996

The heterosexual singles scene: putting danger into pleasure.

The juxtaposition of pleasure and danger has engaged many feminist theorists and researchers in the field of sexuality. This article presents a theoretical analysis of the ambiguous and complex relationship between 'pleasure', 'danger' and contemporary feminist theory. In doing so, it offers an understanding of the ways in which the categories of pleasure and danger operate within the discourses of heterosexuality to construct perceptions of risk in the context of HIV/AIDS. Data were collected from a study of the sexual attitudes and practices of 112 sexually-active, single, heterosexual adults (58 men and 54 women), aged 20 to 40 years (mean = 27 years) who agreed to be interviewed when approached at night-clubs and public "singles' bars around Melbourne, Australia. The qualitative analysis presented here is consistent with a poststructuralist feminism. First, we discuss how sexuality cannot be cast solely as pleasurable or dangerous. Second, we demonstrate how heterosexualized notions of pleasure and danger operate to provide misperceptions of risk from HIV/AIDS transmission. Third, we identify the ways in which the logic of identity functions to obscure risk within the discourse of heterosexuality, and finally we attempt to forge new ways of practising pleasure which disrupt heterosexist discourses and allow for pleasures which incorporate danger.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Decapitating the U.S. Census Bureau's "head of household": feminist mobilization in the 1970s.

"In 1970, as in previous decades, the U.S. Bureau of the Census's household enumeration began with a lead question as to who was the ¿head of household'. With the resurgence of feminism, this concept was challenged as an ambiguous concept which implied an authority structure imputed by the Bureau but not measured, and offensive to many people. This paper tells the story of successful feminist mobilization in the 1970s that led to the removal of this concept from the U.S. decennial censuses beginning with 1980."

Americas↗
PubMed1993

[Alcohol, liver cirrhosis and disorders in sex hormone metabolism].

Abnormalities in the metabolism of sex hormones are frequently observed in cirrhotic patients, especially in chronic alcoholics. Signs of hypogonadism with disturbed reproductive and endocrine gonadal functions are found in men as well as in women. Primary hypogonadism as well as hypothalamic-pituitary inhibition seem to play a role. Primary gonadal insufficiency is the result of a direct toxic effect of ethanol and of acetaldehyde on the gonads with inhibition of LH binding to the Leydig cells, with inhibition of the enzymes responsible for the formation of sex hormones, and with inhibition of the intratesticular activation of vitamin A. Hypothalamic-pituitary hypogonadism also results from a direct toxic effect of ethanol as well as from the increasing concentrations of oestrogens in the plasma. Men with alcoholic cirrhosis may also be characterized by signs of feminization, which mainly result from an increased peripheral conversion of androgens. In men who abstain from alcohol, a spontaneous recovery of sexual functions can occur, especially when no testicular atrophy is found and when the response of gonadotrophins after stimulation with LH-RH is normal. Therapeutically, only the administration of non-aromatizable androgens in high doses seems to lead to recovery of potency.

Alcoholism↗
PubMed2006

Proteasomal ubiquitin receptor RPN-10 controls sex determination in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The ubiquitin-binding RPN-10 protein serves as a ubiquitin receptor that delivers client proteins to the 26S proteasome. Although ubiquitin recognition is an essential step for proteasomal destruction, deletion of the rpn-10 gene in yeast does not influence viability, indicating redundancy of the substrate delivery pathway. However, their specificity and biological relevance in higher eukaryotes is still enigmatic. We report herein that knockdown of the rpn-10 gene, but not any other proteasome subunit genes, sexually transforms hermaphrodites to females by eliminating hermaphrodite spermatogenesis in Caenorhabditis elegans. The feminization phenotype induced by deletion of the rpn-10 gene was rescued by knockdown of tra-2, one of sexual fate decision genes promoting female development, and its downstream target tra-1, indicating that the TRA-2-mediated sex determination pathway is crucial for the Delta rpn-10-induced sterile phenotype. Intriguingly, we found that co-knockdown of rpn-10 and functionally related ubiquitin ligase ufd-2 overcomes the germline-musculinizing effect of fem-3(gf). Furthermore, TRA-2 proteins accumulated in rpn-10-defective worms. Our results show that the RPN-10-mediated ubiquitin pathway is indispensable for control of the TRA-2-mediated sex-determining pathway.

Alleles↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serendipity. A focus group turned hermeneutic evaluation.

When a focus group exploring the influence of feminism on students' lives became a hermeneutic evaluation, we understood students' lived experience, gained a retrospective view of students' developing feminist voice, and learned how feminist education influenced students' personal and professional lives. Nurse educators in programs espousing phenomenological, practice-driven, dialogic education are encouraged to integrate hermeneutic evaluation strategies so faculty-student groups can make courses and curricula relevant and meaningful.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1988

Estrogen-secreting adrenal tumor responsive to ACTH: localization by adrenal venous sampling.

In a 48-year-old man with gynecomastia but no other signs of feminization, routine evaluation revealed only minimally elevated serum estrogens. The diagnosis of an estrogen-secreting adrenal tumor was suggested by CT and confirmed by adrenal venous sampling. This tumor was found to be ACTH-responsive. Results in this patient are compared with those in normal volunteers, in whom adrenal venous sampling failed to localize estrogen secretion and in whom ACTH did not increase estrogens.

Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms↗
PubMed2000

Commonalities in women's spirituality and women's health.

