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1.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39012887

ABSTRACT

Recently, the growing demand for amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (AOS TFTs) with high mobility and good stability to implement ultrahigh-resolution displays has made tracking the role of hydrogen in oxide semiconductor films increasingly important. Hydrogen is an essential element that contributes significantly to the field effect mobility and bias stability characteristics of AOS TFTs. However, because hydrogen is the lightest atom and has high reactivity to metal and oxide materials, elucidating its impact on AOS thin films has been challenging. Therefore, in this study, we propose controlling the hydrogen quantities in amorphous InSnZnO (a-ITZO) thin films through thermal dehydrogenation to precisely reveal the hydrogen influences on the electrical characteristics of a-ITZO TFTs. The as-deposited device containing 15.69 × 1015 atoms/cm2 of hydrogen exhibited a relatively low saturation mobility of 18.1 cm2/V·s and poor positive bias stress stability. However, depending on the extent of thermal dehydrogenation, not only did the hydrogen quantity and interface defect density (DIT) decrease but also the conductivity and surface energy increased due to the rise in oxygen vacancies and hydroxyl groups in a-ITZO thin films. As a result, the a-ITZO TFT with a hydrogen amount of 4.828 × 1015 atoms/cm2 showed that the saturation mobility improved up to 36.8 cm2/V·s, and positive bias stress stability was remarkably enhanced. Hence, we report the ability to manage the hydrogen quantity with thermal dehydrogenation and demonstrate that high-performance a-ITZO TFTs can be realized when an appropriate hydrogen concentration is achieved.

2.
Public Health Nurs ; 2024 Jun 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38940548

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The health-related quality of life instrument with 8 items (HINT-8) was developed to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Korea. However, the HINT-8 has not yet been validated among the family caregivers of people with dementia (PwD). DESIGN: A cross-sectional pilot study. OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to examine the convergent and discriminant validity of the HINT-8 among family caregivers of individuals with dementia. SAMPLE: Forty-seven family caregivers of PwD. MEASUREMENTS: HINT-8 was compared with the 5-level EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) to assess its convergent and discriminant validity. Additionally, the association between the two instruments assessing HRQoL was examined using the short-form Bédard-Zarit Burden Interview (SZBI). RESULTS: The HINT-8 was a promising and valid HRQoL instrument for family caregivers of PwD. There was a significantly high correlation between the overall HINT-8 and EQ-5D-5L indices (r = 0.85, p < .001). The HINT-8 had acceptable psychometric properties compared to the commonly used EQ-5D-5L, as indicated by the subdomains associated with family caregivers' burden measured by the SZBI. CONCLUSION: Future studies should compare the HINT-8 with existing dementia carer-specific QoL instruments among a larger study sample to enhance its statistical power and confirm its reliability and structural validity.

3.
Aging Cell ; : e14203, 2024 May 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38769776

ABSTRACT

The relationship between aging and RNA biogenesis and trafficking is attracting growing interest, yet the precise mechanisms are unknown. The THO complex is crucial for mRNA cotranscriptional maturation and export. Herein, we report that the THO complex is closely linked to the regulation of lifespan. Deficiencies in Hpr1 and Tho2, components of the THO complex, reduced replicative lifespan (RLS) and are linked to a novel Sir2-independent RLS control pathway. Although transcript sequestration in hpr1Δ or tho2Δ mutants was countered by exosome component Rrp6, loss of this failed to mitigate RLS defects in hpr1Δ. However, RLS impairment in hpr1Δ or tho2Δ was counteracted by the additional expression of Nrd1-specific mutants that interacted with Rrp6. This effect relied on the interaction of Nrd1, a transcriptional regulator of aging-related genes, including ribosome biogenesis or RNA metabolism genes, with RNA polymerase II. Nrd1 overexpression reduced RLS in a Tho2-dependent pathway. Intriguingly, Tho2 deletion mirrored Nrd1 overexpression effects by inducing arbitrary Nrd1 chromatin binding. Furthermore, our genome-wide ChIP-seq analysis revealed an increase in the recruitment of Nrd1 to translation-associated genes, known to be related to aging, upon Tho2 loss. Taken together, these findings underscore the importance of Tho2-mediated Nrd1 escorting in the regulation of lifespan pathway through transcriptional regulation of aging-related genes.

