A Study of Spousal Support, the Demand for Health Education, and Quality of Life for Married Female Immigrants / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand spousal support, demand for health education, and quality of life for married female immigrants. METHODS: A total of 120 subjects with adequate communication skills participated in this study from March 1, 2006 until January 30, 2007. Participants were female visitors at the Immigrant Consultation Center in "M City", "Y County" and "M County" in South Jeolla Province. The questionnaire used in this study consisted of a total of 42 items. Data were analyzed using SPSS/win 10.2 to describe subjects' characteristics by frequency, and descriptive statistics, and to test group differences by t-test and ANOVA. RESULTS: The highest demand for health education was exercise, and followed by stress management and diet. The level of spousal support for subjects was below average, and the level of quality of life was above the medium. The most difficult thing in their life was the difficulty in language. There was a significant difference in quality of life by level of education, level of life satisfaction, number of childbirths, and age. There was also a significant difference in spousal support by level of life satisfaction. CONCLUSION: There is a need for a multidimensional strategy to improve the quality of life and spousal support for immigrant females in international marriages.

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.

Study on an Attitude toward Menstruation, Perimenstrual Symptoms, and Coping of Nursing Students / 여성건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify an attitude toward menstruation, perimenstrual symptoms, and coping used by female college students. METHODS: A convenience sample of 151 students was obtained from two nursing colleges in Mokpo and Gwangju. Data were collected through questionnaires from June 15 to June 28, 2005. Three instruments were used in this study, the menstrual symptoms, menstrual attitude, and menstrual coping. Data was analyzed by descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation using SPSS 10.0 program. RESULTS: The results showed that most 3rd and 4th year students complained about discomfort during their perimenstrual period, had a negative attitude toward menstruation due to the discomfort, but coped well during the period even with a lot of discomfort. With this results, there is a need for a nursing mediator to provide relief for discomfort during perimenstrual period so college female students have a positive attitude toward menstruation. There is a need for further research to determine the relationship between other variables and discomfort during the perimenstrual period. It is also needed to investigate if there are differences in these variables studied according to ages and occupations in women. CONCLUSION: From these findings, problem solving strategies for menstrual symptoms, positive attitudes, and coping should be a comprehensive approach to a nursing intervention to help women.

Comparative binding of antitumor drugs to DNA containing the telomere repeat sequence

Telomeres are the ends of the linear chromosomes of eukaryotes and consist of tandem GT-rich repeats in telomere sequence i.e. 500-3000 repeats of 5'-TTAGGG-3' in human somatic cells, which are shortened gradually with age. The G-rich overhang of telomere sequence can adopt different intramolecular fold-backs and tetra-stranded DNA structures, in vitro, which inhibit telomerase activity. In this report, DNA binding agents to telomere sequence were studied novel therapeutic possibility to destabilize telomeric DNA sequences. Oligonucleotides containing the guanine repeats in human telomere sequence were synthesized and used for screening potential antitumor drugs. Telomeric DNA sequence was characterized using spectral measurements and CD spectroscopy. CD spectrum indicated that the double-stranded telomeric DNA is in a right-handed conformation. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis was performed for binding behaviors of antitumor compounds with telomeric DNA sequence. Drugs interacted with DNA sequence caused changes in the electrophoretic mobility and band intensity of the gels. Depending on the binding mode of the anticancer drugs, telomeric DNA sequence was differently recognized and the efficiency of cleavage of DNA varies in the bleomycin-treated samples under different conditions. DNA cleavage occurred at about 1% by the increments of 1 mM bleomycin-Fe(III). These results imply that the stability of human telomere sequence is important in conjunction with the cancer treatment and aging process.

Effect of Epidural Morphine, Morphine with Droperidol and Morphine with Nalbuphine after a Cesarean Section / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: A number of recent reports have described the usefullness of the epidural injection of narcotics for the relief of postoperative pain. Morphine, an micro-receptor agonist, produces strong analgesic effects with side effects. Nalbupine, a micro-antagonist and kappa-agonis, has an analgesic effect comparable to morphine with little side effects. The comparison of side effects and analgesic effects of epidural morphine alone and a combination of nalbuphine and droperidol respectively to morphine were sutudied in cesarean section patients. METHODS: We divided 45 patients into 3 groups utilizing a two-day Boxter infusor in normal saline 100 ml at 2.0 ml/hr: Group M (n = 15) initially a 1 mg bolus 2 mg/day of maintenance morphine. Group M D (n = 15): initially received a 1 mg bolus 2 mg/day of maintenance morphine 1.25 mg/day of maintenance droperidol. Group M N (n = 15): initially received a 1 mg morphine bolus 2 mg/day of maintenance morphine 5 mg/day of maintenance nalbupine. The Analgesic effect was evaluated by a visual analogue scale (0 10) at 30 min, 4 hr, 12 hr and 24 hr postoperatively and the incidence of side effects was observed too. RESULTS: The average VAS scores are below 3 in all groups. In addition, there are no significant changes between groups. There are no significant differences in side effects between groups except sedation of patients is significantly (P< 0.05) high in group M D. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that the analgesic effect of epidural morphine, morphine with nalbuphine and morphine with droperidol are good in all patients and there is no significant difference even though there is a belief that a combination of nalbuphine or droperidol increases analgesic effects of morphine. Comparing the incidence of side effects in the three groups, the sedative effect of morphine with droperidol is increased significantly over the other two groups.intubation.

The Gene Expression of Dynorphin, Enkephalin, c-Fos in the Neuropathic Rat / 대한마취과학회지

BACKGROUND: We studied the time course of gene expression of dynorphin, enkephalin, c-fos, and the changes of allodynia, and the effect of chemical sympathectomy on the gene expression and allodynia in neuropathic rat. METHODS: In two groups of rat (Sprague-Dawley), the left L5 and L6 spinal nerves were tight ligated. In gene expression group (N=25), behavioral tests for mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia were perfomed for the next two weeks. After the test of allodynia, the expression of dynorphin, enkephalin, c-fos were assessed by Northern blot hybridization. In chemical sympathectomy group (N=16), after chemical sympathectomy (guanethidine 70 mg/kg intraperitoneally, from postoperative 7 days to 9 days), the changes of allodynia and the gene expression of enkephalin, c-fos were tested. RESULTS: Mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia was developed on the postoperative 3, 5, 7, 14 days. Preprodynorphin mRNA expression was reached peak level at the postoperative 8 hrs, sustained increase by the postoperative 3 days, but preproenkephalin mRNA expression increased slightly after operation. c-Fos mRNA expression was increased immediately at the postoperative 30 min, 1 hr, returned to normal level thereafter, and increased again on the postoperative 3, 5, 7 days that neuropathic pain was developed. Mechanical allodynia and cold allodynia were decreased by chemical sympathectomy. The increased c-fos mRNA expression and pain at postoperative 7 days was reduced by chemical sympathectomy. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the transient gene expression of dynorphin and c-fos after tight ligation of L5 and L6 spinal nerves induces the development neuropathic pain, and late c-fos expression is related to neuropathic pain.