Jouko Katajisto

Effect of dietary supplementation with sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) seed and pulp oils on the fatty acid composition of skin glycerophospholipids of patients with atopic dermatitis

Sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) seed and pulp oils have traditionally been used for treating skin diseases in China and Russia, but are not widely used in other countries. A placebo-controlled, parallel study was carried out to investigate the effects of these oils on the fatty acid composition of skin glycerophospholipids of patients with atopic dermatitis. Sixteen patients ate 5 g of sea buckthorn seed oil, pulp oil, or paraffin oil daily for 4 months. Skin fatty acids were analyzed with gas chromatography before and after treatment. The seed oil slightly increased the proportion of docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3) and decreased the proportion of palmitic acid (16:0) in skin glycerophospholipids (0.05 < P < 0.1). The levels of the other fatty acids remained stable. The results show that the fatty acid composition of skin glycerophospholipids is well buffered against short-term dietary modification.

Effects of dietary supplementation with sea buckthorn (Hippophaë rhamnoides) seed and pulp oils on atopic dermatitis

A placebo-controlled, double-blind study was conducted to investigate the effects of seed and pulp oils of sea buckthorn (Hipphophae rhamnoides) on atopic dermatitis. Linoleic (34%), alpha-linolenic (25%), and oleic (19%) acids were the major fatty acids in the seed oil, whereas palmitic (33%), oleic (26%), and palmitoleic (25%) acids were the major fatty acids in the pulp oil. The study group included 49 atopic dermatitis patients who took 5 g (10 capsules) of seed oil, pulp oil, or paraffin oil daily for 4 months. During follow-up dermatitis improved significantly in the pulp oil (P < 0.01) and paraffin oil (P < 0.001) groups, but improvement in the seed oil group was not significant (P = 0.11). Supplementation of seed oil increased the proportion of alpha-linolenic acid in plasma neutral lipids (P < 0.01), and increases of linoleic, alpha-linolenic, and eicosapentaenoic acids in plasma phospholipids were close to significant (0.05 < P < 0.1). Pulp oil treatment increased the proportion of palmitoleic acid (P < 0.05) and lowered the percentage of pentadecanoic acid (P < 0.01) in both plasma phospholipids and neutral lipids. In the seed oil group, after 1 month of supplementation, positive correlations were found between symptom improvement and the increase in proportions of alpha-linolenic acid in plasma phospholipids (Rs = 0.84; P = 0.001) and neutral lipids (Rs = 0.68; P = 0.02). No changes in the levels of triacylglycerols, serum total, or specific immunoglobulin E were detected. In the pulp oil group, a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the level of high density lipoprotein cholesterol, from 1.38 to 1.53 mmol/L was observed.

elements of Empowerment and Ms Patients

&NA; Elements of empowerment are: cognitive, experiential, ethical, social, biopbysiological, functional and economic. Empirical data from 64 Finnish multiple sclerosis patients were collected. Based on the data, the social element is the most dominating element of empowerment. Patient‐center research in nursing care of MS patients should be done to facilitate MS patients abilities toward empowerment.

Nursing study of the significance of rheumatoid arthritis as perceived by patients using the concept of empowerment

The purpose of this study was to analyse the empowerment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The data were collected in Finland and included 77 patients who described the significance they assigned to their health problem, how they control their health problem and how they could be empowered in their health life in free-form answers to open-ended questions. The data were analysed first through content analysis using the following categories of empowerment: cognitive, functional, social, experiential, ethical, economic and bio-physiological. Different content areas were numerically coded and descriptive statistics were used. All categories of empowerment were identified among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Functionally, the most important limitation was found to be mobility, which was closely linked to economic factors and lack of resources. Pain was the most important single factor limiting the lives of these patients.

The associations among the ethical climate, the professional practice environment and individualized care in care settings for older people.

AIM To investigate the associations among the ethical climate, professional practice environment and individualized nursing care in care settings for older people. BACKGROUND The quality of care provision is affected by organizational environments, such as ethical climate and professional practice environment. Although, the association between professional practice environment and individualized nursing care has been pointed out, we know that little is known about how ethical climate is associated with the level of individualized nursing care delivery. DESIGN A cross-sectional explorative and correlational survey design. METHODS The study was conducted in 62 units in the vicinity of a Finnish city using a sample of nurses (N = 874, response rate 58%) who worked clinically with older people in different care settings in 2012. Survey data were collected using the Hospital Ethical Climate Survey, Revised Professional Practice Environment scale and Individualised Care Scale-B. Data were analysed statistically using descriptive statistics, correlation coefficients (Pearson) and multiple stepwise regression analyses. RESULTS Statistically significant correlations were found among the variables, ethical climate and individualized care and between individualized care and all professional practice environment sub-scales. Multiple stepwise regression showed associations among individualized care, ethical climate and internal work motivation, control over practice and leadership and autonomy. CONCLUSIONS The study provided better understanding of the complex concept of individualized care by taking into consideration the ethical climate and the practice environment and their associations. To increase individualization in care provision, efforts need to be directed towards organizational aspects requiring the support of nursing leaders.

