Change of Brain Functional Connectivity in Patients With Spinal Cord Injury: Graph Theory Based Approach

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the global functional reorganization of the brain following spinal cord injury with graph theory based approach by creating whole brain functional connectivity networks from resting state-functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), characterizing the reorganization of these networks using graph theoretical metrics and to compare these metrics between patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and age-matched controls. METHODS: Twenty patients with incomplete cervical SCI (14 males, 6 females; age, 55+/-14.1 years) and 20 healthy subjects (10 males, 10 females; age, 52.9+/-13.6 years) participated in this study. To analyze the characteristics of the whole brain network constructed with functional connectivity using rs-fMRI, graph theoretical measures were calculated including clustering coefficient, characteristic path length, global efficiency and small-worldness. RESULTS: Clustering coefficient, global efficiency and small-worldness did not show any difference between controls and SCIs in all density ranges. The normalized characteristic path length to random network was higher in SCI patients than in controls and reached statistical significance at 12%-13% of density (p<0.05, uncorrected). CONCLUSION: The graph theoretical approach in brain functional connectivity might be helpful to reveal the information processing after SCI. These findings imply that patients with SCI can build on preserved competent brain control. Further analyses, such as topological rearrangement and hub region identification, will be needed for better understanding of neuroplasticity in patients with SCI.

Preparation and identification of monoclonal antibody against enoyl-CoA hydratase 1 / 南方医科大学学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To prepare monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against enoyl-CoA hydratase 1 (ECH1).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Normal human liver tissues were homogenized, and the mitochondria were isolated by differential centrifugation. The total mitochondrial proteins were used to immunize BALB/c mice to prepare mAbs by routine hybridoma technique. The mAbs were characterized by ELISA, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The specificity of the antibody was identified by mass spectrometry (MS) following immunoprecipitation (IP) and confirmed by Uni-ZAP expression library screening.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>One clone of the hybridoma BGB095 secreting specific mAb against ECH1 was obtained. The mAb was identified to belong to Ig subclass IgG1 and could be used in ELISA, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunoprecipitation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>A hybridoma cell line stably secreting specific mAb against ECH1 has been established. The specific mAb against ECH1 can be of great value for functional and distribution studies of ECH1.</p>

Effect of a Multidisciplinary and Individualized Educational Program on the Need for Caring among Patients with Cancer under Radiotherapy / 종양간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the effect of an individualized educational program by multidisciplinary staffs on the need for caring among patients with radiotherapy. METHODS: A quasi experimental study with one group was designed to examine the effect. A total of 48 adult patients were recruited from a university hospital in G-city, Korea from July, 2006 to June, 2007. The level of patients' need for caring during radiotherapy was assessed at the pre- and post-education by a trained research assistant. The level of patients' need for caring on radiotherapy was measured with a 20-item questionnaire. RESULTS: Paired t-test showed that the level of patients' need was reduced at the post-test compared to pre-test (t=3.40, p=0.002). The level of need was higher among the older than 65 yr (F=4.82, p=0.034), and patients who had education years less than 10 yr (F=4.40, p=0.042) and not a spouse (F=5.97, p=0.019) at the pre-test, while there were no difference according to participants' characteristics at the post-test. CONCLUSIONS: This multidisciplinary and individualized education program was effective on reducing the level of need for caring during radiotherapy. Therefore, for long-term self-management, further educational strategies based on patients' needs through multidisciplinary teamwork need to be developed and applied.

Development of Web-based Multimedia Contents for the Critical Care Practice of Nursing Students through Inter-College Collaboration / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop Web-based multimedia contents for supporting student nurses' clinical practice on critical care, and to evaluate learners' responses. METHODS: Based on the steps of Assessment, Design, Development, Implementation, & Evaluation(ADDIE) model, a total of 13 self-directed learning modules including live lectures and real video clips were developed through faculty collaboration of nine nursing colleges in Gwangju and Chonnam province. The finally developed multimedia contents were published on the Web of the learning management system at a local e-learning center. RESULTS: The Web contents were evaluated after self-learning by 81 junior college nursing students who were encouraged to study it at their own pace during their two-week clinical practice at a medical or surgical intensive care unit of a university hospital and two hospitals. The knowledge (t = -27.66, p < .001) and self-evaluated clinical performance level(t = 7.54, p < .001) were significantly increased after learning of the Web contents and clinical practice, and satisfaction level that measured post-test only was 4.0 out of 5 point. CONCLUSION: The use of Web contents for critical care need to be extended as a complimentary material in a class room lecture or clinical practice of students to increase their self-learning ability and understandings of clinical knowledge and situation.