4.
Adv Sci (Weinh) ; 11(19): e2306684, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38482992

ABSTRACT

Cryotherapy leverages controlled freezing temperature interventions to engender a cascade of tumor-suppressing effects. However, its bottleneck lies in the standalone ineffectiveness. A promising strategy is using nanoparticle therapeutics to augment the efficacy of cryotherapy. Here, a cold-responsive nanoplatform composed of upconversion nanoparticles coated with silica - chlorin e6 - hyaluronic acid (UCNPs@SiO2-Ce6-HA) is designed. This nanoplatform is employed to integrate cryotherapy with photodynamic therapy (PDT) in order to improve skin cancer treatment efficacy in a synergistic manner. The cryotherapy appeared to enhance the upconversion brightness by suppressing the thermal quenching. The low-temperature treatment afforded a 2.45-fold enhancement in the luminescence of UCNPs and a 3.15-fold increase in the photodynamic efficacy of UCNPs@SiO2-Ce6-HA nanoplatforms. Ex vivo tests with porcine skins and the subsequent validation in mouse tumor tissues revealed the effective HA-mediated transdermal delivery of designed nanoplatforms to deep tumor tissues. After transdermal delivery, in vivo photodynamic therapy using the UCNPs@SiO2-Ce6-HA nanoplatforms resulted in the optimized efficacy of 79% in combination with cryotherapy. These findings underscore the Cryo-PDT as a truly promising integrated treatment paradigm and warrant further exploring the synergistic interplay between cryotherapy and PDT with bright upconversion to unlock their full potential in cancer therapy.


Subject(s)
Hyaluronic Acid , Nanoparticles , Photochemotherapy , Animals , Photochemotherapy/methods , Mice , Hyaluronic Acid/chemistry , Nanoparticles/chemistry , Skin Neoplasms/therapy , Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy , Cryotherapy/methods , Chlorophyllides , Porphyrins/chemistry , Porphyrins/administration & dosage , Disease Models, Animal , Photosensitizing Agents/administration & dosage , Administration, Cutaneous , Silicon Dioxide/chemistry , Swine
5.
J Phys Chem Lett ; 15(5): 1390-1396, 2024 Feb 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38289254

ABSTRACT

The post-encapsulation method (such as single-layered encapsulation) is a promising strategy to synthesize yolk-shell structures that protect functional nanoparticles by the molecular sieving effect. However, this method exhibited limited loading capacity and nonuniform encapsulation during the co-encapsulation of various nanoparticles owing to the insufficient surface area for nanoparticle attachment. To address these limitations, we proposed a double-layered encapsulation method comprising an increased number of silica template layers and separate attachment of multifarious nanoparticles to different layers. Compared with conventional methods, this strategy can precisely adjust the ratio of encapsulated nanoparticles and increase the loading amount, which improves the functionality of yolk-shell structures, such as the photothermal properties of gold nanoparticle-encapsulated yolk-shell structures (∼69%). We describe, for the first time, the precise control of the ratio of encapsulated nanoparticles and the loading of numerous nanoparticles. Consequently, this strategy has significant potential for various applications of yolk-shell structures.

