Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on Caring Experiences of Mental Health Nurses for the Mentally Ill Patients / 정신간호학회지

Purpose@#This study aimed at understanding the experiences of mental health nurses caring for mentally ill patients. @*Methods@#Van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological method was used to analyze qualitative data. The partici- pants were 8 mental health nurses who worked in hospitals, mental health welfare centers, or psychiatric reha- bilitation facilities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from July 24, 2017, to June 20, 2018. @*Results@#Eight essential themes emerged: “A body that must endure severe symptoms”, “A hand that cares for the wound”, “Ambivalence in a closed space”, “Making them adapt to the open world”, “Being together and getting close to the patients”, “Going forward, leaning on each other”, “Time to protect even a small light”, and “Becoming a shining star by myself”. @*Conclusion@#Strategies are needed to cope with patient violence and prevent psychological trauma. Mental health nurses should be trained for empathetic competency to understand symptoms and build trusting relationships. Caring requires respect and love based on humanity. Mental health nurses learn from patients and experience mutual care that grows through self-reflection. Policy support including financial and manpower security is essential to improving the quality of care and preventing exhaustion.

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study on Caring Experiences of Mental Health Nurses for the Mentally Ill Patients / 정신간호학회지

Purpose@#This study aimed at understanding the experiences of mental health nurses caring for mentally ill patients. @*Methods@#Van Manen’s hermeneutic phenomenological method was used to analyze qualitative data. The partici- pants were 8 mental health nurses who worked in hospitals, mental health welfare centers, or psychiatric reha- bilitation facilities. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from July 24, 2017, to June 20, 2018. @*Results@#Eight essential themes emerged: “A body that must endure severe symptoms”, “A hand that cares for the wound”, “Ambivalence in a closed space”, “Making them adapt to the open world”, “Being together and getting close to the patients”, “Going forward, leaning on each other”, “Time to protect even a small light”, and “Becoming a shining star by myself”. @*Conclusion@#Strategies are needed to cope with patient violence and prevent psychological trauma. Mental health nurses should be trained for empathetic competency to understand symptoms and build trusting relationships. Caring requires respect and love based on humanity. Mental health nurses learn from patients and experience mutual care that grows through self-reflection. Policy support including financial and manpower security is essential to improving the quality of care and preventing exhaustion.

Therapeutic effects of fermented soycrud on phenotypes of atopic dermatitis induced by phthalic anhydride / 한국실험동물학회지

Atopic dermatitis (AD), which is known as the most common pruritic skin disease, is caused by epidermal barrier dysfunction, allergies, microwave radiation, histamine intolerance, and genetic defects. To investigate the therapeutic effects of fermented soycrud (FSC) on AD pathology, alteration of AD phenotypes induced by phthalic anhydride (PA) treatment was assessed by ear thickness analysis, measurement of immune-related organ weights, ELISA, and histological and pathological analyses of ICR mice after FSC treatment for 2 weeks. Except for water content, the concentrations of most major components were lower in FSC compared to common tofu (CMT). Thymus and lymph node weights were significantly reduced in ICR mice treated with PA+CMT or PA+FSC, whereas spleen and body weights were maintained. Elevation of ear thickness induced by PA treatment was rapidly diminished in the CMT- and FSC-treated groups, although there was no significant difference between the two groups. Furthermore, significant reduction of epidermal thickness was detected in both the PA+CMT- and PA+FSC-treated groups. However, IgE concentration and dermal thickness were reduced only by PA+FSC treatment, whereas PA+CMT treatment maintained levels comparable to PA+vehicle treatment. The number of infiltrated mast cells was higher in the PA+vehicle-treated group compared to the untreated control. Following CMT or FSC treatment, mast cell infiltration was slightly reduced, although the CMT-treated group showed greater cell numbers. These results indicate that FSC may significantly relieve the phenotypes of AD induced by PA treatment and should be considered as a potential candidate for AD therapy.

Effects of PCLS-2 in Regulation of Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum Smooth Muscle Tone / 대한비뇨기과학회지

PURPOSE: Relaxation of the penile cavernosum smooth muscle is a critical event in erection. Artemisia iwaymogi(AI) is a perennial herb growing in Korea. The aerial parts have been used in folk medicine. Bioassay-guided fractionation of an H2O extract of AI has furnished an inhibitory substance (PCLS-2). We investigated compound extracted in the rabbit corporal cavernosum smooth muscle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Bioassay-guided fractionation of an H2O extract was used. A strip of rabbit corpus cavernosum was mounted in an organ chamber to measure the isometric tension. PCLS-2 compound induced relaxations were evaluated by in vitro study using muscarinic receptor blocker atropine (ATR), cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor indomethacin, nitric oxide synthase (NOS) ihibitor Nitro-L Arginine-Methyl Ester (NAME), guanylate cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin 1-one (ODQ), intrinsic neurotransmission inhibitor tetrodotoxin (TTX), or/and potassium channel blockers. RESULTS: PCLS-2 showed relaxation in a dose-dependent manner. Atropine, Indomethacin, NAME, ODQ, TTX, glibenclamide, tetraethylammonium, 4-aminopyridine, charybdotoxin, or apamin did not inhibit the relaxation induced by PCLS-2 compound. CONCLUSIONS: The present results suggest that the PCL-2 compound has effect of relaxation of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle and the relaxation was not involved muscarinic receptor, nitric oxide, prostaglandin, potassium channels and intrinsic neurotransmission. Other mechanisms may by involved in the PCLS-2 induced relaxation in the rabbit corpus cavernosum smooth muscle.

Isolation of the Orchid Mycorrhizal Fungi from the Korean Native Orchids in Cheju

The eleven isolates were isolated from the roots of Cymbidium goeriingii inhabited in the island of Cheju and from Cypripeium calceolus inhabited in the mountains around ChungPuk. The isolates were inoculated to the plantlets of commercial orchids and evaluated to be symbiotic with the orchids. Also, their genomic DNA was extracted from the cultures on the agars and reacted with the primers selected, understanding their biological relations with the pathogenic fungi. Out of eleven isolates, three were observed to stimulate the growth of the orchid plantlets and to be biologically related to the orchid symbiotic fungi, as based on the analyses of PCR-RAPD. Otherwise, the others were observed to decline the growth of orchid plantlet, compared with those of control, and to be grouped with the pathogenic. As based on the results of this work, the roots of C. goeriingii were found to be frequently infected with the pathogenic fungus rather than with symbiotic fungus in natural systems. Further, the infection of the commercial orchid with the pathogens was believed to be abundant without any inoculation of symbiotic fungus under the conditions of greenhouse.