Geographical variations in seed oils from Rubus chamaemorus and Empetrum nigrum

Abstract Seeds of cloudberry ( Rubus chamaemorus ) and crowberry ( Empetrum nigrum ) growing wild in Finland between latitudes 60.5 and 69.5° were studied. Seed size, seed oil content and the composition of seed oil triacylglycerols were determined for berries collected from 14 areas. The weight of 100 seeds varied between 0.6 and 0.9 g in cloudberries and between 0.09 and 0.13 in crowberries. Cloudberry seeds collected in southern Finland were heavier ( P P P r = −0.61). The M r distribution of triacylglycerols showed no differences between cloudberry samples from south and north Finland. The seed oil of crowberry from the north contained more triacylglycerols of 52 acyl carbons (8 mole%) and less of those of 54 acyl carbons (87 mole%) than the corresponding sample from the south (6 and 90 mole%, respectively). The most abundant fatty acids were linoleic, α-linolenic, oleic and palmitic, which constituted over 95% of all fatty acids in both berry species. Latitudinal differences existed in the fatty acid compositions; for example, the proportion of linoleic acid was highest ( P P P P

Written orthopedic patient education materials from the point of view of empowerment by education.

Written patient education materials are one way of supporting patient empowerment. The aim of this study was to evaluate written orthopedic patient education materials (n = 25) drawn from a university hospitals electronic databank. In the absence of suitable tools for evaluation, an analytic framework was developed by a panel of nursing scientists and clinical experts. The materials were evaluated from the point of view of empowerment by their external appearance, content and instructiveness. In terms of their external appearance the materials were well prepared, but much was left to be desired with regard to contents and instructiveness. Development needs to focus on making better use of methods of visual representation, on increasing the coverage of content areas that so far have received less attention, like social, experiential, ethical and financial empowerment, and on providing a more focused perspective on the patient.

Difference Between Received and Expected Knowledge of Patients Undergoing Knee or Hip Replacement in Seven European Countries

The purpose of the study was to examine received and expected knowledge of patients with knee/hip arthroplasty in seven European countries. The goal was to obtain information for developing empowering patient education. The data were collected (during 2009-2012) from patients (n = 943) with hip/knee arthroplasty prior to scheduled preoperative education and before discharge with the Received Knowledge of hospital patient scale (RKhp) and Expected Knowledge of hospital patient scale (EKhp). Patients’ knowledge expectations were high but the level of received knowledge did not correspond to expectations. The difference between received and expected knowledge was higher in Greece and Sweden compared with Finland (p < .0001, p < .0001), Spain (p < .0001, p = .001), and Lithuania (p = .005, p = .003), respectively. Patients’ knowledge expectations are important in tailoring patient education. To achieve high standards in the future, scientific research collaboration on empowering patient education is needed between European countries.

Comparison of nurse educators’ and nursing students’ descriptions of teaching codes of ethics

This study analysed teaching of nurses’ codes of ethics in basic nursing education in Finland. A total of 183 educators and 214 students responded to a structured questionnaire. The data was analysed by SPSS. Teaching of nurses’ codes was rather extensive. The nurse-patient relationship was highlighted. Educators assessed their teaching statistically significantly more extensive than what students’ perceptions were. The use of teaching and evaluation methods was conventional, but differences between the groups concerning the use of these methods were statistically significant. Students’ knowledge of and their ability to apply the codes was mediocre. Most educators and students assessed educators’ knowledge of the codes as adequate for teaching. These educators also taught the codes more extensively and these students perceived the teaching as more extensive. Otherwise educators’ and students’ socio-demographic variables had little association with the teaching. Research should focus on the organization and effectiveness of ethics education, and on educators’ competence.

The impact of individual factors on healthcare staff's computer use in psychiatric hospitals.

AIM The study examines whether individual factors of healthcare staff are associated with computer use in psychiatric hospitals. In addition, factors inhibiting staffs optimal use of computers were explored. BACKGROUND Computer applications have developed the content of clinical practice and changed patterns of professional working. Healthcare staff need new capacities to work in clinical practice, including the basic computers skills. Computer use amongst healthcare staff has widely been studied in general, but cogent information is still lacking in psychiatric care. METHODS Staffs computer use was assessed using a structured questionnaire (The Staggers Nursing Computer Experience Questionnaire). The study population was healthcare staff working in two psychiatric hospitals in Finland (n = 470, response rate = 59%). The data were analysed with descriptive statistics and manova with main effects and two-way interaction effects of six individual factors. RESULTS Nurses who had more experience of computer use or of the implementation processes of computer systems were more motivated to use computers than those who had less experience of these issues. Males and administrative personnel who were younger had also participated more often than women in implementation processes of computer systems. The most significant factor inhibiting the use of computers was lack of interest in them. CONCLUSIONS In psychiatric hospitals, more direct attention should focus on staffs capacities to use computers and to increase their understanding of the benefits in clinical care, especially for women and ageing staff working in psychiatric hospitals. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE To avoid exclusion amongst healthcare personnel in information society and to ensure that they have capacities to guide patients on how to use computers or to evaluate the quality of health information on the web, staffs capacities and motivation to use computers in mental health and psychiatric nursing should be ensured.