6.
J Microbiol Biotechnol ; 34(3): 644-653, 2024 Mar 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38213288

ABSTRACT

Considering the emergence of various infectious diseases, including the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), people's attention has shifted towards immune health. Consequently, immune-enhancing functional foods have been increasingly consumed. Hence, developing new immune-enhancing functional food products is needed. Pinus densiflora pollen can be collected from the male red pine tree, which is commonly found in Korea. P. densiflora pollen extract (PDE), obtained by water extraction, contained polyphenols (216.29 ± 0.22 mg GAE/100 g) and flavonoids (35.14 ± 0.04 mg CE/100 g). PDE significantly increased the production of nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) but, did not exhibit cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 cells. Western blot results indicated that PDE induced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. PDE also significantly increased the mRNA and protein levels of cytokines and the phosphorylation of IKKα/ß and p65, as well as the activation and degradation of IκBα. Additionally, western blot analysis of cytosolic and nuclear fractions and immunofluorescence assay confirmed that the translocation of p65 to the nucleus after PDE treatment. These results confirmed that PDE increases the production of cytokines, NO, and ROS by activating NF-κB. Therefore, PDE is a promising nutraceutical candidate for immune-enhancing functional foods.


Subject(s)
NF-kappa B , Pinus , Humans , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Macrophages , Cytokines/metabolism , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/genetics , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/metabolism , Cyclooxygenase 2/genetics , Cyclooxygenase 2/metabolism , Immunity, Innate , Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology , Nitric Oxide/metabolism
7.
Biomater Res ; 27(1): 130, 2023 Dec 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38082304

ABSTRACT

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanosized particles that are released from cells and reflect the characteristics of the mother cell. Recently, the EVs have been used in several types of studies across many different fields. In the field of EV research, multiple cell culture and EV isolation techniques have been highlighted in importance. Various strategies, including exclusive component culture media, three-dimensional (3D) cultures, and hypoxic conditions, have been proposed for the cell culture to control function of the EVs. Ultracentrifugation, ultrafiltration, precipitation, and tangential flow filtration (TFF) have been utilized for EV isolation. Although isolated EVs have their own functionalities, several researchers are trying to functionalize EVs by applying various engineering approaches. Gene editing, exogenous, endogenous, and hybridization methods are the four well-known types of EV functionalization strategies. EV engineered through these processes has been applied in the field of regenerative medicine, including kidney diseases, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, nervous system-related diseases, and others. In this review, it was focused on engineering approaches for EV functionalization and their applications in regenerative medicine.

8.
Biomater Res ; 27(1): 126, 2023 Dec 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38049879

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To overcome the limitations of current alternative therapies for chronic kidney disease (CKD), tissue engineering-mediated regeneration strategies have demonstrated the possibilities for complete kidney tissue regeneration. Given the challenges associated with the reproducibility of renal basal cells, the incorporation of intermediate mesoderm (IM) cells and bioactive materials to control bioactivities of cells with supported scaffolds should be considered as a viable approach to enable the regeneration of the complex kidney structure via renal differentiation. METHODS: We developed PMEZ scaffolds by combining crucial bioactive components, such as ricinoleic acid-grafted Mg(OH)2 (M), extracellular matrix (E), and alpha lipoic acid-conjugated ZnO (Z) integrated into biodegradable porous PLGA (P) platform. Additionally, we utilized differentiating extracellular vesicles (dEV) isolated during intermediate mesoderm differentiation into kidney progenitor cells, and IM cells were serially incorporated to facilitate kidney tissue regeneration through their differentiation into kidney progenitor cells in the 3/4 nephrectomy mouse model. RESULTS: The use of differentiating extracellular vesicles facilitated IM differentiation into kidney progenitor cells without additional differentiation factors. This led to improvements in various regeneration-related bioactivities including tubule and podocyte regeneration, anti-fibrosis, angiogenesis, and anti-inflammation. Finally, implanting PMEZ/dEV/IM scaffolds in mouse injury model resulted in the restoration of kidney function. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has demonstrated that utilizing biodegradable PLGA-based scaffolds, which include multipotent cells capable of differentiating into various kidney progenitor cells along with supporting components, can facilitate kidney tissue regeneration in the mouse model that simulates CKD through 3/4 nephrectomy.

