Biological Research For Nursing

A series of coordinated enzymatic reactions takes place in the body whenever blood clots. The major physiological initiator of these reactions is a membrane-bound glycoprotein known as tissue factor (TF), which is normally separated from the bloodstream by the vascular endothelium. Bleeding, caused by injury or tissue damage, activates a complex enzyme cascade as TF becomes exposed to the bloodstream. In disease states, leukocytes or the vascular endothelium may abnormally express TF to cause intravascular coagulation. The blood-coagulation cascade is also relevant to diseases such as hemophilia, in which patients are deficient in blood proteins necessary for clotting, and is linked to vascular diseases such as heart attack and stroke, in which clotting can lead to the occlusion of blood vessels. Coagulation is also activated in inflammation and cancer. In this article, we discuss characteristics of TF and review its role in inflammation and cancer.

Background: The majority of breast cancers originate in the epithelial lining of the breast ductal system. Premalignant cell damage in this lining may produce biochemical signals that deliver inflammatory proteins to the site. The presence of C-reactive protein (CRP) in nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) may reflect an inflammatory state indicative of a premalignant breast microenvironment. This study ascertained CRP's presence in NAF and evaluated if risk factors, as identified by the Gail model, were associated with NAF CRP levels among healthy women. Design: NAF CRP levels were assayed in 59 women. Results: CRP was present in NAF and significantly (p = .04) and positively related to breast cancer risk as predicted by the Gail model. Conclusion: CRP is differentially present in NAF and varies by Gail model risk factors. CRP in NAF holds promise as a noninvasive biomarker that detects a precarcinogenic breast ductal microenvironment and may contribute to the diagnosis of breast cancer early in the course of the disease when prognosis is most favorable.

Individuals are capable of producing vitamin D with proper exposure to sunlight. However, several factors can interfere with the effectiveness of this process. Most sunscreens filter out UVB light, thus inhibiting vitamin D production. Individuals with more darkly pigmented skin have greater difficulty producing vitamin D because melanin acts as an effective natural sunscreen, requiring longer sun exposure to produce an adequate daily allotment of vitamin D. Additionally, solely breastfed infants whose mothers suffered from vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency when pregnant have smaller reserves of the nutrient and are at greater risk of developing nutritional rickets. Vitamin D deficiency leads to rickets, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis. Long-term vitamin D insufficiency can lead to paracrine effects such as type 1 diabetes, cancer, and multiple sclerosis. This article reviews the current literature on vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency and their relation to different disease states. Potential areas for research are discussed.

Latinos, the fastest growing minority group in the United States, are among the hardest hit by diabetes. Among Latinos, Mexican Americans have the highest rate (23.9%) of diabetes. Good self-management can improve glycemic control and decrease diabetes complications but can be challenging to achieve. The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and examine the effects of a culturally tailored intervention for Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes on outcomes of self-management. The study used a pretest/posttest control group design with 10 participants in each group (N = 17). Feasibility and acceptability of the tailored diabetes self-management program was assessed by examining ease of recruitment and retention rates. The behavioral outcomes of self-efficacy, diabetes knowledge and self-care measures, and the biologic outcomes of weight, body mass index, HbA1C, and blood glucose were used to examine intervention effectiveness. Successful recruitment of participants came from personal referrals from providers or the promotora. Retention rates were 100% for the intervention group and 80% for the control group. Findings suggest that the intervention had a positive clinical and statistical effect on diabetes knowledge, weight, and body mass index. Improvements were also noted in self-efficacy scores, blood glucose, and HbA1C, but these changes did not reach statistical significance. A culturally tailored diabetes self-management program may result in improved outcomes for Mexican Americans with type 2 diabetes.

This study examines to what extent academic nursing faculty members understand the purpose of general clinic research centers (GCRCs) and use this resource in their programs of research. GCRCs provide a controlled research-oriented infrastructure to conduct safe, innovative, and multidisciplinary studies. Survey questionnaires were sent to associate deans of research at schools of nursing accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education or the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission within 60 miles of a GCRC. They were asked to distribute questionnaires to 20% of faculty members. Of the 186 nurse faculty members responding, 85% had not conducted research at a GCRC as a principal investigator and 69% of the sample reported that their colleges or universities do not make information about GCRCs available to new faculty. Making greater use of this valuable resource allows nurse researchers to become more involved in developing new knowledge and testing interventions and in psychological and physiologic measurements, thus doing more to fulfill the mission of nursing research and increasing the involvement of nurses in the broader community of health science research.

Lifetime prevalence rates of depression are higher in women than men. Because this gender disparity appears after the onset of puberty and declines after menopause, gonadal hormones may play a role in women's increased vulnerability to dysphoric states. Estrogens have powerful effects beyond their role in reproduction. Fluctuations in estrogen occur naturally throughout the reproductive years and can be associated with disruptions in mood. Treatment for depression with exogenous estrogen has produced equivocal results. To shed light on the complex interactions among estrogens, serotonin, and mood, we briefly examine (a) central serotonin systems and their relationship to mood and mood disorders, (b) nonreproductive effects of estrogens on those systems, (c) potential points of intersection between serotonin systems and estrogens, and (d) research into the use of exogenous estrogen in depression in women. In conclusion, we reiterate the call for carefully controlled research into the etiology and treatment of depression in women.

This study investigates the association of psychological symptoms with the distribution of two serotonin transporter gene (SERT) polymorphisms, located in the promoter region (5-HTTLPR) and in intron 2 (STin2 VNTR), in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Participants, 21 men and 117 women, were assessed for mental health history and current psychological distress. A blood sample was used for genotyping. Participants who were homozygous for the short allele of 5-HTTLPR or carried a STin2.9 VNTR allele were significantly more likely to have a history of depression. Participants did not differ by genotype in their history of anxiety or suicidal ideation nor in their current levels of depression, anxiety, or general psychological distress. The results support a biopsychosocial model of IBS in which SERT genotype modifies the risk for depressive episodes. Long term, practitioners may individualize treatment of patients with IBS using genotype as one of the factors.

Since the sequencing of the human genome, there has been increased interest in understanding the distribution and effects of genetic variations among individuals. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) is a well-established and frequently used method for genotyping. This method, however, is indirect and has a number of limitations. It is thus important to reevaluate the use of RFLP in light of more contemporary methods of genotyping. The specific aims of this study are to (a) compare genotyping methods of traditional RFLP with contemporary direct sequencing for accurate identification of polymorphisms within the human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene and (b) describe distribution of a known single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the VEGF gene in a sample composed of 50 healthy volunteers. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to amplify the initial sample of DNA. Genotypes of a G-to-A substitution (GG, AG, AA) at -1154 were analyzed by RFLP and direct sequencing. RFLP was unable to discriminate among the three possible genotypes, whereas direct sequencing clearly identified genotype for all 50 samples. Observed genotype frequencies were comparable with the Hardy-Weinberg principle. This comparative study provides justification for selecting direct sequencing instead of RFLP for detecting SNPs in selected genes.