Structural and Functional Alterations at Pre-Epileptic Stage Are Closely Associated with Epileptogenesis in Pilocarpine-induced Epilepsy Model

Pilocarpine-induced rat epilepsy model is an established animal model that mimics medial temporal lobe epilepsy in humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate neuroimaging abnormalities in various stages of epileptogenesis and to correlate them with seizure severity in pilocarpine-induced rat epilepsy model. Fifty male Sprague-Dawley rats were subject to continuous video and electroencephalographic monitoring after inducing status epilepticus (SE) and seizure severity was estimated by frequency and total durations of class 3 to 5 spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS) by modified Racine's classification. The 7.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high resolution flurodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) was performed at 3 hours, 1, 3, 7 days and 4 weeks after the initial insult. The initial SRS was observed 9.7±1.3 days after the pilocarpine injection. MRI revealed an abnormal T2 signal change with swelling in both hippocampi and amygdala in acute (day 1 after injection) and latent phases (days 3 and 7), in association with PET hypometabolism in these areas. Interestingly, the mean frequency of class 3 to 5 SRS was positively correlated with abnormal T2 signals in hippocampal area at 3 days. SRS duration became longer with more decreased glucose metabolism in both hippocampi and amygdala at 7 days after pilocarpine injection. This study indicates that development and severity of SRS at chronic phase could be closely related with structural and functional changes in hippocampus during the latent period, a pre-epileptic stage.

Correlations between Xerostomia, Oral Health Quality of Life and Knowledge about Water Intake among Community-dwelling Older Adults / 재활간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study is to verify the correlations between xerostomia, oral health quality of life, and knowledge about water intake among community-dwelling older adults and to suggest basic data for the development of oral health enhancement programs to improve the quality of life in the elderly. METHODS: A convenience sample of 112 elders was recruited in W city, Gangwon-do from July to August 2017. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation coefficients with SPSS/WIN 23.0 Program. RESULTS: The mean age of the subjects was 73 years old. As the score of knowledge about water intake was average 3 point (out of ten), the knowledge about physical symptoms in case of water deficiency was very insufficient. Xerostomia showed negative correlations with the oral health quality of life (r=−.379, p < .001) and knowledge about water intake (r=−.228, p < .016). CONCLUSION: For the relief of xerostomia having effects on the oral health quality of life in the elderly, it would be necessary to develop and apply oral health enhancement programs including the recommendation of water intake, and then to verify the effects.

Sedative-Hypnotic and Receptor Binding Studies of Fermented Marine Organisms

This study was performed to investigate the sedative-hypnotic activity of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-enriched fermented marine organisms (FMO), including sea tangle (FST) and oyster (FO) by Lactobacillus brevis BJ20 (L. brevis BJ20). FST and FO were tested for their binding activity of the GABA(A)-benzodiazepine and 5-HT(2C) receptors, which are well-known molecular targets for sleep aids. We also measured the sleep latency and sleep duration during pentobarbital-induced sleep in mice after oral administration of FST and FO. In GABA(A) and 5-HT(2C) receptor binding assays, FST displayed an effective concentration-dependent binding affinity to GABA(A) receptor, similar to the binding affinity to 5-HT(2C) receptor. FO exhibited higher affinity to 5-HT(2C) receptor, compared with the GABA(A) receptor. The oral administration of FST and FO produced a dose-dependent decrease in sleep latency and increase in sleep duration in pentobarbital-induced hypnosis. The data demonstrate that FST and FO possess sedative-hypnotic activity possibly by modulating GABA(A) and 5-HT(2C) receptors. We propose that FST and FO might be effective agents for treatment of insomnia.

Effects of Emotional Labor, Emotional Intelligence and Social Support on Job Stress in Clinical Nurses / 기본간호학회지

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of emotional labor, emotional intelligence and social support on job stress in clinical nurses. METHODS: Participants were 123 clinical nurses and data were collected from October to December, 2011 and analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regression with SPSS 18.0. RESULTS: A positive correlation was found between job stress and emotional labor. Emotional labor showed a significant negative correlation with emotional intelligence and social support, whereas a positive correlation was found between emotional intelligence and social support. The strongest predictor of job stress was emotional labor. In addition, institution satisfaction (dissatisfaction) and the reason for selecting the job (opportunities for service) accounted for 21% of variance in job stress. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that it is important to manage emotional labor as well as to improve job satisfaction in order to reduce job stress in clinical nurses.

The Effects of Senior Simulation Programs on Elderly Care Facilities Employees' Attitudes for Elderly Care, Understanding of the Aged, Job Satisfaction, and Job Performance

PURPOSE: This research is to understand the effects of senior simulation on employees of elderly care facilities and utilize it in their job training. METHODS: This research is a nonequivalence control group pre-to-post quasiexperiment research. 18 employees who have experienced senior simulation are set as test group and 18 other employees who have not experienced senior simulation are set as control group. RESULTS: The hypothesis that 'the test group which has experienced senior simulation will show a positive change in their attitude on elderly care, compared to the control group' and 'the test group which has experienced senior simulation will show a positive change in understanding of elders, compared to the control group' was supported. The hypothesis that 'the test group which has experienced senior simulation will show a positive change in job satisfaction and performance of duties, compared to the control group' was dismissed. CONCLUSION: The senior simulation seems to contribute to elderly care facilities employees' change in their viewpoints of elders and broaden their understanding of them. The senior simulation was meaningful to provide basic help with implementing job training programs.