9.
Sci Adv ; 9(49): eadi6681, 2023 12 08.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38055811

ABSTRACT

Type II topoisomerases (TOP2) form transient TOP2 cleavage complexes (TOP2ccs) during their catalytic cycle to relieve topological stress. TOP2ccs are covalently linked TOP2-DNA intermediates that are reversible but can be trapped by TOP2 poisons. Trapped TOP2ccs block transactions on DNA and generate genotoxic stress, which are the mechanisms of action of TOP2 poisons. How cells avoid TOP2cc accumulation remains largely unknown. In this study, we uncovered RAD54 like 2 (RAD54L2) as a key factor that mediates a TOP2-specific DNA damage avoidance pathway. RAD54L2 deficiency conferred unique sensitivity to treatment with TOP2 poisons. RAD54L2 interacted with TOP2A/TOP2B and ZATT/ZNF451 and promoted the turnover of TOP2 from DNA with or without TOP2 poisons. Additionally, inhibition of proteasome activity enhanced the chromatin binding of RAD54L2, which in turn led to the removal of TOP2 from chromatin. In conclusion, we propose that RAD54L2-mediated TOP2 turnover is critically important for the avoidance of potential TOP2-linked DNA damage under physiological conditions and in response to TOP2 poisons.


Subject(s)
Poisons , DNA Topoisomerases, Type II/genetics , DNA Damage , DNA Repair , DNA/chemistry , Chromatin/genetics
10.
Pharmaceutics ; 15(9)2023 Aug 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37765189

ABSTRACT

As interest in skin aesthetics increases, treatments to suppress aging are increasing. Among them, a facelift is the most effective procedure for improving wrinkles. However, side effects including inflammatory reactions occur due to the limitations of the PDO thread itself used during the procedure. In this paper, to improve the function of PDO thread, inorganic particles such as magnesium hydroxide (MH) and zinc oxide (ZO) and a biologically active agent, asiaticoside, were coated on the surface of PDO thread using ultrasonic coating technology. The coated thread exhibited excellent biocompatibility, promoted collagen synthesis, reduced inflammation, and stimulated angiogenesis in vitro and in vivo. The multifunctional PDO thread has shown promising potential for skin regeneration without inducing fibrosis. Such a practical coating system and the developed multifunctional PDO thread suggest new possibilities for developing safer and more effective materials in cosmetic and regenerative medicine to prevent aging and improve skin aesthetics.

11.
Int J Biochem Cell Biol ; 162: 106454, 2023 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37574041

ABSTRACT

Cisplatin, a widely prescribed chemotherapeutic agent for treating solid tumors, induces DNA adducts and activates cellular defense mechanisms, including DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint control, and apoptosis. Considering the circadian rhythmicity displayed by most chemotherapeutic agents and their varying therapeutic efficacy based on treatment timing, our study aimed to investigate whether the circadian clock system influences the DNA damage responses triggered by cisplatin in synchronized cells. We examined the DNA damage responses in circadian-synchronized wild-type mouse embryonic fibroblasts (WT-MEF; clock-proficient cells), cryptochrome1 and 2 double knock-out MEF (CRYDKO; clock-deficient cells), and mouse hepatocarcinoma Hepa1c1c7 cells. Varying the treatment time resulted in a significant difference in the rate of platinum-DNA adduct removal specifically in circadian-synchronized WT-MEF, while CRYDKO did not exhibit such variation. Moreover, diurnal variation in other DNA damage responses, such as cell cycle checkpoint activity indicated by p53 phosphorylation status and apoptosis measured by DNA break frequency, was observed only in circadian-synchronized WT-MEF, not in CRYDKO or mouse hepatocarcinoma Hepa1c1c7 cells. These findings highlight that the DNA damage responses triggered by cisplatin are indeed governed by circadian control exclusively in clock-proficient cells. This outcome bears potential implications for enhancing or devising chronotherapy approaches for cancer patients.