Both women's spirituality and women's health movements have grown dramatically in recent years. If clinicians understood in greater depth the commonalities between these two perspectives, then they would be better positioned to foster the health of women more fully. In this article, concepts of feminism, religion, spirituality, and women's health are described briefly. After identifying some assumptions, themes, and characteristics of both women's spirituality and women's health, the commonalities between these two perspectives are delineated. Next, processes critical to women's spirituality and women's health are proposed. Finally, implications for clinical practice are offered.

Empathy↗
PubMed2002

Abolition of hypertension-induced end-organ damage by androgen receptor blockade in transgenic rats harboring the mouse ren-2 gene.

A sexual dimorphism in hypertension has been observed in both human and laboratory animal studies. The mechanisms by which male sex hormones regulate cardiovascular homeostasis are still not yet fully understood and represent the subject of this study. The possible involvement of androgen receptors in the development of hypertension and end-organ damage in transgenic rats harboring the mouse Ren-2 renin gene [TGR(mREN2)27] was studied. Male TGR(mREN2)27 rats were treated with the androgen receptor antagonist Flutamide starting at 4 wk of age. Also, an androgen receptor mutation (testicular feminization mutation [tfm]) was introduced in these rats by crossbreeding male TGR(mREN2)27 rats with tfm rats. The resulting offspring male rats that contain the tfm mutation are insensitive to androgens. Flutamide treatment or tfm mutation produced a significant attenuation of the development of hypertension. Besides a reduction in cardiac hypertrophy, urinary albumin excretion was blunted and no histologic characteristics of end-organ damage were observed in the kidney after Flutamide treatment. Testosterone levels increased 15-fold after Flutamide treatment and 2.7-fold by the tfm mutation. Also, plasma estrogens and luteinizing and follicle-stimulating hormones were significantly increased. Plasma renin concentrations and activity but not plasma angiotensinogen were reduced. Our results indicate that androgens contribute not only to the development of hypertension, but even more importantly to end-organ damage in TGR(mREN2)27 rats.

Androgen Antagonists↗
PubMed2003

Variable male potential rate of reproduction: high male mating capacity as an adaptation to parasite-induced excess of females?

Numerous animals are known to harbour intracytoplasmic symbionts that gain transmission to a new host generation via female eggs and not male sperm. Bacteria of the genus Wolbachia are a typical example. They infect a large range of arthropod species and manipulate host reproduction in several ways. In terrestrial isopods (woodlice), Wolbachia are responsible for converting males into females (feminization (F)) in some species, or for infertility in certain host crosses in other species (cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI)). Wolbachia with the F phenotype impose a strong excess of females on their host populations, while Wolbachia expressing CI do not. Here, we test the possibility that male mating capacity (MC) is correlated with Wolbachia-induced phenotype. We show that males of isopod hosts harbouring F Wolbachia possess a strong MC (i.e. are able to mate with several females in a short time), while those of species harbouring CI Wolbachia possess a weaker MC. This pattern may be explained either by the selection of high MC following the increase in female-biased sex ratios, or because the F phenotype would lead to population extinction in species where MC is not sufficiently high. This last hypotheses is nevertheless more constrained by population structure.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Prochloraz: an imidazole fungicide with multiple mechanisms of action.

Prochloraz is an imidazole fungicide that is widely used in Europe, Australia, Asia and South America within gardening and agriculture. Screening studies have shown that prochloraz elicits multiple mechanisms of action in vitro, as it antagonizes the androgen and the oestrogen receptor, agonizes the Ah receptor and inhibits aromatase activity. In vivo prochloraz acts as an antiandrogen in the Hershberger assay by reducing weights of reproductive organs, affecting androgen-regulated gene expressions in the prostate and increasing luteinizing hormone levels. In order to investigate the developmental effects of prochloraz, pregnant Wistar dams were dosed perinatally with 30 mg/kg prochloraz. Results showed that prochloraz significantly reduced plasma and testicular testosterone levels in gestational day 21 male foetuses, whereas testicular progesterone was increased. Gestational length was increased by prochloraz. In male pups a significant increase in nipple retention was found, and the weight of the bulbourethral glands was decreased. Behavioural studies showed that the activity level and sweet preference of adult males were significantly increased, indicating that exposure during gestation and lactation causes permanent effects in adulthood. Overall, these results indicate that prochloraz feminizes the male offspring after perinatal exposure, and that these effects are due, at least in part, to diminished fetal steroidogenesis. Thus, a novel endocrine disruptor has been identified that is mechanistically interesting as it elicits dual mechanisms of action and acts as an antiandrogen both by blocking the androgen receptor and by inhibiting fetal steroidogenesis. That a fungicide with such effects is so widely used is a cause for concern, and its use should be reduced, thereby minimizing the risk of human exposure.

Androgen Antagonists↗
PubMed1996

Abortion: the antithesis of womanhood?

The debate regarding the practice and role of abortion has been an enduring and problematic area of discourse within the nursing literature, with a tendency towards a polarized and inevitably simplistic analysis of what, for many practitioners, women and families, remains a highly complex and morally fraught concept. This paper attempts to explore the concept of abortion from within a feminist epistemology, to present a review of the literature as regards women's reproductive health and responsibilities, and thereby to contribute to the process of better understanding the role of abortion within contemporary health care practice. In order to facilitate the study it has been necessary to explore the wide spectrum of historical, philosophical, legal, moral and political imperatives pertaining to the meaning of abortion as represented within contemporary society, not only in relation to women and their reproductive health, but to feminism, women's well-being and self-determinism per se.

Abortion, Legal↗