The Experiences of Nursing Managers in Implementing Palliative Care in Long-Term Care Facilities.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of nursing managers in implementing palliative care in long-term care facilities and to provide recommendations for managers who plan to introduce palliative care into their facilities.

Methods: This study used semi-structured interviews and grounded theory methodology, with purposive sampling. A total of 11 long-term care facilities in eastern Taiwan that had implemented palliative care were selected, and 11 facility nursing managers participated in in-depth, face-to-face interviews.

Using Artificial Intelligence for the Early Detection of Micro-Progression of Pressure Injuries in Hospitalized Patients: A Preliminary Nursing Perspective Evaluation.

This study established a predictive model for the early detection of micro-progression of pressure injuries (PIs) from the perspective of nurses. An easy and programing-free artificial intelligence modeling tool with professional evaluation capability and it performed independently by nurses was used for this purpose. In the preliminary evaluation, the model achieved an accuracy of 89%.

The Experience to Implement Palliative Care in Long-term Care Facilities: A Grounded Theory Study of Caregivers.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of caregivers in long-term care facilities as they implement palliative care. Although palliative care has been available in Taiwan for more than 30 years, it is often provided in hospitals, few models in the long-term care facilities.

Methods: Semi-structured interviews using grounded theory methodology and purposive sampling.

Swallowing ability and its impact on dysphagia-specific health-related QOL in oral cavity cancer patients post-treatment.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of swallowing ability, depression, and dysphagia-specific health-related quality of life (QOL), and the predictors of dysphagia-specific health-related QOL in oral cavity cancer patients post-treatment.

Methods: A cross-sectional study of 151 oral cavity cancer patients was performed at a medical center. Patients were assessed for swallowing ability, depression, and dysphagia-specific health-related QOL.

Effects of a swallowing exercise education program on dysphagia-specific health-related quality of life in oral cavity cancer patients post-treatment: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a swallowing exercise education program (SEEP) on swallowing ability, depression, and dysphagia-specific health-related quality of life (QOL) in oral cavity cancer (OCC) patients.

Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled study with two groups using a pre- and post-repeated measures design. A total of 76 participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 38) and a control group (n = 38).

The relation between patient education, patient empowerment and patient satisfaction: A cross-sectional-comparison study.

Purpose: Patient empowerment is a paradigm of clinical practice. The goal of patient empowerment is to lead patients' health and wellbeing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relation between patient education, patient empowerment and patient satisfaction based on multi-hospital cross-sectional study design in Taiwan.

Factors associated with continued smoking after treatment of oral cavity cancer: An age and survival time-matched study.

Aims: The aims of this study of people with oral cavity cancer were to compare the social support, depression, nicotine dependence, physical function and social-emotional function of those who continued smoking with those who quit smoking, by matching age and survival time and to identify the predictors of continued smoking during the survival period.

Background: People who continue to smoke after cancer treatment may have an impact on treatment response and survival.

Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted.

Psychosocial effects of a skin camouflage program in female survivors with head and neck cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a skin camouflage program on disfigurement, self-esteem, social interaction, and body image in female head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors.

Methods: A prospective, repeated-measures, randomized controlled therapeutic intervention design was used. A total of 66 participants were randomly assigned to each group, with 32 in the experimental group and 34 in the control group.

Exercise engagement in people with prediabetes--a qualitative study.

Aims And Objectives: To explore the experiences of people with prediabetes who engage in exercise, from the initiation of exercise to the discontinuation or continuation of exercise.

Background: People with prediabetes are the high-risk group for developing type 2 diabetes. Engaging in exercise is an important health behaviour to prevent or delay this.

Nurses' attitudes towards physical activity care among older people.

Aims And Objectives: To understand nurses' attitudes towards physical activity care for older people in long-term care facilities.

Background: In long-term care facilities, a common approach to daily physical activity is based on the identifiable portions of daily life during which the activity occurs. However, older people are at risk of falling when they perform daily physical activities.

Nurses' beliefs, experiences and practice regarding complementary and alternative medicine in Taiwan.

Aim: To gain an insight into this issue, this study used a qualitative approach and aims to explore and describe nurses' beliefs, experiences and practice regarding complementary and alternative medicine in Taiwan.

Background: The integration of complementary and alternative medicine with conventional medicine has become more common worldwide in recent years. An increase in patient use and an expansion of nurses using complementary and alternative medicine has spawned further investigation.

The Chinese version of the Outcome Expectations for Exercise scale: validation study.

Background: Estimates of the reliability and validity of the English nine-item Outcome Expectations for Exercise (OEE) scale have been tested and found to be valid for use in various settings, particularly among older people, with good internal consistency and validity. Data on the use of the OEE scale among older Chinese people living in the community and how cultural differences might affect the administration of the OEE scale are limited.

Aim: To test the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the Outcome Expectations for Exercise scale among older people.

A systematic review and meta-ethnography of the qualitative literature: experiences of the menarche.

Aim: This article is a report of a systematic review and meta-ethnography of women's experience of menarche.

Background: Adolescents may experience menarche at different ages, but menarche remains an important milestone in the female maturation process, representing the transition from childhood to womanhood.

Design: Systematic review and meta-ethnography.