Subject(s)
Circadian Clocks , Neoplasms , Animals , Mice , Cisplatin/pharmacology , Cisplatin/therapeutic use , DNA Adducts/therapeutic use , DNA Damage , Fibroblasts/metabolism , DNA Repair , Circadian Clocks/genetics , Neoplasms/genetics , Apoptosis
12.
Nurs Health Sci ; 25(3): 402-410, 2023 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37519187

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine the association of COVID-19-related stress, anxiety, access to public healthcare services, and the presence of secondary caregivers (CGs) on the burden of caregiving and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for CGs of people with dementia (PwD). A cross-sectional survey with 218 family CGs for PwD was completed in various settings between August and September 2021. The CGs had moderate and severe stress (42.7%) and reported having difficulty accessing public healthcare services (51.8%) and receiving help from secondary CGs (42.7%). In the multivariable linear regression, the stress and anxiety levels related to COVID-19 had a positive association with caregiver burden (ß = 4.25, p < 0.001, and ß = 5.73, p = 0.032, respectively), with no statistically significant association to HRQoL. Unexpectedly, accessing public healthcare services and supporting the secondary CGs were unrelated to the caregiving burden and HRQoL. Therefore, interventions aiming to alleviate family CGs' stress and anxiety levels should be provided to ensure PwD live in their homes in terms of continuity of public health service delivery.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Caregiver Burden , Caregivers , Dementia , Humans , COVID-19/epidemiology , Pandemics , Quality of Life , Caregivers/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Health Services Accessibility , Male , Female , Middle Aged
13.
Geriatr Nurs ; 51: 408-414, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37146557

ABSTRACT

Despite community-based interventions to decrease the caregiving burden on family caregivers of people with dementia (PwD), long-term assessment of community-based public programs is lacking. Therefore, the study aims to identify the long-term effects of community-based dementia caregiver intervention on the caregiving burden and healthcare utilization among family caregivers for PwD. Additionally, we investigated the predictors of caregiving burden and healthcare utilization. Of the participants, 32 (76%) intervention and 15 (38%) control groups responded to the one-year follow-up. We assessed caregiver burden using the short-form Zarit Burden Interview (sZBI) and collected healthcare utilization data using questionnaire at baseline and 12 months. Compared with the control group, the intervention group did not experience a reduction in caregiving burden and healthcare utilization. Predictors of caregivers' perceived burden were spouses as the primary caregiver and having multiple comorbidities. The predictors identified in this study should be considered when implementing public family support programs.


Subject(s)
Caregivers , Dementia , Humans , Caregiver Burden , Patient Acceptance of Health Care , Family Support
14.
Int J Mol Sci ; 24(7)2023 Mar 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37047518

ABSTRACT

Etoposide (ETO) is an anticancer drug that targets topoisomerase II (TOP2). It stabilizes a normally transient TOP2-DNA covalent complex (TOP2cc), thus leading to DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs). Tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterases two (TDP2) is directly involved in the repair of TOP2cc by removing phosphotyrosyl peptides from 5'-termini of DSBs. Recent studies suggest that additional factors are required for TOP2cc repair, which include the proteasome and the zinc finger protein associated with TDP2 and TOP2, named ZATT. ZATT may alter the conformation of TOP2cc in a way that renders the accessibility of TDP2 for TOP2cc removal. In this study, our genome-wide clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) screens revealed that ZATT also has a TDP2-independent role in promoting cell survival following ETO treatment. ZATT KO cells showed relatively higher ETO sensitivity than TDP2-KO cells, and ZATT/TDP2 DKO cells displayed additive hypersensitivity to ETO treatment. The study using a series of deletion mutants of ZATT determined that the N-terminal 1-168 residues of ZATT are required for interaction with TOP2 and this interaction is critical to ETO sensitivity. Moreover, depletion of ZATT resulted in accelerated TOP2 degradation after ETO or cycloheximide (CHX) treatment, suggesting that ZATT may increase TOP2 stability and likely participate in TOP2 turnover. Taken together, this study suggests that ZATT is a critical determinant that dictates responses to ETO treatment and targeting. ZATT is a promising strategy to increase ETO efficacy for cancer therapy.