Development and Evaluation of a Simulation-based Education Course for Nursing Students / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to develop a simulation-based education course and to evaluate the results after the application for second year nursing students. METHODS: This study was a non-equivalent control pre-post design. Based on the clinical situation scenarios about patients with COPD and MI, a total of two simulation-based learning modules was developed. Pretest and posttest was conducted to evaluate the difference in critical thinking disposition, problem solving, and clinical competence between two groups of 102 students for the experimental group, 2007 and 90 students for the control group, 2006. The experimental group conducted a clinical performance evaluation in the final test, on December 10, 2007. RESULTS: In the experimental group, knowledge related to learning objectives was significantly increased and core intervention was performed almost exactly, but the same result was not observed in domains of analysis of laboratory test, and nursing education for patients. Self-evaluated clinical competence and problem solving level were significantly more improved in the experimental group than control group, but critical thinking disposition level wasn't. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, a simulation-based education course needs to utilize self-directed learning module like computer-based learning through web contents and MicroSim and video productions for improving nursing students' critical thinking.

Nursing Activities and Outcomes Related to Indwelling Urinary Catheterization from a Review of Medical Records and Interviews / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify nursing activities and to analyze patient outcomes related to indwelling urinary catheterization. METHOD: A review was done of 628 medical records from five units for patients admitted between January 1 and June 30, 2006. Twelve nurses who worked in the same units were interviewed. RESULTS: In the interviews, nurses reported considering several non-invasive interventions prior to catheterization but there were no medical records of this activity. Results from the in-depth interviews showed that infection control activities such as urinary bag management were conducted but again there were no medical records. Seventy-five percent of the catheters were removed without prescription. In the medical records there were no notes for approximately 15%, on the time of first voiding and 80%, on volume of first voiding after removal of catheter. There was a significant difference in hospitalization days between the group catheterized for 5 days or less and the group catheterized for 6 days or more. CONCLUSION: Results indicate a need to close the gap between recorded and described activities and between current and best evidence based practice. Further study is needed to develop a standard recording system and guidelines related indwelling catheterization to decrease the gaps identified in this research.

Preparation and identification of monoclonal antibody against UGP2 / 中国实验血液学杂志

The study was aimed to generate monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against homo sapiens UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase 2 (UGP2). Normal human liver tissues homogenized, and cytosolic proteins isolated by centrifugation were used to immunize BALB/c mice to generate mAbs by hybridoma technique. The mAbs were identified by ELISA, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry assay. The antibody specificity was confirmed by Uni-ZAP expression library screening. The results indicated that one hybridoma BAD062 secreting specific mAb against UGP2 was established. The Ig subclass of this mAb was IgG(2b) (kappa), and it could be used in ELISA, Western blot, immunohistochemistry assay. The antigen recognized by BAD062 mAb was localized in the hepatocyte cytoplasm, with molecular weight of 56 kD in the cytosolic proteins of human liver tissue. The BAD062 mAb was further confirmed by immunoscreening of Uni-ZAP XR liver cDNA expression library. It is concluded that a hybridoma cell line stably secretes specific mAb against UGP2. This mAb reacted with UGP2 in ELISA, Western blot, immunohistochemistry assay, and would be very useful for the UGP2 studies.

Preparation and identification of monoclonal antibody against Homo sapiens hemoglobin alpha 2 (HBA2) / 中国实验血液学杂志

This study was purposed to prepare and identify monoclonal antibodies (McAbs) against Homo sapiens hemoglobin alpha 2 (HBA2). Normal human fetal liver tissues were homogenized, and human liver nuclear proteins were isolated by centrifugation. The total human fetal liver nuclear proteins were used to immunize BALB/c mice for preparing McAbs by hybridoma technique. The McAbs specificity was identified by ELISA, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. The antigen was identified by Uni-ZAP expression library screening. The results showed that one hybridoma cell line, AEE091, secreting specific McAb against HBA2 was established. The Ig subclass of this McAb was IgG1 (kappa). Data from immunohistochemistry assay showed that AEE091 could recognize human liver nuclear protein. Using AEE091 McAb, isolation of the protein antigen by IP revealed that AEE091 McAb could recognize 15 kD protein. Screening the Uni-ZAP XR pre-made liver cDNA library with AEE091 hybridoma cell supernatants demonstrated that AEE091 McAb specially reacted with HBA2. It is concluded that a hybridoma cell line stably secreting specific McAb against HBA2 is established. The specific McAb against HBA2 would be very useful for studying HBA2 function and screening thalassemia.