Ammonium-dependent sodium uptake in mitochondrion-rich cells of medaka (Oryzias latipes) larvae.

In this study, a scanning ion-selective electrode technique (SIET) was applied to measure H(+), Na(+), and NH(4)(+) gradients and apparent fluxes at specific cells on the skin of medaka larvae. Na(+) uptake and NH(3)/NH(4)(+) excretion were detected at most mitochondrion-rich cells (MRCs). H(+) probing at MRCs revealed two group of MRCs, i.

Nursing home care for older people in Taiwan: a process of forced choice.

Aim: To generate a substantive theory for understanding the phenomenon of nursing home care for older people in Taiwan.

Background: Taiwanese culture shows great respect for older people and older people are traditionally cared for at home by their families. However, the older population in Taiwan is rapidly increasing and this demographic shift, together with various socio-economic changes, has resulted in nursing homes becoming a new and significant care option.

Analysis of pooled data from two pivotal controlled trials on the efficacy of topiramate in the prevention of migraine.

Context: A substantial proportion of the patient population with migraine headache should be considered for preventive treatment based on the frequency and disability associated with this disorder. Use of the anticonvulsant topiramate was previously examined in two large, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials of a subset of patients who have 3 to 12 migraine episodes per month.

Objective: To better characterize the efficacy of topiramate for prevention of migraine, with or without aura, by pooling and analyzing data from the two large clinical trials.

Topiramate monotherapy in newly diagnosed epilepsy in children and adolescents.

A double-blind, dose-controlled study evaluated topiramate as monotherapy in 470 patients with newly diagnosed (< or = 3 months) epilepsy or epilepsy relapse in the absence of therapy. In addition to having at least 2 lifetime-unprovoked seizures, patients had 1 or 2 partial-onset seizures or generalized-onset tonic-clonic seizures during a 3-month retrospective baseline. The trial included a large cohort (N = 151, 32%) of children and adolescents 6 to 15 years of age.

Assessment of interrater and intrarater reliability of the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale in essential tremor.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate interrater and intrarater reliability of the Fahn-Tolosa-Marin Tremor Rating Scale (TRS) in essential tremor (ET). Proper treatment of ET is contingent upon correct assessment of the severity, loss of function, and disability related to tremor. Videotape recordings of 17 subjects with ET evaluated with the TRS were produced and sent to 59 raters.

Efficacy and safety of topiramate monotherapy in civilian posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Objective: This double-blind, placebo-controlled trial assessed efficacy and safety of topiramate monotherapy in civilian posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Method: Outpatients (18-64 years) with DSM-IV non-combat-related PTSD and Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) scores >or= 50 were eligible. Topiramate was started at 25 mg/day and titrated by 25-50 mg/week to 400 mg/day or maximum tolerated dose.

Effects of an oral contraceptive (norgestimate/ethinyl estradiol) on bone mineral density in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa: a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of an oral contraceptive (OC) on bone mineral density (BMD) in adolescent females with anorexia nervosa (AN) or eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS).

Methods: Females 11-17 years of age with AN or EDNOS entered the study. Subjects were randomized equally to treatment with a triphasic OC containing norgestimate (NGM) 180-250 microg and ethinyl estradiol (EE) 35 microg or placebo for 13 28-day cycles.

Efficacy and tolerability of topiramate 200 mg/d in the prevention of migraine with/without aura in adults: a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, 12-week pilot study.

Background: Several large, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have found topiramate (TPM) to be effective and generally well tolerated as a preventive therapy for migraine.

Objective: This paper evaluates efficacy and safety data from a pilot study of TPM 200 mg/d as preventive therapy in adult subjects with a history of migraine with or without aura.

Methods: The pilot study had a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled design.

The outcome expectancy model for areca-quid chewing behavior.

Outcome expectancies as regards areca-quid chewing played an important role in areca-quid addiction. In this study, areca-quid user expectancies will be explored. A total of 179 adolescents selected from high school completed the areca-quid chewing expectancy questionnaire and related chewing-behavior scale.

Pneumonia due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa: the levofloxacin clinical trials experience.

Respiratory infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa present significant treatment challenges, including that of overcoming intrinsic and adaptive resistance by these organisms. The fluoroquinolones may provide an effective option for treating these infections. In this analysis, we report on the efficacy of levofloxacin in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and nosocomial pneumonia caused by P.

Process of self-identity transformation in women with autistic adolescent.

The purpose of this study was to understand the self-identity transformation in women with adolescent autistic children. In this study, in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Eight mothers were recruited who had autistic children aged 13-21 and who were those children's primary caregivers.

Treatment of chronic bacterial prostatitis with levofloxacin and ciprofloxacin lowers serum prostate specific antigen.

Purpose: We compared baseline and post-therapy prostate specific antigen (PSA) in patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis who were treated with levofloxacin or ciprofloxacin.

Materials And Methods: Subset analysis was done using a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, active control trial of 500 mg levofloxacin daily for 28 days vs 500 mg ciprofloxacin twice daily in 28 days in men with chronic bacterial prostatitis.

Results: Of the 377 men in the intent to treat population, including 197 treated with levofloxacin and 180 treated with ciprofloxacin, 35 on levofloxacin and 37 on ciprofloxacin with baseline PSA greater than 4 ng/ml were included in this analysis.