Subject(s)
DNA-Binding Proteins , Poisons , Etoposide/pharmacology , DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats/genetics , DNA Topoisomerases, Type II/genetics , DNA Topoisomerases, Type II/metabolism , Phosphoric Diester Hydrolases/metabolism , DNA/metabolism
15.
Nurse Educ Pract ; 69: 103613, 2023 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36996551

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Traditional face-to-face classes for nursing students due to the COVID (Coronavirus Disease)-19 pandemic around the world made it inevitable to operate education delivery method using remote/hybrid fashion. This study was aimed to validate the Korean version of the Student Stress Inventory-Stress Manifestations (SSI-SM) and assess the association between COVID-19 pandemic related stress level and self-directed learning ability competence in nursing students. DESIGN: This research was a cross-sectional study design. METHODS: The study was conducted from December 2020 to January 2021, with a convenience sample of 172 nursing students in the 3rd and 4th grades in South Korea. The Korean version of SSI-SM(K-SSI-SM) was translated and adapted according to standard guideline, and tested construct validity and reliability. In addition, a multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the associations between the COVID-19 related stress level and the self-directed learning ability. RESULTS: An exploratory analysis showed that K-SSI-SM composed of 13-item in three factors (uncertainty, non-sociability, and somatization) accounted for 68.73% of the total variance after it was modified. The internal consistency was good with 0.91. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that higher self-directed learning ability was associated with lower stress levels (ß = -0.19, p = 0.008), positive toward online learning (ß = 0.41, p = 0.003) and scored higher in theory (ß = 0.30, p < 0.001) in nursing students. CONCLUSION: The K-SSI-SM is an acceptable instrument for assessing stress levels in Korean nursing students. And nursing faculties need to pay attention to related factors of self-directed learning ability, in order to achieve the course's self-directed learning goal in students attending online classes.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Students, Nursing , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Reproducibility of Results , Pandemics , COVID-19/epidemiology , Republic of Korea/epidemiology
16.
Biosensors (Basel) ; 13(3)2023 Feb 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36979518

ABSTRACT

Over the past two decades, lanthanide-based upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) have been fascinating scientists due to their ability to offer unprecedented prospects to upconvert tissue-penetrating near-infrared light into color-tailorable optical illumination inside biological matter. In particular, luminescent behavior UCNPs have been widely utilized for background-free biorecognition and biosensing. Currently, a paramount challenge exists on how to maximize NIR light harvesting and upconversion efficiencies for achieving faster response and better sensitivity without damaging the biological tissue upon laser assisted photoactivation. In this review, we offer the reader an overview of the recent updates about exciting achievements and challenges in the development of plasmon-modulated upconversion nanoformulations for biosensing application.


Subject(s)
Biosensing Techniques , Lanthanoid Series Elements , Nanoparticles , Luminescence
17.
Nurs Open ; 10(2): 579-590, 2023 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36631728

ABSTRACT

AIM: The study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the short-form Nurse Professional Competence Scale-Korean version (NPC-K) among Korean nursing students at the point of graduation. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional survey. METHODS: The Nurse Professional Competence scale was translated into Korean using the World Health Organization (WHO) translation method. A total of 195 graduating nursing students participated. Exploratory factor analysis for validity and Cronbach's alpha coefficients for reliability were examined. RESULTS: Factor analysis showed that five NPC-K factors accounted for 68.38% of the total variance. Cronbach's alpha for the total scale was 0.97. The NPC-K has high internal reliability and acceptable construct validity. The content of the scale reflected nursing students' confidence in formal competence requirements based on Korean cultural and educational backgrounds. An accurate assessment of nurse professional competence using the NPC-K may help nursing academics enhance the quality of education and training.