Analysis of Performance on Activities in Critical Pathway of Total Hip Replacement Surgery / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the extent of performance on activities in critical pathway (CP) according to eight domains and six admission days on nursing records of patients who received total hip replacement surgery. METHODS: We reviewed 90 nursing records of patients who received total hip replacement surgery from June, 2004 to July, 2005 at C University Hospital. Data were collected using Hong's CP (2002) and were analyzed using ANOVA. RESULTS: The domain of diet was valued the highest in CP performance scoring, followed by the domains of assessment, activities, and test. There were differences in the performance scores according to the period of admission in all of the domains. Among 132 activities in the CP, 18 activities were completely performed, of which most included activities belonging to the domain of assessment on the admission day. Twelve activities were never performed, of which most included activities belonging to the domain of treatment on the day of operation and the first day after operation. CONCLUSIONS: Therefore, further studies on the development of a new system to increase CP utilization and on updating the contents of CP from the best practice based on evidence is recommended.

Effects of Web-based Multimedia Contents for Mechanical Ventilator Practice on Knowledge and Clinical Competence of Nursing Students / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of web-based learning for ventilator practice on the knowledge and clinical competence of nursing students. METHOD: The research design was a non-equivalent control group pre-post non-synchronized design. Twenty five nursing students were collected for the experimental group from August 23 to November 26, 2004 and nineteen nursing students for the control group from August 22 to November 25, 2005. All subjects experienced clinical practices in an intensive care unit of a hospital in G city for 2 weeks. The web-based learning for ventilator practice was conducted in the experimental group only. The data were analyzed with t-test and ANCOVA using SPSS 10.1 program. RESULT: The 2 week web-based clinical practice learning significantly improved the knowledge scores for the experimental group, however, there was no significant differences in the score for the clinical competence between experimental and control group. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that a self-directed web-based learning for ventilator practice of nursing students can facilitate the knowledge of care for a ventilated patient. Therefore, faculties should develop a variety of web-based multimedia content programs for clinical instruction based on clinical situation.

A Study on Characteristics of Dyspnea in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the Emergency Department Visits / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine descriptors of dyspnea and clinical characteristics in patients with COPD at ED visit. METHOD: The study design was a descriptive survey, and 46 patients with COPD complaining of dyspnea were participated during their visits to the ED of C university hospital in G city, from October 1, 2004 to April 8, 2005. RESULT: The qualitative characteristics of dyspnea at the time of decision to the ED visit were short of breath (71.7%), tight (32.6%), hard to breathe (15.2%), smothering or suffocating (10.9%), gasping (8.7%), couldn't breathe (6.5%), constricted (2.2%), and hunger for air (2.2%). In the item of dyspnea checklists, My chest felt tight was the most common description among subjects. As the result of factor analysis of dyspnea checklists, the first factor was characterized rapid and shallow, the second was suffocating/smothering, the third was hunger for air, and the fourth was constricted. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that a checklist of dyspnea descriptors based on this findings would be utilized as a tool of initial and ongoing assessment for dyspneic patients with COPD in the ED after identifying the validity and reliability of the checklist.

Nurses' Image Perceived by Academic and Vocational High School Teachers in Korea / 간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify nurses' image and its related factors to make nurses' image among academic and vocational high school teachers in Korea. METHOD: Study samples were composed of 470 teachers who were from 12 high schools in G and J city located in southwestern part of Korea. Data were collected from August 26 to October 4, 2002. The internal consistency of the total scale was Cronbach's = .940. RESULT: In order to make nurses' image, 76.4% of respondents were influenced by the experience of their hospitalization in visiting hospitals. The mean score of nurses' image in general was 3.19 0.55; in four subcategories, 3.46 0.60 for professional image, 3.28 0.69 for traditional image, 2.93 0.70 for social image, and 2.91 0.64 for vision of nursing career. The mean score of nurses' image in general was more positive significantly in the 50's age group (F=6.43, p= .002) and in male groups (t=2.92, p= .002). CONCLUSION: On the basis of these findings, nursing professionals need to improve their working conditions, aspiration in job, and autonomy of nurses in their practice fields, monitor the mass media and other publishing materials continuously, and share the appropriate information on nursing profession to the school teachers and the public.