A phenomenological study of the experiences of nurses working in integrated nursing care wards in Korea.

Background: This study aimed to understand the experiences of nurses working in the integrated nursing care service, a relatively recent addition to the Korean hospital infrastructure, to suggest ways in which to address their grievances and needs and improve their job satisfaction, thereby reducing turnover.

Methods: This study adopted a qualitative approach to explore subjects' vivid experiences. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 17 nurses with over one year of experience working in integrated nursing care wards.

Adaptation Process of Korean Elderly Women to Foreign Daughters-in-Law in Multicultural Rural Families: A Grounded Theory Method.

Introduction: In South Korea, the number of multicultural families is steadily increasing. The purpose of the study was to examine and identify the process of adaptation of elderly women to foreign daughters-in-law in multicultural families in rural settings.

Method: This is a qualitative study and applies a grounded theory method.

Effects of Multicomponent Oriental Integrative Intervention on Cognitive Function, Health Status, Life Satisfaction, and Yangsaeng of Community-Dwelling Elderly.

The elderly population in South Korea is rapidly increasing. The elderly living in the community are looking for alternative and complementary methods to improve their healthy longevity and quality of life. This study aimed to examine the effects of Multicomponent Oriental Integrative Intervention on the cognitive function, health status, life satisfaction, and Yangsaeng of the Korean elderly living in the community.

A Comparison of Label Switching Algorithms in the Context of Growth Mixture Models.

Simulation studies involving mixture models inevitably aggregate parameter estimates and other output across numerous replications. A primary issue that arises in these methodological investigations is label switching. The current study compares several label switching corrections that are commonly used when dealing with mixture models.

Multivariate analysis of metals contents in spices commonly consumed in republic of Korea.

Concentrations of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), mercury (Hg), zinc (Zn), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), nickel (Ni) and copper (Cu) were determined in 310 samples of commonly consumed spices from the market in Korea. The content of metals was assayed by acid wet digestion followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) or ICP. The content of Hg was analysed using a direct mercury analyser (DMA).

Effects of Meridian Acupressure on Stress, Fatigue, Anxiety, and Self-Efficacy of Shiftwork Nurses in South Korea.

Shiftwork nurses experience physical and psychological health problems related to shift work. This study aimed to examine the effects of Meridian acupressure on stress, fatigue, anxiety, and self-efficacy of shiftwork nurses in South Korea. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was employed.

Effects of Yangsaeng (Health Management) Therapy for Korean Older Adults in Nursing Home.

The number of older adults admitted to nursing homes is steadily increasing, and the health management for them is a very important issue in Korean society. This study aimed to examine the effects of Yangsaeng (health management) therapy on physical health status, depression, life satisfaction, and Yangsaeng (health management) of Korean older adults in nursing homes. A quasi-experimental study design using a pretest-posttest control group was employed.

Technology Computer-Aided Design-Based Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis Model for Back-Channel-Etched Thin-Film Transistors with Floating Metal Components.

We report thin-film transistors (TFTs) with floating metal using a back-channel-etched (BCE) process. Since the BCE process reduces the active mask step compared to other processes, it has attracted attention as a back-plane process that could be used for mass production. To realize the long channel in the BCE process, a floating metal is required; this acts as a bridge in the middle of the channel.

Effects of a Simulation-Based CPR Training Program on Knowledge, Performance, and Stress in Clinical Nurses.

Background: Rapid and accurate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) performed by clinical nurses plays an important role in increasing the survival rate of cardiac arrest patients in the hospital.

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a simulation-based CPR training program on knowledge, performance, and stress of CPR in clinical nurses.

Method: A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest control group design was used.

Effects of Tai Chi therapy on body mass index and physical index of intellectual disability.

Aim: Continuous program development and application are necessary in order to manage the health and address the problems of secondary metabolic disorders for people with intellectual disabilities. This study examines the effects of Tai Chi therapy on body mass index (BMI) and physical index among people with intellectual disabilities.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study using a pretest-post-test control group, non-synchronized design was employed.

Effects of Discontinue Rules on Psychometric Properties of Test Scores.

This paper provides results on a form of adaptive testing that is used frequently in intelligence testing. In these tests, items are presented in order of increasing difficulty. The presentation of items is adaptive in the sense that a session is discontinued once a test taker produces a certain number of incorrect responses in sequence, with subsequent (not observed) responses commonly scored as wrong.

A molecular dynamics study on the interface morphology of vapor-deposited amorphous organic thin films.

The interfaces between amorphous organic layers play an important role in the efficiency and lifetime of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). However, an atomistic understanding of the interface morphology is still poor. In this study, we theoretically investigate the interfacial structure of amorphous organic films using molecular dynamics simulations that mimic vapor-deposition processes.

Heavy metals in spices commonly consumed in Republic of Korea.

Levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), and mercury (Hg) were evaluated in 359 samples of commonly consumed spices (cinnamon, parsley, basil, oregano, coriander seed, nutmeg, cumin, bay leaf, fenugreek, rosemary, thyme, fennel, sage, clove, marjoram, tarragon, caraway, dill seed, pepper, and turmeric) from the market in the Republic of Korea. The content of Pb, Cd, and As was assessed by acid wet digestion using a microwave oven and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The content of Hg was analysed using a direct mercury analyzer (DMA).

Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Angelica gigas via Heme Oxygenase (HO)-1 Expression.

Angelica gigas (AG) is effective against various medical conditions such as bacterial infection, inflammation, and cancer. It contains a number of coumarin compounds and the group of interest is the pyranocoumarin, which comprises decursin and decursinol angelate. This group has an effect on controlling inflammation, which is caused by excessive nitric oxide (NO) production.

Novel reassortant influenza A(H5N8) viruses among inoculated domestic and wild ducks, South Korea, 2014.

An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza, caused by a novel reassortant influenza A (H5N8) virus, occurred among poultry and wild birds in South Korea in 2014. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathogenesis in and mode of transmission of this virus among domestic and wild ducks. Three of the viruses had similar pathogenicity among infected domestic ducks: the H5N8 viruses were moderately pathogenic (0%-20% mortality rate); in wild mallard ducks, the H5N8 and H5N1 viruses did not cause severe illness or death; viral replication and shedding were greater in H5N8-infected mallards than in H5N1-infected mallards.

Cancer Preventive Potential of Kimchi Lactic Acid Bacteria (Weissella cibaria, Lactobacillus plantarum).

The number of death due to cancer has been increasing in Korea. Chemotherapy is known to cause side effects because it damages not only cancerous cells but healthy cells. Recently, attention has focused on food-derived chemopreventive and anti-tumor agents or formulations with fewer side effects.

Conventional Cisplatin-Based Combination Chemotherapy Is Effective in the Treatment of Metastatic Spermatocytic Seminoma with Extensive Rhabdomyosarcomatous Transformation.

A 52-year-old man was presented with a huge left testicular mass and palpable cervical lymphadenopathy with retroperitoneal lymph node enlargement on an abdominal computed tomography. A left radical orchiectomy and an ultrasound-guided neck node biopsy were performed. A pathological examination revealed spermatocytic seminoma with extensive rhabdomyosarcomatous transformation, a condition known to be highly resistant to platinum-based chemotherapy.

Colon cancer cell apoptosis is induced by combined exposure to the n-3 fatty acid docosahexaenoic acid and butyrate through promoter methylation.

DNA methylation and histone acetylation contribute to the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in apoptosis. We have demonstrated that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6 n-3) and butyrate enhance colonocyte apoptosis. To determine if DHA and/or butyrate elevate apoptosis through epigenetic mechanisms thereby restoring the transcription of apoptosis-related genes, we examined global methylation; gene-specific promoter methylation of 24 apoptosis-related genes; transcription levels of Cideb, Dapk1, and Tnfrsf25; and global histone acetylation in the HCT-116 colon cancer cell line.

A chemoprotective fish oil/pectin diet enhances apoptosis via Bcl-2 promoter methylation in rat azoxymethane-induced carcinomas.

We have demonstrated that diets containing fish oil and pectin (FO/P) reduce colon tumor incidence relative to control (corn oil and cellulose [CO/C]) in part by inducing apoptosis of DNA-damaged colon cells. Relative to FO/P, CO/C promotes colonocyte expression of the antiapoptotic modulator, Bcl-2, and Bcl-2 promoter methylation is altered in colon cancer. To determine if FO/P, compared with CO/C, limits Bcl-2 expression by enhancing promoter methylation in colon tumors, we examined Bcl-2 promoter methylation, mRNA levels, colonocyte apoptosis and colon tumor incidence in azoxymethane (AOM)-injected rats.

A chemoprotective fish oil- and pectin-containing diet temporally alters gene expression profiles in exfoliated rat colonocytes throughout oncogenesis.

We have demonstrated that fish oil- and pectin-containing (FO/P) diets protect against colon cancer compared with corn oil and cellulose (CO/C) by upregulating apoptosis and suppressing proliferation. To elucidate the mechanisms whereby FO/P diets induce apoptosis and suppress proliferation during the tumorigenic process, we analyzed the temporal gene expression profiles from exfoliated rat colonocytes. Rats consumed diets containing FO/P or CO/C and were injected with azoxymethane (AOM; 2 times, 15 mg/kg body weight, subcutaneously).

Electronic structure tailoring and selective adsorption mechanism of metal-coated nanotubes.

Effects of various metal coating (Co, Ti, Pd, W, and Ru) on electronic structures of carbon nanotubes are systematically studied by both ab initio calculations and field-emission experiments. The theoretical results indicate that the adsorption of metal atoms leads to substantial changes in the band structures and work functions of nanotubes. In particular, titanium is found to be the most effective coating material for the application of nanotubes to the field emission display, by lowering the work function and increasing the local density of states near the Fermi level.

Orbital hybridization and charge transfer in carbon nanopeapods.

We investigate the electronic structure of the fullerenes encapsulated inside carbon nanotubes, the so-called nanopeapods, using the first-principles study. The orbital hybridization of LUMO+1 (the state above the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) of C60, rather than LUMO as previously proposed, with the nanotube states explains the peak at approximately 1 eV in recent scanning-tunneling-spectroscopy (STS) data. For the endohedral metallofullerenes nested in the strained nanotube, the charge transfer shifts the relative energy levels of the different states and produces a spatial modulation of the energy gap in agreement with another STS experiment.