Subject(s)
Students, Nursing , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Reproducibility of Results , Surveys and Questionnaires , Professional Competence , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Republic of Korea
18.
BMJ Open ; 12(11): e058032, 2022 Nov 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36332952

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a meditation-based therapy originally recommended for stress management. However, it is currently used to alleviate sleep disturbances. Therefore, this contemporary systematic review aimed to elucidate the clinical effects of MBSR on sleep quality and sleep-related daytime impairment in adults with sleep disturbances, including chronic insomnia disorders. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted using the following databases: Ovid MEDLINE, AMED, Ovidembase, PsycINFO, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and four domestic databases: KoreaMed, KISS, KMbase and NDSL. The final search update was performed in June 2022. Two researchers independently selected relevant studies, assessed the risk of bias and extracted the data. RESULTS: Of the 7516 records searched, 20 RCTs and 21 reports were included. In the subgroup analysis, MBSR did not improve objective or subjective sleep quality in chronic insomnia and cancers. However, MBSR versus waitlist control might have been effective in improving subjective sleep quality, but with substantial heterogeneity (standardised mean difference=-0.32; 95% CI: -0.56 to -0.08; I2=71%). In addition, MBSR compared with active control did not improve the sleep-related daytime impairments including depression, anxiety, stress, fatigue and quality of life. The overall risk of bias included in this review was a concern because of performance and detection bias. CONCLUSIONS: MBSR might be ineffective for improving sleep quality in patients with chronic insomnia and cancers. In addition, more than half of the RCTs included in this review had small sample sizes and were vulnerable to performance and detection biases. Therefore, well-designed RCTs with larger sample sizes are required to confirm the clinical effects of MBSR in adults with sleep disturbances. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42015027963.


Subject(s)
Mindfulness , Neoplasms , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders , Sleep Wake Disorders , Adult , Humans , Stress, Psychological/therapy , Stress, Psychological/etiology , Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/therapy , Sleep Wake Disorders/therapy , Sleep
19.
Nat Mater ; 21(8): 877-883, 2022 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35798945

ABSTRACT

The discovery of correlated states and superconductivity in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene (MATBG) established a new platform to explore interaction-driven and topological phenomena. However, despite multitudes of correlated phases observed in moiré systems, robust superconductivity appears the least common, found only in MATBG and more recently in magic-angle twisted trilayer graphene. Here we report the experimental realization of superconducting magic-angle twisted four-layer and five-layer graphene, hence establishing alternating twist magic-angle multilayer graphene as a robust family of moiré superconductors. This finding suggests that the flat bands shared by the members play a central role in the superconductivity. Our measurements in parallel magnetic fields, in particular the investigation of Pauli limit violation and spontaneous rotational symmetry breaking, reveal a clear distinction between the N = 2 and N > 2-layer structures, consistent with the difference between their orbital responses to magnetic fields. Our results expand the emergent family of moiré superconductors, providing new insight with potential implications for design of new superconducting materials platforms.

20.
Clin Interv Aging ; 17: 937-946, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35711677

ABSTRACT

Objective: Accumulating evidence of the effects of dementia caregiving on individuals, society, and health has generated intervention studies to reduce the stress among family caregivers of people with dementia. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a family support program, community-based dementia caregiver intervention (CDCI), among family caregivers of people with dementia compared with a control group (no intervention). Patients and Methods: This study is a quasi-experimental, non-randomized controlled trial conducted in six dementia relief centers of a community healthcare center in Korea. Family caregivers of 83 patients with dementia were recruited; of these 78 were included in the final study, with 40 in the intervention group and 38 in the control group. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the mean difference in the scores of the total short-form Zarit Burden Interview (SZBI), personal strain, role strain, depression, and attitude between the groups. Results: Compared with controls, in the intervention group, the adjusted mean score of personal strain (F = 4.353, t = 0.041) and attitude toward dementia (F = 10.284, t = 0.002) differed significantly after the intervention, with a small to moderate effect. There was no significant difference in the total SZBI, role strain, or depression mean score. Conclusion: The findings suggest that CDCI may be an effective intervention strategy to reduce personal strain and enhance the attitudes of family caregivers of people with dementia.


Subject(s)
Caregivers , Dementia , Attitude , Caregiver Burden , Dementia/therapy , Depression/therapy , Humans
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