[Factors Related to Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Hospital Nurses].

Background: Nurses are a high-risk group for musculoskeletal disorders. Few studies conducted in Taiwan have been published regarding the relationships among work characteristics, psychological well-being, and musculoskeletal discomfort in nursing personnel.

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate musculoskeletal discomfort among hospital nursing staff, as well as its associated factors.

Rates of susceptibility of carbapenems, ceftobiprole, and colistin against clinically important bacteria collected from intensive care units in 2007: Results from the Surveillance of Multicenter Antimicrobial Resistance in Taiwan (SMART).

Background: Data on susceptibility to ceftobiprole and colistin, and the complete evolutionary trends of minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of important carbapenem agents among important pathogens collected in intensive care units (ICUs) in Taiwan are lacking.

Methods: We surveyed the MIC distribution patterns of ceftobiprole and colistin and susceptibility profiles of some important pathogens collected from patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs) of major teaching hospitals throughout Taiwan in 2007. We also investigated the rates of nonsusceptibility to powerful carbapenems (imipenem, meropenem) among four important species of Enterobacteriaceae (Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae, and Proteus mirabilis) collected during the same period.

Carbapenem susceptibility among Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae isolates obtained from patients in intensive care units in Taiwan in 2005, 2007, and 2009.

To investigate the evolutionary trends in non-susceptibility of carbapenems against the isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterobacter cloacae from patients hospitalized in intensive care units (ICUs) of major teaching hospitals throughout Taiwan during 2005-2009, we applied the breakpoints of MICs recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute and European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing in 2013. Escalations in imipenem MIC levels for overall E. coli and E.

Psychometric analysis of the Short-Form Chinese Health and Safety Executive's Management Standards Indicator Tool among nurses in Taiwan.

The purpose of the study was to develop a Short-Form Chinese version of the Health and Safety Executive's Management Standards Indicator Tool that can be used to measure work-related stress among nurses in Taiwan. Three subscales (supportive climate, role perception, and workload) were developed from an exploratory factor analysis. The three-factor confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the model fit the data well.

Carbapenem susceptibilities and non-susceptibility concordance to different carbapenems amongst clinically important Gram-negative bacteria isolated from intensive care units in Taiwan: results from the Surveillance of Multicentre Antimicrobial Resistance in Taiwan (SMART) in 2009.

To investigate the in vitro susceptibilities to various carbapenems amongst clinical Gram-negative bacteria isolated from patients in intensive care units of ten major teaching hospitals in Taiwan in 2009, a survey was conducted to determine the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ertapenem, imipenem, meropenem and doripenem against isolates of Enterobacteriaceae (n = 594), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (n = 185), Acinetobacter baumannii (n = 192) and Burkholderia cepacia (n = 23) using the agar dilution method. Susceptibilities were determined according to 2009, 2011 and 2012 MIC breakpoints recommended by the CLSI as well as 2012 MIC breakpoints recommended by EUCAST. Based on CLSI 2012 criteria, the ertapenem susceptible rate was 93%, 81%, 68% and 92% for Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter cloacae and Serratia marcescens, respectively.

Physiological analysis of silver nanoparticles and AgNO3 toxicity to Spirodela polyrhiza.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are commonly used in consumer products for their antibacterial activity. Silver nanoparticles may adversely influence organisms when released into the environment. The present study investigated the effect of AgNPs on the growth, morphology, and physiology of the aquatic plant duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza).

Characterization of a new phage, termed ϕA318, which is specific for Vibrio alginolyticus.

Vibrio alginolyticus is an opportunistic pathogen of animals and humans; its related strains can also produce tetrodotoxin and hemolysins. A new phage, ϕA318, which lysed its host V. alginolyticus with high efficiency, was characterized.

Effect of acupressure on nausea, vomiting, anxiety and pain among post-cesarean section women in Taiwan.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of acupressure for controlling post-cesarean section (CS) symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, anxiety perception and pain perception. A total of 104 eligible participants were recruited by convenience sampling of operating schedules at two hospitals. Participants assigned to the experimental group received acupressure, and those assigned to the control group received only postoperative nursing instruction.